Patent ID: 7020875
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of selecting program patches for installation by human or machine patch recipients into a computer system, where the patches are organized into patch trees each having a root, the method comprising the steps of: searching for a patch that corrects a particular defect or that has a particular property or both; examining additional patches, if any, sharing the same patch tree as any such patch found as a result of the search and occupying a position on the shared patch tree between that of any such patch found and the root of the patch tree; presenting one or more patches, including any such patch found and examined patches that satisfy one or more specified conditions determined by the nature of each patch and the identity of the patch recipient; installing at least one of the one or more patches into the computer system by the patch recipient; and running the at least one of the one or more patches on the computer system, wherein at least one condition to be satisfied by presented patches is visibility to a given class of recipients.