Enhanced deployment of applications

• US 9,020,485 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Toy, Andrew Jong Kein, Trewby, Alexander Allan, Zhu, David Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US14/223,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.5, 705/27.1, 705/26.61, 705/27.2
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• 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

Systems and methods for managing distribution of applications are provided herein. A host server can act as an intermediary between a communications device and an app store in order to manage distribution of applications to the communications device. Thus, the host server can receive from the communications device an app request for an application that resides at the app store. The host server can examine various catalog information and provide a package that includes the application to the communications device.

Claims

1. A server for an app store service, comprising:

a memory, coupled to a processor, storing executable components, comprising;

a receiving component configured to receive, from a communications device, an app request that requests an application download from an app store service;

a catalog component configured to process catalog data that includes device information associated with the communications device and app information associated with the application, and determine a package for the communications device based on a result of processing the catalog data, wherein the package includes the application, and

wherein the device information includes at least one of;

a listing of all or a portion of extant entities included in the communications device, wherein an entity of the extant entities is an extant application or an extant library, all or a portion of relationships or dependencies regarding the extant entities, a version of all or a portion of the extant entities, a setting or preference associated with acquisition of applications or entities, and a license or entitlement associated with an extant entity or the communications device;

an assembly component configured to construct the package; and

a communications component configured to transmit the package to the communications device.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the communications device is a mobile device that utilizes a mobile operating system.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein the app information includes at least one of:

all or a portion of relationships or dependencies regarding the application,

a location of the application,

a location of an entity to which the application is related,

a version of the application, or

a category of the application.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein the app store service utilizes an application distribution server configured to deploy applications to the communications device.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein the catalog component is further configured to determine an additional entity for the package and the assembly component includes the additional entity in the package.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the catalog component is further configured to identify the additional entity based on an entitlement associated with the communications device.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein the catalog component is further configured to verify the communications device is licensed to utilize entities included in the package.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the catalog component is further configured to determine an installation order for entities included in the package based on relationships between the entities and the assembly component includes in the package data that describes the installation order.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein the communications component is further configured to receive entities included in the package from multiple different app store services.

10. The server of claim 1, wherein the executable components further comprise a management component configured to modify the application included in the package prior to transmission to the communications device.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein management component modifies the application to include at least one of enhanced security features, enhanced encryption features, or enhanced management features.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a server device including a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving from a communications device an app request that requests an application download from an app store service;

examining catalog information that includes device information associated with the communications device and app information associated with the application being requested, wherein the device information includes at least one of;

a listing of all or a portion of extant entities included in the communications device, wherein an entity of the extant entities is an extant application or an extant library, all or a portion of relationships or dependencies regarding the extant entities, a version of all or a portion of the extant entities, a setting or preference associated with acquisition of applications or entities, and a license or entitlement associated with an extant entity or the communications device;

determining a package for the communications device in response to the examining the catalog information, wherein the package includes the application;

assembling the package; and

transmitting the package to the communications device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise determining an additional entity for the package and assembling the package to include the additional entity.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise identifying the additional entity based on an entitlement associated with the communications device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise verifying the communications device is licensed to utilize entities included in the package.

16. A method for managing deployment of applications from an app store service, comprising:

receiving, by a server device associated with the app store service, an app request from a communications device that requests an application from that app store service based on a catalog that includes device information associated with the communications device and app information associated with the application being requested, wherein the device information includes at least one of;

a listing of all or a portion of extant entities included in the communications device, wherein an entity of the extant entities is an extant application or an extant library, all or a portion of relationships or dependencies regarding the extant entities, a version of all or a portion of the extant entities, a setting or preference associated with acquisition of applications or entities, and a license or entitlement associated with an extant entity or the communications device;

determining a package for the communications device, wherein the package includes the application;

assembling the package; and

transmitting the package to the communications device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining an installation order for entities included in the package based on relationships between the entities and including data describing the installation order in the package.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the assembling comprises including in the package entities received from multiple different app store services.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising modifying the application included in the package to enhance security features, encryption features, or management features prior to transmission to the communications device.