Patent ID: 8204969
Filing Date: 2012-06-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for retrieving file updates from the Internet for updating information stored in files on a device not connected to the Internet, wherein the device includes a software agent and is communicatively coupled to a separate controller that includes a connection to the Internet, the method comprising: a discovering step, wherein said software agent running on the device discovers the controller when the controller is communicatively coupled to the device via a first network, wherein the first network has a first network topology, and wherein the software agent and the controller communicate according to the first network topology; a maintaining step of maintaining current state information indicating upgradeable files currently installed on the device; a first requesting step, wherein the software agent sends the current state information to the controller via the first network according to the first network topology; a second requesting step, wherein the controller sends the current state information to a repository via the Internet, wherein the Internet has a second network topology different than the first network topology, and wherein the controller and the repository communicate according to the second network topology; an update checking step, wherein the repository determines upgradeable files currently installed on the device based on the current state information, and checks for file updates for the determined upgradeable files; a first sending step, wherein the repository sends file update information for file updates discovered in the update checking step to the controller, and wherein the file update information includes file update locations on the Internet of each file update; a second sending step, wherein the controller sends the file update information to the software agent via the first network; a third requesting step, wherein the software agent requests, according to the first network topology and via the first network, the controller to retrieve file updates based on the file update information; a fourth requesting step, responsive to the software agent's request in the third requesting step, wherein the controller requests, according to the second network topology, each file update from its file update location based on the file update information, wherein the controller retrieves each file update from its file update location; a notification step, wherein the controller sends a notification to the software agent when the file updates are retrieved in the fourth requesting step; and a second retrieving step, wherein the software agent retrieves the file updates from the controller, in response to the notification, wherein before performing the fourth requesting step, the controller discovers other controllers capable of communicating with the device, and determines whether a discovered controller stores a file update requested in the third requesting step, and wherein in a case where the controller determines that a discovered controller stores a file update requested in the third requesting step, in the fourth requesting step the controller does not retrieve the file update stored on the discovered controller, and in the second retrieving step the software agent retrieves the stored file update from the discovered controller, instead of from the controller which receives the software agent's request in the third requesting step.