Asynchronous software update

• US 7,143,406 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamigo Inc.
• Original Assignee: WildTangent Incorporated (Samarion SE)
• Inventors: Kenyon, Jeremy A., Bauman, Geoffrey K.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/768,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 709200-203, 709217-219, 709/223, 709/227, 709/220, 714/38, 707/10, 358/1.15, 455/419
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A server is equipped with a distributor/updater to accept periodic check in by client computers to determine if the client computers'"'"' software needs to be updated. The distributor/updater is designed to provide each client computer, determined to require update, with a task list listing a number of tasks to be asynchronously performed at a later point or later points in time by the client computer to update the client computer'"'"'s software. The tasks may include asynchronous subsequent requests of the server or third party servers for software parts. The tasks also include installation tasks to be performed upon obtaining the required software parts. The client computer is also equipped with a complementary distributor/updater to perform the periodic check-in and to schedule the update tasks accordingly. In one embodiment, the server'"'"'s distributor/updater is also designed to be able to regulate its own workload, optionally asking parts requesting clients to retry later.

Claims

1. In a server, a method of operation comprising:

accepting check in by a client computer at a first point in time to determine if the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated; and

providing the client computer with an update task list listing one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software, if it is determined that the client computer'"'"'s software is to be updated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining if the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise re-contacting the server at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise contacting one or more third part servers at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise one or more installation tasks to be performed asynchronously at a later point or later points in time upon asynchronously obtaining one or more software parts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises servicing one or more subsequent asynchronous requests from the client computer for software parts in accordance with the tasks listed in said task list.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said servicing comprises asking the client computer to retry one or more of the subsequent asynchronous requests for software parts.

8. In a client computer, a method of operation comprising:

periodically checking in with a server to determine if the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated;

receiving from the server an update task list listing one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software, upon determining the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated; and

performing said one or more tasks asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise re-contacting the server at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise contacting one or more third part servers at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise one or more installation tasks to be performed asynchronously at a later point or later points in time upon asynchronously obtaining one or more software parts.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises scheduling asynchronous performance of said tasks.

13. An apparatus comprising:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to accept check in by a client computer at a first point in time to determine if the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated, and to provide the client computer with an update task list listing one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software, if it is determined that the client computer'"'"'s software is to be updated; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to determine whether the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise re-contacting the apparatus at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise contacting one or more third part servers at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise one or more installation tasks to be performed asynchronously at a later point or later points in time upon asynchronously obtaining one or more software parts.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to service one or more subsequent asynchronous requests from the client computer for software parts in accordance with the tasks listed in said task list.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said programming instructions are further designed to ask the client computer to retry one or more of the subsequent asynchronous requests for software parts.

20. A client computer comprising:

storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed to periodically check in with a server to determine if the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated, to receive from the server an update task list listing one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software, upon determining the client computer'"'"'s software needs to be updated, and to perform said one or more tasks asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software; and

at least one processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

21. The client computer of claim 20, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise re-contacting the server at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

22. The client computer of claim 20, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise contacting one or more third part servers at a later point or later points in times to retrieve one or more software parts.

23. The client computer of claim 20, wherein said one or more tasks to be performed by the client computer asynchronously at a later point or later points in time to update the client computer'"'"'s software comprise one or more installation tasks to be performed asynchronously at a later point or later points in time upon asynchronously obtaining one or more software parts.

24. The client computer of claim 20, wherein the programming instructions are further designed to schedule asynchronous performance of said tasks.