Patent · US Expired

Software update notification

US6353926B1 · kind B1 · utility

354Cited by
9References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 15, 1998
Grant dateMar 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 15, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99954
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for allowing a software vendor to notify a user of a software update is disclosed. At the time of installing an application, the user is prompted to subscribe to a software update channel. A shortcut (.lnk file) that the application installs is created with special information that identifies the application by a unique name. The channel is updated periodically based on the schedule suggested by the channel. When a new update is detected, the software channel delivers the software update to the user's computer and sends notifications such as email or gleaming the icon to indicate that a new software update is now available. Also, the next time the user launches the application through the shortcut (.lnk file), the shell automatically displays the update notification information to the user.

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