Apparatus and method for selective engagement in software distribution
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:
- a computer system having a network interface connection, a data storage device operatively coupled to said network interface connection and an away button;
wherein said away button, in response to selective activation by a user, signals a master distribution server through said network interface connection an initiation and a termination of an interval of non-use of said computer system by the user, and registers said computer system with the master distribution server, wherein the registering of the computer advises the master distribution server of any software already stored on the data storage device which is available for distribution in a peer to peer distribution of software by sending packet data indicating applications it is capable of distributing and a time interval available for assignment; and
wherein said computer system and said network interface connection remain active and respond to directions from the master distribution server during the signaled interval of non-use of said system by the user to receive network communications engaging said system in a peer to peer distribution of software to receive and store software from the master distribution server on said data storage device and distribute at least one of the already stored software and the received software to another client system through a pathway assigned to said computer system by the master distribution server in response to an instruction packet from the master distribution server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, methods and program products by which the user of a computer system may initiate an interval during which the user leaves the system idle to permit the system to become engaged in peer to peer software distribution.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a network interface connection, a data storage device operatively coupled to said network interface connection and an away button; wherein said away button, in response to selective activation by a user, signals a master distribution server through said network interface connection an initiation and a termination of an interval of non-use of said computer system by the user, and registers said computer system with the master distribution server, wherein the registering of the computer advises the master distribution server of any software already stored on the data storage device which is available for distribution in a peer to peer distribution of software by sending packet data indicating applications it is capable of distributing and a time interval available for assignment; and wherein said computer system and said network interface connection remain active and respond to directions from the master distribution server during the signaled interval of non-use of said system by the user to receive network communications engaging said system in a peer to peer distribution of software to receive and store software from the master distribution server on said data storage device and distribute at least one of the already stored software and the received software to another client system through a pathway assigned to said computer system by the master distribution server in response to an instruction packet from the master distribution server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising:
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in a computer system having a network interface connection, a data storage device operatively coupled to said network interface connection and an away button, the away button, in response to selective activation by a user, signaling a master distribution server through the network interface connection an initiation and a termination of an interval of non-use of the computer system by the user and registering the computer system with the master distribution server; the registering the computer system with the master distribution server advising the master distribution server of any software already stored on the data storage device which is available for distribution in a peer to peer distribution of software by sending packet data indicating applications the computer system is capable of distributing and a time interval available for assignment; the computer system and the network interface connection remaining active and responding to direction from the master distribution server during the signaled interval of non-use of the system by the user; and the computer system engaging in a peer to peer distribution of software to receive and store software from the master distribution server on said data storage device and distribute at least one of the already stored software and the received software to another client system through a pathway assigned to said computer system by the master distribution server, in response to an instruction packet from the master distribution server received while remaining active and responding to the direction from the master distribution server during the signaled interval of non-use of the system by the user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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producing computer executable program code; storing the produced program code on a computer readable medium device; and providing the medium device and the program code to be deployed to and executed to a computer system having a network interface connection, a data storage device operatively coupled to said network interface connection and an away button; the program code comprising instructions which, when executing on the computer system, cause the computer system, in response to a selective activation of the away button by a user, to; signal a master distribution server through the network interface connection an initiation and a termination of an interval of non-use of the computer system by the user by sending packet data indicating applications it is capable of distributing in a peer to peer distribution of software and a time interval available for assignment; register the computer system with the master distribution server by advising the master distribution server of any software already stored on the data storage device which are available for distribution in the peer to peer distribution of software; and remain active and engage in a peer to peer distribution of software to receive and store software from the master distribution server on said data storage device and distribute at least one of the already stored software and the received software to another client system through a pathway assigned to said computer system by the master distribution server, in response to an instruction packet from the master distribution server during the signaled interval of non-use of the system by the user. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification