Software Update System Using User ID-Based Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional software updating systems require large databases on both center and user computers, leading to network congestion and delays, as they need to maintain information on various software installations and frequently exchange data to determine necessary updates.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that sends user identification information to a center computer to obtain location information for update software, allowing direct access to storing regions corresponding to user IDs, reducing the need for extensive data exchange and minimizing network traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large database is maintained on both center computer and user computer to store software update information, then software update information can be accessed locally, but network traffic increases and update process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the software update database from the center computer and stores it directly on the user computer. This allows the user computer to access update information locally without requiring continuous communication with the center computer, thereby reducing network traffic and simplifying the update process while maintaining reliability of update information availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the update information into two parts: a small index database maintained on the center computer and a local database on the user computer. The index database contains only essential routing information, while the comprehensive update database resides locally, reducing the burden on network communication while maintaining data availability
2Reliability
If the center computer checks URL of software vendor repeatedly to ensure availability, then software update availability is maintained, but network traffic and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by having the user computer obtain and store the complete software update database locally before it is needed for updates. This eliminates the need for repeated URL checking at update time, as the update information is already available locally, thereby reducing both network traffic and processing time while maintaining reliability
3Reliability
If the center computer stores all software information for all users regardless of actual installations, then complete software information is available, but data transmission volume and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each user computer to maintain its own local database containing only the software update information relevant to that specific user's installed software. This eliminates the need to transmit and process all software information for all users, reducing data transmission volume while maintaining the completeness of update information for each user's actual installations
Data Source
AI summary
Software is updated easily and efficiently and in the same time, thereby reducing the load imposed on the user side, the software vendor side and the center computer side. When the user computer sends user ID to the center computer, the center computer have the user computer obtain URL of the module-storing region that corresponds to the user ID and stores the modules that the user should obtain. The user computer accesses to the module storing portion using the URL, obtains a list of modules, compares the list to the modules that are currently installed in itself and judges whether it is necessary to obtain modules. When judged that modules are needed to be obtained, the user computer accesses to the module-storing region again and obtains the module.