Enrolling a mobile device with an enterprise mobile device management environment

• US 9,860,187 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MobileIron, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Tom, Kim, Mansu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US14/633,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20150249617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application relate to a method, apparatus, and system for enrolling a mobile device with an enterprise network. The method includes receiving, from a mobile device, a request to access an enrollment address. In response to receiving the request to access the enrollment address, determining whether the mobile device is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, and in the event that the mobile device from which the request to access the enrollment address is received corresponds to the mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, pushing user-specific settings to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of enrolling a mobile device with an enterprise network, comprising:

receiving, from a mobile device, a request to enroll;

in response to receiving the request to enroll, determining, based on data received in connection with receipt of the request to enroll, that the mobile device is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network at least in part by comparing device information stored in an enterprise database with device information included in the data; and

in the event that the mobile device from which the request to enroll is received corresponds to a mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, pushing user-specific settings to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating an enrollment address to a user, wherein the enrollment address corresponds to an address through which the request to enroll can be sent,

wherein the request to enroll received from the mobile device corresponds to a request to access the enrollment address that is communicated to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating an enrollment address.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein an enrollment address is an address that is specific to the user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein an enrollment address is an address that is associated with an enterprise network but not associated with any specific user.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein an enrollment address is one or more of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and a URL shortcut.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to determining that the mobile device from which the request to enroll is received does not correspond to a mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, pushing default settings to the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in the event that the mobile device from which the request to enroll is received is determined to not correspond to a mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, determining whether anonymous device enrollment is permitted by the enterprise network, and

wherein default settings are pushed to the mobile device in response to determining that anonymous device enrollment is permitted.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in response to determining that anonymous device enrollment is not permitted by the enterprise network, removing a setting associated with the enterprise network from the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in the event that anonymous device enrollment is permitted by the enterprise network,

receiving authentication information for accessing the enterprise network from the mobile device;

validating a user based at least in part on the authentication information;

determining whether to enroll the mobile device with the enterprise network; and

in response to determining to enroll the mobile device with the enterprise network, enrolling the mobile device with the enterprise network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether to enroll the mobile device with the enterprise network comprises determining to enroll the mobile device in response to determining that the user is a valid user of the enterprise network.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to access an enterprise network from the mobile device; and

prompting the mobile device for authentication information for accessing the enterprise network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the enrolling of the mobile device with the enterprise network comprises communicating device information of the mobile device to a network server associated with management of the mobile devices enrolled with the enterprise network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to validating the user, pushing user-specific settings to the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to enroll corresponds to a request to access an enrollment address, and

wherein in response to receiving the request to access the enrollment address, processing a mobile device enrollment request associated with the request to access the enrollment address.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the request to enroll, determining whether the mobile device has a mobile device management functionality, and

wherein the pushing of the user-specific settings to the mobile device comprises pushing the user-specific settings in the event that the mobile device has the mobile device management functionality.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to receiving the request to enroll, communicating a message to the mobile device so as to redirect the mobile device to an address for downloading a mobile device management application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the message that redirects the mobile device to the address for downloading the mobile device management application is communicated in response to a determination that the mobile device does not have the mobile device management functionality.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an access request from the mobile device management application installed on the mobile device; and

in response to receiving the access request, validating a user associated with the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is not pre-enrolled with the enterprise network in the event the enterprise database does not store device information associated with the mobile device.

21. A system for enrolling a mobile device with an enterprise network, comprising:

a communication interface; and

a processor configured to;

receive, from a mobile device, a request to enroll;

in response to receiving the request to enroll, determine, based on data received in connection with receipt of the request to enroll, that the mobile device is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network at least in part by comparing device information stored in an enterprise database with device information included in the data; and

in the event that the mobile device from which the request to enroll is received corresponds to a mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, push user-specific settings to the mobile device.

22. A computer program product for enrolling a mobile device with an enterprise network, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving, from a mobile device, a request to enroll;

in response to receiving the request to enroll, determining, based on data received in connection with receipt of the request to enroll, that the mobile device is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network at least in part by comparing device information stored in an enterprise database with device information included in the data; and

in the event that the mobile device from which the request to enroll is received corresponds to a mobile device that is pre-enrolled with the enterprise network, pushing user-specific settings to the mobile device.