Mobile Device Software Management Method and Apparatus

• US 20090259990A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Olsson, Magnus, Brobach, Annika, Verhaard, Louis, Bjare, Bjorn, Le, Chi Thu
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

Mobile device software is managed by providing an interface between a plurality of software module handlers and a plurality of software modules. The interface is invoked responsive to a software module event such as the installation, removal, activation or modification of a software module. The interface identifies the software module and a corresponding attribute list associated with the software module event. The attribute list specifies one or more actions to be taken by at least one of the software module handlers that enable the identified software module to provide one or more functions when invoked. The attribute list is provided to each software module handler identified in the list and each action specified in the list is taken by the corresponding software module handler. This way, the interface reliably manages the different software modules without being aware of the particular functions provided by the modules or the specific actions taken by the handlers.

Claims

1. A method of managing mobile device software, comprising:

providing an interface between a plurality of software module handlers and a plurality of software modules;

invoking the interface responsive to a software module event;

using the interface to identify the software module and a corresponding attribute list associated with the software module event, wherein the attribute list specifies one or more actions to be taken by at least one of the software module handlers that enable the identified software module to provide one or more functions when invoked;

providing the attribute list to each software module handler identified in the attribute list; and

taking each action specified in the attribute list by the corresponding software module handler.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing an interface between a plurality of software module handlers and a plurality of software modules comprises:

providing a first interface between a first plurality of software module handlers and a first plurality of software modules associated with a first software platform; and

providing a second interface between a second plurality of software module handlers and a second plurality of software modules associated with a second software platform.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more of the first and second plurality of software module handlers are common.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking the interface responsive to a software module event comprises invoking the interface responsive to at least one of the software modules being installed, removed, activated or modified.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the interface to identify the software module and a corresponding attribute list associated with the software module event comprises:

extracting a file from the software module associated with the software module event; and

invoking the software module handler configured to parse the file to identify each software module handler specified in the file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein extracting the file comprises extracting an extensible markup language file.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the attribute list to each software module handler identified in the attribute list comprises passing the file from the interface to each software module handler identified in the file.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein taking each action specified in the attribute list by the corresponding software module handler comprises determining whether the software module associated with the software module event is compatible with one or more different ones of the software modules.

9. The method of claim 8, determining whether the software module associated with the software module event is compatible with the one or more different ones of the software modules comprises:

extracting a current version of the software module from the corresponding attribute list; and

comparing the current version of the software module to a current version of the one or more different ones of the software modules.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein taking each action specified in the attribute list by the corresponding software module handler comprises implementing one or more run-time characteristics of the software module associated with the software module event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein taking each action specified in the attribute list by the corresponding software module handler comprises deploying one or more different components of the software module associated with the software module event.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a plurality of software modules each having a attribute list specifying one or more actions to be taken to enable the corresponding software module to provide one or more functions when invoked;

a plurality of software module handlers operable to take different ones of the actions specified by the attribute lists; and

an interface disposed between the software module handlers and the software modules, the interface operable to be invoked responsive to a software module event, identify the software module and the corresponding attribute list associated with the software module event and provide the attribute list to each software module handler identified in the attribute list so that each action specified in the attribute list can be taken by the corresponding software module handler.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the interface comprises:

a first interface disposed between a first plurality of software module handlers and a first plurality of software modules associated with a first software platform; and

a second interface disposed between a second plurality of software module handlers and a second plurality of software modules associated with a second software platform.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein one or more of the first and second plurality of software module handlers are common.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the interface is operable to extract a file from the software module associated with the software module event and invoke the software module handler configured to parse the file to identify each software module handler specified in the file.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the interface is operable to extract an extensible markup language file from the software module associated with the software module event.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the interface is operable to pass the file to each software module handler identified in the file.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to determine whether the software module associated with the software module event is compatible with one or more different ones of the software modules.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to extract a current version of the software module from the corresponding attribute list and compare the current version of the software module to a current version of the one or more different ones of the software modules.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to implement one or more run-time characteristics of the software module associated with the software module event.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to deploy one or more different components of the software module associated with the software module event.

22. A computer system, comprising:

a plurality of software module handlers operable to take one or more actions that enable different ones of a plurality of mobile device software modules to provide one or more functions when invoked; and

a software module manager operable to;

provide an interface between the software module handlers and the mobile device software modules;

recognize a software module event;

identify the mobile device software module and a corresponding attribute list associated with the software module event, wherein the attribute list specifies one or more actions to be taken by at least one of the software module handlers; and

provide the attribute list to each software module handler identified in the attribute list so that each action specified in the attribute list can be taken by the corresponding software module handler.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to determine whether the mobile device software module associated with the software module event is compatible with one or more different ones of the software modules.

24. The computer system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to identify one or more run-time characteristics of the mobile device software module associated with the software module event.

25. The computer system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the software module handlers are operable to identify one or more different components of the mobile device software module associated with the software module event to be deployed when invoked.