Methods, systems and computer program products for management of configurable application programs on a network

DC CAFC

US 6,324,578 B1
Filed: 12/14/1998
Issued: 11/27/2001
Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
Status: Expired due to Term

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First Claim

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1. A method for management of configurable application programs on a network comprising the steps of:

installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;

distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;

obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences associated with one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;

obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator; and

executing the application program using the obtained user set and the obtained administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

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Abstract

Management of configurable applications programs on a network is provided by using two program files for each configurable application program. The two program files are provided to a network server station which operates as the on-demand server for software deployment and may also act as the application server. The on-demand server makes the first (configuration manager) program available to an administrator to obtain preferences for the configurable preferences of the application program which have been designated as administrator preferences. The on-demand server also provides a second (application launcher) program to its client stations. The application launcher program not only provides for a user interface to execute the application program itself but also allows a user to specify one or more of the configurable parameters of the application program. An icon is displayed on the screen of the client station through which a user may initiate execution of the application program. The application launcher program provides the identity of the user to the server along with the request to initiate execution of the application program. The on-demand server then initiates execution of the application program using stored values for the user and administrator set preferences or, if no preferences have yet been obtained for the particular user, obtains user preferences before initiating execution of the application program.

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46 Claims

1. A method for management of configurable application programs on a network comprising the steps of:
- installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;
  
  distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;
  
  obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences associated with one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
  
  obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator; and
  
  executing the application program using the obtained user set and the obtained administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- - 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining an administrator set is preceded by the step of distributing a configuration manager program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the step of obtaining an administrator set comprises the step of obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator executing the configuration manager program.
  - 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator authorized to execute the configuration manager program.
  - 4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of executing the application program comprises the step of executing the application program using the obtained user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users through the application launcher program.
  - 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the distributing an application launcher program step includes the step of displaying an icon associated with the application program on a screen of the client and wherein the one of the plurality of authorized users executes the application launcher program by selecting the displayed icon.
  - 6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of executing is preceded by the step of storing the obtained user set and the obtained administrator set on a storage device coupled to the server and wherein the initiating execution step includes the step of retrieving the stored user set and the stored administrator set from the storage device.
  - 7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the executing step includes the step of determining if a user requesting execution of the application program is one of the plurality of authorized users.
  - 8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the initiating execution step includes the step of obtaining default preference values for any of the plurality of configurable preferences which are not specified by the user set or the administrator set.
  - 9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the default preference values are stored on a storage device coupled to the server.
  - 10. A method according to claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator and is authorized to define the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences.
  - 11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the following steps:
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of installing an application program is followed by the step of distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the step of obtaining a second user set comprises the step of obtaining a second user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from a second one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of installing an application program is followed by the step of distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the obtaining a user set step comprises the step of obtaining the user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
- installing a second application program having a second plurality of configurable preferences and a second plurality of authorized users on the server;
  
  distributing a second application launcher program associated with the second application program to the client coupled to the network;
  
  obtaining a second user set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from one of the second plurality of authorized users executing the second application launcher program;
  
  obtaining a second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from the administrator; and
  
  executing the second application program using the obtained second user set and the second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the second plurality of authorized users.

15. A method for management of configurable application programs on a network comprising the steps of:
- receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server;
  
  providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server; and
  
  requesting that the server provide an instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

16. An application management system for a network including a server and a client,the server comprising:
- means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on the server;
  
  means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to the client;
  
  means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
  
  means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator; and
  
  means for providing an instance of the application program and a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users; and
  
  the client comprising;
  
  means for receiving an application launcher program associated with the application program from the server;
  
  means for providing to the server a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program; and
  
  means for requesting that the server initiate execution of the application program using the obtained user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

17. An application management system for a network comprising:
- means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;
  
  means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;
  
  means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
  
  means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator; and
  
  means for providing an instance of the application program and a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.
- View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
- - 18. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising means for of distributing a configuration manager program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the means for obtaining an administrator set comprises means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator executing the configuration manager program.
  - 19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator authorized to execute the configuration manager program.
  - 20. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the means for executing the application program comprises means for executing the application program using the obtained user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users through the application launcher program.
  - 21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the means for distributing an application launcher program includes means for displaying an icon associated with the application program on a screen of the client and wherein the one of the plurality of authorized users executes the application launcher program by selecting the displayed icon.
  - 22. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising means for storing the obtained user set and the obtained administer set on a storage device coupled to the server and wherein the means for initiating execution includes means for retrieving the stored user set and the stored administrator set from the storage device.
  - 23. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the means for executing includes means for determining if a user requesting execution of the application program is one of the plurality of authorized users.
  - 24. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the means for initiating execution includes means for obtaining default preference values for any of the plurality of configurable preferences which are not specified by the user set or the administrator set.
  - 25. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the default preference values are stored on a storage device coupled to the server.
  - 26. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator and is authorized to define the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences.
  - 27. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:
28. An apparatus according to claim 27 further comprising means for distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the means for obtaining a second user set comprises means for obtaining a second user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from a second one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
29. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising means for distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the means for obtaining a user set comprises means for obtaining the user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
30. An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:
- means for installing a second application program having a second plurality of configurable preferences and a second plurality of authorized users on the server;
  
  means for distributing a second application launcher program associated with the second application program to the client coupled to the network;
  
  means for obtaining a second user set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from one of the second plurality of authorized users executing the second application launcher program;
  
  means for obtaining a second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from the administrator; and
  
  means for executing the second application program using the obtained second user set and the second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the second plurality of authorized users.

31. An application management system for a network comprising:
- means for receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server coupled to the network;
  
  means for providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of a plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server; and
  
  means for requesting that the server provide and instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

32. A computer program product for application management for a network, the computer program product comprising:
- a computer readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising;
  
  computer readable program code means for installing an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences and a plurality of authorized users on a server coupled to the network;
  
  computer readable program code means for distributing an application launcher program associated with the application program to a client coupled to the network;
  
  computer readable program code means for obtaining a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program;
  
  computer readable program code means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator; and
  
  computer readable program code means for providing an instance of the application program using a stored user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.
- View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- - 33. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising computer readable program code means for of distributing a configuration manager program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining an administrator set comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences from an administrator executing the configuration manager program.
  - 34. A computer program product according to claim 33 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator authorized to execute the configuration manager program.
  - 35. A computer program product according to claim 33 wherein the computer readable program code means for executing the application program comprises computer readable program code means for executing the application program using the obtained user set and the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users through the application launcher program.
  - 36. A computer program product according to claim 35 wherein the computer readable program code means for distributing an application launcher program includes computer readable program code means for displaying an icon associated with the application program on a screen of the client and wherein the one of the plurality of authorized users executes the application launcher program by selecting the displayed icon.
  - 37. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising computer readable program code means for storing the obtained user set and the obtained administrator set on a storage device coupled to the server and wherein the computer readable program code means for initiating execution includes computer readable program code means for retrieving the stored user set and the stored administrator set from the storage device.
  - 38. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein the computer readable program code means for executing includes computer readable program code means for determining if a user requesting execution of the application program is one of the plurality of authorized users.
  - 39. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein the computer readable program code means for initiating execution includes computer readable program code means for obtaining default preference values for any of the plurality of configurable preferences which are not specified by the user set or the administrator set.
  - 40. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein the default preference values are stored on a storage device coupled to the server.
  - 41. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein one of the plurality of authorized users is an administrator and is authorized to define the administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences.
  - 42. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising:
43. A computer program product according to claim 42 further comprising computer readable program code means for distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining a second user set comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining a second user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from a second one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
44. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising computer readable program code means for distributing the application launcher program associated with the application program to a second client coupled to the network and wherein the computer readable program code means for obtaining a user set comprises computer readable program code means for obtaining the user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of the plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program on the second client.
45. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising:
- computer readable program code means for installing a second application program having a second plurality of configurable preferences and a second plurality of authorized users on the server;
  
  computer readable program code means for distributing a second application launcher program associated with the second application program to the client coupled to the network;
  
  computer readable program code means for obtaining a second user set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from one of the second plurality of authorized users executing the second application launcher program;
  
  computer readable program code means for obtaining a second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences from the administrator; and
  
  computer readable program code means for executing the second application program using the obtained second user set and the second administrator set of the second plurality of configurable preferences responsive to a request from the one of the second plurality of authorized users.

46. A computer program product for application management for a network, the computer program product comprising:
- a computer readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising;
  
  computer readable program code means for receiving an application launcher program associated with an application program having a plurality of configurable preferences from a server coupled to the network;
  
  computer readable program code means for providing a user set of the plurality of configurable preferences from one of a plurality of authorized users executing the application launcher program to the server; and
  
  computer readable program code means for requesting that the server provide an instance of the application program and a stored user set and an administrator set of the plurality of configurable preferences for use in executing the application program responsive to a request from the one of the plurality of authorized users.

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Litigation Data

Current Assignee
Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors
Cox, David E., Hayes, Jr., Kent F., Kaminsky, David L., Lindquist, David B.
Primary Examiner(s)
Sheikh, Ayaz
Assistant Examiner(s)
Jean, Frantz B.

Application Number

US09/211,529
Time in Patent Office

1,079 Days
Field of Search

709/223, 709/224, 709/310, 709/201, 709/225, 707/103
US Class Current

709/223
CPC Class Codes

G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software l...

G06F 8/61 Installation

Methods, systems and computer program products for management of configurable application programs on a network

First Claim

6 Assignments

Litigations

1 Petition

Accused Products

Abstract

182 Citations

46 Claims

Specification

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Methods, systems and computer program products for management of configurable application programs on a network

First Claim

6 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

1 Petition

Subscription Required

Accused Products

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Abstract

182 Citations

46 Claims

Specification

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Use Cases

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Others