Workflow-based user interface system for mobile devices management

• US 8,863,107 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: InnoPath Software, Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krivopaltsev, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUY KHUONG THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/188,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168, 717173-174, 717/132
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Embodiments of a workflow-based user interface for defining and managing functions implemented on mobile devices are described. A method under an embodiment utilizes a workflow-based mobile device management user interface. The method utilizes a pluggable workflow framework to achieve mobile device management externalization. The mobile device management platform is required to implement a set of basic action blocks that are used as primitives for further management policy composition. The method provides a development environment integrated with a mobile device management platform that allows assembling management (monitoring) primitives into meaningful management policies without changes to a core management platform infrastructure. The method claims addition of new primitives deployed as add-on products to enable new and advanced management policies, best integration practices with a carrier operational support system. The method enables debugging and tracing mobile device management policies in real time to minimize development and testing efforts.

Claims

1. A method of implementing mobile device management in a network of managed object mobile devices coupled to a mobile device manager server computer, comprising:

defining a set of action blocks comprising actions and conditions to be implemented on a mobile device managed by the mobile device manager server;

using the action blocks as primitives for the composition of management tasks;

representing the action blocks as objects in a graphical user interface layout tool;

defining the management tasks using a workflow design tool that utilizes a drag-and-drop graphical user interface, the management tasks comprising a plurality of process states functionally coupled to one another through one or more transitions, wherein at least one process state of the plurality of process states calls one or more other process states of the plurality of process states at least one of directly and through stacked process states of the plurality of process states, wherein a first workflow includes a first subroutine state and a first end state of the plurality of process states and a second workflow includes a second end state of the plurality of process states, the first workflow calling the second workflow through the first subroutine state, the second workflow returning control to the first workflow when the one or more transitions reach the second end state, the one or more transitions concluding when reaching the first end state;

wherein the mobile device is an Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OAM DM) enabled mobile device, and the process states include one or more configuration parameters of the mobile device; and

wherein the one or more configuration parameters are represented in at least one node of an OMA DM management tree for the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a process state of the plurality of process states comprises one of a transient state, a terminal state, and a subroutine state, wherein the first subroutine state comprises the subroutine state.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a process state is assigned an attribute selected from the group consisting of:

initial state, persistent state, and end state.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein a process state is assigned a severity level selected from the group consisting of:

normal, warning, minor, major, critical, and fatal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more transitions comprise at least one transition path linking a first process state to a second process state.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the transition comprises a logical condition and one or more processing blocks.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

processing a transition by analyzing the logical condition to determine whether or not the condition is satisfied, applying the corresponding action block to the mobile device if the condition is satisfied; and

generating an error message if the condition is not satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the workflow design tool is used to create a workflow that directs a management support of the mobile device, wherein the workflow comprises the first workflow and the second work flow.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising instantiating the workflow by the server computer to direct a carrier system administrator to perform processing of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the processing comprises transmitting firmware over the air to the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the processing adheres to a sequence of processing states and transitions defined by the workflow.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the workflow transitions through a workflow lifecycle comprising a pending state, a testing state, a ready state, and an approved state.

13. A system for configuring and managing a mobile device remotely coupled to a device management (DM) server comprising:

one or more processors executing at least one application for providing, a configuration manager component configuring a number of parameters of the mobile device to be operable with one or more functional applications;

a firmware manager component to upgrade the mobile device using an over-the-air protocol to transmit firmware upgrade modules;

a diagnostics manager component to remotely query, diagnose and fix problems on the mobile device;

a workflow designer component enabling a user to design and implement a set of instructions that dictate how the DM server institutes over-the-air device management operations to the mobile device, in the form of a workflow comprising a first workflow and a second workflow, wherein the set of instructions includes a plurality of process states functionally coupled to one another through one or more transitions, wherein at least one process state of the plurality of process states calls one or more other process states of the plurality of process states at least one of directly and through stacked process states of the plurality of process states, wherein a first workflow includes a first subroutine state and a first end state of the plurality of process states and a second workflow includes a second end state of the plurality of process states, the first workflow calling the second workflow through the first subroutine state, the second workflow returning control to the first workflow when the one or more transitions reach the second end state, the one or more transitions concluding when reaching the first end state;

wherein the mobile device is an Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OAM DM) enabled mobile device, and the process states include one or more configuration parameters of the mobile device; and

wherein the one or more configuration parameters are represented in at least one node of an OMA DM management tree for the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a configuration database stored in a data store coupled to the DM server, and storing a configuration library containing a plurality of data objects related to configuration and operation of the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is an Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA DM) enabled mobile device, and wherein the firmware upgrade modules are transmitted over an OMA DM based firmware-over-the-air protocol.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the configuration settings of the mobile device are embodied in an OMA DM device management tree of the mobile device, and wherein a virtual configuration property is associated with a device property defined with one or more device description framework files.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone coupled to the DM server over at least one wireless network.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the workflow designer component is used to create a workflow that directs firmware management of the mobile device.

19. A user interface system comprising:

one or more processors executing at least one application for providing, a menu area providing icons representing a plurality of process states and one or more transitions;

a drag-and-drop tool allowing a user to create a workflow including a first workflow and a second workflow and comprising the plurality of process states linked by the one or more transitions, wherein at least one process state of the plurality of process states calls at least one other process state of the plurality of process states at least one of directly and through stacked process states of the plurality of process states, wherein the first workflow includes a first subroutine state and a first end state of the plurality of process states and the second workflow includes a second end state of the plurality of process states, the first workflow calling the second workflow through the first subroutine state, the second workflow returning control to the first workflow when the one or more transitions reach the second end state, the one or more transitions concluding when reaching the first end state;

a workflow palette area displaying completed and in process workflows, wherein a workflow dictates a process flow for managing remote support of a managed object client device coupled to a server computer over a network, and wherein the remote support comprises installing one or more firmware updates that are transmitted to the device using an over-the-air protocol;

wherein the mobile device is an Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OAM DM) enabled mobile device, and the process states include one or more configuration parameters of the mobile device; and

wherein the one or more configuration parameters are represented in at least one node of an OMA DM management tree for the mobile device.

20. The user interface system of claim 19 further comprising an update component configured to enable transmission of the firmware update to the mobile device over an OMA DM based firmware-over-the-air protocol.