System and method for distributing configuration-dependent software revisions to a computer system

• US 5,867,714 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Todd, David K., Terrell, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US08/740,584
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 395/500, 395/651, 395/653, 395/200.5, 395/200.51-200.54, 395/200.47-200.49, 395/182.01, 395/182.05, 395/183.01 , 395/183.03, 395/183.07, 395/183.13, 395/183.14, 395/183.2, 395/184.01, 395/828, 395/830, 707/1, 707/10, 707/104, 707/200, 707/201, 707/203, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/944.61, 364/946.1, 364/949.4, 364/191, 364/192, 364/131, 364/132, 364/138, 364/147, 364/184, 702/119, 702/112, 702/123, 702/183-186, 702/188
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

There is disclosed a system for detecting and avoiding faults stemming from conflicts in hardware and/or software configurations in a computer system. The system comprises communications circuitry that, from time to time, automatically transmits at least part of the current hardware and software configuration data of the computer system to a remote data source capable of identifying inherent conflicts in the hardware and software configuration. The remote data source then transmits to the computer system software revisions that are capable of resolving the inherent conflicts. After the communications circuitry receives the software revisions, processing circuitry in the computer system modifies the current software configuration according to the received software revisions.

Claims

1. For use with a computer system having a hardware and software configuration subject to change over time, a system for receiving software revisions as a function of said hardware and software configuration, comprising:

current configuration data, stored in a memory device associated with said computer system, containing a current description of at least a portion of said hardware and software configuration;

communications circuitry, associated with said computer system, capable of automatically establishing a communications link between said computer system and a remote data source capable of identifying inherent conflicts in said hardware and software configuration and selecting software revisions operable to resolve said inherent conflicts, transmitting said current configuration data to said remote data source and receiving said software revisions; and

processing circuitry, associated with said computer system, capable of modifying a software configuration of said computer system in accordance with said software revisions.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote data source comprises a registration database containing other data pertaining to said computer system, said remote data source able to identify said inherent conflicts by analyzing said current configuration data and said other data.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications circuitry periodically automatically establishes said communications link between said computer system and said remote data source.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising configuration detection circuitry that detects changes in said hardware and software configuration and automatically alters said current configuration data as a function thereof.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said software revisions include revisions to operating system software stored in nonvolatile memory associated with said computer system.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said current configuration data includes usage pattern tracking data.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications circuitry establishes said communications link via a selected one of a telecommunications system and a computer network.

8. For use with a computer system having a hardware and software configuration subject to change over time, a method of receiving software revisions as a function of said hardware and software configuration, comprising the steps of:

storing current configuration data in a memory device associated with said computer system, said current configuration data containing a current description of at least a portion of said hardware and software configuration;

automatically establishing a communications link between said computer system and a remote data source and transmitting said current configuration data to said remote data source;

in said remote data source, identifying inherent conflicts in said hardware and software configuration;

in said remote data source, selecting, as a function of said hardware and software configuration, software revisions capable of resolving said inherent conflicts;

transmitting said software revisions to said computer system to address at least some of said conflicts; and

modifying a software configuration of said computer system in accordance with said software revisions.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said remote data source comprises a registration database containing other data pertaining to said computer system, said remote data source able to identify said inherent conflicts by analyzing said current configuration data and said other data.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of automatically establishing comprises the step of periodically automatically establishing said communications link between said computer system and said remote data source.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

detecting changes in said hardware and software configuration; and

automatically altering said current configuration data as a function thereof.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said software revisions include revisions to operating system software stored in nonvolatile memory associated with said computer system.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said current configuration data includes usage pattern tracking data.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of automatically establishing comprises the step of establishing said communications link via a selected one of a telecommunications system and a computer network.

15. A system for automatically distributing configuration-dependent software revisions, comprising:

a central data source;

a plurality of remote computer systems, each of said plurality of remote computer systems having an associated system for receiving software revisions from said central data source, said associated system including;

current configuration data containing a current description of at least a portion of a hardware and software configuration of said associated remote computer system,

communications circuitry capable of automatically establishing a communications link between said remote computer system and said central data source, transmitting said current configuration data to said central data source and receiving software revisions from said central data source in response thereto, and

processing circuitry, associated with said remote computer system, that modifies a software configuration of said computer system in accordance with software revisions; and

revision selection circuitry, associated with said central data source, capable of receiving current configuration data from said plurality of remote computer systems, identifying inherent conflicts in said hardware and software configurations of said plurality of remote computer systems, selecting software revisions as a function of said hardware and software configurations and transmitting said software revisions to respective ones of said remote computer systems to address at least some of said conflicts.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said central data source comprises a registration database containing other data pertaining to said plurality of remote computer systems, said revision selection circuitry able to identify said inherent conflicts by analyzing said current configuration data and said other data.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said communications circuitry periodically automatically establishes said communications link between said associated remote computer system and said central data source.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said associated system comprises configuration detection circuitry that detects changes in said hardware and software configuration and automatically alters said current configuration data as a function thereof.

19. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said software revisions include revisions to operating system software stored in nonvolatile memory associated with said associated remote computer system.

20. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said current configuration data includes usage pattern tracking data.