Method for software distribution

• US 8,271,970 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bayer, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Marina
• Application Number:
  US11/584,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 717/172, 717/177
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method for software distribution is provided. The method is for software distribution from a central provider server of a software provider to a customer system with at least one technical device, on which at least one application program managed by the software provider is installed. The method includes storing information about a customer version of the application program used by the customer system and a current version in a database on the central provider server, and making a program packet, which corresponds to the current version of the application program, available to the customer system by way of a data line when the present customer version does not correspond to the current version.

Claims

1. A method for software distribution from a central provider server of a software provider to a customer system with a plurality of technical devices, an application program managed by the software provider being installed on at least one technical device of the plurality of technical devices, the method comprising:

storing information about a customer version of the application program used by the customer system and a current version in a database on the central provider server;

automatically transferring a program packet that corresponds to the current version of the application program from the central provider server to a customer server of the customer system by way of a data line when the central provider server determines the customer version does not correspond to the current version;

automatically transferring a confirmation of successful installation of the program packet to the central provider server when the program packet is installed on the at least one technical device of the customer system;

automatically updating the information about the customer version of the application program used by the customer system stored in the database when the confirmation of successful installation is transferred;

separating at least some technical devices of the plurality of technical devices of the customer system into a first group and a second group; and

supplying group-specific program packet bundles to the customer server of the customer system by the central provider server, one of the group-specific program packet bundles including at least one program packet that is different than program packets included in another of the group-specific program packet bundles, the customer server being operatively connected to the first group and the second group,

wherein different access rights are granted for the different group-specific program packet bundles, the different access rights preventing a user at a technical device of the second group from installing a first group-specific program packet bundle from the customer server.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

storing a device address of one technical device of the at least one technical device on the central provider server; and

making the program packet available to the customer system with details of the device address.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, comprising:

managing a plurality of customer systems by way of the central provider server, the plurality of customer systems comprising the customer system; and

storing information about customer versions of application programs used, the assignment of the customer versions to respective technical devices, and addresses of the plurality of customer systems.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

managing a plurality of customer systems by way of the central provider server, the plurality of customer systems comprising the customer system; and

storing information about customer versions of application programs used, the assignment of the customer versions to respective technical devices, and addresses of the plurality of customer systems.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, comprising:

transmitting respective program packets to the plurality of customer systems.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, comprising:

making one program packet available to a central customer server; and

installing the one program packet in a decentralized manner from the central customer server.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, comprising:

providing the one program packet for at least some technical devices of the plurality of technical devices of the customer system;

wherein the one program packet contains additional information about the technical devices, on which the one program packet is to be installed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, comprising:

installing the respective program packets from the central provider server on the technical devices.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one technical device is a medical diagnosis unit, a treatment unit or an associated data processing unit.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

transmitting the program packet to the customer system.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

installing the program packet from the central provider server on the at least one technical device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

making the program packet available to a central customer server, and

installing the program packet in a decentralized manner from the central customer server.