COMPUTER PATCH MANAGEMENT IN "ROAD WARRIOR" CONTEXTS

• US 20080244079A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Locker, Howard, Cheston, Richard W., Springfield, Randall S., Cromer, Daryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/482 Application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for facilitating and streamlining patch management in “road warrior” and analogous contexts. Particularly, there are broadly contemplated herein, in accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, methods and arrangements for facilitating determinations of suitable times for enabling system updates and/or downloads.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a predetermined time frame during which to permit downloads at a computer;

establishing at least one condition for permitting downloads during the predetermined time frame;

querying a status of the at least one condition during the predetermined time frame; and

responsive to said querying, rendering the computer receptive to downloads.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said establishing of at least one condition comprises establishing at least two conditions.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said establishing of a predetermined time frame comprises ascertaining a non-use time window of the computer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said establishing of at least one condition comprises employing an APS to establish at least one condition for permitting downloads during the predetermined time frame.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring a status of the at least one condition.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said monitoring comprises employing an APS to monitor a status of the at least one condition.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said rendering comprises waking the computer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes whether the computer is in actual use during the predetermined time frame.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes a physical orientation of the computer during the predetermined time frame.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes whether the computer is in translational motion during the predetermined time frame.

11. A system comprising:

a module for establishing a predetermined time frame during which to permit downloads at a computer;

a module for establishing at least one condition for permitting downloads during the predetermined time frame;

a querying module which queries a status of the at least one condition during the predetermined time frame; and

an activation module which, responsive to said querying, renders the computer receptive to downloads.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said step establishing of at least one condition comprises establishing at least two conditions.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said module for establishing a predetermined time frame acts to ascertain a non-use time window of the computer.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said module for establishing at least one condition acts to employ an APS to establish at least one condition for permitting downloads during the predetermined time frame.

15. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a monitoring module which monitors a status of the at least one condition.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said monitoring module acts to employ an APS to monitor a status of the at least one condition.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said activation module acts to wake the computer.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one condition includes whether the computer is in actual use during the predetermined time frame.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one condition includes a physical orientation of the computer during the predetermined time frame.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one condition includes whether the computer is in translational motion during the predetermined time frame.

21. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps, said method comprising:

establishing a predetermined time frame during which to permit downloads at a computer;

establishing at least one condition for permitting downloads during the predetermined time frame;

querying a status of the at least one condition during the predetermined time frame; and

responsive to said querying, rendering the computer receptive to downloads.