Graphical user interface for use in a de-centralized network environment

• US 6,031,533 A
• Filed: 07/03/1996
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Alex C., Gupta, Abhay Kumar, Reck, Lance D., Peddada, Tarakam V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/675,680
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 345/329, 345/349, 345/348, 345/333, 395/712, 395/200.31, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/650, 395/349, 395/155
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/966 Computer process, e.g. operation of computer

Abstract

A method of providing a graphical user interface on a client network device is described. The client network device is coupled to a server network device and has a local storage facility, such as a hard disk unit, storing a first version of a software program. The method requires the selection of the first version of the software program as an execution version of the software program. A graphic object identifying the software program is displayed, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program. A version control indicator, for example an icon, is displayed and indicates to a user of the client network device whether or not a second version of the software program, propagated to the client network device from the server network device, will automatically be selected as the execution version of the software program. The first version may be a recommended version of the software program, and the selection step may comprise selecting the recommended version of the software program as the execution version.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a graphical user interface on a client network device, the client network device being coupled to a server network device and having a storage facility storing a first version of a software program, the method including:

identifying the first version of the software program as being an execution version of the software program;

displaying a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program; and

displaying an end-of-life indicator indicating that the first version of the software program is due to become unavailable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first version is a recommended version of the software program, and the identification comprises identifying the recommended version of the software program as the execution version.

3. The method of claim 1 including displaying a recommendation indicator indicating whether the first version of the software program is recommended for use.

4. The method of claim 3 including displaying an availability indicator indicating whether the software program is available for execution, and only providing the recommendation indicator if the first version of the software program is available for execution.

5. The method of claim 1 including:

storing a plurality of execution commands for initiating execution of the software program;

selecting one the plurality of execution commands as being a default execution command; and

associating the default execution command with the graphic object representing the software program.

6. The method of claim 1 including:

storing a record for the software program, the record including a version control determinator for indicating whether or not the first version of the software program will automatically be substituted as the execution version by the second version of the software program distributed to the client network device from the server network device; and

accessing the record for the software program to display a version control indicator corresponding to the version control determinator.

7. A graphical user interface for use on a client network device, the network device having a storage facility storing a first version of a software program, the first version being designated as an execution version of the software program, and being coupled to a server network device, the graphical user interface comprising:

a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program;

an end-of-life indicator indicating to a user whether the first version of the software program is due to be deleted from the storage facility; and

a command generator, responsive to user selection of the graphic object, to issue a command for the execution of the execution version of the software program.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 7 including a recommendation indicator indicating whether the first version of the software program is recommended for use.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 7 including an availability indicator indicating whether the first version of the software program is available for execution.

10. A computer-implemented method of providing a graphical user interface on a client network device, the client network device having a storage facility storing a software program and being coupled to a server network device, the method including:

displaying a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the software program;

displaying a status indicator to indicate the status of the software program to a user of the client network device;

remotely changing the status of the software program stored on the storage facility of the client network device from being recommended to being not recommended, or vice versa, utilizing the server network device; and

displaying the status indicator to indicate the changed status of the software program.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein remotely changing the status comprises changing the status of the software program from being available to being unavailable, or vice versa.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein remotely changing the status comprises changing the status of the software program to terminal.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor within a client network device, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

identifying a first version of a software program, stored on a storage facility accessible by the client network device, as being an execution version of the software program;

displaying a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program; and

displaying an end-of-life indicator to indicate that the first version of the software program is due to become unavailable.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the first version is a recommended version of the software program, and wherein plurality of instructions cause the processor to identify the recommended version of the software program as the execution version.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 having instructions thereon which cause the processor to perform the step of displaying a recommendation indicator indicating whether the first version of the software program is recommended for use.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 having instructions thereon which cause the processor to perform the steps of displaying an availability indicator indicating whether the first version of the software program is available for execution, and only providing the recommendation indicator if the software program is available for execution.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 having instructions thereon which cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing a plurality of execution commands for initiating execution of the software program;

selecting one the plurality of execution commands as being a default execution command; and

associating the default execution command the graphic object representing the software program.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 having instructions thereon which cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing a record for the software program, the record including a version control determinator for indicating whether or not the first version of the software program will automatically be replaced as the execution version by the second version of the software program distributed to the client network device from the server network device; and

accessing the record for the software program to display a version control indicator corresponding to the version control determinator.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 13 having stored thereon a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor within a first network device, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

storing a record for the software program, the record including data, supplemental to an execution command required to initiate execution of the software program; and

accessing the record for the software program prior to issuing the execution command.

20. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor within a computer, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

identifying a first version of a software program, stored on a storage facility accessible by the computer, as an execution version of the software program;

displaying a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program; and

displaying an end-of-life indicator to indicate that the first version of the software program is due to become unavailable.

21. A graphical user interface for use on a client network device, the network device having a storage facility storing a first version of a software program and being coupled to a server network device, the graphical user interface comprising:

a graphic object identifying the software program, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the first version of the software program;

a status indicator to indicate a status of the first version of the software program to a user of the client device and, responsive to a remote changing of the status of the first version of the software program from being recommended to being not recommended, utilizing the server network device, to indicate the changed status of the first version of the software program; and

a command generator, responsive to user selection of the graphic object, to issue a command for the execution of the first version of the software program.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 21 wherein the status indicator indicates a remote change in the status of the first version of the software program from being available to being unavailable, or vice versa.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 21 wherein the status indicator indicates a remote change in the status of the first version of the software program to terminal.

24. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor within a computer, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

displaying a graphic object on a display unit, the graphic object identifying a first version of a software program and being user selectable to execute the first version of the software program, the first version of the software program being stored on a storage facility of a client network device;

displaying a status indicator on the display unit to indicate a status of the first version of the software program; and

displaying the status indicator on the display unit to indicate a changed status of the first version of the software program responsive to a remote changing of the status of the first version of the software program, stored on the storage facility of the client network device, from being recommended to being not recommended.

25. A computer-implemented method of providing a graphical user interface on a client network device, the client network device having a storage facility storing a software program and being coupled to a server network device, the method including:

displaying a graphic object on a display unit, the graphic object identifying a first version of a software program and being user selectable to execute the first version of the software program, the first version of the software program being stored on a storage facility of a client network device;

displaying a status indicator on the display unit to indicate a status of the first version of the software program;

changing the status of the first version of the software program from being recommended to being not recommended via the server network device; and

displaying the status indicator on the display unit to indicate that the status of the first version of the software program, stored on the storage facility of the client network device, has been changed from being recommended to being not recommended.