Controlling installation update behaviors on a client computer
First Claim
1. At a client computing device having a normal installation behavior for use during a software update installation, the normal installation behavior including a normal user-interface behavior and a normal download behavior used when installing a standard software update, the normal user-interface behavior including presenting a description of a software update and a user-interface control for selecting installation of the software update if desired, the normal download behavior including downloading software updates in the background to minimize the impact on network bandwidth a computer implemented method for modifying the normal installation behavior of the client computing device during a software update installation, the computer implemented method comprising:
- obtaining software update information to be installed on the client computing device, the software update information comprising;
a software update, the software update comprising at least one update to at least one software product previously installed on the client computing device;
a rule for applicability of the software update, the rule for applicability defining one or more conditions at the client computing device; and
an installation attribute comprising a zero system interruption (ZSI) installation attribute, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that the software update is a ZSI software update, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that normal installation behavior at the client computing device is to be modified for installation of the software update, the modified installation behavior indicating a modification to one of the normal user-interface behavior and the normal download behavior so as to not cause any software interruptions during installation; and
determining that the software update is applicable to the client computing device based on determining that the one or more conditions defined by the rule for applicability are met;
determining that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates; and
in response to the determination that the software update is applicable to the client computing device and that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates;
modifying the normal installation behavior at the client computing device, including modifying the normal installation behavior according to the ZSI installation attribute to automatically install the software update, modification of the normal installation behavior modifying at least one of the normal user-interface behavior and normal download behavior, wherein modifying the normal download behavior comprises permitting a download process downloading the software update to compete with other network activities on a current connection at the client computing device so that as much network bandwidth as possible is used when downloading the software update'"'"'s content so as to download the software update more quickly over the current connection at the client computing device; and
automatically installing the software update on the client computing device without further user interaction.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling the update installation behavior of a computing device according to installation attributes is presented. When present, a mandatory installation attribute associated with a software update causes the installation process executed on the computing device to disallow a user to selectively not install the software update. A priority installation attribute causes the computing device to request a higher amount of network bandwidth for obtaining the software update'"'"'s content for installation on the client computing device. A deadline installation attribute associated with the software update causes the computing device to permit a user to selectively not install the software update until an associated deadline passes, at which time the software update is installed without further user interaction. A zero system interruption (ZSI) installation attribute causes the computing device to automatically install the software update without user interaction if the computing device is properly configured.
113 Citations
15 Claims
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1. At a client computing device having a normal installation behavior for use during a software update installation, the normal installation behavior including a normal user-interface behavior and a normal download behavior used when installing a standard software update, the normal user-interface behavior including presenting a description of a software update and a user-interface control for selecting installation of the software update if desired, the normal download behavior including downloading software updates in the background to minimize the impact on network bandwidth a computer implemented method for modifying the normal installation behavior of the client computing device during a software update installation, the computer implemented method comprising:
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obtaining software update information to be installed on the client computing device, the software update information comprising; a software update, the software update comprising at least one update to at least one software product previously installed on the client computing device; a rule for applicability of the software update, the rule for applicability defining one or more conditions at the client computing device; and an installation attribute comprising a zero system interruption (ZSI) installation attribute, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that the software update is a ZSI software update, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that normal installation behavior at the client computing device is to be modified for installation of the software update, the modified installation behavior indicating a modification to one of the normal user-interface behavior and the normal download behavior so as to not cause any software interruptions during installation; and determining that the software update is applicable to the client computing device based on determining that the one or more conditions defined by the rule for applicability are met; determining that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates; and in response to the determination that the software update is applicable to the client computing device and that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates; modifying the normal installation behavior at the client computing device, including modifying the normal installation behavior according to the ZSI installation attribute to automatically install the software update, modification of the normal installation behavior modifying at least one of the normal user-interface behavior and normal download behavior, wherein modifying the normal download behavior comprises permitting a download process downloading the software update to compete with other network activities on a current connection at the client computing device so that as much network bandwidth as possible is used when downloading the software update'"'"'s content so as to download the software update more quickly over the current connection at the client computing device; and automatically installing the software update on the client computing device without further user interaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15)
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8. A computer program product for use at a client computing device, the client computing device having a normal installation behavior for use during a software update installation, the normal installation behavior including a normal user-interface behavior and a normal download behavior used when installing a standard software update, the normal user-interface behavior including presenting a description of a software update and a user-interface control for selecting installation of the software update if desired, the normal download behavior including downloading software updates in the background to minimize the impact on network bandwidth, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed at a processor, cause the client computing device, to implement a method for modifying the normal installation behavior of the client computing device during a software update installation, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining software update information to be installed on the client computing device, the software update information comprising; a software update, the software update comprising at least one update to at least one software product previously installed on the client computing device; a rule for the applicability of the software update, the rule for applicability defining one or more conditions at the client computing device; and an installation attribute comprising a zero system interruption (ZSI) installation attribute, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that the software update is a ZSI software update, the ZSI installation attribute indicating that normal installation behavior at the client computing device is to be modified for installation of the software update, the modified installation behavior indicating a modification to one of the normal user-interface behavior and the normal download behavior so as to not cause any software interruptions during installation; and the processor determining that the software update is applicable to the client computing device based on determining that the one or more conditions defined by the rule for applicability are met; determining that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates; and in response to the determination that the software update is applicable to the client computing device and that the client computing device is configured for automatic installation of ZSI software updates; modifying the normal installation behavior at the client computing device, including modifying the normal installation behavior according to the ZSI installation attribute to automatically install the software update, modification of the normal installation behavior modifying at least one of the normal user-interface behavior and normal download behavior used when installing a standard update, wherein modifying the normal download behavior comprises modifying the normal download behavior to permit the download process downloading the software update to compete with other network activities on a current connection at the client computing device so that as much network bandwidth as possible is used when downloading the software update'"'"'s content so as to download the software update more quickly over the current connection at the client computing device; and automatically installing the software update on the client computing device without further user interaction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. At a client computing device having a normal installation behavior for use during a software update installation, the normal installation behavior including a normal user-interface behavior and a normal download behavior used when installing a standard software update, the normal user-interface behavior including presenting to a user at the client computing device a description of a software update and a user-interface control for selecting installation of the software update if desired, the normal download behavior including downloading software updates in the background to minimize the impact on network bandwidth, a computer implemented method for modifying the normal installation behavior of the client computing device during a software update installation according to associated installation attributes, the computer implemented method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining software update information to be installed on the client computing device, the software update information comprising; a software update, the software update comprising at least one update to at least one software product previously installed on the client computing device; a rule for the applicability of the software update, the rule for applicability defining one or more conditions at the client computing device; and an installation attribute operable for controlling the installation of the software update; determining whether the installation attribute is a mandatory installation attribute indicating that the software update must be installed by the user, and if so, requiring the software update to be installed and modifying the standard user-interface behavior of the client computing device to provide a visual indication in the user-interface that the user is unable to unselect installation of the software update; determining whether the installation attribute is a priority installation attribute, and if so, modifying the standard download behavior to permit the download process downloading the software update to compete with other network activities on a current connection at the client computing device so that as much network bandwidth as possible is used when downloading the software updates content so as to download the software update more quickly over the current connection at the client computing device; determining whether the installation attribute is a deadline installation attribute indicating that the software update must be installed by a corresponding deadline, if the corresponding deadline of the deadline attribute has expired, requiring the software update to be installed and modifying the standard user-interface behavior of the client computing device to provide a visual indication in the user-interface that the user is unable to unselect installation of the software update, if the corresponding deadline of the deadline attribute has not expired, modifying the standard user-interface behavior of the client computing device to provide a visual indication in the user-interface that the user must install the software update by the corresponding deadline; determining whether the installation attribute is a zero service interruption (ZSI) installation attribute indicating that the software update may be installed without any system interruption of the client computing device, wherein a system interruption includes rebooting the client computing device, terminating a software application at the client computing device, and requiring user interaction at the client computing device, and if so, modifying the normal installation behavior of the client computing device with respect to the software update such that the software update will be automatically installed on the client computing device without any system interruption if the client computing device is properly configured; and installing the update on the client computing device according to the modified installation behavior. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification