METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM FOR REMOTE DEVICE MANAGEMENT

• US 20110213831A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Odyssey Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanson, Mark, Gentile, Mark, Wade, Mark, Sullivan, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0246 Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

The present disclosure enables remote device management. A programmatic interface is associated with each application plug-in. A web server included with the on-device agent provides access to the programmatic interfaces according to open standards such as HTML or XML. The present disclosure enables access to remote devices through existing infrastructure without the need for proprietary systems. An IT administrator or other administrator may remotely access and update software and hardware, track device data plan usage statistics, provide live support, and track current and historical device locations. Further, through the use of the present disclosure developers may provide customizable applications employing plug-ins on the remote device targeted for their own system.

Claims

1. A remote device management system encoded on a remote device, said system comprising:

a tunnel client operable to connect to a tunnel server, said tunnel client and said tunnel server comprising a communications link between said remote device and a management computer; and

a service host comprising a web server interface and a plurality of plug-ins capable of communicating over said communications link, said plurality of plug-ins comprising;

a file manager plug-in capable of providing information about a file system on said remote device and capable of making changes to said file system;

a configuration plug-in capable of setting at least one configuration option on said remote device; and

a remote control plug-in capable of providing a view of a screen on said remote device to said management computer and further capable of allowing said management computer to remotely control said remote device.

2. The remote device management system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of plug-ins further comprises a tracker plug-in capable of recording position information about said remote device and transmitting said position information to said management computer.

3. The remote device management system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of plug-ins further comprises a logging plug-in capable of recording information in essentially real time on said remote device, said information comprising at least email information and messaging information.

4. The remote device management system of claim 3, wherein said logging plug-in is further capable of periodically sending logs to said management computer on a predetermined schedule.

5. The remote device management system of claim 1, wherein said web server is capable of providing a visual HTML interface and a programmatic XML interface to said plurality of plug-ins.

6. The remote device management system of claim 1, wherein said remote control plug-in is further capable of playing back macros on said remote device.

7. A method for managing a remote device, said method comprising:

waiting for said remote device to establish a tunnel connection to a tunnel server via a tunnel client on said remote device;

connecting a device management console to said remote device via said tunnel connection;

accepting device management task input from a user to said device management console; and

transmitting said device management task input to said remote device via said tunnel connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said device management task input comprises instructions to modify a file system on said remote device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said device management task input comprises instructions to lock and wipe said remote device.

10. A tangible computer readable medium encoded with instructions for a process comprising:

connecting a remote device to a tunnel server via a tunnel client, said tunnel client and said tunnel server comprising a communications link between said remote device and a management computer;

connecting a service host on said remote device to said management computer, said service host comprising a web server interface and a plurality of plug-ins capable of communicating over said communications link, said plurality of plug-ins comprising;

a file manager plug-in capable of providing information about a file system on said remote device and capable of making changes to said file system;

a configuration plug-in capable of setting at least one configuration option on said remote device; and

a remote control plug-in capable of allowing providing a view of a screen on said remote device to said management computer and further capable of allowing said management computer to remotely control said remote device.

11. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said plurality of plug-ins further comprises a tracker plug-in capable of recording position information about said remote device and transmitting said position information to said management computer.

12. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said plurality of plug-ins further comprises a logging plug-in capable of recording information in essentially real time on said remote device, said information comprising at least email information and messaging information.

13. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said logging plug-in is further capable of periodically sending logs to said management computer on a predetermined schedule.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said web server is capable of providing a visual HTML interface and a programmatic XML interface to said plurality of plug-ins.

15. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said remote control plug-in is further capable of playing back macros on said remote device.