PROVIDING A CUSTOMIZED INTERFACE FOR AN APPLICATION STORE

• US 20110010759A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Adler, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US12/649,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010759A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1064 Restricting content processing at operating system level

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method of providing customized access to an electronic storefront for downloading software for a mobile device based on authorization data stored on the mobile device. In one embodiment, mobile devices have stored one or more profile. Each profile is signed by a particular entity (a particular developer or enterprise) and includes authorization data authorizing one or more devices to install and use software associated with the entity. A content management application associated with the storefront (e.g., iTunes) identifies one or more storefronts associated with the entities of authorized profiles for a particular device upon access to the storefront and provides the entity storefronts to a user of the device based on the authorization data stored on the device. In one embodiment, a profile is authorized, e.g., using encryption and installed to the device by the particular entity. Software for which distribution is limited to those authorized by an enterprise or other entity is thus only available for download to a properly profiled and authorized device.

Claims

1. A method of customizing access to a set of software for download to a computing device, wherein the computing device comprises at least one profile indicating a set of authorizations provided to the computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a source of software comprising one or more sets of applications that can be downloaded via respective front-end interfaces of the source to the computing device;

authenticating at least one profile stored on the computing device;

determining, for the at least one profile, a set of authorizations granted to the computing device;

identifying at least one of the front-end interfaces that provide access to software from the source that are eligible for download to the computing device based on the set of authorizations in the at least one profile; and

providing access to the software that are eligible for download via the identified at least one front-end interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one profile of the service provider comprises one or more authorizations indicating applications that are disallowed download to the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the at least one profile comprises verifying a cryptographic signature included in the at least one profile.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein authenticating the at least one profile comprises authenticating the cryptographic signature based on a cryptographic key of an entity that signed the software that is eligible for download to the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the cryptographic signature of the digest comprises:

calculating a cryptographic signature of the digest based on a public key of a trusted entity; and

comparing the calculated signature with a cryptographic signature stored in the at least one profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the applications considered eligible for download are selected based at least in part on the identity of the signer of the at least one profile.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the software that is eligible for download comprises access via a front-end interface provided to a mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing access to the software that are eligible for download comprises access via a front-end interface provided to a host computer capable of communicating with the mobile device.

9. A computing device configured to customize access to a set of software for download to the computing device, said device comprising:

a storage storing at least one profile indicating a set of authorizations provided to the computing device; and

a processor configured to receive a request to access a source of software comprising one or more sets of applications that can be downloaded via respective front-end interfaces of the source to the computing device, authenticate at least one profile stored on the computing device, determine for the at least one profile, a set of authorizations granted to the computing device, identify at least one of the front-end interfaces that provide access to software from the source that are eligible for download to the computing device based on the set of authorizations in the at least one profile, and provide access to the software that are eligible for download via the identified at least one front-end interface.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the at least one profile of the service provider comprises one or more authorizations indicating applications that are disallowed download to the computing device.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to verify a cryptographic signature included in the at least one profile.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the cryptographic signature based on a cryptographic key of an entity that signed the software that is eligible for download to the computing device.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the cryptographic signature of the digest based on calculating a cryptographic signature of the digest based on a public key of a trusted entity and comparing the calculated signature with a cryptographic signature stored in the at least one profile.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine which applications are eligible for download based at least in part on the identity of the signer of the at least one profile.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the computing device is a mobile device configured to provide access via a front-end interface to the source of software.

16. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the computing device is a host computer coupled with a mobile device to provide access via a front-end interface to the source of software.

17. A method performed by a device, comprising:

receiving a profile identifying an interface of a source for software items, said interface particular to the set of software items that said device has been pre approved to access;

storing said profile on said device;

in response to a user desiring to access said source, instantiating said interface on said device; and

,

retrieving a software item from the set with said interface.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising installing said software on said device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said profile is signed by an entity that provides said software items.

20. The method of claim 17 where said first interface is customized for a user of said first device in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said profile contains authorization data for accessing said set of software items.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said profile further contains any of:

an identifier of said device;

an identifier of said user.

23. A method, comprising:

identifying a set of software items that are to be made available to a device;

constructing a profile that identifies an interface through which said set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said profile to said device;

receiving a request to retrieve a member of said set through an instance of said interface, said request originating from said device, information from said profile being used to create said instance; and

,

downloading said member to said device.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

identifying a second set of software items that are to be made available to a second device, said second set being different than said first set;

constructing a second profile that identifies a second interface through which said second set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said second profile to said second device;

receiving a second request to retrieve a member of said second set through an instance of said second interface, said second request originating from said second device, said instance of said second interface created with information from said second profile; and

,

downloading said member of said second set to said second device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said first and second devices are associated with different users.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said first and second sets are associated with different entities.

27. The method of claim 24 where said first interface is customized for said first user in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said constructing of said profile further comprises digitally signing said profile with a signature of an entity that provides software items.

29. A machine readable medium containing program code that when processed by a digital processing unit of a device causes a method to be performed by that device, said method comprising:

receiving a profile identifying an interface of a source for software items, said interface particular to the set of software items that said device has been pre approved to access;

storing said profile on said device;

in response to a user desiring to access said source, instantiating said interface on said device; and

,

retrieving a software item from the set with said interface.

30. The machine readable medium of claim 29 wherein said method further comprises installing said software on said device.

31. The machine readable medium of claim 29 wherein said profile is signed by an entity that provides said software items.

32. The machine readable medium of claim 29 where said first interface is customized for a user of said first device in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

33. The machine readable medium of claim 29 wherein said profile contains authorization data for accessing said set of software items.

34. The machine readable medium of claim 33 wherein said profile further contains any of:

an identifier of said device;

an identifier of said user.

35. A machine readable medium containing program code that when processed by a digital processing unit of a server causes a method to be performed by that server, said method comprising:

identifying a set of software items that are to be made available to a device;

constructing a profile that identifies an interface through which said set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said profile to said device;

receiving a request to retrieve a member of said set through an instance of said interface, said request originating from said device, information from said profile being used to create said instance; and

,

downloading said member to said device.

36. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a second set of software items that are to be made available to a second device, said second set being different than said first set;

constructing a second profile that identifies a second interface through which said second set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said second profile to said second device;

receiving a second request to retrieve a member of said second set through an instance of said second interface, said second request originating from said second device, said instance of said second interface created with information from said second profile; and

,

downloading said member of said second set to said second device.

37. The machine readable medium of claim 36 wherein said first and second devices are associated with different users.

38. The machine readable medium of claim 36 wherein said first and second sets are associated with different entities.

39. The machine readable medium of claim 36 where said first interface is customized for said first user in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

40. The machine readable medium of claim 35 wherein said constructing of said profile further comprises digitally signing said profile with a signature of an entity that provides software items.

41. A device having a processing unit and program code stored on a storage device of said device, said program code to perform a method when executed by said processing unit, said method, comprising:

receiving a profile identifying an interface of a source for software items, said interface particular to the set of software items that said device has been pre approved to access;

storing said profile on said device;

in response to a user desiring to access said source, instantiating said interface on said device; and

,

retrieving a software item from the set with said interface.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein said method further comprises installing said software on said device.

43. The device of claim 41 wherein said profile is signed by an entity that provides said software items.

44. The device of claim 41 where said first interface is customized for a user of said first device in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

45. The device of claim 41 wherein said profile contains authorization data for accessing said set of software items.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein said profile further contains any of:

an identifier of said device;

an identifier of said user.

47. A server having a processing unit and program code stored on a storage device of said server, said program code to perform a method of a host that is implemented on said server when executed by said processing unit, said method, comprising:

identifying a set of software items that are to be made available to a device;

constructing a profile that identifies an interface through which said set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said profile to said device;

receiving a request to retrieve a member of said set through an instance of said interface, said request originating from said device, information from said profile being used to create said instance; and

,

downloading said member to said device.

48. The server of claim 47 wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a second set of software items that are to be made available to a second device, said second set being different than said first set;

constructing a second profile that identifies a second interface through which said second set of software items can be retrieved;

providing said second profile to said second device;

receiving a second request to retrieve a member of said second set through an instance of said second interface, said second request originating from said second device, said instance of said second interface created with information from said second profile; and

,

downloading said member of said second set to said second device.

49. The server of claim 48 wherein said first and second devices are associated with different users.

50. The server of claim 48 wherein said first and second sets are associated with different entities.

51. The server of claim 48 where said first interface is customized for said first user in terms of any of:

age;

ethnicity;

location;

interest.

52. The server of claim 47 wherein said constructing of said profile further comprises digitally signing said profile with a signature of an entity that provides software items.