Method and system for transmitting an application to a device

• US 9,584,624 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McCormick, William Carson, Dumais, Paul Mark Joseph, Sweeney, Trevor Peter, Birksted, Scott Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US12/815,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 709/222
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method and system are provided for triggering a transmittal of an application to a device connected to a host computer. The method comprises: displaying in a web browser on the host computer a list of at least one application available for download to the device; receiving instructions through the web browser to download the application to the device; and in response to receiving instructions to download the application to the device: i) transmitting a request for the application to an application delivery server; ii) receiving the application from the application delivery server at the host computer; and iii) transmitting the application from the host computer to the device.

Claims

1. A method for triggering a transmittal of an application to a device connected by a link to a host computer, the link comprising a direct cable connection or a short-range wireless connection, the method comprising:

determining whether a web-browser plug-in is installed on the host computer, the web-browser plug-in being configured to enable communications between a web-browser and the device over the link;

if the web-browser plug-in is not installed, providing for the installation of the plug-in to the host computer;

when the web-browser plug-in is installed, displaying in the web browser on the host computer a list of at least two applications available for download to the device;

displaying a selectable option in the web browser to download one of the applications to the device;

receiving instructions through the selectable option displayed in the web browser to download the application to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions through the web browser to download the application to the device;

transmitting a request for the application from the host computer to an application delivery server;

receiving the application from the application delivery server at the host computer; and

transmitting the application from the host computer to the device using the web-browser plug-in installed on the host computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a USB enabled device which is connected to the host computer via a USB connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an installation command to the device to automatically install the application to the device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the host computer, installation progress information from the device; and

displaying an installation progress indicator in the web browser in accordance with the installation progress information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting login information from the host computer to the application delivery server; and

receiving from the application delivery server the list of at least one application available for download to the device, and wherein the list of at least one application is a list of applications previously downloaded to a device associated with the login information.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a list of currently installed applications on the device; and

displaying, in the web-browser, a list of applications currently installed to the device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving instructions through the web browser for deleting at least one of the applications in the list of applications currently installed to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions to delete the application from the device;

sending a command from the host computer to the device to delete the application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving configuration information at the host computer from the device, and wherein the applications in the list of at least one application available for download to the device are applications which are determined to be compatible with the device based on the configuration information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing for the installation of the plug-in comprises:

displaying a plug-in download prompt in the web-browser;

receiving instructions through the web browser to download the plug-in to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions to download the plug-in to the device;

transmitting a request for the plug-in to an application delivery server;

receiving the plug-in from the application delivery server at the host computer; and

installing the plug-in to the host computer.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting login information from the host computer to the application delivery server;

receiving from the application delivery server the list of the at least one application available for download to the device, and wherein the list of at least one application is a list of applications previously downloaded to a device associated with the login information; and

receiving from the device a list of applications currently installed on the device;

determining, at the host computer, which of the applications in the list of applications available for download are not currently installed on the device; and

displaying, in the web browser, a selectable option to provide instructions to the web browser to download the applications to the device which are available for download and which are not currently installed on the device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying, in the web browser, a selectable option to delete the applications which are currently installed to the device, and in response to receiving instructions to delete the application from the device, sending a command from the host computer to the device to delete the application.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the application requires a reset of the device; and

if the application requires a reset of the device, sending a command to the device to reset the device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the host computer, memory usage information from the device, the memory usage information indicating the amount of memory available on the device; and

prior to transmitting the application to the device, determining whether the device has sufficient memory to permit the installation of the application to the device based on the memory usage information, application size information for the application and at least one predetermined threshold.

14. A server comprising:

a memory storing a web application configured to;

determine whether a web-browser plug-in is installed on a host computer, the web-browser plug-in being configured to enable communications between a web-browser and a device over the link;

if the web-browser plug-in is not installed, provide for the installation of the plug-in to the host computer;

when the web-browser plug-in is installed, display in the web browser on the host computer a list of at least two applications available for download to the device connected by a link to the host computer, the link comprising a direct cable connection or a short-range wireless connection;

display a selectable option in the web browser to download one of the applications to the device;

receive instructions through the selectable option displayed in the web browser to download the application to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions through the web browser to download the application to the device, interacting with the web-browser plug-in associated with the host computer to;

transmit a request for the application from the host computer to an application delivery server;

receive the application from the application delivery server at the host computer; and

transmit the application from the host computer to the device using the web-browser plug-in installed on the host computer.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

transmit an installation command to the device to automatically install the application to the device.

16. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

transmit login information from the host computer to the application delivery server; and

receive from the application delivery server the list of at least one application available for download to the device, and wherein the list of at least one application is a list of applications previously downloaded to a device associated with the login information.

17. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

receive a list of currently installed applications on the device; and

display, in the web-browser, a list of applications currently installed to the device.

18. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

receive instructions through the web browser for deleting at least one of the applications in the list of applications currently installed to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions to delete the application from the device;

send a command from the host computer to the device to delete the application.

19. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

receive configuration information at the host computer from the device, and wherein the applications in the list of at least one application available for download to the device are applications which are determined to be compatible with the device based on the configuration information.

20. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

display a plug-in download prompt in the web-browser;

receive instructions through the web browser to download the plug-in to the device; and

in response to receiving instructions to download the plug-in to the device;

transmit a request for the plug-in to an application delivery server;

receive the plug-in from the application delivery server at the host computer; and

install the plug-in to the host computer.

21. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

transmit login information from the host computer to the application delivery server;

receive from the application delivery server the list of the at least one application available for download to the device, and wherein the list of at least one application is a list of applications previously downloaded to a device associated with the login information; and

receive from the device a list of applications currently installed on the device;

determine which of the applications in the list of applications available for download are not currently installed on the device; and

display, in the web browser, a selectable option to provide instructions to the web browser to download the applications to the device which are available for download and which are not currently installed on the device.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein the web application is further configured to:

display, in the web browser, a selectable option to delete the applications which are currently installed to the device, and in response to receiving instructions to delete the application from the device, send a command from the host computer to the device to delete the application.

23. The server of claim 14, wherein the web application is further configured to:

determine whether the application requires a reset of the device; and

if the application requires a reset of the device, sending a command to the device to reset the device.

24. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer executable instructions for triggering a transmittal of an application to a device connected by a link to a host computer, the link comprising a direct cable connection or a short-range wireless connection, the computer executable instructions comprising:

computer executable instructions for determining whether a web-browser plug-in is installed on the host computer, the web-browser plug-in being configured to enable communications between a web-browser and the device over the link;

if the web-browser plug-in is not installed, computer executable instructions for providing for the installation of the plug-in to the host computer;

when the web-browser plug-in is installed, computer executable instructions for displaying in the web browser on the host computer a list of at least two applications available for download to the device;

computer executable instructions for displaying a selectable option in the web browser to download one of the applications to the device;

computer executable instructions for receiving instructions through the selectable option displayed in the web browser to download the application to the device; and

computer executable instructions executable in response to receiving instructions through the web browser to download the application to the device, the computer executable instructions being configured for;

transmitting a request for the application from the host computer to an application delivery server;

receiving the application from the application delivery server at the host computer; and

transmitting the application from the host computer to the device using the web-browser plug-in installed on the host computer.