Obtaining program data over a network

摘要

A network comprises a data store storing for computing devices connectable to the network i) identification data, associated with the computing devices and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the devices. The network also has one or more sources of program data associated with the identification data; and a plurality of computing devices. The computing devices each include a communications program configured to communicate with the data store, provide the identification data associated with the computing device and obtain from the data store the source data, and, having obtained the source data from the data store, communicate with the identified source to obtain program data from the identified source.

主权项

1. A network comprising:
a plurality of computing devices; one or more sources of program data; and a data store storing for the plurality of computing devices i) identification data associated with each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the plurality of computing devices, wherein the one or more sources of program data being associated with the identification data for said each computing device, wherein said each computing device of the plurality of computing devices includes an operating system and a communications program implemented as software that is operable independently of the operating system of said each computing device, and wherein the communications program of said each computing device is configured to: a) communicate with the data store to provide the identification data associated with said each computing device and obtain from the data store, source data identifying at least one source of the one or more sources identified for said each computing device based on the identification data associated with said each computing device, and b) having obtained said source data from the data store, communicate with the identified at least one source of the one or more sources to obtain therefrom program data associated with the identification data for said each computing device.