 Personal communication and positioning system |
| OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a system capable of communicating using the electromagnetic energy ... |
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| Bracelet |
| The present invention provides a bracelet having an electronic display unit including a display ... |
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| Integrated television and internet information system |
| The present invention advantageously overcomes many of the aforementioned disadvantages and ... |
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| Method and system for identifying data locations associated with real world observations |
| OF THE INVENTION As discussed above, the present invention provides methods and apparatuses for ... |
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| Attribute-enhanced scroll bar system and method |
| The present invention significantly extends the function of scroll bars by superimposing a map of ... |
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| Management of client requests in a client-server environment |
| To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations ... |
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| Virtual certificate authority |
| The above objects above are met by the present invention which encompasses a method of and ... |
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| Method for creation and management of virtual volumes for DBMs |
| What is claimed is: 1. A computer system comprising: a computer to operate a database management ... |
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| Method and apparatus for synchronizing files |
| OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for transferring ... |
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Method for identifying and obtaining computer software from a network computer using a tag
| Details |
Inventors: Slivka, Benjamin W.; Webber, Jeffrey S.;
Assignee: Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA)
Primary Examiner: Harrell; Robert B.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Klarquist Sparkman Campbell Leigh & Whinston, LLP
Creators of computer software provide the most up-to-date versions of their computer software on an update service. A user who has purchased or downloaded free computer software calls an update service or a network service provider (e.g., an Internet provider) on a periodic basis. The update or network service automatically inventories the user computer to determine what computer software (e.g., a network browser) may be out-of-date, and/or need maintenance updates. If so desired by the user, the update service computer automatically downloads with a secure software transfer process and installs computer software to the user computer. By making periodic calls to an update or network service, the user always has the most up-to-date computer software immediately available. The update or network service may also alert the user to new products (i.e. including new help files, etc.), and new and enhanced versions of existing products which can be purchased electronically by a user and transferred immediately from the update or network service. When an upgrade is available, a tag in a hypertext document indicates an upgrade should be automatically downloaded from a location provided in the tag when the hypertext document is browsed by a computer having a browser. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION The continual and rapid development of computers, computer software and related technology has revealed many problems with the typical update and distribution channels for computer software.
For example, computer software, the coded instructions that control a computer's operation, is constantly and incrementally being upgraded and improved.
The computer hardware and operating system environment on which the computer software is used is continually being changed, which requires additional changes in the computer software (e.
g.
new device drivers, new operating system calls, etc.
).
A computer software developer will typically release an initial version of a software product.
Thereafter, as new and improved computers and peripherals are developed, the software product will commonly be upgraded to take full advantage of the increased capabilities of the hardware.
In addition, a software developer, to remain competitive, will often upgrade the software product to provide new features and functionality.
With the ever increasing pace of advancement in computer related technologies, software developers compete to be the first to offer a new feature or upgrade.
As a result, sometimes software products are made available to the public with unknown errors or defects.
Similarly, software products that work as intended on a particular computer with a particular configuration, may fail when installed on a different computer having a different configuration (e.
g.
different hardware, peripherals, operating systems, etc.
).
Software developers frequently provide fixes for their software products to correct defects that were undetected or unanticipated at the time the software product was released.
Fixes are also provided to allow the software product to function correctly on a new computer or with a different operating system environment.
However, it is often difficult for software developers to make upgrades and fixes available to users.
This difficulty not only deprives the user of access to the most reliable and up-to-date software products, it can result in lost sales to the software developer and can damage the goodwill and the development of a long term relationship with a customer by releasing a flawed or deficient software product
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Automated creation and delivery of database content
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Telephone on which the number called is composed by a crown of the horological type
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Interactive system for synchronizing and simultaneously playing predefined musical sequences
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Integrated communicative watch
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System for managing multimedia discs, tracks and files on a standalone computer
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File Sharing 
