Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

David B Dehghan

Eric Chang

Stanley Sun

Yu Wang

Marc Shepard

Nirmal Rajesh Soy

Dennis Craig Marl

Edward F Reus

Aaron H Averbuch

Daniel Joseph Giambalvo

Mazhar Naveed Mohammed

Kong-Kat Wong

Thottam Sriram

Nicole Ashley Hamilton

Yongzhi Yang

Rebecca Jo Sundling

Derek Menzies

Zhifeng Wang

Kenneth A Showman

David Cris Hennessey

Varadarajan Thiruvillamalai

Jay Thaler

Carey Tanner

Jason J Roberts

Xiang He

Jianbo Hou

Quan Wang

Vidyasankar Raman

Thomas Alan Sponheim

Renan Jeffereis

Kristopher J Owens

Weihun Liew

James Cao

Lie Ma

Jeanette R Fisher

Seong Kook Khang

An application programming interface (API) for administering the distribution of software updates on an update service node is presented. The API provides a plurality of interface calls through which an administrator can establish rules by which software updates available to the update service node are distributed.

Application programming interface for administering the distribution of software updates in an update distribution system

A universal smart interface and peripheral management system for portable devices such as mobile phones. The smart system includes a connector interface that connects peripherals to a phone and/or personal digital assistant (PDA), through the smart system. The smart system includes a cradle for receiving a cell phone and interfacing the phone to external systems such as peripherals, networks and other systems through a USB hub and other suitable connector interfaces. The peripheral devices to which the smart system can interface include, but are not limited to, large displays (e.g., television), external monitors, input devices such as mice and keyboards, external storage devices, and networks (wired and/or wireless). The smart system also facilitates connectivity to large display systems such as TVs, computer displays and monitors.

Smart interface system for mobile communications devices

A universal passive interface for connecting external systems to smart devices such as cell phones and PDAs. The passive system includes a cradle for receiving a compatible smart device that connects the functionality of the smart device to a wide variety of external systems (e.g., printers, large display, input devices, etc.). The passive interface includes a USB hub, network port, and other common connector ports for peripherals and other systems. The smart device can connect to the passive system via the cradle slot, a tether, and/or wirelessly. The external systems to which the passive system serves at the interface to the smart device include, but are not limited to, large displays (e.g., television), external monitors, input devices such as mice and keyboards, external storage devices, and networks (wired and/or wireless). A wizard allows the user to configure the external systems to work with the smart device.

Passive interface and software configuration for portable devices

A hierarchical software update distribution system and method for distributing software updates is presented. The update distribution system includes a root update service node and at least one update service node. In an update distribution system, each update service node, except the root update service node, has one parent update service node. Each update service node may function as a parent update service node to child update service nodes.

Update distribution system architecture and method for distributing software

A tag-based structure for communicating software update metadata information to client computers and to update service nodes is presented. An update metadata file includes: an identifier tag including a software update identifier that uniquely identifies the software update; zero or more general properties tags that carry general property information relating the software update; zero or more localized properties tags that carry localized property information organized according to language; zero or more relationship tags that identify dependency relationships the current software update, as described in the update metadata, has with other software updates; zero or more applicability rules tags that carry information for determining the applicability of the software update to a client computer; zero or more files tags that carry information relating to the software update's payload files; and handler specific data tags that carry information directed to the software handler for installing the software update.

Tag-based schema for distributing update metadata in an update distribution system

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

David B Dehghan