Abstract:
A system, method, and computer program product for delivery and automatic execution of security, management, or optimization software over an Internet connection to a user computer responsive to a user request entered via a web browser on the user computer. In a preferred embodiment, the user directs the Internet browser to a Internet clinical services provider web site computer and logs in to the site using an identifier and a secure password and optionally makes a selection of the type of servicing desired, wherein an automatically-executing software package encapsulated within a markup language communication unit deliverable across the Internet is delivered, to the user computer, the automatically-executing software package being adapted to perform security, management, or optimization functions on the user computer. User identifiers and passwords enabling the downloads may be provided on a per-download basis or on a subscription basis.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of computer networks and Internet-related software applications. In particular, the invention is related to the art of scanning, providing security to, managing, and optimizing the software in a personal computer via the Internet without human intervention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This relates to a variety of problems such as computer viruses, cleanup of unusable or unwanted programs, and upgrading software that annoy and inconvenience the users of personal computers. 
     Despite the existence of good programs to detect and remove computer viruses, unscrupulous and adventurous computer programmers frequently try to skirt the virus antidote programs by creating new viruses that are hard to detect or remove. Thus, there is an on-going struggle between the creators of virus programs and the companies that find the antidotes for such viruses. A diligent user of a computer, therefore, must keep abreast of the developments in the computer virus warfare and upgrade to the latest software to detect and eliminate any new virus that may have infected his computer system. An automatic way of upgrading the virus antidote programs would help to ease the burden on the computer user. 
     Today, there are hundreds of vendors who offer trial versions (“demonstration copies”) of software as a method of gaining inroads in the market place. A typical computer user may wish to evaluate demonstration copies of software programs by different vendors before making a decision to purchase the best program for a particular use. These demonstration copies, once downloaded and activated, will reside on the computer after any expiration date set therein unless deliberate efforts are made to remove them. Once a demonstration copy has expired, it will not be useful to a computer user and will only take up valuable storage space on the user&#39;s computer. A typical computer user must plod through all directories in the computer to identify the unusable or unwanted computer programs and remove them in a careful manner. To perform such task manually is not an optimal use of the time of a typical user. Additionally, in a manual cleanup of unusable or unwanted computer programs, there is a danger of deleting critical or useful programs accidentally, thus rendering the computer inoperative. Thus, there has developed a need for an accounting of software that is functional and useful and that which is unusable and merely occupying storage space on the computer. 
     To overcome some difficulties in removing outdated software programs from a user&#39;s computers, some vendors have started to market software programs like TuneUp™ to perform these tasks automatically. However, because of changes in the releases of operating systems, or the addition of new features, newer versions of such programs are released often. This creates a situation where a user must purchase and upgrade the previous versions of the “tuneup” programs. Accordingly, there is a need for an automatic method and system to cleanup a computer storage without the need to purchase newer versions of cleanup software. It is beneficial to a user if such cleanup happens without the user&#39;s intervention, and during the times when the user does not attend to the computer. 
     Another problem faced by a computer user is prompt notification that a new upgraded version of software is available. In the past, vendors have developed different ways to notify their customers. One method is to place a new advertisement banner indicating a new product or offering on other web sites and lead users to the advertiser&#39;s web site. But not many customers respond to such Internet invitations to click on an advertisement banner. Another way is to post a “What&#39;s New” page on a vendor&#39;s web site with links to other pages containing detailed information. This does not work well because this requires users to visit the vendor&#39;s web site periodically looking for new information. A third way is to maintain lists of electronic mail addresses for interested customers and send them e-mail notification periodically. Maintenance of these lists has proved to be tedious. Additionally, many customers object to receiving unsolicited electronic missives. 
     In order to automatically update information in a personal computer via the Internet, a new technology, called the “push” technology, has emerged. This technology incorporates the broadcasting model into web servers and browsers. The primary purpose of this technology is to overcome the problem of ensuring that interested parties are notified whenever information content in a web site is updated. “Content” is distinguished from other kinds of electronic information, such as programs and electronic mail messages in that content is the subject matter contained in a newspaper, a Lexis/Nexis™ database or the like. Content is neither a machine to perform a task nor a structure or description of how data are arranged in a computer. The push technology has helped corporations tailor their sites for particular groups of users so that interesting content is easily located. The push technology also has enabled messages to be sent to the audiences when it was deemed ready for publication. Using push publishing, web site publishers have delivered newsletters to niche audiences or notified subsets of their readers of updated content. 
     PointCast™ was one of the earliest implementations of the push technology to deliver information content. A user is typically advised to specify the type of content—news, entertainment, sports, or interest group related information—to be downloaded as it is updated. When upgraded content is available, the user may elect to download the information which can be browsed locally at the user&#39;s computer. PointCast™, however, is configured only to deliver content to the browser of a computer over the Internet. It is not designed or equipped with the means to download executable programs to a storage device connected to a computer and execute them at the remote computer. 
     Other products are aimed at delivering executable computer programs to a user computer and executing them locally. Oil Change™ is such a product. Once installed on the user computer, it allows automatic updating of computer programs via the Internet. In the case of Oil Change™, a user can update to new versions of previously purchased and loaded software, or download a new “patch” or a bugfix, device drivers for new peripheral devices, templates, clip art and business forms to work in conjunction with word processing software packages, screen saver images, or the latest amendments to the tax code to work with accounting software packages. Another example of a similar commercially available product is Castane™ from Marimba, Inc. In these systems, a user is required to download executable software programs from the vendor&#39;s web site via the Internet using a variant of a protocol called the File Transfer Protocol (“ftp”), and manually execute the downloaded programs on the user&#39;s personal computer thereafter. This mechanism is similar to loading software from a store-bought portable storage medium, such as a magnetic tape, a floppy disk or a CD ROM and running the software locally on a user&#39;s computer, except that the program is downloaded from the Internet instead of being loaded from a storage device. 
     Executing software on a 32-bit personal computer running a Windows-95®/98® or NT® operating system involves registering the software in a data store called Windows Registry. Windows Registry is a configuration data store for both hardware and software. The settings in Windows Registry control the behavior of the software. When a user attempts to execute software on a personal computer equipped with the above-mentioned operating systems, the operating system interprets the user&#39;s attempt and runs the software based exclusively on the information from the Windows Registry. Typically, an entry in Windows® Registry is made during the installation process of new software on a computer. Vendors of software application programs provide automatic means to ensure proper installation of their programs. If, on the other hand, no entry is made in the Windows® Registry, the context under which a user used the software is lost. There is a need, therefore, for a system and method to store the information related to the context of software usage without using the Windows® Registry as a repository of such information. 
     The programming language Java™ contemplates a virtual machine called the Java Virtual Machine™ (JVM) to run compiled Java™ code and stand-alone programs called “applets,” after they are downloaded to a compatible web browser such as the Netscape® Navigator™, in a tightly controlled and secure environment. The JVM™ is a software implementation of a central processing unit (CPU), an essential component in every computer. Software written in this virtual machine methodology run within a contained environment defined to work only in a browser program and cannot access a client computer&#39;s file system or desktop easily. 
     Other programming methodologies, such as the Component Object Model (COM) have been developed to overcome this deficiency. However, this does not solve all the problems with delivering executable software to a client computer over the Internet in a form ready to be automatically executed. There is a need, therefore, for a method to encapsulate software as to make it executable automatically upon delivery to the client computer. 
     Users of personal computers do not wish to entrust access to their computers to an unknown remotely located entity, for fear of losing privacy or causing damage to data stored in their computers. A service offered by a trustworthy source such as McAfee Associates, Inc., a well known vendor of computer security software, will overcome the user reluctance to allowing access of their personal computers to a remote operator. 
     In summary, the state of the art provides means to deliver components of programs, means to deliver executable programs that must be executed locally by manual intervention, and means to provide content rather than executable programs. This art can be improved by delivering executable software rather than mere components to a personal computer; by allowing a trusted remote operator to access the internal components of a personal computer; and by executing programs automatically from a remote location. There is a need, for example, for a system and method in which when a user connects with a web site, an application may be downloaded, installed, registered and executed without any further intervention on the part of the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing problems are overcome in an illustrative embodiment of the invention in a network computing environment in which a server computer is programmed to download an application to a user computer across a network and and to execute the application on the user computer. 
     In one aspect of the present invention, the server computer receives a request in the form of a data packet from the user computer, whereupon the server computer causes a first web page image to be displayed on the user computer via a browser program running on the user computer. If the user inputs identification and a secure password in the first web page and transmits the first web page to the server computer, the server computer authenticates the user information and opens a secure connection with the user computer. The server computer thereupon, with no additional input from the user, searches the user computer for pre-designated executable software, and if such software is not found or is found to be outdated, downloads to the user computer said software or upgrades to such software. Finally, the server computer causes the software to be executed on the user computer. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the server computer stores user information received during an initial registration process and verifies the user information when a user requests the services of the server computer via the first web page. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the server computer is programmed to generate periodic reports of user activity, and coupled with information stored in a billing database connected to the server computer, generates invoices to be sent to the user via email, fax or some other means. In a yet another aspect of the invention, the server computer is programmed to generate statistical summary reports of usage patterns for all users on a periodic or on-demand basis, said summary reports generated in textual form, graphical form or electronic form to be displayed on or transmitted to another computer. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed descriptions of a preferred embodiment in which: 
     FIG. 1 depicts the overall architecture of an embodiment of the present invention comprising a server computer and a user computer connected via a data network; 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the component parts of an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a sample web page depicting a user enrollment form; and 
     FIGS. 4-1 and  4 - 2  are a flow chart depicting operation of an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like parts, FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention. An Internet clinical services provider (“ICSP”) maintains and controls a server computer  100 , which is connected to a data communication network, such as a Local Area Network, a Wide Area Network or other similar network. In a preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the data communication network is the Internet  102 . The server computer  100  is equipped with storage  110 , memory  112 , and a network interface device  114  to connect to the Internet  102 . The server computer  100  makes available information that can be accessed via Internet  102  by user computer  104  using a browser. User computer  104  is connected to the Internet  102  via a modem  106 . The user computer  104  is equipped with a semiconductor memory, a storage device such as a disk drive, a central processing unit such as a Pentium™, Pentium II™, or Motorola 68000 microprocessor, and a display device such as a CRT. Additionally, the user computer  104  is equipped with software that enables the user to connect to the Internet  102  via the modem  106  as well as a browser  116  (shown in FIG. 2) that allows the user to “surf” the Internet  102 . 
     Now referring to FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment the server computer  100  comprises web server software  120 , and is coupled to server-side engines  150  to deliver Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Microsof® Active Server PagesT™ (ASP), and ActiveX™. 
     Also on the server computer  100 , a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program  140  provides the software interconnection between the Internet  102  and other programs running on the server computer  100 . Typically, the CGI program  140  forms the gateway to the Internet  102  by opening a connection via a Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack. All requests enter the server computer  100  via the CGI program  140 , and all responses are delivered to the user computer  104  via the Internet  102  by way of the CGI program  140 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the server-side engine  150  software is implemented in the programming language ActiveX™ marketed by the Microsoft Corporation, of Redmond, Wash. ActiveX™ is a set of technologies that enables software components to interact with one another in a networked environment, regardless of the language in which they were created. ActiveX™ is built on the Component Object Model (COM). An ActiveX™ control is an object created using the ActiveX™ technology. 
     The server-side engines  150  are information delivery systems that respond to an Internet request for a particular type of service. A user makes an Internet request for service typically by typing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) in the web browser  116  running on the user computer  104 , and submitting it in the form of a packet of data to the server computer  100 . Thus, the user computer establishes a logical connection with the server computer. When the user computer  104  requests an ActiveX™ service, the server-side ActiveX™ engine  150  delivers corresponding objects called “ActiveX™ controls” and accompanying script files, embedded in a HTML file, to the user computer  104 . ActiveX™ controls are programming building blocks that enable small component parts of software to be embedded in a HTML page  500  and sent to the client computer  104  in response to a user request. A more detailed explanation of the workings of the ActiveX™ controls and the method by which they are delivered to a user computer is provided in the book, “Understanding ActiveX™ and OLE™,” by David Chappell, Microsoft® Press, Washington, 1996, which is incorporated herein by reference. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that ActiveX™ controls could easily be substituted with other similar mechanisms without undue experimentation if a Java™-enabled browser or any other browser provides a mechanism to access the inner workings of the user computer  104 . 
     Also connected to the server computer  100  is an application knowledge base  128 , which is a repository of data pertaining to the various software that are delivered to the client computer  104  by the server-side engines  150 . The data stored by the application knowledge base  128  typically relates to the specific characteristics of an executable software program. For example, if a new version of an anti-virus program is available, then the knowledge base stores the changed programs or dynamic link libraries (DLL) of the new version. Before the server-side engines  150  download software to the user computer  104 , they consult with the knowledge base and determine that an upgrade is needed for the user computer  104 . 
     The server computer  100  is additionally connected to a billing database  130  and a user profile database  132 . The billing database  130  stores the information related to any user requests for services offered by the ICSP; the user profile database  132  enables storage, update, and retrieval of any user-related information, such as name, contact address, telephone number and e-mail address. In a preferred embodiment, both the billing database  130  and the user profile database  132  are implemented using a Microsoft® SQL Serve™ database system. In alternative embodiments, any indexing system, relational database management system, flat files or other data storage and retrieval mechanism can be used. The billing database  130  and the user profile database  132  provide interfaces that enable a server-side engine to request pertinent information in the form of a database query-response interaction method, such as the Structured Query Language (SQL) method. 
     It is to be appreciated that, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, an account for the user may be created on the server computer before or during the registration step. Generally speaking, this will include the steps of taking a customer credit card number or receiving other funds from the customer, and adding funds to the account. Each time the user uses the services of the ICSP, the account may be debited. Alternatively, the account need not be debited every time the user uses the services of the ICSP, but rather the ICSP services may be offered on a subscription basis, wherein the customer may purchases a subscription at the beginning of a time period (such as one year) and may then use the services of the ICSP as much as desired through the course of the time period. 
     Illustrative operation of the invention is described in conjunction with FIGS. 3-4. A user at a personal computer such as computer  104  accesses the ICSP by typing the URL for the “clinic” web page  300 . This causes browser  116  to access the server computer  100 , thereby establishing a logical connection with the server computer. The server computer  100  then responds to the user request by sending web page  300 , preferably a home page for the ICSP service, to user computer  104  for display. The web page  300  contains fields for an identification number  302 , a user&#39;s e-mail address  304 , and optionally, a web password  306 . The user enters the user identification information in the web page  300  and sends the page to the server computer  100  (step  402 ). The CGI program  140  running on the server computer  100  receives the user identification information and performs a lookup in the user profile database  132  to authenticate the user (step  404 ). If the user is not authenticated, the CGI program  140  sends an error message to the user computer  104  in the form of a web page (step  420 ). If, on the other hand, the user is authenticated, the CGI program  140  on the server computer  100  creates a secured connection between the user computer  104  and the server computer  100  (step  406 ). This process, of authenticating the user computer  104  and creating a secured connection between the two computers  100  and  104 , is called “registering” the user computer  104  with the ICSP. The act of registering the user computer  104  at the server computer  100  web site causes the user computer  104  to allow the server computer  100  to run scripts to start applications. 
     An “event” is an action performed by a user or by the server computer  100 . For example, registering a user computer  104  at the ICSP web site is an event. Similarly, the occurrence of a timeout condition, the automatic downloading of an anti-virus program to the user computer  104 , or the termination of the secure connection, are events caused by the server computer  100 . A “transaction” is defined as a set of events that occur between the registration of the user computer  104  at the ICSP web site and the completion of the actions by the server computer  100  or the termination of the connection established between the two computers. After the user computer  104  is registered at the ICSP, entries are made in the billing database  130  and the user profile database  132  for the event (step  407 ). 
     The CGI program running on the server computer  100  causes a web page to be downloaded to the user computer  104 . Embedded in the web page are ActiveX™ controls and scripts that cause a search program to be executed on the user computer  104  to determine if any executable software needs execution, installation, upgrades or updates (step  408 ). In a preferred embodiment, this results in a search of the user computer&#39;s storage medium, for example, in the cache area of the browser  116 , to determine if any program needs to be downloaded. Additionally, the program looks to determine if there is a need to execute any software program, such as an anti-virus program (step  410 ). If no execution, installation, upgrades or updates are needed, then the connection between the server computer  100  and the user computer  104  is terminated (step  412 ). 
     If, on the other hand, an execution, installation, upgrade or update is determined to be needed, the server computer  100  then proceeds to download new executable software to the user computer  104  via the Internet  102  connection (step  414 ), or to execute previously downloaded software(step  416 ). In a preferred embodiment, the server computer  100  downloads an application engine by wrapping it in a COM/ActiveX wrapper and storing the entire package in a browser cache area of the client computer  104 . 
     These application engines are configured to perform different tasks or a combination of different tasks. These tasks include, but are not limited to, checking for any computer viruses on the user computer  104 ; compressing the software or data located on the storage connected to the user computer  104 ; searching for software or data on the user computer  104  that needs upgraded versions; upgrading the software or data on the user computer  104 ; searching for and deleting unused, obsolete, unneeded or undesired software, components or data on the user computer  104 ; archiving software or data located on the user computer  104 ; shredding or deleting without trace the data or software located on the user computer; advising or responding to user questions as an expert advisor system; performing hardware and software diagnostics on the user computer  104 ; and providing a health report card for the user computer  104 . It should be noted that a person skilled in the art may download software to accomplish other tasks in a similar manner. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention encompasses that as well. 
     After the server computer  100  downloads a program to the user computer  104  (according to step  414 ), the server computer  100  automatically executes the program on the user computer  104  without any intervention by the user (step  416 ). The details of the execution of the downloaded program are recorded in the database  130  and the user profile database  132  connected to the server computer  100  (step  418 ). 
     After the application is executed on the user computer  104 , the server computer  100  checks if any other programs need to be downloaded or upgraded on the client computer  104  (step  420 ). If other programs are to be downloaded or executed, then the server computer  100  performs steps  408 - 416  without any further intervention by the user. 
     Upon the expiration of a time period set by the ICSP, or upon demand, a report is generated by the server computer  100  of the transactions logged in the databases  132  and  130  (step  422 ). This report is either in a textual form summarizing different classes of transactions requested by users of the ICSP, or in a graphical form with two- or three-dimensional bar-graphs, stacked bar graphs, line graphs, or pie charts displaying statistical analyses of different operations performed by or with the server computer  100 . Reports of the statistical analysis and graphs representing such analysis are then transmitted in an electronic form to the user computer  104 . 
     Accordingly, using a method in accordance with the preferred embodiments, a relatively unsophisticated computer user who has an Internet browser such as Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape Communicator 4.0 installed on their computer system is capable of maintaining a secure, up-to-date, and optimized computer system without needing to manually perform the “sophisticated” steps of purchasing and installing software upgrades, optimization software, antivirus programs, etc. Rather, in a manner analogous to the way a car owner simply takes their car to a service garage and walk away while the car is “automatically” upgraded or repaired, a user in a system according to the preferred embodiments may simply “park” their computer at the ICSP using their Web browser and, after registration or other validation procedure, may simply “walk away” while their computer is automatically upgraded or repaired by encapsulated routines that are automatically downloaded from the ICSP. 
     The foregoing describes a new and useful method and system for automatically downloading and remotely executing software applications over a secure Internet  102  connection. Those skilled in the art may make numerous modifications and departures from the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. For example, the server computer  100  can comprise a distributed computing system or a cluster of networked computers; the database may comprise a distributed database or several databases. Additionally, web pages may comprise an interface that is not specified herein. Other embodiments may include a network connection other than the Internet  102  between the server computer  100  and the user computer  104 ; and the software downloaded may be intended to perform tasks such as database management, word processing, spread sheet, games, or other tasks that are not specified herein.