APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS OF A MOBILE DEVICE SERVER

• US 20120084186A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: BROWN, WILLIAM A., MEUNINCK, TROY C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which operates in a mobile device server and which has computer instructions to obtain a software application, store a first pairing key in a memory of the mobile device server where the first pairing key is generated by a device of a service provider in response to a review of the software application for compliance with at least one policy of the service provider, and execute a web server application at the mobile device server that is operable to detect a media resource center operably coupled with at least one media device, establish communications with the media resource center and transmit the first pairing key to the media resource center to enable at least a portion of services that are associated with the software application and that utilize the at least one media device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable communication device, comprising a controller to:

receive a software application and a first pairing key, the software application downloadable from a remote server, wherein the first pairing key is generated by a device of a service provider in response to a review of the software application for compliance with at least one policy of the service provider, wherein voice communications are enabled on the portable communication device by equipment of the service provider; and

execute a web server application in the portable communication device, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center when roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with at least one media device;

establish communications with the media resource center; and

transmit the first pairing key to the media resource center to enable at least a portion of services that are associated with the software application and that utilize the at least one media device.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the software application is configured for providing a plurality of services utilizing the web server application, wherein only a portion of the plurality of services are enabled based on the first pairing key, and herein the review of the software application is performed by personnel of the service provider.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with a plurality of media devices, and wherein the first pairing key enables the at least a portion of services associated with the software application to be used with less than all of the plurality of media devices and disables the at least a portion of services associated with the software application for a remainder of the plurality of media devices.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to receive a second pairing key that is associated with the software application, and wherein all of the services associated with the software application are enabled based on the second pairing key.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to transmit a third pairing key to the media resource center, wherein the media resource center authenticates the portable communication device based on the third pairing key.

6. The portable communication device of claim 5, wherein the third pairing key identifies a billing scheme, and wherein a charge is applied to a subscriber account associated with the portable communication device according to the billing scheme.

7. The portable communication device of claim 1, comprising removable hardware that is configured for communication with the controller, wherein the hardware processes at least a portion of the software application.

8. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is provisioned with the first pairing key prior to receiving the software application, and wherein the provisioning is performed using at least one of removable hardware or provisioning during manufacture of the portable communication device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable for use in a mobile device server, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions to:

obtain a software application;

store a first pairing key in a memory of the mobile device server, wherein the first pairing key is generated by a device of a service provider in response to a review of the software application for compliance with at least one policy of the service provider;

execute a web server application at the mobile device server, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center operably coupled with at least one media device;

establish communications with the media resource center; and

transmit the first pairing key to the media resource center to enable at least a portion of services that are associated with the software application and that utilize the at least one media device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions to enable voice communications on the mobile device server, wherein the media resource center is detected when the mobile device server is roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the software application is configured for providing a plurality of services utilizing the web server application, and wherein only a portion of the plurality of services are enabled based on the first pairing key.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with a plurality of media devices, and wherein the first pairing key enables the at least a portion of services associated with the software application to be used with less than all of the plurality of media devices and disables the at least a portion of services associated with the software application for a remainder of the plurality of media devices.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions to store the first pairing key in a removable memory device of the mobile device server.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising computer instructions to:

transmit a second pairing key to the media resource center, wherein the media resource center authenticates the mobile device server based on the second pairing key, and wherein a charge is applied to a subscriber account associated with at least one of the mobile device server or the media resource center based on a service plan determined from at least one of the first or second pairing keys.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a software application from a third party vendor, the software application being executable by a portable communication device, wherein the portable communication device comprises an executable web server application for providing media services to at least one media device, wherein the software application implements at least one service to be used with the at least one media device;

reviewing the software application for compliance with at least one policy associated with a service provider; and

generating a pairing key based on the reviewing of the software application, wherein the pairing key is utilized for authenticating the software application to be used with the at least one media device, wherein the pairing key is generated by a server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the software application is configured for providing a plurality of services utilizing the web server application, wherein only a portion of the plurality of services are enabled based on the pairing key, and wherein the reviewing of the software application is performed by a compliance processor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one media device is a plurality of media devices, and wherein the pairing key enables the at least one service associated with the software application to be used with a portion of the plurality of media devices and disables the at least a portion of services associated with the software application for a remainder of the plurality of media devices.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the reviewing of the software application is based on information provided by an entity that is different from the service provider and the third party vendor, and wherein the information comprises an analysis of the software application.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the reviewing of the software application is only performed after a pre-determined number of portable communication devices have selected to download the software application.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

providing the pairing key to the portable communication device and to a media resource center, wherein the media resource center is operably coupled with the at least one media device, and wherein the media resource center is configured for authenticating the software application using the pairing key.