Method and apparatus for software maintenance at remote nodes
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method of applying service to a computer program that is to be executed at a remote location connected to a central computer site of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
- interactively receiving a request for a computer program service from a customer at a remote location interface with optional service incorporation instructions of the remote location customer;
providing the received request for service over the computer network to a service facility at the central computer site;
determining the components of the requested service at the central computer site; and
providing the results of the requested service over the computer network back to the customer at the remote location interface.
4 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer network system includes a central software service site that operates with a customer interface through which a customer at a remote location can request service and receive updated executable code back from the service site. The customer interface provides a seamless front end across the different software platforms of the network. A customer initiates servicing of a program product by composing a service request through the front end, which provides a mechanism for the collection of information regarding the nature of the customer request. The front end permits the customer to specify a range of optional operations to be performed at the service site, including service research, requesting service, applying service, and installing fixes from the service site to the remote location. A service facility at the service site performs the requested service and provides the results back to the customer, or collects the service and returns the product and service to the remote location for application of service. The source code for the program product being updated resides only at the service site. All code is returned to the remote location over the network in a form that is ready to be executed. In a distributed implementation, the service site is provided as a central node and one or more slave nodes that also perform service.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method of applying service to a computer program that is to be executed at a remote location connected to a central computer site of a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
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interactively receiving a request for a computer program service from a customer at a remote location interface with optional service incorporation instructions of the remote location customer; providing the received request for service over the computer network to a service facility at the central computer site; determining the components of the requested service at the central computer site; and providing the results of the requested service over the computer network back to the customer at the remote location interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer network system having a central computer processor node at a central computer site connected by a network to one or more computer processors at remote locations, each computer processor at a remote location supporting the execution of at least one computer program that is maintained by periodic application of service, the system further comprising:
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a front end interface that permits interactively receiving a request for a service relating to the computer program from a customer of a computer processor input screen at a remote location with optional service incorporation instructions of the customer; a network interface connection that permits providing the received request for service over the network to the central computer site; a service facility at the central computer site that receives the request for service, determines the components of the requested service, and provides the results of the requested service over the network back to the customer at the front end interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A program storage device readable by a machine at a central computer site, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for applying service to a computer program executed on a computer processor at a remote location connected to the central computer site by a network, the method steps performed by the machine comprising:
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receiving a request for service over the network that was interactively produced by a customer at a remote location interface of the computer processor with optional service incorporation instructions of the customer; determining the components of the requested service using a service facility at the central computer site; and providing the results of the requested service over the network back to the customer at the remote location interface. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A program storage device readable by a machine at a remote location connected to a central computer site of a network, the program storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the remote location machine to perform method steps for applying service to a computer program at the central computer site to be executed at the remote location, the method steps performed by the remote location machine comprising:
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interactively receiving a request for a computer program service from a customer at a remote location interface with optional service incorporation instructions of the remote location customer and providing the optional service incorporation instructions; providing the received request for service over the computer network to a service facility at the central computer site that determines the components of the requested service at the central computer site; and receiving the results of the requested service over the network from the central computer site at the remote location interface. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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Specification