CONFIGURING AND CUSTOMIZING A SPECIFIC-PURPOSE CLIENT HAVING A WINDOWS-BASED EMBEDDED IMAGE USING EXTENSIBLE MARKUP LANGUAGE (XML) CONFIGURATION

• US 20120198222A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wyse Technology Incorporated (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: TUKOL, Sanmati Bahubali, Prabhala, Mohan
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses

Abstract

Examples of methods and apparatus are provided for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client. The apparatus may include a retrieval module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically locate a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file and automatically obtain the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up. The apparatus may include an apply settings module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically apply a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up. The configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client.

Claims

1. An apparatus for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client, the apparatus comprising:

a retrieval module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically locate a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file and automatically obtain the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up; and

an apply settings module of the specific-purpose local client configured to automatically apply a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up,

wherein the configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the XML configuration file is self-describing, user-definable, and validatable; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the windows-based embedded image comprises a write-filter that prevents one or more changes applied to the windows-based embedded image with the write-filter enabled, from persisting across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client, and wherein the apply settings module is configured to apply the configuration change to the windows-based embedded image while the write-filter is enabled.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apply settings module is configured to, while the write-filter is enabled, facilitate saving the configuration file into a storage area that is to be retained on the specific-purpose local client across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration change comprises one or more of the following:

a configuration change to a remote desktop connection, a configuration change to a device of the specific-purpose local client, and a configuration change to the operating system of the specific-purpose local client.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retrieval module is configured to obtain address information of the remote repository server using at least one of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) or a domain name system (DNS).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retrieval module is configured to obtain address information of the repository server from a local registry of the specific-purpose local client.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reset check module of the specific-purpose local client configured to determine whether to reset a previous state of the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file,

wherein, if the reset check module determines that the previous state is to be reset, the apply settings module is configured to apply a default configuration to the windows-based embedded image and to apply the configuration change based on the XML configuration file to the windows-based embedded image after the default configuration is applied, and

wherein, if the reset check module determines that the previous state is not to be reset, the apply settings module is configured to apply the configuration change based on the XML configuration file, to the windows-based embedded image, while disallowing the default configuration from being applied to the windows-based embedded image.

8. A method for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client, the method comprising:

automatically locating a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file;

automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up; and

automatically applying a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up,

wherein the configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the XML configuration file is self-describing, user-definable, and validatable; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose.

9. A machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processing system to perform a method for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client, the instructions comprising code for:

automatically locating a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file;

automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up; and

automatically applying a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up,

wherein the configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the XML configuration file is self-describing, user-definable, and validatable; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose.

10. An apparatus for configuring and customizing a specific-purpose local client having a windows-based embedded image using extensible markup language (XML) configuration and obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image onto the specific-purpose local client, the apparatus comprising:

means for automatically locating a remote repository server containing an XML configuration file;

means for automatically obtaining, at the specific-purpose local client, the XML configuration file from the remote repository server each time the specific-purpose local client boots up; and

means for automatically applying a configuration change to the windows-based embedded image based on the XML configuration file each time the specific-purpose local client boots up,

wherein the configuration change persists across a reboot of the specific-purpose local client while obviating reinstallation of an entire windows-based embedded image on the specific-purpose local client,

wherein the XML configuration file is self-describing, user-definable, and validatable; and

wherein the windows-based embedded image supports a graphical user interface and comprises an operating system and one or more applications dedicated to the specific purpose.