Device-to-device software distribution

• US 7,779,409 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Persson, Per, Jung, Younghee, Lundin, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US10/925,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method and corresponding equipment by which software (11c) on a first device (11) is virally or otherwise distributed to a second device (12), in which the first device (11) and second device (12) and possibly also a server (16) of the software (11c) exchange information sufficient for the first device (11) to determine whether it includes or stores a version of the software (22c) compatible with the second device (12), and if so, then provides a compatible version, but otherwise exchanges information with the second device sufficient for the second device to obtain a copy from the server (16).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

exchanging information between a first device and a second device indicating a software application hosted on the first device;

obtaining, by the first device from the second device, compatibility information,

determining if said first device is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the second device, based on said compatibility information, and

providing a copy of the software application from the first device to the second device, if said first device is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the second device, or

providing information from the first device to the second device about where to download the software application, if the first device is not stored with any version of the software compatible with the second device.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the compatibility information is obtained by the first device sending a query to the second device asking for the compatibility information.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the query includes a command to the operating system of the second device prompting a response providing the compatibility information.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein in response to the compatibility information, the first device determines whether the second device is compatible based on information stored on the first device.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein in response to the compatibility information, the first device determines whether the second device is compatible by referring to information stored on another device.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the compatibility information is obtained by the first device sending a query to the second device asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the first device.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein in response to the query, the second device either itself provides an indication of compatibility or else obtains an indication of compatibility from a source of compatibility information and forwards the indication of compatibility to the first device.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device refers to information stored on the first device to determine an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and provides the address to the second device.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device internally generates an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and provides the address to the second device.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device connects to a source of download address information and obtains an address where a compatible version of the software application can be downloaded and then provides the address to the second device.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein if the compatibility information indicates that the second device is not compatible, then the first device sends to the second device an address of a server, the second device connects to the server, and the server analyzes the second device, determines which version or versions of the software application are compatible, and either provides a compatible version of the software application or provides an address where a compatible version can be downloaded.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate wirelessly.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate using a short-range wireless link.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate using a cellular link.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device communicate over a path that includes the Internet.

16. A computer readable medium embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor, with said computer program code characterized in that it includes instructions for performing the steps of the method of claim 1.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for exchanging with another apparatus information indicating a software application hosted on the apparatus;

means for obtaining from the other apparatus, compatibility information,

means for determining if the apparatus is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the other apparatus, based on said compatibility information, and

means for providing to the other apparatus a copy of the software application if it is determined that the apparatus is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the other apparatus, and for providing information about where to download the software application if it is determined that the apparatus is not stored with any version of the software application compatible with the other apparatus.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to obtain the compatibility information by sending a query to the other apparatus asking for the compatibility information.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the query includes a command to the operating system of the other apparatus prompting a response providing the compatibility information.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising means for determining whether the other apparatus is compatible based on the compatibility information and also based on information stored on the apparatus.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising means, responsive to the compatibility information, for determining whether the other apparatus is compatible by referring to information stored on still another apparatus.

22. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising means for obtaining the compatibility information by sending a query to the other apparatus asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the apparatus.

23. A system, comprising:

a first apparatus as in claim 17; and

a second apparatus, adapted for exchanging the compatibility information with the first apparatus, and for receiving information indicating where the software application can be obtained if said first apparatus determines it is not stored with any version of the software application compatible with the second apparatus, or for receiving the software application if said apparatus determines it is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the other apparatus.

24. A system as in claim 23, further comprising a server, for providing a compatible version of the software application.

25. A system as in claim 24, wherein the server is configured to analyze the second apparatus to determine compatibility, and if the second apparatus is found to be compatible with a version of the software application available from the server, then to provide to the second apparatus a compatible version of the software.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving from another apparatus information indicating a software application hosted on the other apparatus; and

means for exchanging compatibility information with the other apparatus for indicating whether the apparatus is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus, for receiving information indicating where the software application can be obtained if the compatibility information indicates the apparatus is not compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus, and for receiving the software application if the compatibility information indicates the apparatus is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26, wherein the apparatus is configured so that in response to a query asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the other apparatus, the apparatus either itself provides an indication of compatibility or else obtains an indication of compatibility from a source of compatibility information and forwards the indication of compatibility to the other apparatus.

28. An apparatus, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

exchange with another apparatus information indicating a software application hosted on the apparatus;

obtain compatibility information from the other apparatus,

determine if said apparatus is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the other apparatus, based on said compatibility information, and

provide to the other apparatus a copy of the software application if said first device determines it is stored with any version of the software application compatible with the second device, or provide to the other apparatus information about where to download the software application, if the first device determines it is not stored with any version of the software compatible with the second device.

29. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to obtain the compatibility information by sending a query to the other apparatus asking for the compatibility information.

30. An apparatus as in claim 29, wherein the query includes a command to the operating system of the other apparatus prompting a response providing the compatibility information.

31. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine whether the other apparatus is compatible based on the compatibility information and also based on information stored on the apparatus.

32. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to the compatibility information by determining whether the other apparatus is compatible by referring to information stored on still another apparatus.

33. An apparatus as in claim 28, further wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus obtain the compatibility information by sending a query to the other apparatus asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the apparatus.

34. An apparatus, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive from another apparatus information indicating a software application hosted on the other apparatus;

exchange compatibility information with the other apparatus for indicating whether the apparatus is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus; and

receive information indicating where the software application can be obtained if the compatibility information indicates the apparatus is not compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus, or receive the software application if the compatibility information indicates the apparatus is compatible with any version of the software application stored on the other apparatus.

35. An apparatus as in claim 34, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to respond to a query asking for an indication of compatibility and including information about the other apparatus by either itself providing an indication of compatibility or else obtaining an indication of compatibility from a source of compatibility information and forwarding the indication of compatibility to the other apparatus.