Software implementation installer mechanism
US6418554B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/61
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and mechanism for automatically installing software implementations such as applications and COM classes as they are needed from an external source. When a software implementation is needed, the mechanism first looks to the local system (e.g., registry) for that software implementation, and if found, returns the information such as a local path needed to use the software implementation. If the implementation is not found, the mechanism looks to another source, such as a CD-ROM or a centralized class store of a network, to locate the needed implementation. When located, the implementation is downloaded and locally installed from the source, and a local path is returned in a manner that is essentially transparent to the user. Software implementations such as application products may be divided into features and components to improve on-demand installation thereof.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.