Mobile Application Management

• US 20130346268A1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Hong, Pereira, Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 9,792,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer-implemented method may include determining whether a computing device accessing an online application marketplace is associated with a particular business entity registered with the online application marketplace. The method may further include identifying applications that were selected by a representative of the particular business entity to be identified to users whose devices are determined to be associated with the particular business entity. The method may still further include providing data for displaying the applications and a control for downloading executable code for at least one of the applications, receiving an indication that the control has been selected by the user to download the executable code for the applications, and providing the executable code for the at least one of the applications.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, by a system operating an online application marketplace, whether a computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with a particular business entity registered with the online application marketplace;

identifying, by the system and based on determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity, a plurality of applications that were selected by a representative of the particular business entity to be identified to users whose devices are determined to be associated with the particular business entity;

providing, from the system to the computing device for presentation on the computing device, data for displaying the plurality of applications and a control for downloading executable code for at least one of the plurality of applications;

receiving at the system an indication that the control has been selected by the user to download the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications; and

providing, from the system to the computing device, the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity is performed by determining that the computing device is accessing the online application marketplace from a network operated by the particular business entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity is performed by determining that the computing device is signed into an account for the online application marketplace using an electronic mail address that has a domain that is controlled by the particular business entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of applications is an application that is accessible only to users associated with the particular business entity and not to the general public.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with a particular business entity registered with the online application marketplace comprises consulting a policy that lists user ID'"'"'s of users who are associated with the particular business entity, the list of user ID'"'"'s having been provided by a representative of the particular business entity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user ID comprises a corporate e-mail address or a network identifier that specifies at least one communication network or network domain operated by the particular business entity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising making available for download to the computing device, executable code for one or more software applications that were uploaded to the software application marketplace by a representative of the particular business entity, and made available only to users identified as being authorized to access the executable code by the representative.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing an account of the particular business entity for a cost associated with downloading the at least one of the plurality of applications that were selected by the representative of the particular business entity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting applications to be displayed to a user based on identifying the user'"'"'s working role at the particular business entity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user'"'"'s role is determined based on a list of roles or user-by-user access identifiers that differ for different users who are associated with the particular business entity.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising making available for download to the computing device, one or more applications that were uploaded to the online application marketplace by the representative of the particular business entity.

12-16. -16. (canceled)

17. One or more machine-readable storage media having recorded thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising:

determining, by a system operating an online application marketplace, whether a computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with a particular business entity registered with the online application marketplace;

identifying, by the system and based on determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity a plurality of applications that were selected by a representative of the particular business entity to be identified to users whose devices are determined to be associated with the particular business entity;

providing, from the system to the computing device for presentation on the computing device, data for displaying the plurality of applications and a control for downloading executable code for at least one of the plurality of applications;

receiving at the system an indication that the control has been selected by the user to download the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications; and

providing, from the system to the computing device, the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications.

18. The machine-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity is performed by:

determining that the computing device is accessing the online application marketplace from a network operated by the particular business entity, or

determining that the computing device is signed into an account for the online application marketplace using an electronic mail address that has a domain that is controlled by the particular business entity.

19. The machine-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of applications is an application that is made accessible by the online application marketplace only to users determined to be associated with the particular business entity, and not to the general public.

20. The machine-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise billing an account of the particular business entity for a cost associated with downloading the at least one of the plurality of applications that were selected by the representative of the particular business entity.

21. The machine-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise selecting applications to be displayed to a user based on identifying the user'"'"'s working role at the particular business entity.

22. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more machine-readable storage media having recorded thereon instructions, that when executed by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

determining, by a system operating an online application marketplace, whether a computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with a particular business entity registered with the online application marketplace;

identifying, by the system and based on determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity a plurality of applications that were selected by a representative of the particular business entity to be identified to users whose devices are determined to be associated with the particular business entity;

providing, from the system to the computing device for presentation on the computing device, data for displaying the plurality of applications and a control for downloading executable code for at least one of the plurality of applications;

receiving at the system an indication that the control has been selected by the user to download the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications; and

providing, from the system to the computing device, the executable code for the at least one of the plurality of applications.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein determining that the computing device accessing the online application marketplace is associated with the particular business entity is performed by:

determining that the computing device is accessing the online application marketplace from a network operated by the particular business entity, or

determining that the computing device is signed into an account for the online application marketplace using an electronic mail address that has a domain that is controlled by the particular business entity.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of applications is an application that is made accessible by the online application marketplace only to users determined to be associated with the particular business entity, and not to the general public.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise billing an account of the particular business entity for a cost associated with downloading the at least one of the plurality of applications that were selected by the representative of the particular business entity.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise selecting applications to be displayed to a user based on identifying the user'"'"'s working role at the particular business entity.