Using a mobile device to restrict focus and perform operations at another mobile device

• US 9,998,914 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JAMF Software, LLC (Jamf Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: JAMF Software, LLC (Jamf Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Halmstad, Richard Zachary, Amundsen, Nicholas William
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US14/680,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• 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

Abstract

A particular method includes receiving, at a manager mobile device, a selection of a managed mobile device of a plurality of managed mobile devices. The method also includes displaying, at the manager mobile device, a list of applications executable by the managed mobile device, a list of websites accessible by the managed mobile device, or both. The method further includes receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of an application from the list of applications or a selection of a website from the list of websites. The method includes initiating, at the manager mobile device, transmission of data to the managed mobile device instructing the managed mobile device to restrict focus to the selected application or the selected website.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a manager mobile device, a selection of a managed mobile device of a plurality of managed mobile devices;

displaying, at the manager mobile device, an icon that identifies a list of applications executable by the managed mobile device, a list of websites accessible by the managed mobile device, or both;

receiving, at the manager mobile device, data indicating a selection of an application from the list of applications or data indicating a selection of a website from the list of websites; and

sending a first message from the manager mobile device to a mobile device management (MDM) server to cause the MDM server to initiate transmission of a second message to the managed mobile device, the MDM server distinct from the manager mobile device and the managed mobile device, wherein the second message includes a command that causes the managed mobile device to restrict focus to the website, to restrict focus to the application, or both, includes configuration information to configure software associated with the managed mobile device based on a proximity of the managed mobile device to an access point (AP) associated with the MDM server, and includes a certificate to authenticate the managed mobile device at the AP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is sent to the managed mobile device via an encrypted internet protocol (IP) connection, the second message is sent to the managed mobile device by a push notification service, or both, wherein the command causes the managed mobile device to restrict focus to the website by causing the managed mobile device to navigate via a browser application to the website, and wherein the second message includes data identifying a memory address.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the command causes the managed mobile device to:

navigate to the website,

ignore user input at the managed mobile device that deactivates the browser application, and

ignore user input at the managed mobile device that navigates away from the website.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command causes the managed mobile device to:

activate the application,

ignore user input at the managed mobile device that deactivates the application, and

ignore user input at the managed mobile device that activates another application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the manager mobile device comprises a teacher device, and wherein each of the plurality of managed mobile devices comprises a student device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of a second managed mobile device of the plurality of managed mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, at the manager mobile device, a second icon corresponding to a second managed mobile device, wherein the second icon is associated with a second list of second applications executable by the second managed mobile device, a second list of second websites accessible by the second managed mobile device, or both.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of a clear passcode option; and

initiating, from the manager mobile device, transmission of second data to the managed mobile device to clear a passcode at the managed mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of a clear focus option; and

initiating, from the manager mobile device, transmission of second data to the managed mobile device, wherein the second data instructs the managed mobile device to stop restricting focus to the selected application or the selected website.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically initiating, based on an end of a time period, transmission of second data to the managed mobile device, wherein the second data instructs the managed mobile device to stop restricting focus to the selected website.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of a screen mirroring option and a particular managed mobile device; and

sending a particular message from the manager mobile device to the particular managed mobile device, the particular message instructing the particular managed mobile device to initiate a screen mirroring session to a display device external to the plurality of managed mobile devices and external to the manager mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of a file; and

providing the file to the managed mobile device, wherein providing the file to the managed mobile device comprises sending the file to the managed mobile device or instructing the managed mobile device to download the file from an external source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the file corresponds to at least a portion of an electronic learning (e-learning) lesson, an image, a document, audio content, video content, an electronic book (eBook), or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, at the manager mobile device, a battery life status of the managed mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the managed mobile device comprises a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a portable media player, a book reader, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the manager mobile device, data associated with the manager mobile device; and

configuring the manager mobile device as a wireless beacon based on the data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data includes a universal unique identifier (UUID), a major value, a minor value, or any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting a wireless beacon signal from the manager mobile device, wherein the wireless beacon signal includes a first identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless beacon signal is transmitted by the manager mobile device during a first time period while the manager mobile device is in a first area, and further comprising transmitting a second wireless beacon signal including a second identifier during a second time period while the manager mobile device is in a second area, wherein the first identifier is determined based on at least one of the first time period or the first area, and wherein the second identifier is determined based on at least one of the second time period or the second area.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first area corresponds to a first room, and wherein the second area corresponds to a second room.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the manager mobile device is located in a particular area, and further comprising receiving a list of managed mobile devices that are located in the particular area.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining one or more devices not located in the particular area; and

excluding the one or more devices not located in the particular area from a focus restriction.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the manager mobile device, user input that defines a sequence of commands that are to be automatically executed as a macro in response to a particular event.

24. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device management (MDM) server from a manager mobile device, data identifying a managed mobile device of a plurality of managed mobile devices and a command selected at the manager mobile device for execution at the managed mobile device to cause the managed mobile device to navigate to a particular website via a browser application, wherein the MDM server is distinct from the manager mobile device and the managed mobile device;

transmitting a push notification from the MDM server to the managed mobile device to request retrieval of the command at the managed mobile device;

receiving, at the MDM server from the managed mobile device, an acknowledgment message responsive to the push notification, the acknowledgment message indicating that the managed mobile device retrieved the command;

receiving, at the MDM server, a message from the managed mobile device, wherein the message is distinct from the acknowledgment message and indicates that the managed mobile device detected a wireless beacon associated with a location of the managed mobile device; and

in response to receiving the message, transmitting, from the MDM server, a second message to the managed mobile device, wherein the second message includes second data associated with rules for managing the managed mobile device based on the location of the managed mobile device, the second data stored in a regions rule database in a memory of the MDM server.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the command comprises a particular command to:

restrict focus at the managed mobile device to a particular application,

restrict focus at the managed mobile device to the particular website,

clear a passcode at the managed mobile device,

stop restricting focus at the managed mobile device,

initiate a screen mirroring session from the managed mobile device to an external display device, or

obtain a document at the managed mobile device.

26. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the second data includes first information to enable the managed mobile device to access a wireless access point associated with the MDM server, wherein the second data includes second information to enable the managed mobile device to access a wireless printer associated with the MDM server, and wherein the operations further comprise sending to the manager mobile device a list of applications executable at the managed mobile device, a list of websites accessible by the managed mobile device, or a combination thereof.

27. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the operations further comprise storing grouping data that classifies at least a subset of the managed mobile devices into a group, and wherein the operations further comprise retrieving, from the memory of the MDM server, the second data based on the location of the managed mobile device.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a manager mobile device, a selection of a managed mobile device of a plurality of managed mobile devices;

displaying, at the manager mobile device, an icon that identifies a list of applications executable by the managed mobile device, a list of websites accessible by the managed mobile device, or both;

receiving, at the manager mobile device, a selection of an application from the list of applications or a selection of a website from the list of websites; and

sending a first message from the manager mobile device to a mobile device management (MDM) server to cause the MDM server to send a second message to the managed mobile device, the MDM server distinct from the manager mobile device and the managed mobile device, wherein the second message includes a command that causes the managed mobile device to restrict focus to the website, to restrict focus to the application, or both, includes configuration information to configure software associated with the managed mobile device based on a proximity of the managed mobile device to an access point (AP) associated with the MDM server, and includes a certificate to authenticate the managed mobile device at the AP.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a touchscreen display coupled to the processor, the touchscreen display configured to receive the selection of the managed mobile device and further configured to receive the selection of the application or the selection of the website.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a wireless networking interface coupled to the processor, the wireless networking interface configured to send the first message.