Downloading software from a server to a client

• US 7,523,399 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McFadden, Andrew T., Britt, Joe F. Jr., Goldman, Phillip Y., Leak, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/851,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,905 Days
• Field of Search: 345719-726, 345/749, 345/748, 345/760, 345/740, 345744-746, 345/811, 715/740, 715741-743, 715705-714, 715748-749, 715/760, 715/739, 713/178, 380/51, 717/11, 707/1, 707/10, 707/11
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

Systems and methods for obtaining and maintaining operable and updated versions of software on a client, which may be a set-top box or a personal computer. A server automatically downloads software updates over a satellite link to a client after such upgrades become available at the server without requiring interaction with a user. Similarly, corrupted software is automatically replaced by the client first automatically detecting if a corrupted state exists in local software or data using a checksum technique. If such corruption is found, the client automatically connects over the Internet to a server that contains a replacement for the corrupted program or data. The client then automatically receives a download of the program or data from the server.

Claims

1. A computerreadable storage medium carrying computer-executable instructions, that when executed at a client system that communicates with a server system, cause the client system to perform the method, including the acts of:

checking the validity of stored system program instructions at the client system and checking the validity of stored application program instructions at the client system to determine whether the stored system program instructions or the stored application program instructions have a corrupted portion so as to render the corrupted portion unreadable as intended;

after determining that either the stored system instructions or the stored application instructions have a corrupted portion;

connecting the client system to the server system;

receiving replacement instructions for the corrupted portion from the server system; and

replacing the corrupted portion of the stored program instructions with the replacement instructions; and

determining, at the client system, that a new software version was downloaded onto the client system while the client system was in a powered off state, wherein the powered off state is a state in which the client device is able to receive software upgrades and in which the client device is unable to direct communication to the server.