McAfee Granted Wireless Update Patent

...A wireless communication link is established between a wireless device and another device that has a more up-to-date version of a particular file. First, it is determined whether a portion of the more up-to-date version is already stored on the wireless device. Then, the file may be downloaded from the other device beginning with any portion of the file that is already stored on the wireless device. When a full copy of the more up-to-date version of the file is stored on the wireless device, a current version of the file may be replaced with the more up-to-date version. Also, any portions of less up-to-date versions of the file may be discarded if they are not subsequently needed.

Wireless devices might only be connected for short periods of time and at irregular intervals. In accordance with the principles of the patented technology, an update download can occur incrementally and begin with any portion of the more up-to-date version that already exists on the wireless device.