System and method to securely load a management client from a stub client to facilitate remote device management

• US 8,413,138 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mformation Software Technologies Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nath, Badri, Kushwaha, Rakesh, Shah, Amit, Devarakonda, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera, Anibal
• Application Number:
  US12/026,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for securely downloading management client software onto a device from an embedded stub in the device. In one embodiment, the stub client is activated by a message with credentials from a management server. The stub client, after verification of the credentials, downloads and activates a full management client. The management client then participates in any authorized management session with the device management server. The messages are preferably encrypted using a key that is based on the credentials. The credentials may be specific to the device and to the service provider associated with the device.

Claims

1. A method of downloading an application onto a remotely managed mobile wireless device comprising:

receiving, at the remotely managed mobile wireless device, an activate message with credentials from a device management server,

verifying, at the remotely managed mobile wireless device, the credentials in the activate message so as to authenticate the activate message to the mobile wireless device;

responsive to authenticating the activate message, communicating with a download server; and

downloading the application from the download server onto the remotely managed mobile wireless device,

wherein the verifying and downloading steps are carried out with a stub application on the remotely managed mobile wireless device and the application is a device management client application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is carried out without user interaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stub application is resident and dormant on the remotely managed mobile wireless device and is activated as a result of receiving the activate message at the remotely managed mobile wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the activate message includes a location of the download server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the credentials include service provider specific information so that a service provider specific application is downloaded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the credentials include device specific information so that a device specific application is downloaded.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device specific information includes an identifier uniquely associated with the remotely managed mobile wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising determining whether a device management client application is on the remotely managed mobile wireless device before downloading the application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stub application is embedded in at least one of the device, a SIM card, and a removable smart card.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the activate message is encrypted using the credentials and the step of verifying the activate message includes decrypting the activate message using a key based on the credentials.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:

constructing the activate message;

encrypting the activate message using a key based on the credentials; and

sending the encrypted activate message to the remotely managed mobile wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the message is sent using a short messaging service (SMS).

13. The method of claim 8 comprising de-activating the stub application if the device management client application is on the remotely managed mobile wireless device.

14. The method of claim 1 comprising:

installing the device management client application on the remotely managed mobile wireless device; and

de-activating the stub application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the credentials include a service provider signature and an identifier uniquely associated with the remotely managed mobile wireless device.