Method and system for identifying and obtaining computer software from a remote computer

Abstract

Creators of computer software provide the most up-to-date versions of their computer software on an update service. A user who has purchased computer software calls the update service on a periodic basis. The update service automatically inventories the user computer to determine what computer software may be out-of-date, and/or need maintenance updates. If so desired by the user, the update service computer automatically downloads and installs computer software to the user computer. By making periodic calls to the update service, the user always has the most up-to-date computer software immediately available. The update service may also alert the user to new products (i.e. including new help files, etc.), and new and enhanced versions of existing products, which can be purchased electronically by a user from the update service.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method for distributing information to a plurality of user stations via a server based information distribution service over a network including the Internet, comprising: 
 for each of the user stations, providing the user station with a directory of items, the directory being provided over the network to the user station by the information distribution service;    for each of the user stations, enabling a user at the user station to select a personalized set of multiple items from the directory; and    for each of the user stations, transferring, via the information distribution service over the network to the user station, information contained in a plurality of information objects corresponding to respective items of the selected personalized set of multiple items, in response to a single triggering action by the user at the user station.    
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with means for viewing the information transferred to the respective ones of the user stations.  
   
   
       23 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with viewer software for viewing the information transferred to the respective ones of the user stations.  
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the viewer software comprises an HTML-capable viewer.  
   
   
       25 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising for each of the user stations, providing the user station with a customized user interface for viewing the information.  
   
   
       26 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising. for each of the user stations, providing the user station with means for enabling the user at the user station to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the user station.  
   
   
       27 . The method as set forth in  claim 25 , further comprising, for each of the user stations, providing the user station with means for enabling the user at the user station to select from the information contained in at least one of the information objects corresponding to at least one of the items of the selected personalized set of multiple items, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       28 . The method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with means for viewing the selected information of interest.  
   
   
       29 . The method as set forth in  claim 27 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with means for viewing the selected information of interest.  
   
   
       30 . The method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising automatically storing the selected information of interest for subsequent access by the user at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       31 . The method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with means for automatically storing the selected information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user stations in temporary storage locations at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       32 . The method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising providing each of the user stations with means for automatically storing the selected information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user stations in persistent storage locations at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       33 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information contained in the information objects corresponding to the respective items of the selected personalized set of multiple items originates from separate and independent publishers.  
   
   
       34 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information includes graphical content.  
   
   
       35 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information includes multimedia content.  
   
   
       36 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information includes software.  
   
   
       37 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information includes news updates.  
   
   
       38 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the information includes software updates.  
   
   
       39 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an object manifest.  
   
   
       40 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an object manifest by respective generic names.  
   
   
       41 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising automatically notifying the user at each respective one of the user stations when an update of the information contained in the information objects corresponding to the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       42 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the transferring step is carried out using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.  
   
   
       43 . The method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising generating an object manifest for each instance of transferring.  
   
   
       44 . The method as set forth in  claim 21 , further comprising automatically notifying a software entity at the respective one of the user stations when an update of the information contained in at least one of the information objects referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       45 . The method as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein the software entity triggers an automatic data transfer to the respective one of the user stations of the updated information, of the user's personalized set of multiple information channels, in response to automatic notification of availability of an update.  
   
   
       46 . The method as set forth in  claim 42 , wherein the server based information distribution service includes at least one server that is an open architecture server.  
   
   
       47 . A system for distributing information to a plurality of user stations via a server based information distribution service over a network including the Internet, comprising: 
 first code that provides each of the user stations with a directory of items over the network from which a user at each respective one of the user stations can select a personalized set of multiple items; and    second code that effects transport, to each of the user stations, via the information distribution service, over the network, of information contained in a plurality of information objects corresponding to respective items of the personalized set of multiple items, in response to a single triggering action by the user at the respective one of the user stations.    
   
   
       48 . A system as set forth in  claim 47 , further comprising, for each user station, an HTML-capable viewer that enables the user at the respective one of the user stations, to view the information.  
   
   
       49 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , further comprising, for each of the user stations, a respective customized user interface for viewing the information.  
   
   
       50 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , further comprising software that enables the user at each user station to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       51 . The system as set forth in  claim 49 , further comprising software that enables the user at each user station to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       52 . The system as set forth in  claim 50 , further comprising, for each of the user stations, means for automatically storing the selected information of interest for subsequent access by the user at the respective one of the user stations.  
   
   
       53 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information contained in the information objects referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items originates from separate and independent publishers.  
   
   
       54 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information includes graphical content.  
   
   
       55 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information includes multimedia content.  
   
   
       56 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information includes software.  
   
   
       57 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information includes news updates.  
   
   
       58 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the information includes software updates.  
   
   
       59 . The system as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an object manifest by respective generic names.  
   
   
       60 . The system as set forth in  claim 52 , further comprising third code for automatically notifying the user at each respective one of the user stations when an update of the information contained in the information objects corresponding to the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       61 . The system as set forth in  claim 50 , wherein the second code utilizes a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.  
   
   
       62 . The system as set forth in  claim 50 , further comprising means for generating an object manifest for each instance of transporting.  
   
   
       63 . The system as set forth in  claim 52 , further comprising third code for automatically notifying a software entity at the respective one of the user stations when an update of the information contained in at least one of the information objects referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       64 . The system as set forth in  claim 52 , wherein the second code enables a software entity at the respective one of the user stations to trigger an automatic transport to the respective one of the user stations of the information contained in at least one of the information information objects referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items, in response to automatic notification of availability of an update.  
   
   
       65 . The system as set forth in  claim 61 , wherein the server based information distribution service includes at least one server that is an open architecture server.  
   
   
       66 . A method for distributing information to a plurality of user computers via a server based information distribution system over a network including the Internet, comprising: 
 for each of the user computers, providing the user computer with a summary of items, the summary being provided over the network to the user computer by the information distribution system;    for each of the user computers, enabling a user at the user computer to select a personalized set of multiple items from the summary; and    for each of the user computers, transferring, via the information distribution system over the network to the user computer, information corresponding to respective items of the selected personalized set of multiple items, in response to a choice by the user at the user computer.    
   
   
       67 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with means for viewing the information transferred to the respective ones of the user computers.  
   
   
       68 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with viewer software for viewing the information transferred to the respective ones of the user computers.  
   
   
       69 . The method as set forth in  claim 68 , wherein the viewer software comprises an HTML-capable viewer.  
   
   
       70 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising for each of the user computers, providing the user computer with a customized user interface for viewing the information.  
   
   
       71 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising. for each of the user computers, providing the user computer with means for enabling the user at the user computer to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the user computer.  
   
   
       72 . The method as set forth in  claim 70 , further comprising, for each of the user computers, providing the user computer with means for enabling the user at the user computer to select from the information contained at least one of the information objects corresponding to at least one of the items of the selected personalized set of multiple items, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       73 . The method as set forth in  claim 71 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with means for viewing the selected information of interest.  
   
   
       74 . The method as set forth in  claim 72 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with means for viewing the selected information of interest.  
   
   
       75 . The method as set forth in  claim 71 , further comprising automatically storing the selected information of interest for subsequent access by the user at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       76 . The method as set forth in  claim 71 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with means for automatically storing the selected information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user computers in temporary storage locations at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       77 . The method as set forth in  claim 71 , further comprising providing each of the user computers with means for automatically storing the selected information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user computers in persistent storage locations at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       78 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information contained in the information corresponding to the respective items of the selected personalized set of multiple items originates from separate and independent developers.  
   
   
       79 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information includes graphical content.  
   
   
       80 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information includes multimedia content.  
   
   
       81 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information includes software.  
   
   
       82 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information includes news updates.  
   
   
       83 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the information includes software updates.  
   
   
       84 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an output report.  
   
   
       85 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an object manifest by respective generic names.  
   
   
       86 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising automatically notifying the user at each respective one of the user computers when an update of the information contained in the information corresponding to the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       87 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , wherein the transferring step is carried out using a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.  
   
   
       88 . The method as set forth in  claim 71 , further comprising generating an output report for each instance of transferring.  
   
   
       89 . The method as set forth in  claim 66 , further comprising automatically notifying the user computer when an update of the information referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       90 . The method as set forth in  claim 89 , wherein the user computer triggers an automatic data transfer to the user computer of the updated information, of the user's personalized set of information, in response to automatic notification of availability of an update.  
   
   
       91 . The method as set forth in  claim 87 , wherein the server based information distribution system includes at least one server that is an open architecture server.  
   
   
       92 . A system for distributing information to a plurality of user computers via a server based information distribution system over a network including the Internet, comprising: 
 first software that provides each of the user computers with a summary of items over the network from which a user at each respective one of the user computers can select a personalized set of multiple items; and    second software that effects transport, to each of the user computers, via the information distribution system, over the network, of information corresponding to respective items of the personalized set of multiple items, in response to a choice by the user at the respective one of the user computers.    
   
   
       93 . A system as set forth in  claim 92 , further comprising, for each user computer, an HTML-capable viewer that enables the user at the respective one of the user computers, to view the information.  
   
   
       94 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , further comprising, for each of the user computers, a respective customized user interface for viewing the information.  
   
   
       95 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , further comprising software that enables the user at each user computer to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       96 . The system as set forth in  claim 94 , further comprising software that enables the user at each user computer to select from the information, information of interest to the user at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       97 . The system as set forth in  claim 95 , further comprising, for each of the user computers, means for automatically storing the selected information of interest for subsequent access by the user at the respective one of the user computers.  
   
   
       98 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information contained in the information referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items originates from separate and independent developers.  
   
   
       99 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information includes graphical content.  
   
   
       100 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information includes multimedia content.  
   
   
       101 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information includes software.  
   
   
       102 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information includes news updates.  
   
   
       103 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the information includes software updates.  
   
   
       104 . The system as set forth in  claim 92 , wherein the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items are identified in an output report by respective generic names.  
   
   
       105 . The system as set forth in  claim 97 , further comprising third code for automatically notifying the user at each respective one of the user computers when an update of the information contained in the information corresponding to the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       106 . The system as set forth in  claim 95 , wherein the second code utilizes a non-proprietary data transfer protocol.  
   
   
       107 . The system as set forth in  claim 95 , further comprising means for generating an output report for each instance of transporting.  
   
   
       108 . The system as set forth in  claim 97 , further comprising third code for automatically notifying the user computer when an update of the information contained in at least one of the information referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items is available.  
   
   
       109 . The system as set forth in  claim 97 , wherein the second code enables the user computer to trigger an automatic transport to the user computer of the information referred to by the respective items of the personalized set of multiple items, in response to automatic notification of availability of an update.  
   
   
       110 . The system as set forth in  claim 106 , wherein the server based information distribution system includes at least one server that is an open architecture server.