Patent ID: 6167567
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for updating software in a client-server environment through a network server, comprising the steps of, in a client computer:(A) determining a country or a locale within which the client computer is situated and, in response thereto, constructing a file name for a file containing an update script for use in the country or the locale;(B) issuing a request to the network server to download the file containing the update script to the client computer; and(C) processing the script on the client computer so as to complete an update of the software, wherein the processing step comprises the steps of:(C1) determining an operating system (O/S) then executing on the client computer; and(C2) wherein the update script comprises at least one of O/S-specific and O/S-independent sections:(C2a) if the O/S-independent section specifies a first update file name, extracting a first group of update file names from the O/S-independent section, the first group having at least one associated update file name; and(C2b) if the O/S-specific section of the script corresponds to the O/S executing on the client computer and specifies a second update file name, extracting a second group of update file names from the O/S-independent section, the second group having at least one associated update file name; and(C3) requesting a download to the client computer of update files from the network server corresponding to the first and second groups of update file names, to the extent at least one of the first and second groups of file names are specified in the O/S-independent and O/S-specific sections.