Method and system for enabling offline detection of software updates
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- at a client computer, obtaining information from a server about the availability of at least one update and storing information about the availability in a first storage location and obtaining information about the unavailability of at least one update and storing the information about the unavailability in a second location;
storing the information about available and unavailable updates at a local cache on the client computer; and
in response to a request for update information that may be available at the server, accessing the local cache to retrieve the information about available updates and unavailable updates.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system that facilitates automatic software updates from an online source such as the Internet, wherein a connection to determine whether an update (e.g., a driver or software component) is available online is no longer necessary during detection time. Information stored for updates corresponding to driver and other software component detection is locally cached, whereby update information is available when no connection exists, eliminating potentially wasted connections and being particularly advantageous if occurring before the connection can be made. When a device is installed or software components are detected, instead of requiring a connection to enable updates, the cached information is evaluated to determine whether the update is available online. If so, the update is made when a connection is made and otherwise desired by the user. The user may defer making the connection, and the update may happen automatically and/or in the background on the next connection.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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at a client computer, obtaining information from a server about the availability of at least one update and storing information about the availability in a first storage location and obtaining information about the unavailability of at least one update and storing the information about the unavailability in a second location; storing the information about available and unavailable updates at a local cache on the client computer; and in response to a request for update information that may be available at the server, accessing the local cache to retrieve the information about available updates and unavailable updates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a computing device, a system comprising,
network access software configured to access a network; -
a cache; a cache maintenance mechanism connected to the network access software and configured to maintain information in the cache, the information corresponding to available updates maintained on the network stored in a first data storage location and corresponding to unavailable updates not maintained on the network stored in a second data storage location; and automatic update software connected to access the cache in response to a request for update information on the network, and to determine from the information in the cache whether an update is available or not available. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer storage media having computer executable instructions, comprising,
accessing an online source to obtain information related to available updates and information related to unavailable updates; -
caching the information, the information including information as to the availability cached in a first cache storage location and the unavailability of updates cached in a second cache storage location; receiving a request directed to whether a particular update is available for download from the online source; and accessing the cache to determine whether the particular update is available or is not available for download from the online source. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification