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:
Mar. 02, 2004
Filed:
May. 25, 2000
Guy McLlroy, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Roger Flores, Redwood City, CA (US);
Steve Lemke, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Palm Source, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for installing an application on a client device (e.g., a palmtop computer system) communicatively coupled to a host device (e.g., a host computer system). Instead of transferring an application to the client device from another client device, the client device receives a description of the application from the other client device. When the client device and the host device are synchronized, the description is automatically communicated by the client device to the host device, which is also in communication with a source (e.g., an application source). Additional information, such as the type of hardware or the type of operating system used by the client device, is also automatically communicated to the host device by the client device. The host device communicates to the source a specification comprising the description of the application as well as the additional information pertaining to the client device. The host device receives from the source a software element (e.g., a component, object or file for the application, or the application itself) characterized by the specification. The host device automatically makes the software element ready for installation on the client device. The software element is then installed on the client device when the host device and the client device are subsequently synchronized. The process of identifying and retrieving an application and making it ready for installation is performed automatically without user intervention, thereby simplifying for users the process of finding and downloading applications onto the client device.