Automatic updating of diverse software products on multiple client computer systems
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- establishing a communication link between a client computer and a service provider computer over a network;
displaying updates associated with software residing on the client computer;
receiving a selection of at least one of the updates from the client computer;
downloading the at least one update to the client computer from the service provider computer over the network; and
installing the at least one update on the client computer.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method update client computers of various end users with software updates for software products installed on the client computers, the software products manufacturered by diverse, unrelated software vendors. The system includes a service provider computer system, a number of client computers and software vendor computer systems communicating on a common network. The service provider computer system stores in an update database information about the software updates of the diverse software vendors, identifying the software products for which software updates are available, their location on the network at the various software vendor computer systems, information for identifying in the client computers the software products stored thereon, and information for determining for such products, which have software updates available. Users of the client computers connect to the service provider computer and obtain a current version of portions of the database. The client computer determines that software products stored thereon, and using this information, determines from the database, which products have updates available, based on product name and release information for the installed products. The user selects updates for installation. The selected updates are downloaded from the software vendor computer systems and installed on the client computer. Payment for the software update and the service is mediated by the service provider computer. Authentication of the user ensures only registered users obtain software updates. Authentication of the software updates ensures that the software updates are virus free and uncorrupted. Changes to the client computer during installation are monitored and archived, allowing the updates to be subsequently removed by the user.
289 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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establishing a communication link between a client computer and a service provider computer over a network;
displaying updates associated with software residing on the client computer;
receiving a selection of at least one of the updates from the client computer;
downloading the at least one update to the client computer from the service provider computer over the network; and
installing the at least one update on the client computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:
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computer code for establishing a communication link between a client computer and a service provider computer over a network;
computer code for displaying updates associated with software residing on the client computer;
computer code for receiving a selection of at least one of the updates from the client computer;
computer code for downloading the at least one update to the client computer from the service provider computer over the network; and
computer code for installing the at least one update on the client computer.
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22. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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establishing a communication link between a client computer and a service provider computer over a network;
identifying updates associated with software residing on the client computer;
downloading at least one of the updates to the client computer from the service provider computer over the network; and
installing the at least one update on the client computer.
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Specification