APPLICATION LOGGING INTERFACE FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20080274716A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yip, Eric Chi Chung, Fok, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 9,137,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A mobile device, and particularly a wireless device, provides a computing platform upon which third-party (e.g., accessory) applications can execute, increasing features/functions desirable to a user. In order to better serve users of wireless devices, third-party developers of such applications would benefit from information about how their fielded applications are being used. However, creating log packets that can ultimately reach the developers is generally not permissible or enabled by wireless devices due to privacy concerns, safeguards against malicious applications, the environment generally afforded to accessory applications, the limited communication channel (e.g., bandwidth, duration, user expense, etc.), and difficulty in integrating such applications to chipsets tailored for mobile devices, such as cell phones. Authentication of the application and a defined log header prior to deployment coupled a confirming unlock feature on the device allows for log packets of increasing complexity that can be selectively allowed, filtered, and reported by a device.

Claims

1. A method for selectively transporting information packets produced by an accessory application residing on mobile device to reach a device monitoring destination, comprising:

communicating information from trusted components through a diagnostic component to a device monitoring destination executing on a mobile device;

gating transport of an information packet from an accessory application in response to a determination that the information packet does not violate a defensive constraint to interface with the diagnostic component; and

packaging the information packet from the accessory application with a trusted credential of the interface to transfer the information packet through the diagnostic component to the device monitoring destination in response to determining that the defensive constraint is not violated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising gating transport of the information packet by comparing a measure associated with the information packet against a threshold related to transport capacity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the packaged information packet on the mobile device in an externally readable computer readable medium.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting the packaged information packet to a network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising gating transport of the information packet by authenticating a chain of title of the accessory application executing on the mobile device prior to unlocking an interface to the diagnostic component.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

authenticating a source for the accessory application;

providing a digital certificate to the source for inclusion with the third-party application;

storing on the mobile device a privilege assigned to the accessory application; and

authenticating the chain of title of the accessory application by recognizing the digital certificate and the communication privilege associated with the digital certificate.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a first value encrypted with the digital certificate from the accessory application; and

digitally signing and responding with the digitally signed first value so that the accessory application can verify a transferor of the information packet.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising responding with the first value and a second value digitally signed so that the accessory application can verify the transferor of the information packet and can send subsequent requests with the second value without encryption overhead.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a header for the information packet used by the accessory application, the header containing a code used by the interface to access the information packet.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising accessing an information packet size code for determining an end of a stored information packet.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising accessing a uniquely assigned application class identifier for identifying the privilege of the accessory application.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively providing an authentication override feature for facilitating use of a trusted application on the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising selectively providing the authentication override feature by allowing a device to set a class identifier and first value for the accessory application.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing on the interface of the mobile device a reporting code received from the source of the accessory; and

transferring the packaged information packet in response to detecting the reporting code in the information packet.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a binary reporting code by byte-by-byte comparison of a binary information packet.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a log identifier to the accessory application;

and receiving the log identifier in a header of the information packet.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising registering the device monitoring destination to listen for the packaged information packet from the interface.

18. At least one processor for selectively transporting information packets produced by an accessory application residing on mobile device to reach a device monitoring destination, comprising:

a first module for communicating information from trusted components through a diagnostic component to a device monitoring destination executing on a mobile device;

a second module for gating transport of an information packet from an accessory application in response to a determination that the information packet does not violate a defensive constraint to interface with the diagnostic component; and

a third module for packaging the information packet from the accessory application with a trusted credential of the interface to transfer the information packet through the diagnostic component to the device monitoring destination in response to determining that the defensive constraint is not violated.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to communicate information from trusted components through a diagnostic component to a device monitoring destination executing on a mobile device;

code for causing the computer to gate transport of an information packet from an accessory application in response to a determination that the information packet does not violate a defensive constraint to interface with the diagnostic component; and

code for causing the computer to package an information packet from the accessory application with a trusted credential of the interface to transfer the information packet through the diagnostic component to the device monitoring destination in response to determining that the defensive constraint is not violated.

20. An apparatus for selectively transporting information packets produced by an accessory application residing on mobile device to reach a device monitoring destination, comprising:

means for communicating information from trusted components through a diagnostic component to a device monitoring destination;

means for gating transport of an information packet from an accessory application in response to a determination that the information packet does not violate a defensive constraint to interface with the diagnostic component; and

means for packaging the information packet from the accessory application with a trusted credential of the interface to transfer the information packet through the diagnostic component to the device monitoring destination in response to determining that the defensive constraint is not violated.

21. A mobile device for selectively transporting information packets produced by an accessory application residing on mobile device to reach a device monitoring destination, comprising:

at least one trusted component for reporting troubleshooting log packets;

a diagnostic component receiving a trusted credential from the at least one trusted component and a troubleshooting log packet for sending to a device monitoring destination;

an accessory application; and

an application interface for gating transport of an information packet from an accessory application in response to a determination that the information packet does not violate a defensive constraint to interface with the diagnostic component and for packaging the information packet from the accessory application with a trusted credential of the application interface to transfer the information packet through the diagnostic component to the diagnostic monitoring destination.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, further comprising the application interface gating transport of the information packet by authenticating a chain of title of the accessory application executing on the mobile device prior to unlocking access to the diagnostic component.

23. The mobile device of claim 22, wherein a source for the accessory application has been authenticated, provided a digital certificate for inclusion with the accessory application, the mobile device further comprising:

a storage medium containing a data structure containing a privilege code assigned to the accessory application; and

the application interface authenticating the chain of title of the accessory application by recognizing a digital certificate used by the accessory application and the privilege code associated with the digital certificate.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, further comprising the application interface receiving a first value encrypted with the digital certificate from the accessory application and responding with a digitally signed first value and a second value so that the accessory application can verify a transferor of the information packet and can send subsequent requests with the second value without encryption overhead.

25. The mobile device of claim 22, further comprising a set application class identifier component for selectively providing an authentication override feature for facilitating use of a trusted application on the wireless device.

26. The mobile device of claim 21, further comprising:

a data storage containing a data structure holding a log header and log data of the information packet produced by the accessory application; and

the application interface recognizing a size code used by the interface to access the information packet of binary data of variable length.

27. The mobile device of claim 21, further comprising:

a stored data structure containing a class identifier of the accessory application indicating a privilege to communicate; and

the interface registering the device monitoring component to listen for the class identifier and to wirelessly report the information packet.

28. The mobile device of claim 21, further comprising:

a stored data structure containing at least one binary code used by the accessory application; and

a filtering component responsive to detecting the at least one binary code in the information packet to cause reporting of the information packet by the device monitoring component.

29. The mobile device of claim 21, further comprising the application interference gating transport of the information packet by comparing a measure associated with the information packet against a threshold related to transport capacity.