Method and apparatus for remote peripheral software installation

• US 6,681,392 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Henry, Clarence Terrance, Logan, Lauren Elizabeth, Thompson, Suzanne Marie, Mattingly, David Nolan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba, Antony
• Application Number:
  US09/464,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 717/176, 717/168-175, 717/177-178, 709/217, 709/220-223, 709/226, 709/229, 709/245-246, 709/321, 709/327, 707/1, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/200, 707/203-205, 358/409, 358/413, 358/437, 358/305, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 710/8, 710/15, 710/20, 710/54
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32117 in a separate transmission or protocol signal prior to or subsequent to the image data transmission, e.g. in digital identification signal [DIS], in non standard setup [NSS] or in non standard field [NSF] for mode signalling H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

Method and apparatus for remote peripheral software installation. A software system running in a local computer system used by a system administrator can install drivers, network utilities, and other peripheral software on a remote system connected to a network. The software system gathers system information from the remote system including the locations and names of system files. The software system also provides for the stopping and restarting of services which are associated with the peripheral software. In this way, installation can be completed without rebooting, or otherwise disrupting the operation of the remote system. Additionally, no special software is needed on the remote system, and no user need be logged into the remote system.

Claims

1. At a local computer system on a network, a method of installing peripheral software in response to a user selection to install the peripheral software on a remote system which is connected to the network, the method comprising the steps of:

resolving system information for the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network, wherein the system information comprises peripheral objects and ports installed on the remote system;

determining software and option selection for installation on the remote system;

stopping, by interacting with the remote system over the network, one or more related services on the remote system to allow replacement of existing component files of the peripheral software, at least in part in response to the user selection to install the peripheral software, said stopping step not requiring a subsequent reboot of the remote system;

copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network;

restarting the one or more related services on th e remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network; and

updating system information on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resolving step further comprises the steps of:

attaching to the registry of the remote system to find a location on the remote system of one or more files which are related to the peripheral software; and

enumerating the remote system to determine one or more peripheral objects and one or more ports on the remote system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises the step of copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities, and wherein the steps of stopping and restarting the one or more related services further include the steps of stopping and restarting a print spooler.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises the step of copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities, and wherein the steps of stopping and restarting the one or more related services further include the steps of stopping and restarting a print spooler.

5. A computer program product for use in a computer system on a network, the computer program product for remotely installing peripheral software in response to a user selection to install the peripheral software on a remote system which is connected to the network, the computer program product including a media with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for resolving system information for the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network, wherein the system information comprises peripheral objects and ports installed on the remote system;

computer program code for determining software and options for installation on the remote system;

computer program code for stopping, by interacting with the remote system over the network, one or more related services on the remote system to allow replacement of existing component files of the peripheral software, at least in part in response to the user selection to install the peripheral software, said computer program code not requiring a subsequent reboot of the remote system;

computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network;

computer program code for restarting the one or more related services on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network; and

computer program code for updating system information on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program code for resolving further comprises:

computer program code for attaching to a registry of the remote system to find a location on the remote system of the files and directions which are related to the peripheral software; and

computer program code for enumerating the remote system to determine peripheral objects and ports on the remote system.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises computer program code for copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities and wherein the computer program code for stopping and restarting the one or more related services includes computer program code for stopping and restarting a print spooler.

8. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises computer program code for copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities and wherein the computer program code for stopping and restarting the one or more related services includes computer program code for stopping and restarting a print spooler.

9. A programmed computer system including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output connections, and a connection for a network, the programmed computer system also including a computer program for remotely installing peripheral software in response to a user selection to install the peripheral software on a remote system which is connected to the network, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for resolving system information for the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network, wherein the system information comprises peripheral objects and ports installed on the remote system;

computer program code for determining software and options for installation on the remote system;

computer program code for stopping, by interacting with the remote system over the network, one or more related services on the remote system to allow replacement of existing component files of the peripheral software, at least in part in response to the user selection to install the peripheral software, said computer code not requiring a subsequent reboot of the remote system;

computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network;

computer program code for restarting one or more related services on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network; and

computer program code for updating system information on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network.

10. The programmed computer system of claim 9 wherein the computer program code for resolving further comprises:

computer program code for attaching to a registry of the remote system to find a location on the remote system of files and directories which are related to the peripheral software; and

computer program code for enumerating the remote system to determine peripheral objects and ports on the remote system.

11. The programmed computer system of claim 10 wherein the computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises computer program code for copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities and wherein the computer program code for stopping and restarting the one or more related services includes computer program code for stopping and restarting a print spooler.

12. The programmed computer system of claim 9 wherein the computer program code for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network further comprises computer program code for copying a printer driver and one or more network utilities and wherein the computer program code for stopping and restarting the one or more related services includes computer program code for stopping and restarting a print spooler.

13. Apparatus for connection to a network and for remotely installing peripheral software in response to a user selection to install the peripheral software on a remote computer system which is connected to the network, the apparatus comprising:

means for resolving system information for the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network, wherein the system information comprises peripheral objects and ports installed on the remote system;

means for determining software and options for installation on the remote system;

means for stopping, by interacting with the remote system over the network, any related service on the remote system to allow replacement of existing component files of the peripheral software, at least in part in response to the user selection to install the peripheral software, said means for stopping not including a requirement for a subsequent reboot of the remote system;

means for copying the peripheral software to the remote system over the network;

means for restarting any related service on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network; and

means for updating system information on the remote system by interacting with the remote system over the network.

14. A software system for remotely installing peripheral software in response to a user selection to install the peripheral software on a remote system which is connected to a network, the software system comprising:

an installation graphical user interface (GUI);

an install engine connected to the installation GUI, the install engine for receiving a list of software from the installation GUI and for controlling the operation of the software system;

a driver installation subsystem connected to the install engine for creating and customizing the peripheral software according to the list of software;

a file copy subsystem for receiving a file copy list and displaying copy progress, the file copy subsystem connected to the install engine;

an enumeration subsystem connected to the installation GUI for receiving system information from the remote system, the system information comprising drivers and ports installed on the remote system;

a subsystem for starting and stopping one or more related services at least in part in response to the user selection to install the peripheral software, the subsystem for starting and stopping the one or more related services being connected to the file copy subsystem, said subsystem for starting and stopping not subsequently rebooting the remote system; and

a remote system information subsystem for retrieving system information from the remote system, the remote system information subsystem connected to the system information subsystem and the file copy subsystem.

15. The software system of claim 14 wherein the subsystem for starting and stopping one or more related services further comprises means for starting and stopping a print spooler.