Remote management of device settings

• US 9,906,398 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Passaglia, Abraham Martin, McHugh, Jason George, Baki, Omar Abdul, Keljo, Jonathan White
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rotolo, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US13/794,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A settings service running on a server remote from a computing device can identify at least one settings group to which the computing device belongs. The settings service can identify all settings that are included in the at least one settings group to which the device belongs. The settings service can compare all the settings and detect any conflicting settings. If there are conflicting settings, the service can choose which of the conflicting settings takes priority, in order to resolve the conflict. For example, a default setting can be overridden by a setting with a higher priority. After resolving the conflict, the settings service can merge the conflicting setting(s) which takes priority, as well as the non-conflicting settings, into a single set of settings to be applied to the device. The settings service can transmit the set of settings to the computing device to be applied.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely managing device settings, comprising:

receiving, by a remote server, a request for settings to be applied to a computing device;

determining, by the remote server, an identifier for the computing device based at least in part upon the request;

determining, by the remote server, a first plurality of settings to apply to the computing device based at least in part on the identifier, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of the computing device, and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;

determining, by the remote server, at least one conflict between the at least one setting and at least one of default setting of a second plurality of settings;

determining, by the remote server, at least one resolved setting by resolving the at least one conflict;

determining, by the remote server, a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings different than the at least one default setting; and

transmitting, by the remote server, the third plurality of settings to the computing device in response to the request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request is associated with at least one of a periodic poll for updated settings, an application initiated request, or a user initiated request.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a first key and a first value and the second plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a second key and a second value, wherein determining the at least one conflict is based on a determination that the first key matches the second key, and wherein resolving the at least one conflict is based on a selection of the first value or the second value as a third value for the at least one resolved setting.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, by a remote server, a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application of and a second application of the computing device and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;

determining, by the remote server, at least one conflict between the at least one setting of and at least one default setting of a second plurality of settings;

determining, by the remote server, at least one resolved setting by resolving the at least one conflict;

determining, by the remote server, a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more first settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality settings; and

transmitting, by the remote server, the third plurality of settings to the computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

implementing a namespace for the at least one setting of the first plurality of settings to prevent the third application from accessing the at least one setting.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting to the computing device a request to select between a first value for the at least one setting of the first plurality of settings or a second value for the at least one default setting of the second plurality of settings to resolve the at least one conflict.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting a push notification to indicate an availability of the third plurality of settings.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining that one or more settings of the first plurality of settings or one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings have been updated.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device, a request for settings to be applied to the computing device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the request is associated with at least one of a periodic poll for updated settings, an application initiated request, or a user initiated request.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a more recently updated setting for resolving the at least one conflict.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining at least one of a setting or an operational state of the computing device for automatic transmission of the third plurality of settings to the computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first application, the second application, or the third application caches at least a subset of the third plurality of settings.

14. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

identify a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of the computing device, and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;

determine at least one conflict between the at least one setting and at least one default setting of a second plurality of settings;

determine at least one resolved setting by resolving at least one conflict;

determine a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings different than the at least one default setting; and

transmit the third plurality of settings over a network to the computing device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a central repository configured to store settings applicable to a plurality of computing devices.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first application, the second application, or the third application caches at least a subset of the third plurality of settings.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a setting database configured to store the second plurality of settings.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the system to:

implement a namespace for the at least one setting of the plurality of settings to prevent the third application from accessing the at least one setting.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the system to:

determine that one or more settings of the first plurality of settings or one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings have been updated.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, upon being executed by a processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to:

identify a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of the computing device, and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;

determine at least one conflict between the at least one setting and at least one default setting of a second plurality of settings;

determine at least one resolved setting by resolving the at least one conflict;

determine a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings different than the at least one default setting; and

transmit the third plurality of settings over a network to the computing device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instruction upon being executed further cause the computing system to:

determine one or more setting of the first plurality of settings or the second plurality of settings have been updated.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the computing system to:

receive, from the computing device, a request for one or more settings to be applied to the computing device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a first key and a first value and the second plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a second key and a second value, and

wherein the instructions to determine the at least one conflict further cause the computing system to determine the at least one conflict based on the first key matching the second key,

and wherein a resolution of the at least one conflict is based on a selection of the first value or the second value as a third value for the at least one resolved setting.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the computing system to:

transmit to the computing device a request to select between a first value for the at least one setting of the first plurality of settings or a second value for the at least one default setting of the second plurality of settings to resolve the at least one conflict.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the computing system to:

determine at least one of a setting or an operational state of the computing device for automatic transmission of the third plurality of settings.