Method and system for distributing a software application to a specified recipient

• US 7,434,217 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/818,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20050223376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 717174-178, 709/205, 709/206, 709/223, 709/226, 705/27, 705/51, 705/54, 707/101, 707/102, 707/104.1, 725/37, 725/41, 725/61, 725/142, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 713/165, 434/322
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

The present invention is related to a computer-implemented method and system for allowing a user to distribute an application in an electronic device to at least one specified recipient. The method according to the present invention includes invoking a share function in the electronic device by the user, and in response to the user invoking the share function, transmitting automatically an install image associated with the application to the at least one specified recipient. According to the present invention, the install image is an installable copy of the application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allowing a user to distribute an install image associated with an application in an electronic device to at least one specified recipient comprising:

presenting a graphical representation of a share function included with the application in the electronic device;

invoking the share function in response to a user selection of the graphical representation of the share function; and

in response to invoking the share function, automatically retrieving, by the share function, the install image associated with the application, wherein the install image is at least one of stored on the electronic device and remotely retrievable from a location in communication with the electronic device, automatically invoking, by the share function, a delivery mechanism to generate a message addressable to at least one recipient specified by the user, and automatically attaching, by the share function, the retrieved install image to the message, wherein the install image is an installable image of the application.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the install image associated with the application in a device associated with the at least one specified recipient; and

automatically installing and persistently storing the application on the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the install image is a self-installing copy of the application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking a share function includes:

displaying an integrated share button to the user in a window when the application is running; and

allowing the user to select the integrated share button to automatically invoke the share function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking a share function includes:

launching the application;

displaying a share button to the user in the menu item; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking a share function includes:

displaying a share button to the user in a context menu; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking a share function includes:

displaying a share button to the user in a Program Start menu; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the install image associated with the application is stored in the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

adding data associated with the application to the install image prior to attaching the install image to the message.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

providing a script and an install button to the message, wherein when the install button is selected by the at least one recipient, the script automatically launches the install image.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending distribution data related to the distribution of the application to a computer system for tracking; and

storing the distribution data at the computer system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a photo album viewing application and the method further includes:

adding album data to the install image associated with the photo album viewing application prior to sending the message including the attached install image to the at least one specified recipient.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the install image associated with the application automatically launches the application after the install image has installed the application onto the device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises one or more modules, at least one of the modules including an integrated share button, which when selected by the user, invokes the share function.

15. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for allowing a user to distribute an install image associated with an application in an electronic device to at least one specified recipient, the computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

presenting a graphical representation of a share function included with the application in the electronic device;

invoking the share function in response to a user selection of the graphical representation of the share function; and

in response to invoking the share function, automatically retrieving, by the share function, the install image associated with the application, wherein the install image is at least one of stored on the electronic device and remotely retrievable from a location in communication with the electronic device, automatically invoking, by the share function, a delivery mechanism to generate a message addressable to at least one recipient specified by the user, and automatically attaching, by the share function, the retrieved install image to the message, wherein the install image is an installable image of the application.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions for:

receiving the install image associated with the application in a device associated with the at least one specified recipient; and

automatically installing and persistently storing the application on the device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the install image is a self-installing copy of the application.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the invoking instruction includes:

displaying an integrated share button to the user in a window when the application is running; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the invoking instruction includes:

launching the application;

displaying a share button to the user in the menu item; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the invoking instruction includes:

displaying a share button to the user in a context menu; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the invoking instruction includes:

displaying a share button to the user in a Program Start menu; and

allowing the user to select the share button to automatically invoke the share function.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the install image associated with the application is stored in the electronic device.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, comprising instructions for:

adding data associated with the application to the install image prior to attaching the install image to the message.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22, comprising instructions for:

providing a script and an install button to the message, wherein when the install button is selected by the at least one recipient, the script automatically launches the install image.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions for:

sending distribution data related to the distribution of the application to a computer system for tracking; and

storing the distribution data at the computer system.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the application is a photo album viewing application and the medium further includes instructions for:

adding album data to the install image associated with the photo album viewing application prior to sending the message including the attached install image to the at least one specified recipient.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the install image associated with the application automatically launches the application after the install image has installed the application onto the device.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the application comprises one or more modules, at least one of the modules including an integrated share button, which when selected by the user, invokes the share function.

29. A system for allowing a user to distribute an install image associated with an application in an electronic device to at least one specified recipient, the system comprising:

the electronic device comprising an application having an integrated presented share button and a share function included with the application, wherein when the share function in the electronic device is invoked in response to a user selection of the integrated presented share button, the install image associated with the application is automatically retrieved by the share function, wherein the install image is at least one of stored on the electronic device and remotely retrievable from a location in communication with the electronic device, a delivery mechanism is automatically invoked, by the share function, to generate a message addressable to at least one recipient device specified by the user, the recipient device in communication with the electronic device, and the retrieved install image is automatically attached, by the share function, to the message, the install image being an installable image of the application.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the install image, when received by the at least one recipient device specified by the user, automatically installs and persistently stores the application in the at least one user-specified device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the user is allowed to attach data associated with the application to the install image, thereby distributing the application and the associated data.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the application is a photo album viewing application and the associated data includes image data.