Dynamic device configuration using predicates

• US 8,813,167 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mantere, Jussi-Pekka, Whittemore, Mark William
• Primary Examiner(s): Poltorak, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan, Huan V
• Application Number:
  US12/982,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/226, 709/168, 709/323, 709/328, 709/108, 709/223, 709/203, 709/224, 719/323, 719/328, 455/412.1, 705/35, 717/170, 726/1
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses that store a generic profile in a client device for configuration are described. The generic profile may include profile payloads associated with profile predicates. The profile payloads may specify a range of possible settings for configuring the client device. The profile predicates may specify which of the possible settings are applicable for the configuration according to system states of the client device. Changes in the system states may be dynamically determined during runtime. A portion of the profile payload applicable for the determined changes of the system states may be identified via associated profile predicates. As a result, the configuration of the client device may be updated for the change of the system states by applying the identified portion of the profile payload.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

at a client device;

storing a generic profile, the generic profile including a plurality of profile payloads and a plurality of profile predicates, wherein;

each profile payload specifies different configuration settings for the client device, and

each profile predicate defines at least one condition that, when satisfied based on changes in a system state of the client device, causes at least one of the plurality of profile payloads to be applied to the client device;

identifying a change in the system state of the client device;

transmitting, to a manager server, information associated with the change in the system state; and

in response to transmitting;

receiving, from the manager server, an update to the generic profile, wherein the update includes a customized profile payload and a customized profile predicate that are each customized based on the information about the change in the system state,

dynamically determining the change in the system state satisfies conditions defined by the customized profile predicate, and

automatically, and without user intervention;

updating, via an executable included in the identified customized profile payload, a configuration of the client device based on the configuration settings specified by the customized profile payload, wherein the configuration settings are implicitly specified in the executable, and the updating is based on an Application Programming Interface (API) call including parameters for the system state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the manager server is remotely coupled to the client device, and the generic profile is provided by the manager server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generic profile is associated with a version and the system state includes the version of the generic profile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the system state includes how long an application has been installed in the client device, and the update of the configuration of the client device causes the installed application to be removed from the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each profile predicate of the plurality of profile predicates implements a set of rules, and the identification is based on matching operations between the change in the system state and the set of rules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of profile predicates is configured to call an API having input parameters associated with the change in the system state.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a client device, cause the client device to:

store a generic profile in the client device, the generic profile including a plurality of profile payloads and a plurality of profile predicates, wherein;

each profile payload specifies different configuration settings for the client device, and

each profile predicate defines at least one condition that, when satisfied based on changes in a system state of the client device, causes at least one of the plurality of profile payloads to be applied to the client device;

dynamically identify a change in the system state of the client device;

transmit, to a manager server, information associated with the change in the system state; and

in response to transmitting;

receive, from the manager server, an update to the generic profile, wherein the update includes a customized profile payload and a customized profile predicate that are each customized based on the information about the change in the system state,

dynamically determining the change in the system state satisfies conditions defined by the customized profile predicate, and

automatically, and without user intervention;

update, via an executable included in the identified customized profile payload, a configuration of the client device based on the configuration settings specified by the customized profile payload, wherein the configuration settings are implicitly specified in the executable, and the updating is based on an Application Programming Interface (API) call including parameters for the system state.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the manager server is remotely coupled to the client device, and the generic profile is provided by the manager server.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the generic profile is associated with a version and the system state includes the version of the generic profile.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the system state includes how long an application has been installed in the client device, and the update of the configuration of the client device causes the installed application to be removed from the client device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each profile predicate of the plurality of profile predicates implements a set of rules, and the identification is based on matching operations between the change in the system state and the set of rules.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of profile predicates is configured to call an API having input parameters associated with the change in the system state.

13. A computer system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory that cause the computer system to;

store a generic profile in a client device, the generic profile including a plurality of profile payloads and a plurality of profile predicates, wherein;

each profile payload specifies different configuration settings for the client device, and

each profile predicate defines at least one condition that, when satisfied based on changes in a system state of the client device, causes at least one of the plurality of profile payloads to be applied to the client device;

identify a change in the system state of the client device;

transmit, to a manager server, information associated with the change in the system state; and

in response to transmitting;

receive, from the manager server, an update to the generic profile, wherein the update includes a customized profile payload and a customized profile predicate that are each customized based on the information about the change in the system state,

dynamically determine the change in the system state satisfies conditions defined by the customized profile predicate, and

automatically, and without user intervention;

update, via an executable included in the identified customized profile payload, a configuration of the client device based on the configuration settings specified by the customized profile payload, wherein the configuration settings are implicitly specified in the executable, and the updating is based on an Application Programming Interface (API) call including parameters for the system state.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the manager server is remotely coupled to the client device, and the generic profile is provided by the manager server.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the generic profile is associated with a version and the system state includes the version of the generic profile.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the system state includes how long an application has been installed in the client device, and the update of the configuration of the client device causes the installed application to be removed from the client device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each profile predicate of the plurality of profile predicates implements a set of rules, and the identification is based on matching operations between the change in the system state and the set of rules.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of profile predicates is configured to call an API having input parameters associated with the change in the system state.