Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-12-04
Dam, Tuan Q. (Department: 2122)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
C702S123000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327706
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Personal computer systems in general and IBM compatible personal computer systems in particular have attained widespread use for providing computing power to many segments of society. A personal computer system can usually be defined as a desk-top, floor-standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a system processor and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, a display monitor, a keyboard, one or more diskette drives, a fixed disk storage device and an optional printer.
It has been known to install software and to perform tests on computer systems before they are shipped to businesses or individual customers. The goal of software installation and testing is to efficiently produce a useful, reliable computer system which may be delivered to businesses and individuals free from errors and ready to run. In general, testing detects and analyzes errors that occur in both the hardware and software portions of the computer system. A partial list of computer system hardware tests might include diagnostics upon hardware components such as a processor, memory, a disk storage device, an audio device, a graphics device, a keyboard, a mouse, and a printer. Software installation often includes loading a desired package of software onto the computer system, preparing appropriate environment variables for the computer, and preparing appropriate initialization files for the loaded software. Software testing often includes making sure that a desired version of software has been installed onto the computer system and the appropriate drivers are present on the computer system.
It has been known in the industry to install software and to test computer systems during manufacture by performing a fixed procedure before they are shipped to customers. For instance, a diskette containing certain diagnostic tests for a certain type of computer system is created. The diskette includes lengthy, often-complicated batch flies which direct the software installation and diagnostic processes. The diskette further contains all the executable files for performing tests on the computer system being purchased.
Each computer system being built is provided with a respective copy of this diskette. These diskettes accompany the computer systems being built around a factory floor during the manufacturing process, tests being run on the respective computer system according to the order inherent in the batch file. If a modification needs to be made to the process, the batch file is correspondingly changed by adding to or removing portions from the batch code. That change to the batch file results in a corresponding change to testing parameters (including the sequence in which the tests are run) of each subsequent computer system being manufactured, for each computer system shares the same batch file diagnostic procedure.
While diagnostic arrangements of this kind have exhibited some degree of usefulness in increasing the reliability of computer systems prior to shipment, room for improvement remains. For instance, as testing continues to become more complicated and thorough, batch files and executable files of the diagnostic tests often exceed the storage capabilities of a diskette. Furthermore, it is often difficult or impossible to customize testing and software installation procedures for a single build-to-order computer system or for a certain family of computer systems without modifying the testing for other systems or families. Moreover, it is difficult or impossible to modify the order of software installation or testing for a single build-to-order computer system or for a certain family of computer systems without modifying the order for other systems and families. Finally, the often-complicated nature of current batch file structures sometimes makes it difficult for manufacturers to troubleshoot or maintain testing and software installation procedures quickly and efficiently.
Therefore what is needed is to provide a method of installing software on and/or testing a computer system which provides improvements to the prior art.
SUMMARY
According to one embodiment there is provided a method of installing software on and/or testing a computer system, including reading a plurality of component descriptors from a computer readable file, each component descriptor describing a respective component of the computer system, reading a plurality of steps from a database, each step being associated with a component descriptor and including a respective sequence number, and sequencing the plurality of steps in a predetermined order according to the sequence numbers to provide a step sequence including commands for installing software on and/or testing the computer system, the method further including determining for each step read from the database, from data associated with that step from the database, if that step is incompatible with the presence in the computer system of a component other than that corresponding to the component descriptor associated with the step, and if so discarding the step or not according to further data associated with that step in the database.
According to another embodiment there is provided a method of installing software on and/or testing a computer system, including reading a plurality of component descriptors from a computer readable file, each component descriptor describing a respective component of the computer system, reading the plurality of steps from a database, each step being associated with a component descriptor and including a respective sequence number, and sequencing the plurality of steps in a predetermined order according to the sequence numbers to provide a step sequence including commands for installing software on and/or testing the computer system, the method further including determining for each step read from the database, from data associated with that step in the database, if that step requires a parameter, and is so calculating such parameter according to further data associated with that step in the database.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing software installation and testing.
FIG. 2
is a schematic diagram of software installation and testing according to another embodiment.
FIG. 3A
is a flowchart converting a computer order into a system descriptor record according to the present invention.
FIG. 3B
shows a portion of an example computer order, Base Assembly Record (BAR) file, and system descriptor record.
FIG. 4
is a flowchart for creating and providing a step sequence.
FIG. 5A
is a schematic illustration of the relationship between
FIGS. 5B and 5C
.
FIG. 5B
is a first part of a more detailed flowchart for creating a step sequence.
FIG. 5C
is a second part of the more detailed flowchart for creating a step sequence.
FIG. 6
shows a structure of a database.
FIG. 7
is an example of part of a step file.
FIGS. 8
to
13
is a flowchart of the operation of a program for executing a step sequence.
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“Compaq pushes commercial PCs toward retailers: HIgh-end stores, catalogs will see more lines Plans more lines, stronger retail push of commercial PCs”, Computer Retail Week, Jun. 30, 1997, pp. 5.*
Bournellis & McAleer, “Built-To-Order Program Is Launched By Compaq”, Electronic News, Jul. 14, 1997, pp. 118.
Amberg Richard D.
Lynch Michael
Wong Roger
Dam Tuan Q.
Dell USA L.P.
Hayes and Boone, L.L.P.
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