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US 6,205,579 B1Granted
Method for providing remote software technical support
AssigneeAltera Corporation
InventorTimothy J. Southgate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for upgrading software is described. According to the invention, in response to operation of the software on a first platform, a connection is established between the first platform and a remote platform. Where first version data associated with the software are different from second version data from the remote platform, a portion of the software is overwritten with first updated code from the remote platform.
Claims56
A method for upgrading first software comprising:
- in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform;
- and
- where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.
1 more element
At least one computer readable medium containing program instructions for upgrading first software, said at least one computer readable medium comprising:
- computer readable code for, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- computer readable code for, where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform;
- and
- computer readable code for, where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.
1 more element
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to upgrade first software by:
- in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform;
- and
- where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.
1 more element
A computer readable medium containing program instructions corresponding to first software, the first software having been upgraded according to a method comprising:
- in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where first version data associated with the first software are different from second version data from the remote platform, overwriting a first portion of the first software with first updated code from the remote platform;
- and
- where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.
1 more element
A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:
- in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;
- where the error does not correspond to the known error data, uploading data files associated with the first software from the first platform to the remote platform via the connection;
- and
- reproducing the error on the remote platform using the data files.
2 more elements
A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:
- in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;
- and
- where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.
1 more element
At least one computer readable medium containing program instructions for troubleshooting first software, said at least one computer readable medium comprising:
- computer readable code for, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- computer readable code for, where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;
- and
- computer readable code for, where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.
1 more element
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to troubleshoot first software by:
- in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;
- and
- where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.
1 more element
A computer readable medium containing program instructions corresponding to first software, the first software having been troubleshot according to a method comprising:
- in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, establishing a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, overwriting a portion of the first software with updated code;
- and
- where the error does not correspond to the known error data operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.
1 more element
A method for upgrading first software comprising:
- providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform, the first software having first version data associated therewith;
- where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, transmitting first updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a first portion of the first software;
- and
- transmitting the second version data from the remote platform to the first platform for comparison with the first version.
1 more element
A method for upgrading first software comprising:
- providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform, the first software having first version data associated therewith:
- where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, transmitting first updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a first portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection, and
- where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.
A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:
- providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software;
- where the error does not correspond to the known error data, uploading data files associated with the first software from the first platform to the remote platform via the connection;
- and
- attempting to reproduce the error on the remote platform using the data files.
2 more elements
A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:
- providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform, is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software to establish the connection;
- and
- where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.
1 more element
A method for troubleshooting first software comprising:
- providing the first software including a first software module which, in response to an error in operation of the first software on a first platform is operable to establish a connection between the first platform and a remote platform;
- where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, transmitting updated code from the remote platform to the first platform via the connection for overwriting a portion of the first software wherein the first software module is operable to solicit authorization from a user of the first software for uploading the data files;
- and
- where the authorization is not obtained, to provide software support information to the user of the first software.
1 more element
A computer system comprising:
- a central processing unit;
- a display;
- a keyboard;
- and
- memory having software stored therein including a software module which, in response to operation of the software on the computer system, is operable to establish a connection between the computer system and a remote platform, the software having first version data associated therewith, the software module also being operable, where the first version data differ from second version data from the remote platform, to overwrite a portion of the software with updated code and where known error data from the remote platform correspond to the first software, overwriting a second portion of the first software with second updated code.
2 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a central processing unit;
- a display;
- a keyboard;
- and
- memory having software stored therein including a software module which, in response to an error in operation of the software on the computer system, is operable to establish a connection between the computer system and a remote platform, the software module also being operable, where the error corresponds to known error data from the remote platform, to overwrite a portion of the software with updated code and where the error does not correspond to the known error data, operating the first software on the first platform from the remote platform via the connection, thereby reproducing the error on the first platform.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.