Software updating system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program

• US 7,316,013 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Yukihiko, Kawano, Shinichi, Araki, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood; William H.
• Application Number:
  US10/671,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

It is made possible to update software appropriately. When additional software is installed, update management data for the additional software is generated. When the update management data for the additional software is attached to the additional software in advance, that data is used. If the update management data is not attached, cycles for confirming the presence of updates and the like are determined based on the nature of the software, and the update management data is thus generated. Then, the generated update management data is set in an update management table. The presence of software updates is checked for based on the cycles for confirming the presence of updates in the update management table.

Claims

1. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus for supplying update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for predetermined software via a network;

an electronic device for executing a process in accordance with said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said electronic device includes;

generating means for generating update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with the installed software;

storage means for storing said update management data generated by said generating means;

judging means for judging, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

detection means for detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging means has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

inquiring means for making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means; and

execution means for executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring means, and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiring means of said electronic device; and

supplying means for supplying to said electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation means.

2. The software updating system according to claim 1, wherein said update confirmation information is one of update data for updating said software and information indicating the presence or absence of updates.

3. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus which executes a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies via a network said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for predetermined software, comprising the steps of:

generating update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with the installed software;

storing said update management data generated in said generating step;

judging, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which a confirmation has been judged to be necessary in said judging step;

making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected in said detection step; and

executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made in said step of making said inquiry.

4. A recording medium that stores a computer readable program for an information processing apparatus which when executed causes the information processing apparatus to execute a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies, via a network, said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for predetermined software, said process comprising steps of:

generating update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with the installed software;

storing said update management data generated in said generating step;

judging, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which a confirmation has been judged to be necessary in said judging step;

making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected in said detection step; and

executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made in said step of making said inquiry.

5. A software updating system, comprising:

an update data supplying apparatus configured to supply update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for predetermined software via a network;

an electronic device configured to execute a process in accordance with said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus, wherein

said electronic device includes;

a generation unit configured to generate update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with the installed software;

a storage unit configured to store said update management data generated by said generation unit;

a judging unit configured to judge, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

a detection unit configured to detect said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging unit has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

a inquiry unit configured to make an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection unit; and

an execution unit configured to execute a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiry unit, and

said update data supplying apparatus includes;

a confirmation unit configured to confirm the presence or absence of updates for said software regarding which there was an inquiry on the presence of updates by said inquiry unit of said electronic device; and

a supply unit configured to supply to said electronic device said update confirmation information in accordance with a confirmation result by said confirmation unit.

6. An electronic device for executing a process in accordance with update confirmation information regarding a presence or absence of updates for predetermined software supplied from an update data supplying apparatus via a network, wherein said electronic device comprises:

generating means for generating update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of the installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with installed software;

storage means for storing said update management data generated by said generating means;

judging means for judging, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

detection means for detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging means has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

inquiring means for making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detection means; and

execution means for executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring means.

7. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus which executes a process in accordance with update confirmation information supplied from an update data supplying apparatus that supplies via a network said update confirmation information regarding the presence or absence of updates for predetermined software, comprising the steps of:

generating update management data, the update management data indicating a timing cycle based on a nature of the installed software and for confirming the presence of updates for the installed software, when the update management data is not provided with installed software;

storing said update management data generated by said generating;

judging, based on said update management data whether or not, among said installed software, there exists software for which a presence of updates needs to be confirmed;

detecting said update data supplying apparatus to which an inquiry is to be made on the presence of updates for said software for which said judging has judged a confirmation to be necessary;

making an inquiry on the presence of updates for said software to said update data supplying apparatus detected by said detecting; and

executing a process based on said update confirmation information supplied from said update data supplying apparatus in response to said inquiry made by said inquiring.