Method and system for coordinating device setting between a communications client and its host device

• US 8,234,356 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hodgson, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US12/556,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/221
• 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: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A system and method for propagating device settings to a data communications client from a host on a mobile device, the system having at least one host application adapted to operate on the mobile device host and further adapted to change device settings on the mobile device; a notification means adapted to notify the data communications client of device settings changes on the mobile device; a mode setting at the data communications client, the mode setting adapted to indicate whether client applications on the data communications client should use device settings from the host; and a client settings application adapted to receive a notification from the notification means and change device settings for the client applications if the mode setting indicates the client applications should use device settings from the host.

Claims

1. A mobile device certified for operation in a wireless network, the mobile device comprising:

a host having at least one host application configured to change device settings of the mobile device;

a data communications client comprising a virtual machine executing a number of client applications using a client operating system, the data communications client communicating with one or more of the at least one host application,

a notifier configured to notify the data communications client of device settings changes on the host device in order to propagate device settings to the data communications client;

a mode setting at the data communications client, said mode setting configured to indicate whether client applications on the data communications client should use device settings from said host device; and

a client settings application in the data communications client configured to receive a notification from the notification means and change device settings for said client applications if said mode setting indicates said client applications should use device settings from said host device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the notifier includes a listener at said host, said listener configured to monitor said host applications for device settings changes.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein said listener is further configured to notify the client settings application.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the notifier includes a polling application located at said data communications client, said polling application configured to poll said at least one host application to determine whether a device settings change has been made.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, further comprising a graphical user interface monitor configured to determine when a client application has taken control of a graphical user interface on the host device.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein said polling application polls said at least one host application when said graphical user interface monitor determines that the client application has taken control of the graphical user interface on the host device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising an abstraction layer and a native interface layer between said at least one host application and said client settings application, said abstraction layer and native interface layer configured for a particular host application.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein he mode setting is a flag that persisted.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a conflict resolution application, said conflict resolution application configured to provide an alternative supported setting if said data communications client does not support a setting set at said at least one host application.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein said conflict resolution application includes one of a mapping table to map unsupported settings with the alternative supported setting and a prompting user to select the alternative supported setting.

11. A method of operating a mobile device operating in a wireless network, the mobile device having a host and data communications client, the method comprising:

arranging for a client operating system, the client operating system being on the data communications client and comprising a virtual machine executing a number of client applications, to communicate with at least one host application;

changing device settings on the mobile device using the at least one host application;

notifying the data communications client of device settings changes by the at least one host application;

checking a mode setting at the data communications client to determine whether device settings changed at the host device should be propagated to the data communications client; and

if the checking step determines changes should be propagated, changing device settings for said data communications client.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the notifying step includes listening for changes at said host, said listening step monitoring said host applications for device settings changes.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the notifying step polls said at least one host application to determine whether a change in device settings has occurred.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said polling step is activated when a client application has taken control of a graphical user interface on the host device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising a translating step, the translating step occurring in an abstraction layer and a native interface layer between said host application and the data communications client, said translating step allowing a particular host application to communicate with the data communications client.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the checking step checks a flag at a preset memory location.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of resolving conflicts before said changing step, said resolving conflicts step providing an alternative supported setting to said data communications client if said data communications client does not support a setting set in said changing step.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said conflict resolving step chooses the alternative supported setting from a mapping table that maps unsupported settings with the alternative supported setting.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the conflict resolving step prompts a user to select the alternative supported setting.