Software updating system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 7,389,504 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Yukihiko, Kawano, Shinichi, Araki, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): WOOD, WILLIAM H
• Application Number:
  US10/694,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 705/28
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

It is made possible to update installed software appropriately. A CE device stores an update management table in which are set, with respect to software bundled with the CE device, the names, IDs, version numbers, update cycles, and contact information (URLs of update data supplying servers) for making inquiries on the presence of updates. For example, assuming that everyday, when it is recognized that the time is past 10:00, there is a need to check for the presence of updates for software A, the CE device accesses a URL corresponding to software A, and makes an inquiry on the presence of updates.

Claims

1. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus for supplying update confirmation information regarding a presence or absence of updates for installed software via a network;

an electronic device for executing a process in accordance with said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said electronic device includes;

storing means for storing an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

judging means for judging whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

detection means for detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging means has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

inquiring means for making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means based on the update confirmation schedule; and

execution means for executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring means, and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiring means of said electronic device; and

supplying means for supplying to said electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation means.

2. The software updating system according to claim 1, wherein said update confirmation information is one of update data for updating said software and information indicating the presence or absence of updates.

3. The software updating system according to claim 1, wherein after said update data supplying apparatus is detected by said detection means, said inquiring means of said electronic device waits until a predetermined time and makes an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software.

4. The software updating system of claim 1, wherein the update confirmation schedule is included in a table, said table including an identifier for the installed software and a URL of a server supplying an update for the installed software.

5. An information processing apparatus which executes a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies, via a network, said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software, comprising:

means for storing an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

means for judging whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

detection means for detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging means has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

inquiring means for making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means based on the update confirmation schedule; and

execution means for executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring means.

6. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus which executes a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies, via a network, said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software, comprising the steps of:

storing an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

judging whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which a confirmation has been judged to be necessary in said judging step;

making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected in said detection step based on the updated confirmation schedule; and

executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made in said step of making said inquiry.

7. A recording medium that stores a computer readable program for an information processing apparatus, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies, via a network, said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software, said process comprising steps of:

storing an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

judging whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which a confirmation has been judged to be necessary in said judging control step;

making of an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected in said detection control step based on the update confirmation schedule;

executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made in said inquiry control step.

8. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus for supplying update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software via a network;

a first electronic device for executing a process in accordance with said update confirmation information; and

a second electronic device for supplying to said first electronic device said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said first electronic device includes;

means for storing an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

judging means for judging whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

detection means for detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging means has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

request means for making a request to said second electronic device to make an inquiry to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means on the presence of updates for said software; and

execution means for executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said second electronic device in response to said request made by said request means,

said second electronic device includes;

inquiring means for making an inquiry, in response to said request made by said request means of said first electronic device, on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means based on the update confirmation schedule; and

a first supplying means for supplying to said first electronic device said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiry means, and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

a confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiring means of said second electronic device; and

second supplying means for supplying to said second electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation means.

9. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus configured to supply update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software via a network;

an electronic device configured to execute a process in accordance with said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said electronic device includes;

a storage unit configured to store an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

a judging unit configured to judge whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

a detection unit configured to detect said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging unit judged a confirmation to be necessary;

an inquiring unit configured to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection unit based on the update confirmation schedule; and

an execution unit configured to execute a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring unit; and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

a confirmation unit configured to confirm the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiring unit of said electronic device; and

a supplying unit configured to supply to said electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation unit.

10. An information processing apparatus configured to execute

a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus configured to supply, via a network, said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software, comprising:

a storage unit configured to store an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

a judging unit configured to judge whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

a detection unit configured to detect said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging unit judged a confirmation to be necessary;

an inquiring unit configured to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection unit based on the update confirmation schedule; and

an execution unit configured to execute a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring unit.

11. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus configured to supply update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for installed software via a network;

a first electronic device configured to execute a process in accordance with said update confirmation information; and

a second electronic device configured to supply to said first electronic device said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said first electronic device includes;

a storage unit configured to store an update confirmation schedule for said installed software, said update confirmation schedule indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the installed software, wherein said installed software includes a first program and a second program, and said update confirmation schedule includes a first time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the first program and a second time for indicating when to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for the second program, the first time being different than the second time;

a judging unit configured to judge whether, among said installed software, there exists software for which the presence of updates needs to be confirmed based on said update confirmation schedule;

a detection a unit configured to detect said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging unit has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

a request unit configured to make a request to said second electronic device to make an inquiry to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection unit on the presence of updates for said software; and

an execution unit configured to execute a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said second electronic device in response to said request made by said request unit,

said second electronic device includes;

an inquiring unit configured to make an inquiry, in response to said request made by said request unit of said first electronic device, on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection unit based on the update confirmation schedule; and

a first supplying unit configured to supply to said first electronic device said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiry unit, and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

a confirmation unit configured to confirm the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiring unit of said second electronic device; and

a second supplying configured to supply to said second electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation unit.