Automatically updating applications on a client's device without interrupting the user's experience

摘要

Portions of an application can be delivered through a network without having to download the entire application. When an application is installed, HTML, CSS and JavaScripts® or other User Interface (UI) files can be copied into local cache. A version number can also be stored with this code, so that when the application is launched, a web service checks the latest version on a server computer. If the latest version differs from the cached version, then an update is needed. New UI files can then be downloaded to the local cache. The local cache can be a folder that is used by the application, wherein the folder is stored on a hard drive of the client device. Binaries associated with the application can be stored in a different folder.

主权项

1. A method of updating a client device, comprising:
providing application files in a first install directory on the client device; upon launching of an application using the application files, automatically checking to determine whether updates are available for the application; if updates are available, determining whether the updates are for binary files or for text-based files; if the updates are for binary files of the application, then requesting user permission to download the updates; if the updates are for text-based files, then copying updated application files to a second updates directory on the client device, different than the install directory without user permission so that updates of binary files of the application are treated differently than text-based files of the application; and executing the application using at least the updates located in the second updates directory, while ignoring an older version of the updated application files that remain in the install directory during execution of the application.