Controlling use of a business environment on a mobile device

• US 9,247,042 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deasy, Stephen, Meyer, Robert, Newell, Craig, Sit, Emil, Wisner, Paul, Furodet, David, Gyuris, Viktor, Strudel, Fanny
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glomah, Tabla
• Application Number:
  US13/678,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/21 Paper; Textile fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/30 characterised by the adhesive composition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/4557 Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45529 Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4437 Implementing a Virtual Machine [VM] virtual machines in general G06F9/45533
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 : Layer or component removable to expose adhesive

Abstract

A business environment on a mobile device can be controlled by an enterprise server by receiving identifying information transmitted from a mobile device, wherein the identifying information identifies a user of the mobile device to the enterprise server. A virtual phone template is transmitted to the mobile device, wherein the virtual phone template (i) corresponds to the identifying information, and (ii) is configured to provide the business environment on the mobile device as a virtual machine running on a hypervisor installed on top of a host operating system of the mobile device. The enterprise server then receives a periodic transmission from the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device remains in periodic communication with the enterprise server.

Claims

1. A method of controlling use of a business environment on a mobile device by an enterprise server, the method comprising:

receiving identifying information transmitted from a mobile device, wherein the identifying information identifies a user of the mobile device to the enterprise server;

transmitting a virtual phone template to the mobile device, wherein the virtual phone template (i) corresponds to the identifying information, and (ii) is configured to provide the business environment on the mobile device as a virtual machine running on a hypervisor installed on top of a host operating system of the mobile device;

receiving a periodic transmission from the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device remains in periodic communication with the enterprise server;

causing, if a first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, an access to the virtual machine to be disabled; and

causing, if a second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device, wherein the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time,

wherein the periodic transmission is transmitted by a management component running on the mobile device, wherein the management component runs in a privileged mode on the mobile device and cannot be manually terminated by the user, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting a security policy to the mobile device that specifies the first and second period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the identifying information is information that authenticates the user to the enterprise server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information is transmitted to the enterprise server from a provisioning component of a mobile package installed on mobile device that further comprises the hypervisor and the management component that transmits the periodic transmission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to disable an access to the virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to erase the virtual phone image from the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the security policy comprises information regarding whether a password is required to access the business environment, information regarding the type and the strength of the password and information regarding an expiration period for the password.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the security policy further comprises information regarding a length of inactivity time before a lock screen is presented in the business environment and information regarding an amount of retries before a locking of the business environment.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein causing, if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device comprises causing, if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, only the business environment to be removed from the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein causing, if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device comprises causing, if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device without affecting a personal use of the mobile device.

6. A server configured to control use of a business environment on a mobile device comprising a processor configured to perform the steps of:

receiving identifying information transmitted from a mobile device, wherein the identifying information identifies a user of the mobile device to the server;

transmitting a virtual phone template to the mobile device, wherein the virtual phone template (i) corresponds to the identifying information, and (ii) is configured to provide the business environment on the mobile device as a virtual machine running on a hypervisor installed on top of a host operating system of the mobile device;

receiving a periodic transmission from the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device remains in periodic communication with the server;

causing, if a first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the server, an access to the virtual machine to be disabled; and

causing, if a second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device, wherein the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time,

wherein the periodic transmission is transmitted by a management component running on the mobile device, wherein the management component runs in a privileged mode on the mobile device and cannot be manually terminated by the user, and wherein the steps further comprise transmitting a security policy to the mobile device that specifies the first and second period of time.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the identifying information is information that authenticates the user to the server.

8. The server of claim 6, wherein the identifying information is transmitted to the server from a provisioning component of a mobile package installed on mobile device that further comprises the hypervisor and the management component that transmits the periodic transmission.

9. The server of claim 6, wherein if the first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to disable an access to the virtual machine.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to erase the virtual phone image from the mobile device.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a processor of a server to control use of a business environment on a mobile device by performing the steps of:

receiving identifying information transmitted from a mobile device, wherein the identifying information identifies a user of the mobile device to the server;

transmitting a virtual phone template to the mobile device, wherein the virtual phone template (i) corresponds to the identifying information, and (ii) is configured to provide the business environment on the mobile device as a virtual machine running on a hypervisor installed on top of a host operating system of the mobile device;

receiving a periodic transmission from the mobile device to indicate that the mobile device remains in periodic communication with the server;

causing, if a first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the server, an access to the virtual machine to be disabled; and

causing, if a second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the server, the virtual phone image to be erased from the mobile device, wherein the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time,

wherein the periodic transmission is transmitted by a management component running on the mobile device, wherein the management component runs in a privileged mode on the mobile device and cannot be manually terminated by the user, and wherein the steps further comprise transmitting a security policy to the mobile device that specifies the first and second period of time.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the identifying information is transmitted to the server from a provisioning component of a mobile package installed on mobile device that further comprises the hypervisor and the management component that transmits the periodic transmission.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein if the first period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to disable an access to the virtual machine.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein if the second period of time passes without the mobile device successfully communicating with the enterprise server, the management component is configured to erase the virtual phone image from the mobile device.