Method and apparatus for automatically installing and configuring software on a computer

• US 6,578,142 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kinglite Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Technologies Limited (Pharaoh Acquisition LLC)
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric C., Pitard, David
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/336,289
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 717/11
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A method including copying a first application from a first non-volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory and setting the first application to be a start-up application. The method further includes booting-up an operating system and executing the first application. The method also includes determining if a suitable connection exists, determining if a needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available, and downloading a second application if the suitable connection exists and the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available. The method then includes executing the second application. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

copying a first application from a first non-volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory;

setting the first application to be a start-up application;

booting-up an operating system;

executing the first application;

determining if a suitable connection exists;

determining if a needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available;

downloading a second application if the suitable connection exists and the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available; and

,

executing the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, where the first non-volatile memory contains a BIOS.

3. The method of claim 1, where the second non-volatile memory is a mass storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, where setting the first application to be a start-up application comprises:

creating a short-cut to the first application; and

,

placing the short-cut to the first application in a predetermined location.

5. The method of claim 1, where determining if the suitable connection exists comprises determining if communications may be achieved with a server.

6. The method of claim 1, where determining if the suitable connection exists comprises determining if a network connection exists.

7. The method of claim 1, where determining if the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available comprises:

determining a ratio between how much of a bandwidth of the suitable connection is being consumed compared to the bandwidth as a whole; and

,

comparing the ratio with a first threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a time period where the ratio is below the first threshold; and

,

comparing the time period with a second threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully.

10. The method of claim 9, where determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises performing an integrity check on the second application.

11. The method of claim 9, where determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises determining if the second application has been downloaded completely.

12. An article comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed, causes:

copying of a first application from a first non-volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory;

setting of the first application to be a start-up application;

boot-up of an operating system;

execution of the first application;

determining if a suitable connection exists;

determining if a needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available;

downloading of a second application if the suitable connection exists and the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available; and

,

execution of the second application.

13. The article of claim 12, where the first non-volatile memory contains a BIOS.

14. The article of claim 12, where the second non-volatile memory is a mass storage device.

15. The article of claim 12, where setting the first application to be a start-up application comprises:

creating a short-cut to the first application; and

,

placing the short-cut to the first application in a predetermined location.

16. The article of claim 12, where determining if the suitable connection exists comprises determining if communications may be achieved with a server.

17. The article of claim 12, where determining if the suitable connection exists comprises determining if a network connection exists.

18. The article of claim 12, where determining if the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available comprises:

determination of a ratio between how much of a bandwidth of the suitable connection is being consumed compared to the bandwidth as a whole; and

,

comparing the ratio with a first threshold.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising:

determination of a time period where the ratio is below the first threshold; and

,

comparing the time period with a second threshold.

20. The article of claim 12, further comprising determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully.

21. The article of claim 20, where determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises performing an integrity check on the second application.

22. The article of claim 20, where determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises determining if the second application has been downloaded completely.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for copying a first application from a first non-volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory;

means for setting the first application to be a start-up application;

means for booting-up an operating system;

means for executing the first application;

means for determining if a suitable connection exists;

means for determining if a needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available;

means for downloading a second application if the suitable connection exists and the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available; and

,

means for executing the second application.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, where the first non-volatile memory contains a BIOS.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, where the second non-volatile memory is a mass storage device.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, where the means for setting the first application to be a start-up application comprises:

means for creating a short-cut to the first application; and

,

means for placing the short-cut to the first application in a predetermined location.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, where the means for determining if the suitable connection exists comprises means for determining if communications may be achieved with a server.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, where the means for determining if the suitable connection exists comprises means for determining if an Internet connection exists.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, where the means for determining if the needed bandwidth of the suitable connection is available comprises:

means for determining a ratio between how much of a bandwidth of the suitable connection is being consumed compared to the bandwidth as a whole; and

,

means for comparing the ratio with a first threshold.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for determining a time period where the ratio is below the first threshold; and

,

means for comparing the time period with a second threshold.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, where the means for determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises means for performing an integrity check on the second application.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, where the means for determining if the second application has been downloaded successfully comprises means for determining if the second application has been downloaded completely.