Method and apparatus of providing messaging service and callback feature to mobile stations

• US 8,700,021 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datto LLC
• Original Assignee: Kaseya International Limited (Kaseya Limited)
• Inventors: Miller, Allan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEAN, JR, JOSEPH E
• Application Number:
  US13/228,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 : Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of performing automated administrative operations on a mobile device. One example method may include determining via a hosted server that an action needs to be performed by a mobile device under management. The method may further include generating a message via the hosted server, the message includes the action, and transmitting the message to the mobile device under management, and receiving a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted message, the result message indicating that the action has been satisfied.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining via a hosted server that at least one action needs to be performed by at least one mobile device under management;

generating at least one message via the hosted server, the at least one message comprising the at least one action and header information that includes an identifier of the mobile device under management;

transmitting the at least one message to the mobile device under management, the at least one message configured to invoke at least one process on the mobile device under management in the background of an operating system of the mobile device without alerting a user of the mobile device, wherein the at least one message comprises a hook function that notifies a third-party application operating on the hosted server of reception of the at least one message by the mobile device and content of the at least one message received by the mobile device, wherein the hook function is a subroutine that interrupts an application operating on the mobile device and initiates a program separate from an operating system (OS) of the mobile device to perform a specific function;

receiving a device identifier which the mobile device in response to the at least one transmitted message;

associating the device identifier with a system identifier used to identify a management communication session between the mobile device and the hosted server;

receiving a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted at least one message, the result message comprising an indication that the action has been satisfied and the system identifier to identify the management communication session; and

updating a result status stored in memory to indicate the action has been satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a software application to be installed on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the result message is a confirmation that the software application has been installed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the at least one message comprises initiating a web service protocol and establishing a private application programming interface (API).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one message is a SMS message and comprises at least one of text information and a telephone number of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting a marker into the message by including a web address used to download information related to the action.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a backup operation that copies certain portion of the mobile station memory to a remote location.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to

determine via a hosted server that at least one action needs to be performed by at least one mobile device under management, and

generate at least one message via the hosted server, the at least one message comprising the at least one action and header information that includes an identifier of the mobile device under management;

a transmitter configured to transmit the at least one message to the mobile device under management, the at least one message configured to invoke at least one process on the mobile device under management in the background of an operating system of the mobile device without alerting a user of the mobile device, wherein the at least one message comprises a hook function that notifies a third-party application operating on the hosted server of reception of the at least one message by the mobile device and content of the at least one message received by the mobile device, wherein the hook function is a subroutine that interrupts an application operating on the mobile device and initiates a program separate from an operating system (OS) of the mobile device to perform a specific function;

a receiver configured to receive a device identifier which identifies the mobile device in response to the at least one transmitted message and associate the device identifier with a system identifier used to identify a management communication session between the mobile device and the hosted server, and receive a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted at least one message, the result message comprising an indication that the action has been satisfied and the system identifier to identify the management communication session, and

wherein the processor is also configured to update a result status stored in memory to indicate the action gas been satisfied.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action comprises a software application to be installed on the mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the result message is a confirmation that the software application has been installed.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the at least one message by initiating a web service protocol and establishing a private application programming interface (API).

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one message is a SMS message and comprises at least one of text information and a telephone number of the mobile device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configure to insert a marker into the message by including a web address used to download information related to the action.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the action comprises a backup operation that copies certain portion of the mobile station memory to a remote location.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

determining via a hosted server that at least one action needs to be performed by at least one mobile device under management;

generating at least one message via the hosted server, the at least one message comprising the at least one action and header information that includes an identifier of the mobile device under management;

transmitting the at least one message to the mobile device under management, the at least one message configured to invoke at least one process on the mobile device under management in the background of an operating system of the mobile device without alerting a user of the mobile device, wherein the at least one message comprises a hook function that notifies a third-party application of reception of the at least one message by the mobile device and content of the at least one message received by the mobile device, wherein the hook function is a subroutine that interrupts an application operating on the mobile device and initiates a program separate from an operating system (OS) of the mobile device to perform a specific function;

receiving a device identifier which identifies the mobile device in response to the at least one transmitted message;

associating the device identifier with a system identifier used to identify a management communication session between the mobile device and the hosted server;

receiving a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted at least one message, the result message comprising an indication that the action has been satisfied and the system identifier to identify the management communication session; and

updating a result status stored in memory to indicate the action has been satisfied.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the action comprises a software application to be installed on the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the result message is a confirmation that the software application has been installed.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein transmitting the at least one message comprises initiating a web service protocol and establishing a private application programming interface (API).

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one message is a SMS message and comprises at least one of text information and a telephone number of the mobile device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting a marker into the message by including a web address used to download information related to the action.