CONTROLLING RESOURCES USED BY COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20140280934A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sky Socket Llc (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: REAGAN, SPENCER GIBSON, MANTON, JOHN JOSEPH
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices provide control over resources used by computing devices. In some embodiments, a management application determines that multiple computing devices are available for management. The management application determines that each of the computing devices is executing a respective instance of a client application. The client application can communicate with the management application and control at least one computing resource of each computing device. The management application configures the computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is restricted to accessing at least one common resource. The computing device is configured via communication between the management application and the respective instance of the client application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a management application executed on a processor, that a plurality of computing devices are available for management;

determining, by the management application, that each computing device of the plurality of computing devices is executing a respective instance of a client application, wherein the client application is configured to communicate with the management application and is further configured to control at least one respective computing resource of the computing device; and

configuring, by the management application, the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is restricted to accessing at least one common resource, wherein the computing device is configured via communication between the management application and the respective instance of the client application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of computing devices comprises determining that each computing device is grouped in a common organizational unit of a directory service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of computing devices comprises determining that the plurality of computing devices are positioned in a common geographic location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining that the plurality of computing devices are positioned in the common geographic location comprising determining that each computing device is registered with the management application via a sensor device positioned in the common geographic location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of computing devices comprises determining that a respective application at each computing device is accessing a common collaborative session via a data network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is restricted to accessing the at least one common resource is performed based on identifying at least one attribute common to a plurality of entities, wherein each of the plurality of entities is associated with a respective one of the plurality of computing devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is restricted to accessing the at least one common resource comprises configuring the at least one respective computing resource to access a file selected via the management application.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising configuring, by the management application, the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is prevented from accessing a portion of the file that is different from an additional portion of the file accessed by a different one of the plurality of computing devices.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising configuring, by the management application, the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is permitted to access a portion of the file that is different from an additional portion of the file accessed by a different one of the plurality of computing devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is restricted to accessing the at least one common resource comprises configuring the at least one respective computing resource to execute an application selected via the management application.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring, by the management application, the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is prevented from performing a function of the application that is different from an additional function of the application performed by a different one of the plurality of computing devices.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring the at least one respective computing resource of each computing device such that the computing device is permitted to perform a function of the application that is different from an additional function of the application performed by a different one of the plurality of computing devices.

13. A system comprising:

processor;

a touch screen device in communication with the processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to execute a management application stored in the computer-readable medium for performing operations comprising;

determining that each computing device of a plurality of computing devices is executing a respective instance of a client application, wherein the client application is configured to communicate with the management application and is further configured to control at least one respective computing resource of the computing device;

selecting at least one computing device of the plurality of computing devices based on at least one input received to the touch screen device; and

configuring at least one respective computing resource of the at least one computing device such that the at least one computing device is restricted to accessing at least one resource managed by the management application, wherein the computing device is configured via communication between the management application and a respective instance of the client application executed at the at least one computing device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured for distributing the at least one resource from the computer-readable medium to the at least one computing device.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one transceiver configured to perform near-field communication with the plurality of computing devices, wherein the processor is configured for determining that each computing device is executing the respective instance of the client application based on the near-field communication with the plurality of computing devices.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured for:

rendering a graphical interface for display at the touch screen device; and

positioning a visual representation of the at least one resource in the graphical interface based on at least one selection input selecting the at least one resource and received via the touch screen device;

wherein the configuring the at least one respective computing resource such that the at least one computing device is restricted to accessing the at least one resource is performed in response to positioning the visual representation of the at least one resource in the graphical interface.

17. A system comprising:

a processor;

an input device in communication with the processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to execute a client application stored in the computer-readable medium for performing operations comprising;

initiating control of at least one computing resource of the system, wherein the at least one computing resource is configured for executing at least one command in response to at least one input received via the input device; and

configuring the at least one computing resource such that the processor is restricted to accessing at least one resource managed by a management application in response to receiving a command from the management application.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving an additional command specified by an input received via the input device to access at least one additional resource other than the at least one resource managed by the management application;

disabling the command to access the at least one additional resource.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured for storing, in the computer-readable medium, data describing at least one operation performed at the system while accessing the at least one resource managed by the management application.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one transceiver configured to perform near-field communication with an additional computing device configured for accessing the management application, wherein the processor is further configured identifying the system to the management application via the near-field communication with the additional computing device.