Program parameter updating method

• US 6,581,091 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme AG (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Frerich, Stefan, Manske, Detlef, Ruckmann, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/352,454
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/228, 709/313, 709/328, 709/329, 707/203
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method for updating program parameters deposited in a local configuration datafile, whereby a server is asked whether a new parameter datafile exists and this is potentially called from the server and transmitted into the local configuration datafile.

Claims

1. A method for updating parameters of a client program or updating parameters of a program that is related to the client program by the same security restrictions via a data network, comprising the steps of:

using a local configuration datafile in the client program, the local configuration datafile being stored on a client computer on which the client program is executed;

executing the client program, including;

conducting an inquiry of a parameter datafile via the data network, the inquiry including an inquiry on currentness information of the local configuration datafile, and determining by the client program whether to update the parameters based on the currentness information,

when the inquiry on currentness information yields an evaluation that the parameter datafile is newer than the local configuration datafile;

communicating the parameter datafile to the client program over the data network, and

transferring parameters of the parameter datafile into the local configuration datafile by the client program on the client computer,

using a data communication protocol for said inquiry on currentness information and said communication of said parameter datafile.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating step uses HTTP as a communication protocol.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the parameter datafile is in the language HTML.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein parameters in the parameter datafile are formatted as a table.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the parameter datafile is in a hierarchy corresponding to a hierarchy of the local configuration datafile.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the client program serves for displaying documents communicated via HTTP.

7. A method for updating parameter datafiles for a client program or updating parameters of a related program that is related to the client program by the same security restrictions, comprising the steps of:

starting the client program in a client computer connected to a network including a server;

sending an inquiry from the client computer to the server over the network as to the currentness of a parameter datafile by examining a configuration datafile of the client computer;

responding from the server to the client computer as to a currentness of a corresponding datafile on the server, said responding step including forwarding a more current datafile information if said inquiry yields a more current datafile on said server, said more current datafile information being forwarded over said network using a protocol; and

updating a local configuration datafile in said client computer by said client program if said client program determines there is a more current datafile available with said more current datafile information, said updating step interpreting information in said more current datafile information written using said protocol.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said protocol is HTTP and said more current datafile information forwarded over said network is in HTML.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said client computer runs Windows 95 as an operating system and parameters in the registry are updated in said updating step.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said client computer runs UNIX as an operating system.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said client computer runs Windows 3.1 as an operating system and parameters in an *.INI file are updated in said updating step.