Patent · US Expired

Automatic client configuration system

US6029196A · kind A · utility

436Cited by
12References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 18, 1997
Grant dateFeb 22, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L67/1091
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An automatic client configuration system provides a system administrator with the ability to configure every client in a network with one file which resides on the server, and which contains information for setting the client's lock files, preferences, configuration information, and software versions. Control over logical groupings of clients is possible using separate configuration files for each group. The configuration of the network clients is performed during runtime, is automatic, and can be initiated by either the client or the server. The client contacts the server at startup for configuration information, which returns the configuration file that is used by the client to configure its system. The administrator uses the server to query the clients in the network for information, such as file version numbers. If the server determines that any of the clients need file updates, it sends the files to the specific client, which replaces the existing files with the new files sent by the server.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.