METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTIMATING DOWNLOAD TIME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a download time estimation method and a download time estimation device capable of performing scheduled downloading by estimating the download time of software to a plurality of pieces of equipment. SOLUTION: A field server executes a step for dividing a plurality of segments to which field equipment to be downloaded is connected into groups for each segment for parallel processing; a step for estimating the download time for each group for each divided group; and a step for totaling the estimated download time for each group and estimating total download time until the completion of entire download by using the totaled time. The total download time until the completion of entire download is estimated, thus performing scheduled download. The download time for each group is estimated as download time for each longest segment in a group. The download time for each segment is estimated, based on the size of software files to be downloaded. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI