Method for automatic patching of a sparsely streamed application

A system for streaming an application, comprising:

• a streaming server that is configured to stream the application;
• and
• a client device, coupled to the streaming server, and configured to perform actions, including:
• receiving, from the streaming server, a file manifest associated with the application, wherein the file manifest includes information associated with a file, and a file length value for the file;
• employing the information to generate a file segment having the file length of the file;
• receiving a patch associated with the application;
• writing the patch into at least one address location associated with the file segment;
• marking the at least one address location that includes the patch as an authoritative section;
• receiving a section of the streamed application from the streaming server;
• and
• if at least a portion of the section of the streamed application is to be written into the authoritative section, prohibiting the writing of that portion of the streamed application.

A client device for receiving a streaming application, comprising:

• a patcher that is configured to perform actions, including:
• receiving a patch from a server;
• enabling the patch to be written into at least one address location of a file segment;
• and
• enabling a marking of the at least one address location that includes the patch as an authoritative section;
• and
• an installer that is configured to perform actions, including:
• generating the file segment;
• receiving a section of the streamed application;
• and
• if at least a portion of the section of the streamed application is to be written into the authoritative section, enabling a prohibition of the writing of that portion of the streamed application.

A modulated data signal for streaming an application from a server to a client, the modulated data signal comprising:

• receiving at the client a patch associated with the application;
• enabling the writing of the patch into at least one address location associated with the file segment;
• enabling the marking of the at least one address location that includes the patch as an authoritative section;
• receiving a section of the streamed application from the server;
• and
• if at least a portion of the section of the streamed application is to be written into the authoritative section, prohibiting the writing of that portion of the streamed application.

An apparatus for managing a streaming of an application, comprising:

• a means for receiving a patch associated with the application;
• a means for writing the patch into at least one address location associated with the file segment;
• a means for marking the at least one address location that includes the patch as an authoritative section;
• a means for receiving a section of the streamed application;
• and
• if at least a portion of the section of the streamed application is to be written into the authoritative section, a means for prohibiting the writing of that portion of the streamed application.