Method for configuring software for a build to order system

• US 6,775,829 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kroening, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Starks, Jr., Wilbert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US09/631,081
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 717/175, 717/172, 717/174, 717/177, 717/164, 717/168, 717/178, 717/120, 717/121
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of building a custom software configuration, which may include receiving a first customer order for a first information handling system and a second customer order for a second information handling system. The first customer order including a first list of hardware configuration components and a first list of software configuration components and the second customer order including second list of hardware configuration components and a second list of software configuration components. At least one of the first list of hardware configuration components is different from the second list of hardware configuration components and the first list of software configuration components is different from the second list of software configuration components. At least one software configuration is stored on a removable medium, the at least one software configuration suitable for loading at least one of the first list of software configuration components and the second list of software configuration components onto at least one of the first information handling system and the second information handling system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of building a custom software configuration, comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests for desired software configurations;

identifying at least one baseline configuration corresponding to the desired software configurations;

comparing the at least one baseline configuration with the desired software configurations;

creating a set of changes based on the comparison wherein the set of changes are suitable for combining with the baseline configuration to generate the desired software configuration, and

storing the at least one baseline configuration and set of changes on a removable medium, the removable medium suitable for loading a plurality of desired software configurations corresponding to the requested plurality of desired software configurations.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of requests for desired software configurations correspond to at least one of a first software component, a second software component, a first hardware component and a second hardware component, wherein at least one of the first hardware component is different from the second hardware component and the first software component is different from the second software component.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the removable medium includes at least one of a compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), PC Card for utilization in a PC slot, floppy disk, floppy/optical disk for use in a floppy/optical drive, zip disk for use in a zip drive, and tape for use in a tape drive.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the baseline configuration and set of changes are identified through the use of a configuration ID.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of requests are grouped.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the software configuration is identified through the use of a configuration ID.

10. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising a third request for a third desired information handling system, and when the first desired information handling system is more similar to the second desired information handling system than the third desired information handling system, the first information handling system and the second information handling system are grouped.

6. A computer implemented method of building a custom software configuration, comprising:

receiving a first request for a first desired software configuration and a second request for a second desired software configuration, the first desired software configuration being different than the second desired software configuration;

identifying at least one software configuration corresponding to at least one of the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration, wherein the at least one software configuration is suitable for generating the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration, and

storing the software configuration on a removable medium, the removable medium suitable for loading the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration.

7. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the first request for a first desired software configuration includes least one of a first software component and a first hardware component and the second request for a second desired software configuration includes at least one of a second software component and a second hardware component, wherein at least one of the first hardware component is different from the second hardware component and the first software component is different from the second software component.

8. The method as described in claim 6, wherein the removable medium includes at least one of a compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), PC Card for utilization in a PC slot, floppy disk, floppy/optical disk for use in a floppy/optical drive, zip disk for use in a zip drive, and tape for use in a tape drive.

11. A computer implemented method of building a custom software configuration, comprising:

receiving a first request for a first desired software configuration and a second request for a second desired software configuration, the first desired software configuration being different than the second desired software configuration;

identifying at least one baseline configuration corresponding to at least one of the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration;

comparing the at least one baseline configuration with the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration;

creating a set of changes based on the comparison wherein the set of changes are suitable for combining with the at least one baseline configuration to generate the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration, and

storing the at least one baseline configuration and set of changes on a removable medium, the removable medium suitable for loading the first desired software configuration and the second desired software configuration.

12. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the first desired software configuration is loaded on a first information handling system and the second desired software configuration is loaded on a second information handling system.

13. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the removable medium includes at least one of a compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), PC Card for utilization in a PC slot, floppy disk, floppy/optical disk for use in a floppy/optical drive, zip disk for use in a zip drive, and tape for use in a tape drive.

14. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the baseline configuration is identified through the use of a configuration ID.

15. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising a third request for a third desired software configuration, and when the first software configuration is more similar to the second software configuration than the third software configuration, the first software configuration and the second software configuration are grouped.

16. A computer implemented method of building a custom software configuration, comprising:

receiving a first customer order for a first information handling system and a second customer order for a second information handling system, the first customer order including a first list of hardware configuration components and a first list of software configuration components and the second customer order including second list of hardware configuration components and a second list of software configuration components, wherein at least one of the first list of hardware configuration components is different from the second list of hardware configuration components and the first list of software configuration components is different from the second list of software configuration components; and

storing at least one software configuration on a removable medium, the at least one software configuration suitable for loading at least one of the first list of software configuration components and the second list of software configuration components onto at least one of the first information handling system and the second information handling system.

17. The method as described in claim 16, wherein the removable medium includes at least one of a compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), PC Card for utilization in a PC slot, floppy disk, floppy/optical disk for use in a floppy/optical drive, zip disk for use in a zip drive, and tape for use in a tape drive.

18. The method as described in claim 16, wherein the software configuration is identified through the use of a configuration ID.

19. The method as described in claim 16, further comprising a third request for a third information handling system, and when the first information handling system is more similar to the second information handling system than the third information handling system, the first information handling system and the second information handling system are grouped.

20. The removable medium as described in claim 16, wherein the removable medium includes at least one of a compact disk read-only-memory (CDROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), PC Card for utilization in a PC slot, floppy disk, floppy/optical disk for use in a floppy/optical drive, zip disk for use in a zip drive, and tape for use in a tape drive.

21. A removable medium having machine readable instructions stored thereon for computer implemented execution, comprising:

a software library, including;

a first software configuration corresponding to a first customer order for a first information handling system, the first customer order including a first list of hardware configuration components and a first list of software configuration components, the first software configuration suitable for loading on the first information handling system; and

a second software configuration corresponding to a second customer order for a second information handling system, the second customer order including a second list of hardware configuration components and a second list of software configuration components, the second software configuration suitable for loading on the second information handling system;

wherein at least one of the first list of hardware configuration components is different from the second list of hardware configuration components and the first list of software configuration components is different from the second list of software configuration components so that the first software configuration is unsuitable for loading software configuration components on the second information handling system.

22. The removable medium as described in claim 21, wherein at least one of the first software configuration and the second software configuration includes at least one of BIOS settings, CMOS, operating system, drivers, utilities, application software, vendor software, and user-selected software.

23. The removable medium as described in claim 21, wherein the removable medium is suitable for restoring system setting to an information handling system.