Aggregation of Update Sets

Abstract

Techniques for aggregation of update sets are described. In at least some implementations, techniques enable relationships between the updates to be created, managed, and applied in a variety of ways. For example, updates can be grouped in a set for installation on a computing device as an integrated set. Grouping updates in a set can be based on membership rules that specify whether a particular update may be grouped in a set, and conditions under which the particular update may be grouped in a set. Updates that are included in a set may be associated with interaction rules that specify how updates in the set interact as part of an installation process. In at least some implementations, membership rules and interaction rules for updates can be dynamically created, configured, and/or dynamically reconfigured.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an aggregator configured to aggregate at least some of a plurality of updates into a set of updates for installation as a set;   a receiver configured to receive an indication that an update is to be added to the set of updates; and   a processor configured to modify, based on the indication, the set of updates by adding the update to the set of updates to generate a modified set of updates, the processor further configured to initiate installation of the modified set of updates.   
     
     
         2 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the update includes a membership rule that indicates that the update may be aggregated into the set of updates. 
     
     
         3 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the update includes one or more membership rules that specify conditions under which the update may be aggregated into the set of updates. 
     
     
         4 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the update includes one or more membership rules that specify conditions under which the update may be aggregated into the set of updates, and the conditions comprise at least one of a software state or a hardware state for the computing device. 
     
     
         5 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate install rules specifying install conditions for the installation of the modified set of updates. 
     
     
         6 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein a second update in the set of updates includes a membership rule that specifies that the second update may not be aggregated into a set of updates containing the update, and the processor is further configured to modify, prior to generating the modified set of updates, the set of updates by removing the second update from the set of updates. 
     
     
         7 . A system as described in  claim 1 , wherein a second update in the set of updates includes a membership rule that specifies that the second update may not be aggregated into a set of updates containing the update, and the processor is further configured to modify, prior to generating the modified set of updates, the set of updates by removing the second update from the set of updates, and to present the second update for installation as an individual update. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 aggregating at a computing device at least some of a plurality of updates into a set of updates for installation as a set on the computing device;   receiving at the computing device an indication that an update is to be removed from the set of updates;   based on the indication, modifying the set of updates at the computing device by removing the update from the set of updates to generate a modified set of updates; and   initiating installation of the modified set of updates.   
     
     
         9 . A method as described in  claim 8 , wherein the indication comprises a membership rule indicating that the update may not be aggregated into a set of updates. 
     
     
         10 . A method as described in  claim 8 , wherein the indication comprises one or more membership rules that specify a condition under which the update may be aggregated into the set of updates, and wherein said modifying comprises removing the update from the set of updates based on the condition not being satisfied. 
     
     
         11 . A method as described in  claim 8 , wherein the indication comprises one or more membership rules that specify a condition under which the update may be aggregated into the set of updates, the condition specifies that the update may not be aggregated into a set of updates including a particular update, and the update is removed from the set of updates in response to the set of updates including the particular update. 
     
     
         12 . A method as described in  claim 8 , further comprising presenting the update for installation as an individual update. 
     
     
         13 . A method as described in  claim 8 , further comprising aggregating at a computing device the update into a second set of updates for installation as a second set on the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . A method as described in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 aggregating at the computing device the update into a second set of updates for installation as a second set on the computing device; and   initiating installation of the second set of updates.   
     
     
         15 . A method as described in  claim 8 , wherein said modifying further comprises modifying the set of updates at the computing device by removing one or more additional updates from the set of updates to generate a different modified set of updates, and wherein the method further comprises:
 aggregating at the computing device the update and the one or more additional updates into a second set of updates for installation as a set on the computing device; and   initiating installation of the second set of updates.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 aggregating at a computing device at least some of a plurality of updates into a set of updates for installation as a set on the computing device, the set of updates including one or more interaction rules that define one or more installation relationships between two updates of the set of updates;   receiving at the computing device an indication of a change to the one or more set interaction rules for the set of updates;   based on the indication, modifying the set of updates at the computing device by changing at least one of the one or more interaction rules to generate one or more modified set interaction rules; and   initiating installation of the modified set of updates based on the one or more modified set interaction rules.   
     
     
         17 . A method as described in  claim 16 , wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving a notification from an update service remote from the computing device. 
     
     
         18 . A method as described in  claim 16 , wherein the indication of a change comprises an indication of a change in a dynamic device state condition, and the one or more set interaction rules comprises an interaction rule that is dependent on the dynamic device state condition. 
     
     
         19 . A method as described in  claim 16 , wherein the change to the one or more set interaction rules for the set of updates comprises a modification to how an update interacts with one or more other updates in the set of updates. 
     
     
         20 . A method as described in  claim 16 , wherein the change to the one or more set interaction rules for the set of updates comprises a change to the one or more installation relationships.