Method for installing software components at a user-terminal, related devices and related software module

• US 6,715,143 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Chantrain, Dominique Helena Lucia, Vanderstraeten, Hans, Van Leekwijck, Werner Adriaan Josephine
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/686,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168-178, 709/200, 709/217-218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/249, 709/310
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and related devices for installing software components at a user-terminal of a plurality of user-terminals in a communications-network. This communications network further consists of a plurality of hosts and a plurality of network gateways. The user-terminal is connected to one of the network gateways.

The network gateway receives a connection request from a user-terminal to establish a connection between the user-terminal and one of the hosts and detects if the software components are available at the user-terminal. If the software components are not available, the network gateway sets the establishment of the connection between the user-terminal and the host in hold and subsequently establishes a connection between the user-terminal and a service provisioning network element that also is included in the communications network. The service provisioning network element downloads the software components to the user-terminal over a established connection between the user-terminal and the service provisioning network element. The network gateway resumes the establishment of the connection between the user-terminal and the host upon detection of the end of the download.

Claims

1. A method for installing software components at a user-terminal of a plurality of user-terminals in a communications-network, said communications network comprising a plurality of hosts and a plurality of network gateways, where said user-terminal is coupled to a network gateway of said plurality of network gateways, said method comprising:

a. said network gateway receiving a connection request from said user-terminal to establish a connection between said user-terminal and a host of said plurality of hosts, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of;

b. said network gateway detecting whether said software components are available at said user-terminal; and

performing the following steps when said software components are not available;

c. said network gateway holding said establishment of said connection between said user-terminal and said host;

d. said network gateway establishing a connection between said user-terminal and a service provisioning network element also included in said communications network;

e. said service provisioning network element downloading to said user-terminal said software components from said service provisioning network element over said established connection between said user-terminal and said service provisioning network element; and

f. said network gateway resuming said establishing of said connection between said user-terminal and said host upon detection of an end of said download.

2. The method for installing software components at a user-terminal according to claim 1 characterized in that said method further comprises between the steps d and e, the step of detecting whether said software components are available at said user-terminal by said service provisioning network element.

3. The method for installing software components at a user-terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that said software components are initial software components.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said host is a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said host is another user terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said end of said software download is determined by a trigger sent by the service provisioning network element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said end of said software download is determined by software components installed in said user terminal during said software download.

8. A Network Gateway for installing software components at a user-terminal of a plurality of user-terminals in a communications-network, said communications network comprising a plurality of hosts and a plurality of network gateways, where said user-terminal of said a plurality of user terminals is connected to a network gateway of said plurality of network gateways, said network gateway comprising the following means:

a. connection request reception and establishing means, adapted to receive a connection request from said user-terminal to establish a connection between said user-terminal terminal and a host, characterized in that said network gateway (NG) further comprises the following means;

b. software component detection means, coupled with an input to an output of said connection request reception and establishing means and adapted to detect whether said software components are available at said user-terminal;

c. connection holding means, coupled with an input to an output of said software component detection means and adapted to hold said establishment of said connection between said user-terminal and said host;

d. service provisioning connection establishment means, coupled with an input to an output of said connection holding means and adapted to establish a connection between said user-terminal and a service provisioning network element also included in said communications network and to notify said a service provisioning network element to download said software components over said connection; and

e. connection re-establishment means, adapted to resume said establishing of said connection between said user-terminal and said host upon detection of the end of said download.

9. The network gateway of claim 8, wherein said host is a server.

10. The network gateway of claim 8, wherein said host is another user terminal.

11. The network gateway of claim 8, wherein said end of said software download is determined by a trigger sent by the service provisioning network element.

12. The network gateway of claim 8, wherein said end of said software download is determined by software components installed in said user terminal during said software download.

13. A service provisioning network element for installing software components at a user-terminal of a plurality of user-terminals in a communications-network, said communications network comprising, a plurality of hosts and a plurality of network gateways, where said user-terminal is coupled to a network gateway of said plurality of network gateways, said service provisioning network element being part of said communications network, said service provisioning network element comprising the following means:

a. connection establishment notification reception means, adapted to receive a notification of an established connection between said service provisioning network element and said user terminal; and

b. software component downloading means, coupled with an input-terminal to an output-terminal of said connection establishment notification reception means and adapted to download to said user-terminal software components from said service provisioning network element over said established connection between said user-terminal and said service provisioning network element.

14. The service provisioning network element of claim 13, further comprising a first time connect detection means for detecting whether said user terminal connects to said network gateway for a first time based on an input received from said connection establishment notification reception means, and when said user terminal connects to said network gateway for said first time, generating an output to said software component downloading means requesting said download.

15. A computer-readable medium including a set of instructions that comprise a software module, for running on a processing system for inclusion in a Service provisioning network element, for installing software components at a user-terminal of a plurality of user-terminals in a communications-network, said communications network comprising a plurality of hosts and a plurality of network gateways, where said user-terminal is coupled to a network gateway of said plurality of network gateways, said service provisioning network element being part of said communications network, said software module comprising the following software sub-modules:

a. a connection establishment notification reception sub-module, adapted to receive a notification of an established connection between said service provisioning network element and said user terminal; and

b. a software component downloading sub-module, co-operating with said connection establishment notification reception sub-module and adapted to download to said user-terminal software components from said service provisioning network element over said established connection between said user-terminal and said service provisioning network element.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising a first time connect detection sub-module detecting whether said user terminal connects to said network gateway for a first time based on an input received from said connection establishment notification reception sub-module, and when said user terminal connects to said network gateway for said first time, generating an output to said software component downloading sub-module requesting said download.