Managing distributed devices with limited connectivity

• US 8,478,861 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTC Inc.
• Original Assignee: Axeda Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Taylor, John L., Hart, David P., Liberty, John D., Kistler, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chambers, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/774,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 455/411, 705/412
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method of managing devices may include downloading information to a courier device from an enterprise. The information may be information for performing a device management operation. The method also includes communicating the information from the courier device to a monitored agent coupled to at least one of a disconnected device and an intermittently connected device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a courier device configured to communicate with one or more devices, the courier device storing first information relating to a target device among the one or more devices, the first information being received from an enterprise system, the method comprising:

discovering a monitor agent that is associated with the target device and that is disconnected from the enterprise system, the monitor agent being connectable to the enterprise system over a network, wherein discovering is performed by a software module on the courier device by attempting communication with the monitor agent and by performing a filtering operation to avoid discovery of at least one other device;

capturing the monitor agent to thereby redirect communications from the monitor agent to the courier device;

communicating the first information from the courier device to the monitor agent, the monitor agent being disconnected from the enterprise system when the first information is communicated from the courier device, the courier device being separate from the enterprise system; and

communicating, to the monitor agent, confirmation that the enterprise system received second information previously sent to the courier device by the monitor agent for transmission to the enterprise system, the second information being different from the first information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information is for performing device management operations when the courier device visits a location of the target device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises messages and content associated with the target device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information is compressed.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving device information from the monitor agent.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the device information comprises (i) a bundle comprised of pieces of device information or (ii) compressed device information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the monitor agent, at least one of device information stored on the monitor agent and responses to messages contained in the first information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, during communicating, the courier device is at a site of the target device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first information from the enterprise system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving device information from the monitor agent, the device information relating to the target device; and

communicating the device information to the enterprise system.

11. A method comprising:

the method of claim 1 performed by the courier device; and

a method performed by the enterprise system, the method performed by the enterprise system being performed prior to the method of claim 1 performed by the courier device, the method performed by the enterprise system comprising;

selecting the target device;

determining that the monitor agent is disconnected from the enterprise system; and

sending, to the courier device, the first information and the confirmation that the enterprise system received the second information.

12. A computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions that are executable by a courier device configured to communicate with one or more devices, the courier device storing first information relating to a target device among the one or more devices, the first information being received from an enterprise system, the instructions for performing operations comprising:

discovering a monitor agent that is associated with the target device and that is disconnected from the enterprise system, the monitor agent being connectable to the enterprise system over a network, wherein discovering is performed by a software module comprising at least some of the instructions (i) by attempting communication with the monitor agent and (ii) by performing a filtering operation to avoid discovery of at least one other device;

capturing the monitor agent to thereby redirect communications from the monitor agent to the courier device;

communicating the first information from the courier device to the monitor agent, the monitor agent being disconnected from the enterprise system when the first information is communicated from the courier device, the courier device being separate from the enterprise system; and

communicating, to the monitor agent, confirmation that the enterprise system received second information previously sent to the courier device by the monitor agent for transmission to the enterprise system, the second information being different from the first information.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first information is for performing device management operations when the courier device visits a location of the target device.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first information comprises messages and content associated with the target device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first information is compressed.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations comprise receiving device information from the monitor agent.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the device information comprises (i) a bundle comprised of pieces of device information or (ii) compressed device information.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise receiving, from the monitor agent, at least one of device information stored on the monitor agent and responses to messages contained in the first information.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving device information from the monitor agent, the device information relating to the target device; and

communicating the device information to the enterprise system.

20. A courier device configured to communicate with one or more devices, the courier device comprising:

memory storing (i) instructions and (ii) first information relating to a target device among the one or more devices, the first information being received from an enterprise system; and

a processing device to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

discovering a monitor agent that is associated with the target device and that is disconnected from the enterprise system, the monitor agent being connectable to the enterprise system over a network, wherein discovering is performed by a software module comprising at least some of the instructions (i) by attempting communication with the monitor agent and (ii) by performing a filtering operation to avoid discovery of at least one other device;

capturing the monitor agent to thereby redirect communications from the monitor agent to the courier device;

communicating the first information from the courier device to the monitor agent, the monitor agent being disconnected from the enterprise system when the first information is communicated from the courier device, the courier device being separate from the enterprise system; and

communicating, to the monitor agent, confirmation that the enterprise system received second information previously sent to the courier device by the monitor agent for transmission to the enterprise system, the second information being different from the first information.

21. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the first information is for performing device management operations when the courier device visits a location of the target device.

22. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the first information comprises messages and content associated with the target device.

23. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the first information is compressed.

24. The courier device of claim 21, wherein the operations comprise receiving device information from the monitor agent.

25. The courier device of claim 24, wherein the device information comprises (i) a bundle comprised of pieces of device information or (ii) compressed device information.

26. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the operations comprise receiving, from the monitor agent, at least one of device information stored on the monitor agent and responses to messages contained in the first information.

27. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the courier device is configured for communication at a site of the target device.

28. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the operations comprise receiving the first information from the enterprise system.

29. The courier device of claim 20, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving device information from the monitor agent, the device information relating to the target device; and

communicating the device information to the enterprise system.