Method and apparatus for server based handheld application and database management

• US 6,553,375 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Yun-Wu, Ponzo, John J., Johnson, Robert D., Pollak, Roger A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/199,353
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/1, 707/2, 707/203, 707/204, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention is a novel management system for selectively distributing applications and databases from a server computer to a plurality of intermittently connected handheld devices. The applications and databases to be downloaded and deleted are first selected from an application list maintained by handheld devices. After established a connection with the server computer, the application list of selected applications is copied to the server computer which maintains an access control list indicating which applications are permitted to be downloaded to which handheld devices. The server computer examines the application list and the access control list to determine which applications are both selected and are authorized for use by the handheld device. After determining that requested applications are authorized for requesting devices, these applications are downloaded. If the connected handheld device does not have that the application list, the application list is created for it and downloaded.

Claims

1. A method for distributing applications and databases from at least one server entity to at least one client entity, said client entity characterized as being intermittently connected to said server entity, said method comprising the steps of:

a. selecting said applications and databases in an application list by changing a respective status of said applications and databases in said application list to indicate that said selected applications are to be downloaded and deleted;

b. communicating said application list from said client entity to said server entity when a connection of said client entity to said server entity is established, said application list including status information of said applications and databases for said client entity;

c. providing an access control list at said server entity for updating and maintaining associations of said applications and databases for said client entity;

d. synchronizing said application list and said access control list by determining which applications and databases are both selected by said client entity and are authorized for use by said server entity; and

e. distributing said selected and authorized applications and databases based on said synchronizing from said server entity to said client entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said application list comprises records including information about said applications and databases, each record containing application identification information, and an application status information.

3. The method of claim 2, further providing an application list for said client entity, said application list comprising applications managed by said server entity and authorized for said client entity.

4. The method of claims 3, further comprising steps of creating said application list using said access control list.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising steps of updating said application list.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (a) is performed on said client entity and said application list is maintained on said client entity.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein step (a) is performed on said server entity and said application list is maintained on said server entity.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising steps of communicating said created application list, said updated application list, said selected applications and databases and newer versions of said selected applications and databases to said client entity, said newer versions of said selected applications and databases overriding older versions of said selected applications and databases present on said client entity.

9. A system for distributing applications and databases from at least one server entity to at least one client entity, said client entity characterized as being intermittently connected to said server entity, said system comprising:

a. means for selecting said applications and databases in an application list by changing a respective status of said applications and databases in said application list to indicate that said selected applications are to be downloaded and deleted;

b. means for communicating said application list from said client entity to said server entity when a connection of said client entity to said server entity is established, said application list including status information of said applications and databases for said client entity;

c. means for providing an access control list at said server entity for updating and maintaining associations of said applications and databases for said client entity; and

d. means for synchronizing said application list and said access control list by determining which applications and databases are both selected by said client entity and are authorized for use by said server entity; and

e. means for distributing said selected and authorized applications and databases based on said synchronizing from said server entity to said client entity.

10. The means of claim 9, wherein said application list comprises records including information about said applications and databases, each record containing application identification information, and an application status information.

11. The means of claim 10, wherein step (a) is performed on said client entity and said application list is maintained on said client entity.

12. The means of claim 10, wherein step (a) is performed on said server entity and said application list is maintained on said server entity.

13. A computer program device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for distributing applications and databases from at least one server entity to at least one client entity, said client entity characterized as being intermittently connected to said server entity, said method comprising the steps of:

a. selecting said applications and databases in an application list by changing a respective status of said applications and databases in said application list to indicate that said selected applications are to be downloaded and deleted;

b. communicating said application list from said client entity to said server entity when a connection of said client entity to said server entity is established, said application list including status information of said applications and databases for said client entity;

c. providing an access control list at said server entity for updating and maintaining associations of said applications and databases for said client entity; and

d. synchronizing said application list and said access control list by determining which applications and databases are both selected by said client entity and are authorized for use by said server entity; and

e. distributing said selected and authorized applications and databases based on said synchronizing from said server entity to said client entity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said application list comprises records including information about said applications and databases, each record containing application identification information, and an application status information.

15. The method of claim 14, further providing an application list for said client entity, said application list comprising applications managed by said server entity and authorized for said client entity.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising steps of creating said application list using said access control list.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising steps of updating said application list.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (a) is performed on said client entity and said application list is maintained on said client entity.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein step (a) is performed on said server entity and said application list is maintained on said server entity.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising steps of communicating said created application list, said updated application list, said selected applications and databases and newer versions of said selected applications and databases to said client entity, said newer versions of said selected applications and databases overriding older versions of said selected