Mobile device client

• US 7,809,366 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Daley, Robert C., Rao, Bindu Rama
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US11/385,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 455/561, 455/424, 709/219, 709/315
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• 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: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A device client that supports customer care and distribution of update packages to electronic devices makes it possible to efficiently manage and update firmware and software in electronic devices. A terminal management/device management server employs extensions to an industry standard device management protocol to update configuration information, to provision the electronic device, and to manage the electronic device, for example. The electronic device may receive update packages, and update agent(s) in the electronic device may update the firmware and/or software of the electronic device. A diagnostic client in the electronic device facilitates remote diagnosis and a traps client facilitates setting traps and retrieving collected information. A terminal management server may remotely invoke control actions within the electronic device using management objects not supported by the industry standard device management protocol. A user of the electronic device may use a self-care portal to administer self-care and to conduct diagnostics. A subsequent customer-care call may use such information collected during self-care.

Claims

1. An electronic device supporting remote terminal management, the device comprising:

communication circuitry that enables wireless communication with at least one remote server via a wireless network;

at least one memory containing machine readable code executable by a processor;

at least one processor operably coupled to the communication circuitry and the at least one memory;

wherein the machine readable code enables the electronic device to receive a device management command identifying a management object and value from a remote server;

wherein the machine readable code is configured to parse the device management command to determine whether the command identifies the management object as a terminal management extension of an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol;

wherein the machine readable code enables access to a first plurality of management objects in accordance with the OMA DM protocol when parsing the management command determines the command does not identify the management object as the terminal management extension;

wherein the machine readable code also enables access to a second plurality of management objects not explicitly defined within the OMA DM protocol when parsing the management command determines the command does identify the management object as the terminal management extension;

wherein access to a management object in the second plurality of management objects invokes an associated electronic device control action; and

wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise one of the following;

an action to reset the electronic device, an action to lock the electronic device, an action to unlock the electronic device, an action to delete a firmware or software application from the electronic device, and an action to wipe memory of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone network, a wireless wide area network, a wireless local area network, and a paging network.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory comprises non-volatile memory, and wherein at least a portion of a device profile is stored in the non-volatile memory.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises flash-type memory.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the machine readable code enables collection of one or more quality of service parameters related to operation of the electronic device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise reporting device status information.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise executing an associated management task and returning results thereof.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control actions associated with the second plurality of management objects comprise returning results of a prior control action.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

a frequency and a format of returned results, is configurable.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises one of the following:

a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, and a personal computer.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein access to a management object comprises one of the following:

retrieving a value of the management object, deleting the management object, creating the management object, and modifying a value of the management object.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of management objects adds information about the electronic device by incorporating additional management objects in the OMA DM ./DevInfo and ./DevDetail management objects.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the additional management objects comprise information about at least one of the following:

an original equipment manufacturer, a software or firmware platform, a processor, a battery level, a power source, and a memory.

14. An electronic device supporting remote terminal management, the device comprising:

communication circuitry that enables wireless communication with at least one remote server via a wireless network;

at least one memory containing machine readable code executable by a processor;

at least one processor operably coupled to the communication circuitry and the at least one memory;

wherein the machine readable code enables the electronic device to receive a device management command identifying a management object and value from a remote server;

wherein the machine readable code is configured to parse the device management command to determine whether the command identifies the management object as a terminal management extension of an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management (DM) protocol;

wherein the machine readable code enables access to a first plurality of management objects in the electronic device in accordance with the OMA DM protocol when parsing the management command determines the command does not identify the management object as the terminal management extension;

wherein the machine readable code also enables access to a second plurality of management objects not explicitly defined within the OMA DM protocol when parsing the management command determines the command does identify the management object as the terminal management extension;

wherein the electronic device responds to a terminal management activity invoked via the plurality of management objects, by executing an associated management task; and

wherein the terminal management activity and associated management task invoked by the second plurality of management objects comprise one of the following;

a factory reset, a device lock, a device unlock, a device wipe to ensure that the electronic device does not represent a threat to enterprise intellectual property.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the terminal management activity and associated management task invoked by the first plurality of management objects comprises one of the following:

a reboot, a device backup, and a device restore activity.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the terminal management activity comprises reporting device status information.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the terminal management activity comprises returning results of the executed management task.

18. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the terminal management activity comprises returning results of a prior management task.

19. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the following:

a frequency and a format of returned results, is configurable.