PROVISION OF APPLICATIONS TO MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100262619A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bruno, John, Zargahi, Kamran R., Clinton, Nathaniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Embodiments related to the provision of applications to mobile devices are disclosed. One embodiment provides a mobile device application server system, comprising a database, a processor, and memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to perform a method of providing applications to mobile devices. The method comprises receiving a first application configured to be run on a first mobile device type, storing the first application, receiving a second application configured to be run on a second device mobile device type, and storing the second application. The method further comprises receiving a request for the first application from a first mobile device of the first mobile device type, providing the first application to the first mobile device, receiving a request for the second application from a second mobile device of the second mobile device type, and providing the second application to the second mobile device.

Claims

1. A mobile device application server, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to perform a method of providing applications to mobile devices, the method comprising;

receiving a first application configured to be run on a first mobile device type;

storing the first application;

receiving a second application configured to be run on a second device mobile device type;

storing the second application;

receiving from a first mobile device of the first mobile device type a request for a list of applications that are compatible with the first mobile device type;

determining a list of applications that comprises the first application;

sending the first mobile device the list of applications that comprises the first application;

receiving a request for the first application from the first mobile device;

providing the first application to the first mobile device;

receiving from a second mobile device of the mobile device type a request for a list of applications that are compatible with the second mobile device type;

determining a list of applications that comprises the second application;

sending the first mobile device the list of applications that comprises the second application;

receiving a request for the second application from a second mobile device of the second mobile device type; and

providing the second application to the second mobile device.

2. The mobile device application server of claim 1, wherein receiving the request from the first mobile device for the list of applications that are compatible with the first mobile device type comprises receiving a request comprising a first set of filtering information that comprises one or more of mobile operator information, market information, and device type information for the first mobile device, and wherein the instructions are further executable to determine the list of applications that are compatible with the first mobile device type by:

applying the first set of filtering information to query a database to obtain a first initial search result set of applications configured to run on the first mobile device type;

applying one or more exclusions to the initial search result set to form a first intermediate search result set;

applying a business rule to the first intermediate search result set to form a first final search result set; and

sending the first final search result set to the first mobile device as the list of applications that are compatible with the first mobile device.

3. The mobile device application server of claim 2, wherein the filtering information further comprises market identification information.

4. The mobile device application server of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive the first search request at a first application programming interface, and to query the database by calling a first stored procedure mapped to the first application programming interface.

5. The mobile device application server of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further executable to apply the one or more exclusions as a thick layer via one or more stored procedures after forming the first initial search result set.

6. The mobile device application server of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further executable to apply the one or more exclusions as a thin layer while searching each metadata group of a plurality of metadata groups.

7. The mobile device application server of claim 6, wherein the metadata groups comprise device-related metadata, market-related metadata, promotion-related metadata, mobile operator policy-related metadata, pricing metadata, subscription rate metadata, product family metadata, stock keeping unit-related metadata, application versioning and update-related metadata, and application rating and review-related metadata.

8. The mobile device application server of claim 2, wherein applying a business rule comprises presenting a designated mixture of free and paid applications.

9. The mobile device application server of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to receive the request for the first application and the request for the second application over different mobile networks.

10. The mobile device application server of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to receive requests for applications from mobile devices associated with different mobile operators.

11. The mobile device application server of claim 1, wherein the device of the first type and the device of the second type differ in one or more of a manufacturer, operating system, and mobile network.

20. The method of claim 3, wherein applying one or more exclusions to the first initial search result set and the second initial search result set comprises applying the one or more exclusions as a thick layer via one or more stored procedures after forming the first initial search result set.

12. In a mobile device application provision system, a method of providing a list of applications to a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving from a mobile device a search request for a list of mobile device applications, the search request comprising filtering information that includes one or more of market identification information, device type information, and mobile operator identification information;

searching a plurality of groups of metadata in a mobile device application database using the filtering information to obtain an initial search result set of applications compatible with the mobile device;

applying one or more exclusions to the initial search result set to form an intermediate search result set;

applying a business rule to the intermediate search result set to form a final search result set; and

sending the final search result set to the requesting device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising caching the final search result set.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the market identification information comprises one or more of language information, currency information, and country information.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the metadata groups comprise one or more of device-related metadata, market-related metadata, promotion-related metadata, mobile operator policy-related metadata, pricing metadata, subscription rate metadata, product family metadata, stock keeping unit-related metadata, application versioning and update-related metadata, and application rating and review-related metadata.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein applying one or more exclusions comprises applying the one or more exclusions as a thick layer via one or more stored procedures after forming the first initial search result set.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a request from the mobile device to provide an application from the final search result set to the mobile device.

18. In a mobile device application server, a method of providing lists of compatible applications to mobile devices, the method comprising:

at a first application programming interface, receiving from a first mobile device a first search request for a list of mobile device applications available on the server for the first mobile device, the first search request comprising a first set of filtering information, the filtering information comprising market identification information, device type information, and mobile operator identification information;

using the first set of filtering information to search a plurality of groupings of metadata in the database via a first stored procedure in the database that is mapped to the first application programming interface to obtain a first initial search result set;

applying one or more exclusions to the first initial search result set to form a first intermediate search result set;

applying a business rule to the first intermediate search result set to form a first final search result set;

sending the first final search result set to the first mobile device

at a second application programming interface, receiving from a second mobile device a second search request for a list of mobile device applications available on the server for the second mobile device, the second search request comprising a second set of filtering information;

using the second set of filtering information to search a plurality of groupings of metadata in the database via a second stored procedure in the database that is mapped to the second application programming interface to obtain a second initial search result set;

applying one or more exclusions to the second initial search result set to form a second intermediate search result set;

applying a business rule to the second intermediate search result set to form a second final search result set; and

sending the second final search result set to the second mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the market identification information comprises one or more of country information, language information, and currency information.