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Software Patent Abstract
A system and method for improved software servicing by installation
of an updated version is provided. Using branch versioning techniques
that support multi-branch development and release versioning techniques
that support multi-version development, an update package may include
updated files for each branch or release version. The least possible
version from the update package may be installed to minimize the
risk for potential software bugs introduced by the high frequency
of changes made to a higher version. Additionally, any fix installed
on a target machine running a particular version may be migrated
when updating the target machine to a new version without losing
the fix and regressing the change. Such an update may be uninstalled
by reverse migration of any fixes before uninstalling files from
the version update.
Software Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for servicing software in a computer system, comprising
the steps of: identifying an update package having at least two
different versions of a fix for software installed on a target machine,
wherein the different versions of the fix are for different versions
of the software and the update package includes a version of the
fix for a version of the software installed on the target machine;
selecting one of the at least two different versions of the fix
for installation on the target machine based on the version of the
software installed on the target machine; and persisting at the
target machine at least one other version of the fix from the update
package for automatic reinstallation on the target machine after
future installation of a different version of the software on the
target machine.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions comprises selecting one of at least two different
release versions.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions comprises selecting one of at least two different
branch versions.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of installing
the selected one of the at least two different versions of the fix.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising in response to a different
version of the software being installed, a step of migrating a fix
by installing at least one of the other versions of the fix persisted
at the target machine.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of reverse migrating
a fix, by uninstalling the fix prior to uninstalling the software
from the target machine.
7. The method of claim 4 further comprising a step of uninstalling
the one of the at least two different versions of the fix.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions of a fix comprises migrating a fix on the
target system.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions of a fix comprises stepping up to a higher
branch version than the initial branch version selected for installation.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions of a fix comprises comparing the release
version of the updated binary file with a release version of the
file on the target system.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein selecting one of the at least
two different versions of a fix comprises comparing the branch version
of the updated binary file with a branch version of the file on
the target system.
12. A physical computer-readable medium having computer-executable
instructions that when executed by a processor perform the following
steps: identifying an update package having at least two different
versions of a fix for software installed on a target machine, wherein
the different versions of the fix are for different versions of
the software and the update package includes a version of the fix
for a version of the software installed on the target machine; selecting
one of the at least two different versions of the fix for installation
on the target machine based on the version of the software installed
on the target machine; and persisting at the target machine at least
one other version of the fix from the update package for automatic
reinstallation on the target machine after future installation of
a different version of the software on the target machine.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein selecting
one of the at least two different versions comprises selecting one
of at least two different release versions.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein selecting
one of the at least two different versions comprises selecting one
of at least two different branch versions.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising
a step of installing the selected one of the at least two different
versions of the fix.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising
in response to a different version of the software being installed,
a step of migrating a fix by installing at least one of the other
versions of the fix persisted at the target machine.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising
a step of reverse migrating a fix, by uninstalling the fix prior
to uninstalling software from the target machine.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising
a step of uninstalling the one of the at least two different versions
of the fix.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein selecting
one of the at least two different versions of a fix comprises migrating
a fix on the target system.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein selecting
one of the at least two different versions of the fix comprises
stepping up to a higher branch version than the initial branch version
selected for installation.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the selecting
one of the at least two different versions of the fix comprises
comparing the release version of the updated binary file with a
release version of the file on the target system.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein selecting
one of the at least two different versions of the fix comprises
comparing the branch version of the updated binary file with a branch
version of the file on the target system.
23. A computer system comprising: a processor; a memory coupled
to the processor, wherein the memory comprises computer executable
instructions that when executed by the processor perform the following
steps: identifying an update package having at least two different
versions of a fix for software installed on a target machine, wherein
the different versions of the fix are for different versions of
the software and the update package includes a version of the fix
for a version of the software installed on the target machine; selecting
one of the at least two different versions of the fix for installation
on the target machine based on the version of the software installed
on the target machine; and persisting at the target machine at least
one other version of the fix from the update package for automatic
reinstallation on the target machine after future installation of
a different version of the software on the target machine.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
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