Device Management System For Mobile Devices That Supports Multiple-Point Transport

• US 20080046583A1
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bindu Rao
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06

Abstract

A device management server uses both point-to-point and broadcast transport protocols to remotely manage a plurality of electronic devices. The server uses extensions to a standard device management protocol to access, via the point-to-point transport protocol, device management information in memory of the electronic device. The device management information permits the electronic device to receive information using the broadcast transport protocol. Results from processing the received information are returned to the server using the point-to-point transport protocol. The device management server also employs handset control and enterprise control management objects to conduct device wipe, lock, unlock and other operations.

Claims

1. A system supporting device management for a plurality of electronic devices using point-to-point and broadcast transport protocols, the system comprising:

at least one server that transmits to one of the plurality of electronic devices using a point-to-point transport protocol according to a device management protocol standard, first information that enables access to the at least one server by the one of the plurality of electronic devices, and second information that enables the one of the plurality of electronic devices to receive device management information using the broadcast transport protocol; and

wherein the point-to-point transport protocol is used to communicate at least result information sent by the one of the plurality of electronic devices to the at least one server.

2. The system according to claim 1, in which the one of the plurality of electronic devices employs the first information to enable reception of the second information.

3. The system according to claim 1, in which the device management protocol standard is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) version 1.2 or earlier compatible device management protocol.

4. The system according to claim 1, in which the first information is accessible in memory of the one of the plurality of electronic devices as a device management object that is an extension of device management objects defined by the device management protocol standard.

5. The system according to claim 1, in which the at least one server disables and enables user access to at least one software application in the one of the plurality of electronic devices using a device management object that is an extension of device management objects defined by the device management protocol standard.

6. The system according to claim 1, in which the point-to-point transport protocol is a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP).

7. The system according to claim 1, in which the point-to-point transport protocol operates over a cellular telephone network.

8. The system according to claim 1, in which the broadcast transport protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.16d or IEEE 802.16e compatible protocol.

9. The system according to claim 1, in which the one of the plurality of electronic devices is one of the following:

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

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 in which the point-to-point transport protocol operates over a public wireless network.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9 in which the electronic device comprises a cellular handset.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, in which the broadcast transport protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.16d or IEEE 802.16e compatible protocol.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9 in which the device management protocol standard is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) version 1.2 or earlier compatible device management protocol.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9 in which the first information is accessible in the non-volatile memory as a device management object that is an extension of device management objects defined by the device management protocol standard.

16. The electronic device according to claim 9 in which the remote server disables and enables user access to at least one software application in the electronic device using a device management object that is an extension of device management objects defined by the device management protocol standard.

10. An electronic device comprising:

at least one processor operable to communicate using a point-to-point transport protocol and a broadcast transport protocol;

non-volatile memory operably coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises code executable by the at least one processor to receive and process information according to a device management protocol standard;

wherein the electronic device receives first information using the point-to-point transport protocol, the first information enabling reception of second information using the broadcast transport protocol; and

wherein a result of processing the second information is transmitted by the electronic device to a remote server using the point-to-point transport protocol.

17. A method of operating at least one server to remotely manage a plurality of electronic devices, the method comprising:

transmitting to the plurality of electronic devices using a point-to-point transport protocol according to a device management protocol standard, first information that enables the plurality of electronic devices to access transmissions by the at least one server via a broadcast transport protocol, each of the plurality of electronic devices having at least one identifying characteristic;

transmitting to the plurality of electronic devices using the broadcast transport protocol, second information intended only for two or more of the plurality of electronic devices having a common value of the at least one identifying characteristic; and

receiving, via the point-to-point transport protocol, result information produced by processing the second information at the two or more of the plurality of electronic devices having a common value of the at least one identifying characteristic.

18. The method according to claim 17, in which the device management protocol standard is an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) version 1.2 or earlier compatible device management protocol.

19. The method according to claim 17, in which the at least one identifying characteristic comprises one or more of a make, a model, and a version.

20. The method according to claim 17, in which the broadcast transport protocol is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.16d or IEEE 802.16e compatible protocol.