Mobile device client

• US 20060236325A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama, Daley, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A device client that supports customer care and distribution of update packages to electronic devices makes it possible to efficiently manage and update firmware and software in electronic devices. A terminal management/device management server employs extensions to an industry standard device management protocol to update configuration information, to provision the electronic device, and to manage the electronic device, for example. The electronic device may receive update packages, and update agent(s) in the electronic device may update the firmware and/or software of the electronic device. A diagnostic client in the electronic device facilitates remote diagnosis and a traps client facilitates setting traps and retrieving collected information. A terminal management server may remotely invoke control actions within the electronic device using management objects not supported by the industry standard device management protocol. A user of the electronic device may use a self-care portal to administer self-care and to conduct diagnostics. A subsequent customer-care call may use such information collected during self-care.

Claims

1. An electronic device supporting remote terminal management, the device comprising:

communication circuitry that enables wireless communication with at least one remote server via a wireless network;

at least one memory containing machine readable code executable by a processor;

at least one processor operably coupled to the communication circuitry and the at least one memory;

wherein the machine readable code enables access to a first plurality of management objects in accordance with an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol;

wherein the machine readable code also enables access to a second plurality of management objects not explicitly defined within the base 1.2 OMA DM protocol; and

wherein access to a management object in the second plurality of management objects invokes an associated electronic device control action.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone network, a wireless wide area network, a wireless local area network, and a paging network.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises non-volatile memory, and wherein at least a portion of a device profile is stored in the non-volatile memory.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises flash-type memory.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the machine readable code enables collection of one or more quality of service parameters related to operation of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise one of the following:

an action to reset the electronic device, an action to lock the electronic device, an action to unlock the electronic device, an action to delete a firmware or software application from the electronic device, and an action to wipe memory of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise reporting device status information.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise executing an associated management task and returning results thereof.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise returning results of a prior control action.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

a frequency and a format of returned results, is configurable.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a personal computer.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein access to a management object comprises one of the following:

retrieving a value of the management object, deleting the management object, creating the management object, and modifying a value of the management object.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of management objects adds information about the electronic device by incorporating additional management objects in the OMA DM ./DevInfo and ./DevDetail management objects.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the additional management objects comprise information about at least one of the following:

an original equipment manufacturer, a software or firmware platform, a processor, a battery level, a power source, and a memory.

15. A terminal management server comprising:

at least one memory containing machine executable code for accessing, in a remote electronic device via a communication network, a first plurality of management objects compliant with an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) standard;

at least one processor operably coupled to the at least one memory;

wherein the at least one memory comprises machine executable code for accessing, in the remote electronic device, a second plurality of management objects not explicitly defined within the base 1.2 OMA DM standard; and

wherein accessing a management object in the second plurality of management objects invokes an associated device control action in the remote electronic device.

16. The terminal management server according to claim 15, wherein the communication network comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone network, a wireless wide area network, a wireless local area network, and a paging network.

17. The terminal management server according to claim 15, wherein the remote electronic device comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a personal computer.

18. The terminal management server according to claim 15, wherein accessing a management object comprises one of the following:

retrieving a value of the management object, deleting the management object, creating the management object, and modifying a value of the management object.

19. The terminal management server according to claim 15, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise one of the following:

an action to reset the electronic device, an action to lock the electronic device, an action to unlock the electronic device, an action to delete a firmware or software application, and an action to wipe memory of the electronic device.

20. The terminal management server according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of management objects provides additional information about the electronic device by incorporating additional management objects in the OMA DM ./DevInfo and ./DevDetail management objects.

21. The terminal management server according to claim 20, wherein the additional management objects comprise information about at least one of the following:

an original equipment manufacturer, a software or firmware platform, a processor, a battery level, a power source, and a memory.

22. A system for remotely managing a plurality of electronic devices via a communication network, the system comprising:

a first server communicatively coupled to the plurality of electronic devices via a wireless communication network, the first server comprising machine readable storage containing executable code enabling terminal management of the plurality of electronic devices using a first set of management objects compliant with an industry standardized device management protocol, and a second set of management objects not supported by the industry standard device management protocol;

a second server communicatively coupled to the first server, the second server comprising machine readable storage containing executable code enabling customer service activities for the plurality of electronic devices;

wherein the first server supports terminal and device management activities in at least one of the plurality of electronic devices by the second server, by accessing at least one of the second set of management objects.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein accessing one of the second set of management objects in the electronic device invokes an associated electronic device control action in the electronic device.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the electronic device control action comprises one of the following:

an action to reset the electronic device, an action to lock the electronic device, an action to unlock the electronic device, an action to delete a firmware or software application, and an action to erase memory of the electronic device.

25. The system according to claim 22, wherein accessing a management object comprises one of the following:

retrieving a value of the management object, deleting the management object, creating the management object, and modifying a value of the management object.

26. The system according to claim 22, wherein the electronic device comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a personal computer.

27. The system according to claim 22, wherein the industry standard device management protocol comprise the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol.

28. The system according to claim 22, wherein the first server and second server are the same server.

29. The system according to claim 22, wherein the wireless communication network comprises one of the following:

a cellular network, a paging network, a wireless wide area network, and a wireless local area network.

30. An electronic device supporting remote terminal management, the device comprising:

communication circuitry that enables wireless communication with at least one remote server via a wireless network;

at least one memory containing machine readable code executable by a processor;

at least one processor operably coupled to the communication circuitry and the at least one memory;

wherein the machine readable code enables access to a plurality of management objects in the electronic device in accordance with an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol; and

wherein the electronic device responds to a terminal management activity invoked via the plurality of management objects, by executing an associated management task.

31. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the terminal management activity comprises one of the following:

a factory reset, a reboot, a device lock, a device unlock, a device wipe, a device backup, and a device restore activity.

32. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the terminal management activity comprises reporting device status information.

33. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the terminal management activity comprises returning results of the executed management task.

34. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the terminal management activity comprises returning results of a prior management task.

35. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein at least one of the following:

a frequency and a format of returned results, is configurable.