Multi-Persona Devices and Management

• US 20150082371A1
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Skysocket LLC
• Inventors: DeWeese, William, Brannon, Jonathan Blake, Stuntebeck, Erich
• Granted Patent: US 10,129,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications

Abstract

A method of installing an application on a device configured with a plurality of personas is disclosed. The method includes receiving an indication to engage a first persona of the plurality of personas. The method further includes causing an indication of the first persona to be displayed. The method further includes receiving, via an interface associated with the first persona, an indication to install a first application. The method further includes causing the first application to be installed. The method further includes causing the installed first application to be associated with the first persona.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring a first persona associated with a first user of a device, wherein the first persona comprises a first set of compliance policies;

configuring a second persona associated with the first user of the device, wherein the second persona comprises a second set of compliance policies;

causing at least one of the first set of compliance policies to be applied to a first data element; and

causing at least one of the second set of compliance policies to be applied to a second data element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the first persona occurs in response to a user-initiated request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the second persona in response to a remote instruction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a second compliance policy of the first set of compliance policies defines a permitted level of communication between the first persona and the second persona.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising causing the second compliance policy of the first set of compliance policies to be applied to a third data element.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising causing a third compliance policy of the second set of compliance policies to be applied to the third data element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to install an application on the device;

determining whether at least one of the first set of compliance policies permit the first persona to use the application; and

in response to determining that at least one of the first set of compliance policies permit the first persona to access the application;

causing the application to be installed on the device, and

causing the application to be accessible to the first persona.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether at least one of the second set of compliance policies permit the second persona to access the application; and

in response to determining that at least one of the second set of compliance policies permit the second persona to access the application;

causing the application to be installed on the device, and

causing the application to be accessible to the second persona.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to determining that neither at least one of the first set of compliance policies permits the first persona to access the application nor at least one of the second set of policies permits the second persona to access the application;

causing the application to be installed on the device, and

causing the application to be accessible to the first persona and the second persona.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to determining that neither at least one of the first set of compliance policies permits the first persona to access the application nor at least one of the second set of policies permits the second persona to access the application, preventing installation of the application on the device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processor coupled to the memory storage, the processor configured to;

configure a first persona associated with a first user of the apparatus, wherein the first persona comprises a first set of compliance policies,

configure a second persona associated with the first user of the apparatus, wherein the second persona comprises a second set of compliance policies, and

cause the first persona to become an active persona of the apparatus, wherein being configured to cause the first persona to become the active persona comprises being configured to;

cause at least one first resource associated with the apparatus to be authorized for access by the first persona; and

cause at least one second resource associated with the apparatus to be denied access by the first persona.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause the second persona to become the active persona of the apparatus, wherein being configured to cause the second persona to become the active persona comprises being configured to;

cause the at least one first resource associated with the apparatus to be denied access by the second persona; and

cause the at least one second resource associated with the apparatus to be authorized access by the first persona.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

toggle the active persona between the first persona and the second persona.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a unique identification indicating which of the first persona and the second persona comprises the active persona.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one first resource comprises one of the following:

a data element, a functionality of the apparatus, a hardware element of the apparatus, and an application.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program executable in a computing device, which when executed, causes the computing device to perform a method comprising:

configuring a first persona associated with a first user of a device, wherein the first persona comprises a first set of compliance policies;

configuring a second persona associated with the first user of the device, wherein the second persona comprises a second set of compliance policies; and

causing the first persona to become the active persona, wherein causing the first persona to become the active persona comprises;

enabling the first set of compliance policies, and

disabling the second set of compliance policies.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first set of compliance policies comprises at least one policy authorizing access to a resource of the computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein access to the resource of the computing device is denied to the second persona.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request for access to the second persona;

determining whether activation of the second persona is permitted according to at least one characteristic of the computing device in view of the first set of compliance policies; and

in response to determining that activation of the second persona is permitted according to the at least one characteristic of the computing device in view of the first set of compliance policies, causing the second persona to become the active persona, wherein causing the second persona to become the active persona comprises;

enabling the second set of compliance policies, and

disabling the first set of compliance policies.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the request for access to the second persona comprises a physical gesture associated with the computing device.