The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 27, 1999
Filed:
May. 23, 1996
Suzanne Marie Thompson, Lexington, KY (US);
Joseph Armand Caloumenos, Lexington, KY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A facility for permitting self-deletion of application programs from a computer's mass-storage device is disclosed. The facility includes a component that tracks new files added in the course of program installation, as well as any modifications to permanent (e.g., system) files. An associated deletion component, actuable by a user, removes the added files from mass storage and reverses changes made to the permanent files. In one embodiment, the two components of the invention are associated with individual application programs; in another embodiment, the components are permanent features of the operating system or graphical user interface, and the tracking component maintains separate information for all application programs as these are installed.