Delivering data from device management services to devices using bulletin system

• US 8,112,508 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Clanton, Keith W., Evans, John S., Sullivan, Timothy T., Ambrose, Craig M., Kasrawi, Nawwar
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIU, HO T
• Application Number:
  US11/852,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting broadcasting in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A system for targeting bulletins to specific electronic devices includes a device management (“DM”) service, one or more electronic devices, and a database for storing bulletins. Generally, the DM service creates a bulletin, associating targeting criteria specifying one or more electronic devices with the bulletin. An electronic device submits a service request to the DM service identifying bulletins previously received (if any) by the device and a device identification number assigned to the device. Using the information from the service request, the DM service queries the database for bulletins available for the device. Upon locating an available bulletin, the DM service notifies the device and after receiving a request for the bulletin from the device, the DM service transmits the available bulletin. Alternately, the DM service can transmit the bulletin without first notifying and receiving a request from the device.

Claims

1. In a device management system, a method for transmitting content to one or more electronic devices, the method comprising:

receiving a service request from an electronic device, the service request containing a device identifier corresponding to the electronic device;

in response to the service request, using the device identifier, which was contained in the service request, to perform a first query of a first database containing one or more targetable characteristics of the one or more electronic devices, the first database being indexed by device identifiers of the one or more electronic devices;

identifying, via the first query, targetable characteristics of the electronic device that are associated with the device identifier, which was contained in the service request;

using the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device to perform a second query of a second database containing a notice of an event, called a bulletin, the bulletin comprising an action, a schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, and one or more targetable characteristics requiring execution of the action, the second database indexed by targetable characteristics of the one or more electronic devices;

determining, via the second query, that at least one of the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device is included in the one or more targetable characteristics of the bulletin; and

in response to determining, via the second query, that at least one of the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device is included in the one or more targetable characteristics of the bulletin, transmitting the bulletin, which includes the action and the schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, to the electronic device;

wherein the action, which is included in the bulletin transmitted to the electronic device, includes a series of commands to be executed by the electronic device; and

wherein the electronic device is configured to, in response to receiving the bulletin that includes the action and the schedule, execute the series of commands of the action according to the schedule;

adding the electronic device to a group of electronic devices;

in response to adding the electronic device to the group, creating a group sync bulletin in the second database which defines dependencies to one or more bulletins pertaining to the group;

sending a notification to the electronic device that the group sync bulletin has been added to the second database;

receiving a request from the electronic device for the group sync bulletin;

sending the group sync bulletin to the electronic device which causes the electronic device to request each of the one or more bulletins pertaining to the group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action associated with the bulletin further includes one or more of:

an alert, an asset update, a software update, a change to a registry of the electronic device, and a survey.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more targetable characteristics of the bulletin comprise one or more of:

a device category, wherein one or more device identification numbers are associated with the device category;

a device type, wherein one or more device identification numbers are associated with the device type, a device type being a subset of a device category;

a partner identification number, wherein each of the device identification numbers has an associated partner identification number assigned by an external partner;

a device group, wherein one or more device identification numbers are associated with the device group; and

a pack, the pack including one or more electronic devices having a collection of service software installed thereon.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the electronic device from the group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bulletin comprises a dependent bulletin and wherein the dependent bulletin transmitted to the electronic device includes a notification to the electronic device that the dependent bulletin is dependent on one or more previous bulletins, the method further comprising, after transmitting the dependent bulletin to the electronic device, receiving a second service request for the one or more previous bulletins.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, transmitting the one or more previous bulletins to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute and process the one or more previous bulletins prior to executing and processing the dependent bulletin.

7. In a device management service communicably connectable to one or more electronic devices, wherein each electronic device has an assigned device identification number, a method for transmitting content to an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a service request from an electronic device, the service request including a header containing a device identifier corresponding to the electronic device and information identifying one or more bulletins previously received by the electronic device;

in response to the service request, using the device identifier, which was contained in the service request, to perform a first query of a first database containing one or more targetable characteristics of the one or more electronic devices, the first database being indexed by device identifiers of the one or more electronic device;

identifying, via the first query, targetable characteristics of the electronic device that are associated with the device identifier, which was contained in the header of the service request;

using both the device identifier and the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device to perform a second query to determine that a new bulletin in a second database of bulletins is currently available for the electronic device, wherein a bulletin comprises an action, a schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, and an identification of one or more groups of electronic devices requiring execution of the action; and

in response to determining that the new bulletin in the second database of bulletins is currently available for the electronic device, transmitting the new bulletin, which includes the action and the schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, to the electronic device;

wherein the action, which is included in the new bulletin transmitted to the electronic device, includes a series of commands to be executed by the electronic device; and

wherein the electronic device is configured to, in response to receiving the new bulletin that includes the action and the schedule, execute the series of commands of the action according to the schedule;

adding the electronic device to a group of electronic devices;

in response to adding the electronic device to the group, creating a group sync bulletin in the second database which defines dependencies to one or more bulletins pertaining to the group;

sending a notification to the electronic device that the group sync bulletin has been added to the second database;

receiving a request from the electronic device for the group sync bulletin;

sending the group sync bulletin to the electronic device which causes the electronic device to request each of the one or more bulletins pertaining to the group.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to transmitting the new bulletin to the electronic device:

sending a response to the service request to the electronic device, the response identifying the new bulletin; and

receiving a request for the new bulletin from the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that an additional bulletin is currently available for the electronic device; and

after transmitting the new bulletin to the electronic device, transmitting the additional bulletin to the electronic device in response to receiving a request for the additional bulletin from the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the new bulletin comprises a smart bulletin, the smart bulletin including components from a plurality of software updates pending for the electronic device, such that transmitting the components to the electronic device in the smart bulletin limits the number of bulletins that are transmitted to the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that a new bulletin is currently available for the electronic device comprises:

using the device identifier and one or more targetable characteristics of the electronic device identified in the first database to search the second database indexed by device identifiers and targetable characteristics.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the group is a group of beta testers.

13. One or more computer storage devices storing computer executable instructions which when executed perform the following method:

receiving a service request from an electronic device, the service request containing a device identifier corresponding to the electronic device;

in response to the service request, using the device identifier, which was contained in the service request, to perform a first query of a first database containing one or more targetable characteristics of the one or more electronic devices, the first database being indexed by device identifiers of the one or more electronic devices;

identifying, via the first query, targetable characteristics of the electronic device that are associated with the device identifier, which was contained in the service request;

using the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device to perform a second query of a second database containing a notice of an event, called a bulletin, the bulletin comprising an action, a schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, and one or more targetable characteristics requiring execution of the action, the second database indexed by targetable characteristics of the one or more electronic devices;

determining, via the second query, that at least one of the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device is included in the one or more targetable characteristics of the bulletin; and

in response to determining, via the second query, that at least one of the query-identified targetable characteristics of the electronic device is included in the one or more targetable characteristics of the bulletin, transmitting the bulletin, which includes the action and the schedule of an appropriate time for the action to be processed, to the electronic device;

wherein the action, which is included in the bulletin transmitted to the electronic device, includes a series of commands to be executed by the electronic device; and

wherein the electronic device is configured to, in response to receiving the bulletin that includes the action and the schedule, execute the series of commands of the action according to the schedule;

adding the electronic device to a group of electronic devices;

in response to adding the electronic device to the group, creating a group sync bulletin in the second database which defines dependencies to one or more bulletins pertaining to the group;

sending a notification to the electronic device that the group sync bulletin has been added to the second database;

receiving a request from the electronic device for the group sync bulletin;

sending the group sync bulletin to the electronic device which causes the electronic device to request each of the one or more bulletins pertaining to the group.