Preinstalled application management method for mobile terminal and mobile terminal

• US 9,690,561 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xu, Haiyan, Chen, Guoqiao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wei, Zheng
• Application Number:
  US14/303,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a preinstalled application management method for a mobile terminal, where storage space of the mobile terminal includes at least one directory, and an installation package of at least one preinstalled application is stored in the at least one directory. The method includes: starting the mobile terminal; scanning the at least one directory; and installing the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory to generate a preinstalled application having user-level permission. Besides, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a mobile terminal. By using the method and the mobile terminal, the preinstalled application can be uninstalled.

Claims

1. A preinstalled application management method for a mobile terminal, wherein storage space of the mobile terminal comprises at least one directory, and an installation package of at least one preinstalled application is stored in the at least one directory, the method comprising:

starting the mobile terminal;

scanning the at least one directory;

installing the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory to generate at least one preinstalled application having user-level permission, wherein the user-level permission allows a user to have permission to perform an uninstalling operation, and wherein an option is set to allow the user to selectively retain or permanently uninstall the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory in a case that the mobile terminal is restored to factory defaults;

adding an identifier file associated with the at least one preinstalled application to a user data partition of the mobile terminal; and

retaining the identifier file associated with the at least one preinstalled application after the at least one preinstalled application is deleted from the mobile terminal to prevent the at least one preinstalled application from being reinstalled.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an uninstalling command of the user;

determining one or more of the preinstalled application having user-level permission to be uninstalled;

uninstalling the one or more of the preinstalled application; and

retaining an installation package of the one or more of the preinstalled application.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage space comprises a system partition, and the at least one directory is not in the system partition, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an uninstalling command of the user;

determining one or more of the preinstalled application having user-level permission to be uninstalled;

uninstalling the one or more of the preinstalled application; and

deleting the installation package of the one or more of the preinstalled application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage space further comprises the user data partition, wherein the user data partition comprises another directory, and an installation package of a third-party application having user-level permission is stored in the another directory, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an uninstalling command of the user;

determining one or more of application having user-level permission to be uninstalled, wherein the one or more of application having user-level permission comprises the preinstalled application having user-level permission and the third-party application having user-level permission;

scanning the another directory;

determining whether the installation package of the one or more of application exists in the another directory; and

uninstalling the one or more of application retaining the installation package of the one or more of application when the installation package of the one or more of application is not placed in the another directory.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storage space comprises a system partition, and the at least one directory is not in the system partition, wherein the storage space further comprises the user data partition, wherein the user data partition further comprises another directory, and an installation package of a third-party application having user-level permission is stored in the another directory, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an uninstalling command of the user;

determining one or more of application having user-level permission to be uninstalled, wherein the one or more of application having user-level permission comprises the preinstalled application having user-level permission and the third-party application having user-level permission;

scanning the another directory and the at least one directory;

determining whether the installation package of the one or more of application is stored in the another directory or the at least one directory; and

uninstalling the one or more of application and deleting the installation package of the one or more of application having user-level permission when the installation package of the one or more of application is stored in the another directory or the at least one directory.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises deleting the identifier file when the mobile terminal is restored to factory defaults.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises deleting the identifier file when an instruction for deleting the identifier file is received from the user.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein after starting the mobile terminal, the method further comprises:

determining whether the identifier file exists; and

performing, by the mobile terminal, steps of scanning the at least one directory, and installing the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory to generate at least one preinstalled application having user-level permission when the identifier file does not exist.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one directory is in at least one existing partition in the storage space of the mobile terminal, or in at least one added partition in the storage space of the mobile terminal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a custom flag is added during installation to distinguish between preinstalled applications having user-level permission and preinstalled applications having system-level permission.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one directory comprises the user data directory and an application directory, wherein file data of the at least one preinstalled application is stored in the user data directory, wherein the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application is stored in the application directory, wherein the file data is deleted and the installation package is retained when the user chooses to retain the installation package, and wherein the file data is deleted and the installation package is deleted when the user chooses to permanently uninstall the installation package.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

an input unit;

a non-transitory storage memory configured to store at least one directory, wherein an installation package of at least one preinstalled application is stored in the directory; and

a computer processor coupled with the non-transitory storage memory, wherein the computer processor is configured to;

start the mobile terminal;

scan the at least one directory;

install the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory to generate at least one preinstalled application having user-level permission, wherein the user-level permission allows a user to have permission to perform an uninstalling operation, and wherein an option is set to allow the user to selectively retain or permanently uninstall the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory in a case that the mobile terminal is restored to factory defaults;

add an identifier file associated with the at least one preinstalled application to a user data partition of the mobile terminal; and

retain the identifier file associated with the at least one preinstalled application after the at east one preinstalled application is deleted from the mobile terminal to prevent the at least one preinstalled application from being reinstalled.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 12, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive an uninstalling command of the user;

determine one or more of the preinstalled applications having user-level permission to be uninstalled;

uninstall the one or more of the preinstalled application; and

retain an installation package of the one or more of the preinstalled application.

14. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein the non-transitory storage memory comprises a system partition, wherein the at least one directory is not in the system partition, and wherein the computer processor is further configured to uninstall the one or more of the preinstalled application, and delete the installation package of the one or more of the preinstalled application.

15. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein the non-transitory storage memory further comprises a user data partition, wherein the user data partition comprises another directory, and an installation package of a third-party application having user-level permission is stored in the another directory, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

receive an uninstalling command of the user;

determine one or more of application having user-level permission to be uninstalled, wherein the one or more of the application having user-level permission comprise the preinstalled application having user-level permission and the third-party application having user-level permission;

scan the another directory;

determine whether an installation package of the one or more of the application exists in the another directory; and

uninstall the one or more of the application and retain theinstallation package of the one or more of the application when determining that the installation package of the one or more of the application is not placed in the another directory.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 15, wherein the non transitory storage memory comprises a system partition, and the at least one directory is not in the system partition, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

scan the another directory and the at least one directory;

determine whether the installation package of the one or more of the application is stored in the another directory or the at least one directory; and

uninstall the one or more of the application and delete the installation package of the one or more of the application having user-level permission when determining that the installation package of the one or more of the application is stored in the another directory or the at least one directory.

17. The mobile terminal according to claim 12, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

delete the identifier file when the mobile terminal is restored to factory defaults;

or

delete the identifier file when an instruction for deleting the identifier file is received from the user, wherein the identifier file records information for identifying that the preinstalled application is already installed on the mobile terminal.

18. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

determine whether the identifier file exists after the mobile terminal starts; and

scan the at least one directory and install the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application in the at least one directory to generate the preinstalled application having user-level permission when determining that the identifier file does not exist.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 12, wherein a custom flag is added during installation to distinguish between preinstalled applications having user-level permission and preinstalled applications having system-level permission.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 12, wherein the at least one directory comprises the user data directory and an application directory, wherein file data of the at least one preinstalled application is stored in the user data directory, wherein the installation package of the at least one preinstalled application is stored in the application directory, wherein the file data is deleted and the installation package is retained when the user chooses to retain the installation package, and wherein the file data is deleted and the installation package is deleted when the user chooses to permanently uninstall the installation package.