System and method for providing computer upgrade information

• US 7,577,948 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Upgradedetect Incorporated d/b/a Goldenram
• Inventors: Zomaya, Christ J., Berry, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria, Satish
• Application Number:
  US10/914,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20060037012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed which provide upgrade information for at least one computer. The method includes the steps of executing an upgrade program stored in a computer-readable medium on the at least one computer, detecting a current hardware configuration of the at least one computer, cross-referencing at least some of the information gathered during the detecting step with product specifications contained in a database, identifying an upgrade package for upgrading the at least one computer, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information gathered during the detecting step and cross-referenced with the product specification database, and recommending use of the upgrade package for upgrading the at least one computer. The system and method may be used to provide upgrade information on a plurality of networked computers.

Claims

1. A method of providing upgrade information for a plurality of networked computers comprising the steps of:

executing an upgrade program stored in a computer-readable medium on one of the plurality of networked computers;

detecting a current hardware configuration of the plurality of networked computers, including gathering information associated with the plurality of networked computers;

cross-referencing at least some of the information gathered during the detecting step for each of the plurality of networked computers with product specifications contained in a database;

identifying an upgrade package for upgrading hardware of at least some of the plurality of networked computers, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information gathered during the detecting step and cross-referenced with the product specification database and at least partially on a target hardware configuration; and

recommending use of the upgrade package for upgrading the hardware of the at least some of the plurality of networked computers;

wherein a single target hardware configuration is established for each of the plurality of networked computers; and

wherein the step of detecting a current hardware configuration of the plurality of networked computers comprises performing a task from a group of tasks;

wherein the group tasks comprising;

(a) accessing serial presence detect (SPD) data;

(b) accessing motherboard parameters;

(c) determining a write-protect status of the SPD;

(d) reading operating system data; and

(e) determining memory utilization and CPU speed.

2. A method of providing upgrade information for a plurality of networked computers comprising the steps of:

executing an upgrade program stored in a computer-readable medium on one of the plurality of networked computers;

detecting a current hardware configuration of the plurality of networked computers, including gathering information associated with the plurality of networked computers;

cross-referencing at least some of the information gathered during the detecting step for each of the plurality of networked computers with product specifications contained in a database;

identifying an upgrade package for upgrading hardware of at least some of the plurality of networked computers, wherein the identification of the upgrade package is based at least partially upon the information gathered during the detecting step and cross-referenced with the product specification database and at least partially on a target hardware configuration; and

recommending use of the upgrade package for upgrading the hardware of the at least some of the plurality of networked computers; and

packaging one or more hardware components of the upgrade package, wherein a single package is used for each computer in the plurality of networked computers where upgrading was recommended;

wherein the step of detecting a current hardware configuration of the plurality of networked computers comprises performing a task from a group of tasks;

wherein the group of tasks comprising;

(a) accessing serial presence detect (SPD) data;

(b) accessing motherboard parameters;

(c) determining a write-protect status of the SPD;

(d) reading operating system data; and

(e) determining memory utilization and CPU speed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the package is marked to identify the specific computer where upgrading was recommended.