Method and system for distributing updates by presenting directory of software available for user installation that is not already installed on user station
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
- responsive to an identification of software already installed on the user station, presenting a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection.
8 Assignments
Litigations
2 Petitions
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for distributing information to a plurality of uncoordinated user stations each of which is configured for communications with a multiplicity of independently-operated servers via a non-proprietary network includes steps for providing a distribution service that distributes updates for a plurality of different products, and providing a transporter software component to each of the plurality of uncoordinated user stations, wherein the transporter software component at each user station automatically effects communication sessions with the distribution service via the non-proprietary network for the purpose of obtaining updates for each of at least a subset of the plurality of different products that are installed on that user station. Moreover, a user station, which includes a storage medium, a plurality of different products installed on the storage medium, and transporter software installed on the storage medium for automatically effectuating communication sessions with a distribution service via a non-proprietary network in order to obtain updates for each of the plurality of different products, and a distribution service that distributes updates for a plurality of different products to a plurality of uncoordinated user stations via a non-proprietary network, are also described.
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Citations
376 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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responsive to an identification of software already installed on the user station, presenting a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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16. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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31. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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46. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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61. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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76. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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91. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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responsive to an identification of software already installed on the user station, presenting, at the user station, a directory of software available for installation but not installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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106. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation but not installed on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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121. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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136. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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151. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software updates available for installation on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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166. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software updates available for installation on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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181. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software updates available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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196. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, enabling the user station to present a directory of software updates available for installation but not installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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211. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software updates available for installation on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected by a user at the user station as a function of the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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226. A computer implemented method for distributing software updates from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software updates available for installation on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software updates for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software updates is selected by a user at the user station as a function of the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software updates indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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241. A computer implemented method for installing software on a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station; and
installing a selection of software on the user station, wherein;
the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
the selection of software is received from a remote computer system over a communications network. - View Dependent Claims (242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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256. A computer implemented method for installing software on a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation but not installed on the user station; and
installing a selection of software on the user station, wherein;
the selection of software is selected at the user station as a function of the directory; and
the selection of software is received from a remote computer system over a network. - View Dependent Claims (257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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271. A computer implemented method for installing software on a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station; and
installing on the user station a selection of software, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station as a function of the directory and wherein the selection of software is received from a remote computer system over a network. - View Dependent Claims (272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285)
the method is initiated in, response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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286. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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responsive to an identification of software already installed on the user station, presenting, at the user station, a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected responsive to the directory; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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301. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station based on the information and an identification of software installed on the user station;
receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected responsive to the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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316. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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sending to the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station from a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station; and
receiving from the remote computer system over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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331. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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receiving at the remote computer system over a communications network a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected at the user station from a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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346. A computer implemented method for distributing software from a remote computer system to a user station, the method comprising:
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providing information, responsive to an identification of software already installed on the user station, enabling the user station to present a directory of software available for installation on the user station and not already installed on the user station;
receiving, at the remote computer system over a communications network, a selection of software for distribution to the user station, wherein the selection of software is selected by a user at the user station responsive to the directory; and
distributing to the user station over the communications network software indicated by the selection. - View Dependent Claims (347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and the remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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361. The method of claim 346, wherein the directory is prepared at the user station responsive to the identification of software already installed on the user station.
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362. A computer implemented method for installing a software update on a user station, the method comprising:
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presenting, at the user station, as a function of an identification of software already installed on the user station, a directory of software updates available for installation but not included in the software already installed on the user station; and
installing a selected software update on the user station, wherein;
the selected software update is selected by a user operating the user station as a function of the directory; and
the selected software update is received over a network. - View Dependent Claims (363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376)
the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and a remote computer system; and
the communication occurs according to a schedule.
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368. The method of claim 362, wherein:
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the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and a remote computer system; and
the communication occurs according to a schedule determined by a user of the user station.
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369. The method of claim 362, wherein:
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the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and a remote computer system; and
the communication occurs according to a schedule determined by the remote computer system.
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370. The method of claim 362, wherein, once the selected software update is received from a remote computer system, the software update is automatically installed on the user station.
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371. The method of claim 362, wherein the directory further provides identification of software available for installation but not installed on the user station.
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372. The method of claim 362, wherein the method is facilitated using an HTML viewer at the user station.
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373. The method of claim 362, wherein the communications network includes the Internet.
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374. The method of claim 362, wherein the user station comprises at least one of a computer, cable television controller, video game player, information kiosk, wired personal communicator, wireless personal communicator, personal information communicator, personal digital assistant, information appliance, and system controller.
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375. The method of claim 362, wherein the method is facilitated using a user interface provided at the user station by an entity associated with the software indicated by the directory.
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376. The method of claim 362, wherein:
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the method is initiated in response to a communication between the user station and a remote computer system; and
the communication is initiated by a user action.
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Specification