MANAGING DISTRIBUTED DEVICES WITH LIMITED CONNECTIVITY

• US 20090013064A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTC Inc.
• Original Assignee: Questra Corporation (PTC Inc.)
• Inventors: Hart, David P., Liberty, John D., Kistler, Robert K., Taylor, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method of managing devices may include downloading information to a courier device from an enterprise. The information may be information for performing a device management operation. The method also includes communicating the information from the courier device to a monitored agent coupled to at least one of a disconnected device and an intermittently connected device.

Claims

1. A method of managing distributed devices, comprising:

downloading information for performing a device management operation to a courier device from an enterprise; and

communicating the information from the courier device to a monitor agent coupled to at least one of a disconnected device and an intermittently connected device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of downloading information to a courier device includes creating a site visit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of creating a site visit includes receiving a request to create a site visit, delivering messages and content associated with the site visit to the courier device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of downloading information to a courier device includes a preliminary step of compressing the information.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining parties to notify of the site visit and notifying the parties.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the parties include at least one of users and another Enterprise system

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising uploading device information from the monitor agent.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising at least one of combining individual pieces of device information to a single bundle of device information and compressing the device information on the monitor agent before the step of uploading the device information from the monitor agent.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising picking up at least one of device information stored on the monitor agent and responses to messages contained in the site visit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the information from the courier device includes taking the courier device to at least one of the site of the disconnected device and the intermittently connected device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the information from the courier device includes sending the information to the courier device located at a site of at least one of the disconnected device and the intermittently connected device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the information from the courier device includes discovering at least one monitor agent coupled to at least one of the disconnected device and the intermittently connected device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising capturing the monitor agent for communication with the courier device.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising reconciling results of the site visit with the enterprise.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a receipt of reconciling the site visit and communicating the receipt to the monitor agent.

16. In a system that communicates information between devices and an Enterprise, a method for managing the devices, the method comprising:

selecting devices coupled to at least one monitor agent to perform a device management operation;

determining whether the selected monitor agents are disconnected or connected;

performing the device management operation between the enterprise and the device if the monitor agent is connected over a network; and

if the monitor agent is disconnected performing the device management operation on the device using an intermediate courier device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of performing the device management operation on a monitor agent which is disconnected includes preparing a site visit for performing the device management operation and transmitting information associated with the site visit to the courier device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of performing the device management operation further includes the step of communicating with a disconnected monitor agent using the courier device to perform the device management operation, the device management operation being performed using the site visit received from the enterprise.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising reconciling results of the site visit with the enterprise.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of communicating with the disconnected monitor agent includes receiving on the courier device information associated with the selected device.

21. The method claim 19, further comprising a step for generating a record detailing the communication between the disconnected monitor agent and the courier device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step comprising a step for communicating with the enterprise using the courier device has performed the device management operation.

25. A monitor agent, comprising:

an external connection;

an outgoing communication manager module, the outgoing communication manager module configured to detect a connection of the device an external device, wherein the outgoing communication manager module directs information to persistent storage if an external device is unavailable and to direct the information to the external device over the external connection if the external device is available.

23. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of performing the device management operation comprises performing at least one of a configuration management operation, software updates, data collection requests, configuration management data collection requests, file transfer requests, and remote control.

24. The method of claim 23, the device management operation being performed on at least one of an end device or a monitor agent.

26. The monitor agent of claim 25, wherein the outgoing communication manager is configured to route information previously stored on the persistent storage to the external device over the external connection when the external device becomes available.

27. The monitor agent of claim 25, wherein the monitor agent is configured to communicate with a courier device.

28. The monitor agent of claim 27, wherein the monitor agent is configured to cooperate with the courier device to perform a device management operation.

29. The monitor agent of claim 25, wherein the external device is at least one of an enterprise system and a courier device.

30. The monitor agent of claim 25, further comprising persistent memory.

31. The monitor agent of claim 25, further comprising a discovery module to establish with a courier device.

32. The monitor agent of claim 25, wherein the outgoing communication manager module is further configured to receive a receipt of a site visit and delete the information previously directed to the external device in response to receiving the receipt.