APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN SERVICES AND MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20110165864A1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Retalika, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Retalika, Ltd.
• Inventors: Guzman, Noam
• Application Number:
  US12/651,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20110165864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements

Abstract

A method for determining compatibility between a service to a mobile device includes selecting at least one source of information for information respective of at least one of capabilities of the mobile device and requirements of the service; retrieving the information respective of the at least one of capabilities of the mobile device and requirements of the service from the at least one source of information; determining a predictive compatibility score (PCS) for a pair of the mobile device and the service based on the retrieved information; and storing the PCS in a compatibility matrix at a position corresponding to the intersection of the mobile device and the service, wherein the compatibility matrix contains a PCS for each pair of mobile device and service if information is available to make a PCS determination for such a pair.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining compatibility between a service and a mobile device, comprising:

a system server for accessing at least one source of information for retrieving information about at least one of capabilities of the mobile device and requirements of the service and determining a predictive compatibility score (PCS) based on the retrieved information, wherein the PCS provides an indication on an ability of the service to successfully execute on the mobile device; and

a database connected to the system server and containing a two dimensional compatibility matrix, wherein the PCS is stored in the compatibility matrix.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one source of information is at least one of:

at least one web site, at least one mobile device, the compatibility matrix, and the database.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system server periodically queries the at least one source of information for capabilities of the mobile device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system server periodically queries the at least one source of information for requirements of the service.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PCS is one of:

a ‘

compatible’

string and an ‘

incompatible’

string.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the PCS is further a ‘

maybe’

string.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PCS comprises a plurality of discrete values where an extreme value on one end denotes definite compatibility and an opposite extreme value denotes a definite incompatibility.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein responsive of receiving a query the system server provides the PCS of a service and a respective mobile device or vice versa.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system server accesses the at least one source of information through an interface, wherein the interface is at least one of:

a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metro area network (MAN), the world-wide-web (WWW), the Internet, a cellular network, and a wireless network.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system server periodically checks the PCS and updates the PCS thereafter, thereby providing a learning capability of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein responsive of the update of the PCS the apparatus performs at least one of:

installs a service on the mobile device where the PCS indicates sufficient compatibility, provides an indication on the mobile device that a compatible service has been identified for a model of the mobile device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the database further contains at least one of:

a mobile devices relations matrix and a services relations matrix.

13. A method for determining compatibility between a service to a mobile device, comprising:

selecting at least one source of information for information respective of at least one of capabilities of the mobile device and requirements of the service;

retrieving the information respective of the at least one of capabilities of the mobile device and requirements of the service from the at least one source of information;

determining a predictive compatibility score (PCS) for a pair of the mobile device and the service based on the retrieved information; and

storing the PCS in a compatibility matrix at a position corresponding to the intersection of the mobile device and the service, wherein the compatibility matrix contains a PCS for each pair of mobile device and service if information is available to make a PCS determination for such a pair.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

causing the test of the service on the mobile device for positive determination of compatibility.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one source of information is at least one of:

at least one web site, at least one mobile device, and the compatibility matrix.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

periodically updating at least a PCS stored in the compatibility matrix.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

generating a PCS that is one of;

a ‘

compatible’

string and an ‘

incompatible’

string.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a PCS that is a ‘

maybe’

string.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

generating a PCS that comprises a plurality of discrete values where an extreme value on one end denotes a definite compatibility and an opposite extreme value denotes a definite incompatibility.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

receiving a query; and

providing the PCS for a service and a respective mobile device or vice versa responsive of the query.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

periodically checking the PCS; and

updating the PCS if the PCS has been changed.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprises:

installing a service on a mobile device, upon determination of sufficient compatibility.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprises:

providing an indication to a mobile device that a compatible service has been found for a model of the mobile device.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

assigning a PCS threshold value;

identifying all services for a mobile device having a PCS that is less than definitive compatibility of a service to the mobile device and above the PCS threshold;

and displaying the identified services as candidates for compatibility testing for the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

assigning a PCS threshold value;

identifying all mobile devices for a service having a PCS that is less than definitive compatibility of a service to the mobile device and above the PCS threshold; and

displaying the identified mobile devices as candidates for compatibility testing for the service.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

identifying relations between mobile devices; and

storing the identified relations between mobile devices in a mobile devices relations matrix.

27. The method of claim 13, further comprises:

identifying relations between services; and

storing the identified relations between services in a services relations matrix.