US20060073820A1 - Method and apparatus for remote control and updating of wireless mobile devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided to in one aspect update data on a wireless mobile device. Available updates may include both mandatory and discretionary updates, where the mandatory updates are always installed on the wireless mobile device. In another aspect, a method and apparatus for of remotely instructing a wireless mobile device to perform a service is provided. The wireless mobile device receives a ping message that instructs it to retrieve further instruction for performing services actions on the wireless mobile device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/417,905, filed on Oct. 10, 2002, entitled UPDATE FOR WIRELESS MOBILE DEVICES, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/417,858, filed on Oct. 10, 2002, entitled REMOTE CONTROL FOR WIRELESS MOBILE DEVICES INCLUDING REMOTE LOCKING, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to the provision of a remove control function from remotely controlling a wireless mobile device, including remotely locking the device; and additionally includes the provision of an update function for wireless devices.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
• Since their introduction, the capabilities and number of services and features of wireless mobile devices have steadily increased while the cost of ownership and operation has decreased. At first, wireless mobile devices operated on analog wireless networks that established voice communications and simple paging features. Later, digital wireless networks were introduced for cellular telephone communications to provide more advanced features for voice and data communications, such as encryption, caller identification and transmitting and receiving Short Message Service (“SMS”) text messages.
• Some cellular telephones also incorporate many of the features originally provided for in the hand-held electronic devices, such as personal data assistants (“PDAs”). Relative simple PDA features such as keeping a list of contacts, a calendar, appointments and the like have been generally integrated into recent cellular telephone models.
• Recently, some cellular telephones were enabled to allow the browsing of web pages on the Internet or other on-line services. More recently, Action Engine, Inc. of Redmond, Wash., assignee of the present invention, has developed and improved browserless approach to are consumed using wireless mobile devices, more user data, in particular, important, sensitive and/or critical data are being stored on the wireless mobile devices. In addition, as more and more types of software are implemented and/or installed on wireless mobile devices, the number of updates to the software has increased as well. Additionally, as wireless mobile devices become more sophisticated, users may not be able to keep track of the current state of development in their software and other data on their wireless mobile devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
• The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denotes similar elements, and in which:
• FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a number of devices connected to a network which provide a client device, also connected to the network, with update and remote control services in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the client device that provides an exemplary operating environment for an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the actions taken by a client device, a remote control/update server and an administrator device to provide remote control services in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a client remote control routine in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the actions taken by a client device, and a remote control/update server to provide update services in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an update routine in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating actions taken by a client device, and a remote control/update server to provide an alternate update service in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 8 is the flow diagram illustrating an alternate update routine in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• The detailed description which follows is represented largely in terms of processes and symbolic representations of the of operations by conventional computing components, including processors, memory storage devices for these processors, connected display devices and input devices, all of which are well-known in the art. These processes and operations may utilize conventional computing components in a heterogeneous distributed computer environment, including remote storage servers, computer servers and memory storage devices. Such processes, devices and operations also being known to those skilled in the art and others. Each of these conventional computing components may be accessible by the processors via a communications network.
• The present invention includes a remote control application for wireless mobile devices. The remove control application allows a wireless communication service provider to remotely control a subscriber's wireless mobile device. In particular, the remote control application allows a wireless communications service provider to remotely lock a subscriber's wireless mobile device. Further, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by invoking the update application described below, a user's data (including programs and operating system data) on a wireless mobile device can be updated without the user needing to intervene.
• The remote control software application resides on a wireless mobile device and can allow secure remote administration of the wireless mobile device to cause specific tasks to be performed on the device, to cause the user interface (“UI”) of the device to be locked from normal access, allow a remote administrator to cause files and data stored on the wireless mobile device to be erased, to allow a remote administrator to cause a backup to be performed on the wireless mobile device, and for a remote administrator to cause an update on data in the wireless mobile device.
• The remote control application allows the remote administrator to seize control (either with or without a user's permission) of a wireless mobile device and in one exemplary embodiment, to do so with no visible indication as to the fact that control has been seized of the device.
• The remote administrator will be able to use a unique device identifier (“ID”) to log in and select various options. Special messages or instructions for the remote control application on the wireless mobile device are then placed in a secure queue on a server. Next, a “ping” message is sent to the wireless mobile device. The ping message is in turn processed by the remote control application on the wireless mobile device. The remote control application on the wireless mobile device then retrieves the special messages or instructions from the remote server and processes these instructions. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention where the instructions include updating the wireless mobile device, the updating process will allow programs installed on the wireless mobile device to be automatically updated in a manner that can be controlled by the user in some cases and is completely automatic (e.g., controlled by the wireless service provider as instructions) in other cases.
• Briefly, the update application on the wireless mobile device can update itself, update applications from a remote server, monitor a catalogue of application updates and additions on the server, monitor user activity via a unique device ID and/or other unique identifiers, launch by stub applications asking to be replaced by full applications and may further stop or resume downloads that have been interrupted.
• As noted above, the update application may be activated in a number of different ways: (1) It may be launched as a normal stand alone application as to any other application launched on the wireless mobile device. (2) It may be launched by a stub application, with a specific path, to replace the stub application with its intended application (after download and successful install). To the user, they would launch the stub application, see a download in progress screen, followed by the actual application starting up. (3) As already noted above, the update application may be invoked using the remote control application and having the update application invoked by a remote administrator.
• There are different types of updates and in various embodiments, the server will send updates in priority order. It will first send mandatory updates, then critical updates, then all others. Within each category, it will download the files in order of appearance. Mandatory updates are those updates that the update application will automatically (and silently) download and update whenever the update application is invoked and such an update is located. Critical updates are those that have been singled out as particularly important as they relate to fixing “bugs” in existing applications and/or providing increased security to a wireless mobile device. Normal updates are all the remaining types of updates.
• Application and updates and be further categorized into “exclusive” updates. If an exclusive update is selected, no other selections can be made until the exclusive update is downloaded and installed. This category is particularly useful when installing updates that require a device reset, or updates that change the operating system files. The update application does not sent personal information to a remote server. Rather, it downloads from the server the list of available updates from which is parses and analyzes against the local wireless mobile device's computing environment.
• As previously explained, embodiments of the present invention operate in a wireless network to communicate between wireless mobile devices and remote servers. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that other networks may be used in addition to a wireless network, e.g., the “Internet” which refers to a collection of networks and routers that can communicate between each other on a global level using the Internet Protocol (“IP”) communications protocol.
• FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of the exemplary wireless remote control andupdate system100 for providing remote control and update services to wireless mobile devices such asclient device200 via awireless network110 andother networks130. For ease of illustration, theclient device200 is shown pictorially as a PDA inFIG. 1, it being recognized that a large number of client devices in a variety of forms will be included in actual remote control andupdate system100 employing embodiments of the present invention. In general, aclient device200 has computing capabilities and may be any form of device capable of communicating with the remote/update server150 in various embodiments of the present invention. Thus, whileclient device200 is pictorially shown as a PDA, a mobile computer, cellular phone and the like may be equally employed, although these are just representative devices and should be taken as illustrative and not limiting.
• The remote control/update system100 functions in a distributed computer environment that includes a plurality of client devices, interconnected by awireless network110 via agateway120 toother networks130 to a remote control/update server150. In addition, anadministrator device140 is connected with the remote control/update server150 to pass instructions to the remote control/update server150. All these connections and communications are interconnected via suitable network connections using suitable network communications protocols. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the remote control/update server150 may reside on any device accessible by theclient device200 shown inFIG. 1. Anexemplary client device200 is shown in detail inFIG. 2 and described below.
• It will also be appreciated that while the remote control/update server150 of the remote control/update system100 is illustrated as a single device, the remote control/update server150 may actually comprise more than a single device in an actual system practicing embodiments of the present invention. It will also be appreciated that the remote control/update server150 may comprise file servers, database servers or a mixture of file servers and database servers.
• FIG. 2 illustrates anexemplary computing device200 suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that thecomputing device200 may include many more components than those shown inFIG. 2. However, it is not necessary that all of these generally conventional components be shown in order to disclose an enabling embodiment for practicing the present invention. As shown inFIG. 2, theclient device200 includes acommunications interface230 for connecting to remote devices. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that thecommunications interface230 includes the necessary circuitry, driver and/or transceiver for such a connection, and is constructed for use of the appropriate protocols for such a connection. In one embodiment of the present invention, thecommunications interface230 includes the necessary circuitry for a wireless network connection.
• Thecomputing device200 also includes aprocessing unit210, adisplay240 and amemory250, all interconnected along with thecommunications interface230 via abus220. Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that thedisplay240 may not be necessary in all embodiments of the present invention and accordingly, is an optional component. Thememory250 generally comprises a random access memory (“RAM”), a read-only memory (“ROM”), and a permanent mass storage device, such as a disc drive, flash memory, or the like. Thememory250 stores andoperating system255,remote control software260, andupdate software265, formed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. It will be appreciated that these software components may be loaded from a computer readable medium intomemory250 of theclient device200 using a drive mechanism (not shown) associated with the computer readable medium, such as a floppy, tape, DVD/CD ROM drive, flash memory or thecommunications interface230.
• Although anexemplary computing device200 has been described, it general conforms to conventional computing devices, those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that aclient device200 may be any of a great number of computing devices capable of communicating remotely with other computing devices. In various embodiments of the present invention, theclient device200 may be a cellular phone, PDA, general purpose computing device and the like.
• The operation of the remote control functionality of the remote control/update system100 shown inFIG. 1 will be best understood by reference toFIG. 3 which includes one exemplary sequence of communication interactions between anadministrator device140, a remote control/update server150 and aclient device200. The exemplary communication interaction shown inFIG. 3 begin with theadministrator device140 sendinginstructions305 for theclient device200 along with a unique client device ID to the remote control/update server150. The remote control/update server150 then sends a “ping”message310 to theclient device200. At the client device200 adetermination315 is then made that the ping message was meant for thatparticular client device200. Next, theclient device200requests320 further instructions for itself and includes its client ID. The remote control/update server150 then retrieves325 one or more instructions for theclient device200 with the sent client ID. These instructions are then sent back asclient device instructions330 to theclient device200. Theclient device200 then performs335 the client device instructions and notifies340 the remote control/update server150 that the client device instructions have been performed.
• FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary client-side remote control software routine suitable for implementation by theclient device200 for receiving and processing remote control instructions from the remote control/update server150. Theremote control routine400 begins atblock405, where a message is received from the remote control/update server150. Next, in decision block410 a determination is made whether the message is a specially formatted “ping” message recognized by theremote control software260. If indecision block410 it was determined that the massage was not a ping message, then routine400 proceeds to block455 where the message is forwarded on for normal processing andremote control routine400 ends.
• If, however, indecision block410 it was determined that the message was a ping message, then processing proceeds to block415 where theclient device200 sends a request for further instructions to a remote server (e.g., remote control/update server150). Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that while only a single remote control/update server150 is illustrated inFIG. 1, that more than oneremote control server150 may be employed in sending ping messages and storing instructions. Accordingly, in one embodiment, one remote server may send a ping message which may direct theclient device200 to another remote server to retrieve instructions. Accordingly, the request for further instructions inblock415 may be directed to the same or a different remote control/update server150 as to the one that sent the ping message. Next, inblock420, theclient device200 receives the requested instructions. Similarly, while the request for instructions inblock415 may have been sent to one remote control/update server150, yet another remote control/update server150 may return the actual instructions to theclient device200. Next, indecision block425, a determination is made as to what service the instructions are targeted for. If indecision block425 it was determined that the instructions are targeted to an update service, then processing proceeds to block450 where theclient device200 is updated. Exemplary client update routines are illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 8 and described below.
• If, however, indecision block425 it was determined that the instructions are targeted for mobile services, then processing proceeds to block445 where mobile services are performed. Such mobile services may be any conventional mobile services that would apply to a wireless mobile device. However, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, these mobile services may include service for locking the UI of theclient device200.
• If indecision block425 it was determined that the instruction was targeted to the backup service then processing proceeds to decision block430 where a further determination is made whether the instructions are directed to erasing or backing up data on theclient device200. If the determination indecision block430 indicated that data is to be erased, then processing proceeds to block435 where the memory of the client device is partially or completely erased as directed in the received instructions. In the alternative, where a backup instruction was issued for backing up the data on theclient device200, then processing proceeds to block440 where some or all of the memory of the client device is backed up depending on the received instructions.
• Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that more types of instruction may be included in still other embodiments of the present invention. The inclusion of the messaging service, backup and update instructions is meant to be illustrative and not limiting. To better appreciate one such embodiment,FIGS. 5-8 include further description of the functionality of the present invention.
• The operation of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention having an update functionality implemented in the remote control/update system100 shown inFIG. 1, will be best understood with reference toFIG. 5, which includes one exemplary sequence of communication interactions between aclient device200 and a remote control/update server150. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the communications from theclient device200 to the remote control/update server150, may comprise wireless signals, including but not limited to: radio frequency (“RF”) signals, optical signals, audio modulated signals and electromagnetic signals as well as conventional wire-based signals.
• The exemplary communication interactions shown inFIG. 5 begin with theclient device200 sending anupdate request505 to the remote control/update server150. The remote control/update server150 then retrieves510 a catalog of available updates. The catalog of available updates is then sent515 along with any mandatory updates back to theclient device200. As will be further described below mandatory updates are those updates which will be installed on theclient device200 regardless of a user's interaction. In various embodiments of the present invention, the user may or may not be notified that a mandatory update has been installed. Accordingly once the client device receives the mandatory updates, they are installed520 on theclient device220.
• Theclient device200 next depicts525 any relevant available updates on the client device200 (e.g., via the display240). The relevant available updates are those non-mandatory updates (i.e., critical updates and other updates) that have not already been installed on theclient device200 and for which theclient device200 has a use (e.g., that are applicable to the currently installed operating system and/or versions of software running on the client device200).
• One or more relevant available updates are selected530 on theclient device200. Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will appreciate that the selection of relevant available updates may be accomplished in a variety of manners. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention all relevant available critical updates are automatically selected while other updates may be selected by a user using any form of conventional user interface. Next the selected updates are requested535 from the remote control/update server150. The remote control/update server150 retrieves540 the selected update or updates and sends545 the selected updates back to theclient device200. Once theclient device200 receives the selected updates, they are then installed550 on theclient device200.
• The remote control/update system100 (described herein) includes aclient device200 whose software is to be updated via the remote control/update server150.FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary clientside update routine600 suitable for implementation by theclient device200 for updating software on the client device from the remote control/update server150.
• Theupdate routine600 begins atblock605 where a update is requested from the remote control/update server150. Next in block610 a catalog of available updates is received along with any mandatory updates for theclient device200. In decision block615 a determination is made whether any mandatory updates were received. If so then processing proceeds to block620 where the mandatory updates are installed on theclient device200. Processing then proceeds to block625. Also if indecision block615 it was determined that no mandatory updates were received then processing continues to block625. Inblock625 the received catalog of available updates is compared to the currently installed software on theclient device200. Next in decision block630 a determination is made whether any available updates in the catalog are still relevant to theclient device200. If indecision block630 it is determined that no available updates are relevant toclient device200 then processing continues to block660 where a message is depicted on theclient device600 that there are no relevant updates and routine600 ends.
• If, however, indecision block630 it was determined that there are available updates that are still relevant to theclient device200, then inblock635 those relevant updates are depicted at theclient device200. Processing then proceeds to block640 where any desired relevant updates are selected. As already noted, desired relevant updates may be selected in a variety of fashions according to any conventional selection mechanism. Next, in block645 a request is sent to the remote control/update server150 for the selected updates. The selected updates are received inblock650, and installed on theclient device200 inblock655.
• Similarly toFIG. 5,FIG. 7 illustrates an update session with communications between aclient device200 and a remote control/update server150. However in the alternate update session illustrated inFIG. 7 the client device has a stub application that is automatically updated via the remote control/update server150. The exemplary communications interactions shown inFIG. 7 begin with theclient device200 executing705 a stub application. Theclient device200 then depictsplaceholder information710 indicating that the application has been executed. Next the full application is requested715 from the remote control/update server150. The remote control/update server150 retrieves thefull application720 and returns725 the full application back to theclient device200. Theclient device200 then installs730 the full application. At which point the full application may then be executed735.
• The operations of the alternate update mechanism illustrated inFIG. 7 are further described withinFIG. 8 which illustrates analternate update routine800 for implementation on theclient device200. Thealternate update routine800 replaces a stub application with a full application from a remote control/update server150.
• Alternate update routine800 begins atblock805 with the execution of a stub application. Next in block810 a placeholder for the full application is displayed. Inblock815, theclient device200 sends a request to the remote control/update server150 for the full application. In decision block820 a determination is made whether the full application was received from the remote control/update server150. If so, processing proceeds to block830 where the full application is installed on theclient device200. After which, the full application can then be executed inblock835. If however indecision block820 it was determined that the full application was not received then inblock825 an error is depicted indicating that the full application was not available.
• Although various embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular it will be appreciated that while the processes and communication-interactions and the present interaction have been described in a particular order, those of ordinary skill in the art and other will appreciate that other orders of processes and/or communication interactions will also fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (29)

1. A wireless computing apparatus having:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed are operative to:

request available updates;

receive an update catalog for available updates, wherein said updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates;

receive any of said mandatory updates;

install any of said mandatory updates; and

depict representations of any relevant discretionary updates in a selectable manner.

2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further operative to select a desired discretionary update from said depicted relevant discretionary updates; and obtain said desired discretionary update.

3. The apparatus ofclaim 2, further operative to install said obtained discretionary update.

4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said relevant discretionary updates are determined from a current state of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein said current state comprises the currently installed software on the apparatus.

6. A wireless computing apparatus having:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed are operative to:

execute a stub application, said stub application automatically querying a remote source for a full application;

receive said current application from said remote source;

automatically install said full application; and

automatically execute said full application.

7. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein said stub application further displays a placeholder screen for said full application.

8. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein said full application is installed in place of said stub application.

9. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein subsequent executions of a stub application's execution point executes said full application.

10. A method of updating data on a wireless mobile device, the method comprising:

requesting available updates;

receiving an update catalog for available updates, wherein said updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates;

receiving any mandatory updates;

installing any of said mandatory updates; and

depicting any relevant discretionary updates in a selectable manner.

11. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising selecting a desired discretionary update from said depicted relevant discretionary updates; and

obtaining said discretionary update.

12. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising selecting a desired discretionary update from said depicted relevant discretionary updates; and

obtaining said discretionary update.

13. A method of updating a nonfunctional stub application to a full application on a wireless mobile device, the method comprising:

executing the stub application;

the stub application automatically querying a remote source for a full application;

receiving said current application from said remote source;

automatically installing said full application; and

automatically executing said full application.

14. A wireless computing apparatus having:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed are operative to:

receive a message;

determine that the message is a ping message for the apparatus;

obtain further instructions, said instructions being directed to an action for a service selected from the group consisting of update services, backup services and mobile services; and

perform said action on the wireless computing apparatus.

15. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein said action updates the wireless computing apparatus.

16. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein said action performs a mobile service.

17. The apparatusclaim 14, wherein said action erases a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus.

18. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein said action backs up a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus.

19. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein said action is performed automatically upon receipt of said instructions.

20. The apparatus ofclaim 19, wherein said action is performed without notifying a user of the wireless computing apparatus.

21. The apparatus ofclaim 20, wherein said message is a security notice.

22. The apparatus ofclaim 21, wherein said security notice triggers a backup of user data on the wireless computing apparatus.

23. The apparatus ofclaim 21, wherein said security notice triggers an erasure of data on the wireless computing apparatus.

24. The apparatus ofclaim 21, wherein said security notice triggers a mobile service that locks the wireless computing apparatus.

25. A method of remotely instructing a wireless mobile device to perform a service, comprising:

receiving a message;

determining that the message is a ping message for the wireless mobile device;

obtaining instructions, said instructions being directed to an action for a service selected from the group consisting of update services, backup services and mobile services; and

performing said action on the wireless mobile device.

26. The method ofclaim 25, wherein said action updates the wireless device.

27. The method ofclaim 25, wherein said action performs a mobile service.

28. The methodclaim 25, wherein said action erases a portion of a memory of the wireless mobile device.

29. The method ofclaim 25, wherein said action backs up a portion of a memory of the wireless mobile device.

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