Use of Configurations in Device with Multiple Configurations

• US 20080104207A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pulkkinen, Markku, Lindroos, Martti
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for arranging use of configurations in a device with multiple configuration data sets manageable by one or more external managing entities. The device comprises access control information originated and/or controlled by an external managing entity for defining a right to access a configuration data set. The access control information is checked in response to an indication from an application requiring access to a configuration data set. If the application is, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set, access to the configuration data set is arranged for the application.

Claims

1. A method for a device management system for arranging use of configurations in a device with multiple configuration data sets manageable by one or more external managing entities, and a plurality of applications, the system comprising access control information originated and/or controlled by an external managing entity for defining a right to access a configuration data set, the method comprising:

checking the access control information in response to an indication from an application requiring access to a configuration data set, and

in response to the application being, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set, arranging access to the configuration data set for the application.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one service context is stored in the device, the service context comprising at least the configuration data set, and access to the service context is allowed for the application on the basis of the access control information if the application is, by the external managing entity, predetermined in access control information associated with the service context.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein selection of a configuration data set is arranged for the application in response a plurality of configuration data sets being available for the application.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a service is arranged by the application on the basis of at least part of the configuration data set.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuration data set and/or the access control information thereon is/are arranged into the device by:

establishing a device management session or a connection for arranging provisioning between a device management server of the external managing entity and the device,

transmitting the configuration data set and/or the access control information by the device management session or the connection for provisioning, and

storing the configuration data set and/or the access control information in the device.

6. A device management system comprising a device management server and a device management client to be managed, wherein the device management system is arranged to manage at least one device management client by means of a management structure comprising at least one node, the system is arranged to store access control information originated and/or controlled by an external managing entity for defining a right to access a configuration data set,

the system is arranged to check the access control information in response to an indication from an application requiring access to a configuration data set,

in response to the application being, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set, the system is arranged to provide the application with access to the configuration data set, and

the system is arranged to arrange a service by the application on the basis of at least part of the configuration data set.

7. A data processing device for a device management system, the device comprising memory for storing multiple configuration data sets manageable by one or more external managing entities for storing access control information for defining a right to access a configuration data set, wherein

the data processing device is configured to check the access control information in response to an indication from an application, of a plurality of applications, requiring access to a configuration data set, and

the data processing device is configured to arrange access to the configuration data set for the application in response to the application being, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set.

8. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data processing device is arranged to check the access control information in response to a request from the application to access the configuration data set.

9. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data processing device is configured to arrange a service by the application on the basis of at least part of the configuration data set.

10. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one service context comprising at least the configuration data set is stored in the data processing device, and

the data processing device is arranged to allow the application to access the service context on the basis of the access control information if the application is authorized on the basis of access control information associated with the service context.

11. A data processing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the service context further comprises user related data stored by an application of the data processing device.

12. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the configuration data set comprises settings required for arranging a connection from the device to one or more network resources for accessing a service, and

the data processing device is arranged to establish a connection to one or more network resources on the basis of the settings.

13. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data processing device is configured to arrange selection of a configuration data set for the application in response a plurality of configuration data sets being available for the application.

14. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein data transfer between the application authorized to access the configuration data set and a storage position comprising the configuration data set is secured.

15. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein access to a configuration data set is controlled on the basis of comparison between predetermined identifiers in the access control information and an identifier in a certificate associated with the application and certifying a source of the application.

16. A data processing device as claimed in claim 7, the data processing device comprising a device management client according to an OMA device management standard, and

the data processing device is arranged to add and/or modify a configuration data set on the basis of a device management command from a device management server to a node of a management tree in the data processing device.

17. A data processing device for a device management system, the data processing device comprising:

means for transmitting management commands to a managed device, and means for controlling access control information for defining a right of an application in the managed device to access a configuration data set in the managed device.

18. A data processing device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the data processing device is arranged to establish a device management session with the managed device,

the data processing device is arranged to form a device management command addressed to a node representing the access control information and/or the configuration data set in a management tree of the managed device, and

the data processing device is arranged to transmit the device management command to the managed device.

19. A data processing device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the data processing device is a device management server according to the OMA device management standard.

20. A data storage medium storing a computer program product downloadable into a memory of a data processing device, the computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed in a processor of the data processing device, causes the data processing device to:

check access control information for defining a right to access a configuration data set in response to an indication from an application requiring access to a configuration data set, and

in response to the application being, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set, arrange for access to the configuration data set for the application.

21. A data storage medium according to claim 20, the computer program product comprising computer program code for checking the access control information in response to a request from the application to access the configuration data set.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting device management commands to a managed device,

a controller for controlling access control information for defining a right of an application in the managed device to access a configuration data set in the managed device.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the apparatus is arranged to establish a device management session with the managed device,

the apparatus is arranged to form a device management command addressed to a node representing the access control information and/or the configuration data set in a management tree of the managed device, and

the apparatus is arranged to transmit the device management command to the managed device.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide a device management server according to OMA device management standard.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing multiple configuration data sets manageable by one or more external managing entities, and a plurality of applications,

means for storing access control information for defining a right to access a configuration data set,

means for checking the access control information in response to an indication from an application requiring access to a configuration data set, and

means for arranging access to the configuration data set for the application in response to the application being, on the basis of the access control information, entitled to access the configuration data set.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein

the apparatus is configured to allow access to a service context stored in the device and comprising at least the configuration data set for the application on the basis of the access control information if the application is, by an external managing entity, predetermined in access control information associated with the service context.