Patent ID: 7216120

Claim:
An information collection apparatus, comprising: a collection list table that stores a collection list, the collection list having a plurality of collection items, each collection item being created by combining a plurality of requested items requested by a plurality of client terminals; a collection processor that actively references a server to check if information corresponding to each collection item in the collection list has been updated, and collects updated latest information corresponding to each collection item, wherein the information collection apparatus is provided between the plurality of client terminals and the server, and the client terminals get the updated latest information corresponding to the requested item from the information collection apparatus; a requested item list table that stores a plurality of requested item lists, each of the requested item lists being created for each client terminal, each requested item list for the client terminal having the plurality of requested items requested by the client terminals; a combining processor that combines the requested items based on contents of the requested items and creates the collection items for checking by the collection processor; and a delivery processor that delivers the collected latest information to one or more of the client terminals corresponding thereto based on the requested item list table, wherein the information collection apparatus is an agent server which collects the updated latest information on behalf of the plurality of client terminals; the requested items identify software and hardware components of the plurality of client terminals; and the updated latest information comprises latest software and hardware updates corresponding to the collection items.