Patent ID: 7086050

Claim:
A method performed by a provider of a computer file to trigger updating of said computer file used by a computer in a database of computers, said method comprising the steps of: (i) providing an updated version of said computer file at a location from which it may be downloaded by said computer; (ii) sending a tag indicative of availability of said updated computer file to said database of computers utilizing email addresses associated with computers in said database such that said tag is sent to said computers in said database utilizing said email addresses; and (iii) maintaining said database of computers to which said tag is to be sent when an updated version of said computer file is made available, wherein said database of computers includes priority data indicating a priority level associated with an address, said priority level being used to control how rapidly after said updated version of said computer file is made available said tag is sent to said database of computers, said priority level controlling selection of one of a plurality of different finite delay periods after said updated version of said computer file is made available following which said tag is sent to said database of computers; wherein said tag includes data indicative of a version level of said computer file, data indicative of a version level of a software program associated with said computer file, and data indicative of a version level of an engine associated with said software program; wherein said tag is encrypted; wherein said tag is part of an e-mail message header; wherein sending said tag to said database of computers further comprises: transmitting said tag through at least one local server and at least one mail gateway connected to said computers in said database such that said at least one local server reads said tag to determine if said data indicative of said version level of said computer file is more recent than a second version level of a computer file located on said at least one local server, and further such that said at least one mail gateway reads said tag to determine if said data indicative of said version level of said computer file is more recent than a third version level of a computer file located on said at least one mail gateway; if said tag includes data indicative of a more recent version level than said second version level of said computer file located on said at least one local server, said at least one local server initiating a download of said computer file associated with said tag; and if said tag includes data indicative of a more recent version level than said third version level of said computer file located on said at least one mail gateway, said at least one mail gateway initiating a download of said computer file associated with said tag.