Application installation system

• US 9,110,750 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Good Technology Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Somani, Haniff, Quinlan, Sean Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lyons, Andrew M
• Application Number:
  US13/277,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20130104118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 717/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for controlling the installation of applications on a user terminal is disclosed. In one aspect, a catalog server identifies a first and a second installation control setting corresponding to a first and a second application on the basis of user identification data from a data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and their corresponding installation control settings. Subsequently, the catalog server determines installation control data for at least one of the first and second application on the basis of the first and the second installation control setting. The determined installation control data is transmitted to the user terminal for controlling installation of at least one of the first and the second application.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the installation of applications on a user terminal, the method comprising:

accessing a data store, the data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and corresponding installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications;

identifying, on the basis of user identification data associated with a user of the user terminal, a first installation control setting for a first application of the plurality of applications, wherein the first installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the first installation control setting has a first precedence value;

identifying, on the basis of the user identification data associated with the user of the user terminal, a second installation control setting for the first application, wherein the second installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the second installation control setting has a second precedence value;

selecting between the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting for the first application on the basis of a comparison of the first precedence value associated with the first installation control setting and the second precedence value associated with the second installation control setting; and

transmitting an installation control message based on the selected installation control setting to the user terminal, wherein the installation control message is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first precedence value associated with the first installation control settings is associated with a first entity, and wherein the second precedence value associated with the second installation control settings is associated with a second entity.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first entity and the second entity are different from the user of the user terminal.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first entity or the second entity is an administrative entity.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first entity or the second entity is an administrative entity.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first installation control setting is associated with a first plurality of users, each of the first plurality of users having a first common grouping characteristic.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second installation control setting is associated with a second plurality of users, at least some of which are different to the first plurality of users, each of the second plurality of users having a second common grouping characteristic, different from the first common grouping characteristic.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting between the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting further comprises selecting a default installation control setting in the event that one of the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting comprises the default setting and the first precedence value and the second precedence value are equivalent.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting between the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting further comprises selecting whichever of the first installation control setting and the second installation setting results in a most restrictive installation control setting in the event that the first precedence value and the second precedence value are equivalent.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting each include at least one of:

a setting allowing the user terminal to install an application;

a setting denying the user terminal a right to install an application;

a setting suspending access to an application if previously installed;

a setting continuing access to an application if previously installed;

a setting forcing the user terminal to install an application; and

a default installation control setting.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the installation control message includes at least one of:

a setting allowing the user terminal to install an application;

a setting denying the user terminal a right to install an application;

a setting suspending access to an application if previously installed;

a setting continuing access to an application if previously installed;

a setting forcing the user terminal to install an application; and

a default installation control setting.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an installation request message from the user terminal requesting access to the first application.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the data store for updates to the installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications; and

identifying one or more updated installation control settings associated with one or more of the plurality of applications.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

maintaining a list of applications installed on the user terminal;

comparing the one or more applications having updated installation control settings to the list of applications installed on the user terminal; and

transmitting an installation control update message based on the one or more updated installation control settings if one or more of the applications having updated installation control settings is also installed on the user terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the installation control update message is configured to cause access to one or more of the applications installed on the user terminal to be terminated on the user terminal.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data store comprises entries for a plurality of versions of one or more of the plurality of applications, and the first and second installation control settings comprise installation control settings associated with the plurality of versions.

17. A system for controlling the installation of applications on a user terminal, the system comprising:

a data store, the data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and corresponding installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the data store and configured to;

access a data store, the data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and corresponding installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications;

identify, on the basis of user identification data associated with a user of the user terminal, a first installation control setting for a first application of the plurality of applications, wherein the first installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the first installation control setting has a first precedence value;

identify, on the basis of the user identification data associated with the user of the user terminal, a second installation control setting for the first application, wherein the second installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the second installation control setting has a second precedence value;

select between the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting for the first application on the basis of a comparison of the first precedence value associated with the first installation control setting and the second precedence value associated with the second installation control setting; and

transmit an installation control message based on the selected installation control setting to the user terminal, wherein the installation control message is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first precedence value associated with the first installation control settings is associated with a first entity, and wherein the second precedence value associated with the second installation control settings is associated with a second entity.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first entity and the second entity are different from the user of the user terminal.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first entity or the second entity is an administrative entity.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first entity or the second entity is an administrative entity.

22. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method of controlling the installation of applications on a user terminal, the method comprising:

accessing a data store, the data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and corresponding installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications;

identifying, on the basis of user identification data associated with a user of the user terminal, a first installation control setting for a first application of the plurality of applications, wherein the first installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the first installation control setting has a first precedence value;

identifying, on the basis of the user identification data associated with the user of the user terminal, a second installation control setting for the first application, wherein the second installation control setting is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal, and wherein the second installation control setting has a second precedence value;

selecting between the first installation control setting and the second installation control setting for the first application on the basis of a comparison of the first precedence value associated with the first installation control setting and the second precedence value associated with the second installation control setting; and

transmitting an installation control message based on the selected installation control setting to the user terminal, wherein the installation control message is configured to control installation of the first application on the user terminal.

23. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the first precedence value associated with the first installation control settings is associated with a first entity, and wherein the second precedence value associated with the second installation control settings is associated with a second entity.

24. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first entity and the second entity are different from the user of the user terminal.

25. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first entity or the second entity is an administrative entity.

26. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the data store for updates to the installation control settings associated with the plurality of applications; and

identifying one or more updated installation control settings associated with one or more of the plurality of applications.

27. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining a list of applications installed on the user terminal;

comparing the one or more applications having updated installation control settings to the list of applications installed on the user terminal; and

transmitting an installation control update message based on the one or more updated installation control settings if one or more of the applications having updated installation control settings is also installed on the user terminal.