Automatic software updating method

• US 5,909,581 A
• Filed: 12/30/1996
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Seong-Kab
• Primary Examiner(s): Banankhah, Majid A.
• Application Number:
  US08/777,764
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.1, 395/200.01, 395/200.09, 395/800, 395/685, 395/619, 395/610, 395/712, 395/491, 395/200.51, 364/221, 364/221.28, 379/91, 379/96
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

An automatic software updating method in a communication network including a host computer, a plurality of branch processing computers each connected to the host computer for serving as servers, and a plurality of personal computers connected to a corresponding branch processing computer is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) uploading a new software together with a version-up table including a version code to the host computer; (b) downloading the version-up table uploaded in step (a) to the branch processing computer; (c) determining whether to download the software using the version code of the version-up table downloaded in step (b); (d) downloading the software according to the result of step (c); and (e) installing the software downloaded in step (d) in the personal computer. Therefore, an out-of-date software of computer systems dispersedly arranged in the network can be automatically updated by a partially corrected or newly developed software.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading out-of-date software in a communication network including a central system and a plurality of branch processing computer systems each connected to said central system for serving as a server, and a different plurality of computer systems each plurality connected to each branch processing computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

installing new software together with a version-up table containing a version code indicating the version of the software, said central system;

establishing communication links between said central system and said plurality of branch processing computer systems, and downloading the new software from said central system to each of the branch processing computer systems;

determining whether to download the new software using the version code contained in said version-up table downloaded in each of the branch processing computer systems, when said one of said plurality of computer systems makes a software update request;

downloading the new software to said one of said plurality of computer systems, when the version code contained in the version-up table installed in the central system indicates a different version from the one previously installed in said one of said plurality of computer systems; and

installing the new software in said one of said plurality of computer systems after the new software is downloaded to said one of said plurality of computer systems.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprised of making a comparison between the version code contained in the version-up table downloaded in each of the branch processing computer systems and the version code contained in another version-up table previously installed in said one of said plurality of computer systems.

3. The method of claim 1, further determining that the new software as downloaded to said one of said plurality of computer systems is a new version for upgrading, when the version code contained in the version-up table downloaded in each of the branch processing computer systems differs from the version code contained in another version-up table previously installed in said one of said plurality of computer systems.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprised of said version-up table including a software installation direction for allowing installation of the new software in said one of said plurality of computer systems after the new software is downloaded to said one of said plurality of computer systems.

5. A method for upgrading software in a communication network including a host computer, a plurality of branch processing computer each connected to said host computer, and a plurality of personal computers connected to a branch processing computer, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) installing software together with a version-up table containing a version code, in said host computer;

(b) downloading said version-up table to said branch processing computers;

(c) determining whether to download the software to said branch processing computers using the version code of said version-up table downloaded in step (b);

(d) downloading the software to said branch processing computers according to the result of step (c);

(e) downloading said version-up table downloaded in said branch processing computers to said personal computers;

(f) determining whether to download the software to said personal computers using the version code of said version-up table; and

(g) downloading the software downloaded in said branch processing computers to said personal computers for software upgrading according to the result of step (f).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said steps (c) and (f) are performed by comparing the version code of said version-up table downloaded in step (b) and the version code of a previously downloaded version-up table, when the software is upgraded.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said steps (c) and (f) are performed by determining whether the version code of said version-up table downloaded in step (b) is the same as a specific code value, when the software is newly developed.

8. The method of claim 5, further installing the software in said branch processing computers and said personal computers according to information of software installation directory included in said version-up table.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said version-up table further includes flag information and the flag information is set according to a transmission status of the software in step (d).

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said version-up table further includes flag information and the flag information is set according to a transmission status of the software in step (g).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the software is continuously downloaded according to the setting status of said flag information at the transmission stop.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the software is continuously downloaded according to the setting status of said flag information at the transmission stop.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein said version-up table further includes information of a system classifying code for classifying a computer system requiring an update of the out-of-date software.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein said version-up table further includes information of a system classifying code for classifying a computer system requiring an update of the out-of-date software, and said step (f) is performed using said version code and said system classifying code.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein said step (b) is performed when said branch processing computers are initiated.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein said step (e) is performed when said personal computers are initiated.

17. A process of upgrading software from a first version to a second version in a communication network including a host computer, a plurality of branch processing computers each connected to said host computer for serving as a server, and a plurality of personal computers connected to each branch processing computers, said process comprising:

installing software of the second version together with a version table containing a version code indicating the version of the software, in the host computer;

when communication links are established between the host computer and the branch processing computers, downloading the version table from the host computer to each of the branch processing computers;

determining whether to download the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the branch processing computers by making a first comparison between the version code contained in the version table downloaded from the host computer and a version code contained in a version table of an existing software;

downloading the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the branch processing computers in dependence upon said first comparison;

when a communication link is established between one of the plurality of personal computers and a corresponding one of the branch processing computers, downloading the version table from said corresponding one of the branch processing computers to said one of the plurality of personal computers;

determining whether to download the software of the second version downloaded from said corresponding one of the branch processing computers by making a second comparison between the version code contained in the version table downloaded from the corresponding one of the branch processing computers and a version code contained in a version table of an existing software;

downloading the software of the second version from the corresponding one of the branch processing computers in dependence upon said second comparison; and

installing the software of the second version in lieu of the existing software of the first version in said one of said plurality of personal computers after the software is downloaded to said one of said plurality of personal computers.

18. The process of claim 17, further comprised of said downloading of the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the branch processing computers, when the version code contained in the version table downloaded from the host computer differs from the version code contained in the version table of the existing software.

19. The process of claim 17, further comprised of said downloading of the software of the second version from said corresponding one of the branch processing computers to said one of the personal computers, when the version code contained in the version table downloaded from said corresponding one of the plurality of branch processing computers differs from the version code contained in the version table of the existing software.

20. The process of claim 17, further comprised of the version table downloaded from the host computer including:

a system classifying code for classifying a system which requires an update by the software of the second version;

a software identification code for identifying each software;

a software installation directory code for identifying a directory for which the software of the second version is installed; and

a flag for indicating a transmission status of the software.

21. A process of upgrading software from a first version to a second version in a communication network including a host computer, a plurality of servers, and a group of different plurality of personal computers with each group connected to a different server, said process comprising:

uploading, from any one of the personal computers, software of the second version together with a version table containing a version code indicating the version of the software, to a corresponding server using a file transfer protocol;

uploading, from said corresponding server, the software of the second version together with said version table, to host computer using said file transfer protocol;

when communication links are established between the host computer and all servers connected thereto at a predetermined time, downloading the version table from the host computer to each of the servers connected to the host computer using said file transfer protocol;

determining whether to download the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the servers by making a first comparison between the version code contained in the version table downloaded from the host computer and a version code contained in a version table of an existing software;

downloading the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the servers in dependence upon said first comparison;

when a communication link is established between any one of the personal computers and a corresponding server, downloading the version table from said corresponding server to said any one of the personal computers;

determining whether to download the software of the second version downloaded from said corresponding server to said any one of the personal computers by making a second comparison between the version code contained in the version table downloaded from said corresponding serve and a version code contained in a version table of an existing software;

downloading the software of the second version from said corresponding server to said an one of the personal computers in dependence upon said second comparison; and

installing the software of the second version in lieu of the existing software of the first version in said any one of the personal computers after the software is downloaded to said any one of said personal computers.

22. The process of claim 21, further comprised of said downloading of the software of the second version from the host computer to each of the servers, when the version code contained in the version table downloaded from the host computer differs from the version code contained in the version table of the existing software.

23. The process of claim 21, further comprised of said downloading of the software of the second version from said corresponding server to said any one of the personal computers, when the version code contained in the version table downloaded from said corresponding server differs from the version code contained in the version table of the existing software.

24. The process of claim 21, further comprised of the version table downloaded from the host computer including:

a system classifying code for classifying a system which requires an update by the software of the second version;

a software identification code for identifying each software;

a software installation directory code for identifying a directory for which the software of the second version is installed; and

a flag for indicating a transmission status of the software.