Distributed software development tool
First Claim
1. A method of using a computer network to facilitate distributed software development, using a pool of software modules maintained with a module manager, comprising the steps of:
- a) establishing a connection via said network between a user computer and a module manager (“
connect”
step);
b) accepting at the module manager an indication from the user computer specifying a submission or a download (“
mode”
step);
c) if the indication specifies a submission, then (collectively “
submission”
step);
i) accepting at the module manager from the user computer access conditions (“
SAC”
) related to a submit software module (“
SSM”
) for submission to said pool (“
submit conditions”
step);
ii) accepting at the module manager from the user computer access information (“
SAI”
) related to the SSM (“
submit access”
step);
iii) storing at the module manager the SAC and SAI as part of said pool (“
pool addition”
step);
d) If the indication indicates a download, then (collectively “
download”
step);
i) accepting at the module manager information from the user computer identifying a download software module (“
DSM”
) to be downloaded from said pool (“
identify download”
step);
ii) accessing from the pool the access conditions (“
DAC”
) associated with the DSM, and accepting at the module manager information from the user computer indicating that the DSM are accepted (“
download conditions”
step);
iii) accessing from the pool the access information (“
DAI”
) corresponding to the DSM, and communicating the DAI from the module manager to the user computer (“
transmit download”
step).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tool for distributed software development maintains a pool of software modules. A module manager manages submissions to and downloads from the pool. The module manager can be a computer system with programming and resources suited for managing the pool. Developers and users can access the module manager via a computer network such as the internet, or via other transmission mechanisms. A developer intending to submit a module to the pool can specify access conditions associated with the module, and transmit information needed to access the module. The module manager can add the access information and access conditions to the pool. A developer or user intending to access a module from the pool can identify a desired module. The module manager can then determine if the intended access complies with the access conditions associated with the desired module. If it does, then the module manager can transmit the access information.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of using a computer network to facilitate distributed software development, using a pool of software modules maintained with a module manager, comprising the steps of:
-
a) establishing a connection via said network between a user computer and a module manager (“
connect”
step);
b) accepting at the module manager an indication from the user computer specifying a submission or a download (“
mode”
step);
c) if the indication specifies a submission, then (collectively “
submission”
step);
i) accepting at the module manager from the user computer access conditions (“
SAC”
) related to a submit software module (“
SSM”
) for submission to said pool (“
submit conditions”
step);
ii) accepting at the module manager from the user computer access information (“
SAI”
) related to the SSM (“
submit access”
step);
iii) storing at the module manager the SAC and SAI as part of said pool (“
pool addition”
step);
d) If the indication indicates a download, then (collectively “
download”
step);
i) accepting at the module manager information from the user computer identifying a download software module (“
DSM”
) to be downloaded from said pool (“
identify download”
step);
ii) accessing from the pool the access conditions (“
DAC”
) associated with the DSM, and accepting at the module manager information from the user computer indicating that the DSM are accepted (“
download conditions”
step);
iii) accessing from the pool the access information (“
DAI”
) corresponding to the DSM, and communicating the DAI from the module manager to the user computer (“
transmit download”
step). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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6. The method of claim 6, wherein the PAC comprises permission to modify the DSM and prohibition against distributing modifications anywhere except the module pool.
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27. A method of using a computer to accept software modules into a module pool, comprising the steps of:
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a) accepting access conditions (“
SAC”
) related to a submit software module (“
SSM”
) for submission to said pool (“
submit conditions”
step);
b) accepting access information (“
SAI”
) related to the SSM (“
submit access”
step);
c) storing at the computer the SAC and SAI as part of said pool (“
pool addition”
step).
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35. A method of using a computer network to manage access to a pool of software modules, wherein the pool comprises entries having module access conditions and module access information, comprising the steps of:
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a) accepting information identifying a download software module (“
DSM”
) to be downloaded from said pool (“
identify download”
step);
b) accessing from the pool access conditions (“
DAC”
) associated with the DSM, and accepting information indicating that the DSM are accepted (“
download conditions”
step);
c) accessing from the pool the access information (“
DAI”
) corresponding to the DSM, and communicating the DAI (“
transmit download”
step).
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53. A method of using a computer to facilitate distributed software development, comprising:
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a) Accepting submitted software modules at a module manager, wherein accepting a submitted software module comprises;
i) Accepting access conditions specifying conditions for use of the submitted module;
ii) Accepting access information specifying how to access the submitted module;
iii) Storing the access conditions and access information as related entries in a database;
b) Allowing access by users to modules from the module manager, wherein allowing a user access to modules comprises;
i) Determining a desired software module from the database to be accessed;
ii) Determining if the user'"'"'s desired access complies with the access conditions associated with the desired software module, and, if so, then communicating the access information associated with the desired module to the user. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56)
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Specification