System and method for adding dynamic information to digitally signed mobile applications

• US 8,126,963 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rimmer, Graeme
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/012,709
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/220, 709/225, 709/229, 709/246, 709/221, 717/100, 717/106, 717/120, 717/168, 717/174
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Described are systems and methods for adding information to a mobile application. A mobile application is downloaded from a server to a mobile device using a web browser. A web browser cookie associated with the mobile application is stored on the mobile device. A request is sent from the mobile application to the server, where the request includes information from the stored web browser cookie. Mobile application data associated with the stored web browser cookie from the server is received by the mobile application in response to the request. The mobile application is then provided with access to the mobile application data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more processors for associating mobile application data with a mobile application, the method comprising:

sending a request to a server from a digitally-signed mobile application stored at a mobile device, the digitally-signed mobile application being associated with a digital signature and an identifier, the request including information based at least in part on the identifier;

receiving from the server, in response to the request, mobile application data at the mobile device, the mobile application data associated with the identifier;

storing the received mobile application data separately from the digitally-signed mobile application at a memory of the mobile device; and

providing the digitally-signed mobile application with access to the separately-stored mobile application data such that the digitally-signed mobile application is integrated with the mobile application data at runtime, where the digitally-signed mobile application is unmodified by the runtime integration with the mobile application data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the identifier associated with the received mobile application data from the mobile device after the received mobile application data is stored on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile application data is associated with the identifier through a defined relationship at the server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

presenting content associated with the received mobile application data during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application, where the content associated with the received mobile application data is not included in the installed digitally-signed mobile application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

using the received mobile application data to modify at least one operation performed during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

executing a software update of the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime, the software update included with the received mobile application data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the digitally-signed mobile application on the mobile device includes a web browser cookie.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the digitally-signed mobile application on the mobile device includes downloading the digitally-signed mobile application from the server using a web browser.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to sending the request;

downloading the digitally-signed mobile application from the server to the mobile device using a web browser; and

storing the identifier associated with the digitally-signed mobile application on the mobile device, where the identifier includes a web browser cookie.

10. An article comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

sending a request to a server from a digitally-signed mobile application stored at a mobile device, the digitally-signed mobile application being associated with a digital signature and an identifier the request including information based at least in part on the identifier;

receiving from the server, in response to the request, mobile application data at the mobile device, the mobile application data associated with the stored identifier;

storing the received mobile application data separately from the digitally-signed mobile application at a memory of the mobile device; and

providing the digitally-signed mobile application with access to the separately-stored mobile application data such that the digitally-signed mobile application is integrated with the mobile application data at runtime, where the digitally-signed mobile application is unmodified by the runtime integration with the mobile application data.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the mobile application data includes information associated with a distribution channel through which the mobile application was received prior to being installed.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the mobile application data includes information associated with a location from which the mobile application was downloaded.

13. The article of claim 10, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

presenting content associated with the received mobile application data during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application, where the content associated with the received mobile application data is not included in the installed digitally-signed mobile application.

14. The article of claim 10, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

using the received mobile application data to modify at least one operation performed during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application.

15. The article of claim 10, wherein integrating the mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

executing a software update of the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime, the software update included with the received mobile application data.

16. The article of claim 10, wherein the medium storing instructions for causing one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

prior to sending the request;

downloading the digitally-signed mobile application from the server to the mobile device; and

storing the associated identifier with the digitally-signed mobile application on the mobile device.

17. A system comprising:

a memory operable to store a digitally-signed mobile application associated with a digital signature and an identifier; and

a processor coupled to the memory operable to;

send a request to a server from the digitally-signed mobile application, the request including information based at least in part on the identifier;

receive from the server, in response to the request, a set of dynamic mobile application data, the set of dynamic mobile application data associated with the identifier;

store the received dynamic mobile application data separately from the digitally-signed mobile application; and

provide the digitally-signed mobile application with access to the separately-stored mobile application data such that the digitally-signed mobile application is integrated with the mobile application data at runtime, where the digitally-signed mobile application is unmodified by the runtime integration with the mobile application data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein integrating the received set of mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

presenting content associated with the received set of mobile application data during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application, where the content associated with the received set of mobile application data is not included in the installed digitally-signed mobile application.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein integrating the received set of mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime includes:

using the received set of mobile application data to modify at least one operation performed during execution of the digitally-signed mobile application.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein integrating the received set of mobile application data with the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime without includes:

executing a software update of the digitally-signed mobile application at runtime, the software update included with the received set of mobile application data.