Management of mobile applications

• US 8,359,016 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MobileIron, Inc.
• Inventors: Lindeman, Jesse Wagner, Wagner, Thomas Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/950,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 713/176, 705/1.1, 726/6
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

In particular implementations, a mobile device management system allows network administrators to control the distribution and publication of applications to mobile device users in an enterprise network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

responsive to a request for a set of applications available for installation on a mobile device, accessing a user profile and a mobile device profile against an identifier associated with a user;

filtering a catalog of applications based on a set of policies applied to the user profile and mobile device profile to select a set of applications; and

returning the set of applications in response to the request;

wherein the returned set of applications is provided to a mobile device application management interface configured to display the set of applications to the user via the application management interface and to provide the ability for the user to select, via the application management interface, one or more of the displayed applications for installation on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing a user directory store to retrieve the user profile.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user profile comprises one or more of a role, job title or enterprise group identifier, and wherein one or more of the policies in the set of policies considers at least one of the role, job title and enterprise group identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying required applications in the set of applications; and

providing an indication of the required applications to the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device profile comprises one or more a model identifier, an operating system identifier, a serial number, and a Media Access Control (MAC) address.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier is a mobile device identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier is a user identifier.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a network interface;

one or more processors; and

computer program code stored on a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to;

responsive to a request for a set of applications available for installation on a mobile device, access a user profile and a mobile device profile against an identifier associated with a user;

filter a catalog of applications based on a set of policies applied to the user profile and mobile device profile to select a set of applications; and

return the set of applications in response to the request

wherein the returned set of applications is provided to a mobile device application management interface configured to display the set of applications to the user via the application management interface and to provide the ability for the user to select, via the application management interface, one or more of the displayed applications for installation on the mobile device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the computer program code further comprises instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to:

access a user directory store to retrieve the user profile.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the user profile comprises one or more of a role, job title or enterprise group identifier, and wherein one or more of the policies in the set of policies considers at least one of the role, job title and enterprise group identifiers.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the computer program code further comprises instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to:

identify required applications in the set of applications; and

provide an indication of the required applications to the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the mobile device profile comprises one or more a model identifier, an operating system identifier, a serial number, and a Media Access Control (MAC) address.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the identifier is a mobile device identifier.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the identifier is a user identifier.

15. A non-transitory storage medium comprising computer program code including computer-readable instructions operative, when executed, to cause one or more processors to:

responsive to a request for a set of applications available for installation on a mobile device, access a user profile and a mobile device profile against an identifier associated with a user;

filter a catalog of applications based on a set of policies applied to the user profile and mobile device profile to select a set of applications; and

return the set of applications in response to the request

wherein the returned set of applications is provided to a mobile device application management interface configured to display the set of applications to the user via the application management interface and to provide the ability for the user to select, via the application management interface, one or more of the displayed applications for installation on the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 wherein the computer program code further comprises instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to:

access a user directory store to retrieve the user profile.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 wherein the user profile comprises one or more of a role, job title or enterprise group identifier, and wherein one or more of the policies in the set of policies considers at least one of the role, job title and enterprise group identifiers.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 wherein the computer program code further comprises instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to:

identify required applications in the set of applications; and

provide an indication of the required applications to the user.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 wherein the mobile device profile comprises one or more a model identifier, an operating system identifier, a serial number, and a Media Access Control (MAC) address.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 wherein the identifier is a mobile device identifier.