Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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System and Method of Application Provisioning
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to distributed mobile
applications, and
in particular, to a system and method of application provisioning.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Enterprises may have many mobile devices. Each mobile device comprises
application software that is updated from time to time. If a new version of an
application is created, the application may be updated on each mobile device
of the
enterprise by physically transporting each mobile device to a central location
to be
updated. Alternatively, a memory card may be sent to users of mobile devices
containing the application upgrade to be installed on the mobile devices.
Alternatively, the device may be managed from a personal computer software
updates.
[0003] There are a number of application provisioning systems by multiple
vendors.
Each system requires a user to update the applications. This is onerous for
the
enterprise to manage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to distributed mobile applications where
data
collection can take place in environments with and without radio (or other
telecommunication) coverage. It is an object of the invention to provide a
system and
method of application provisioning.
[0005] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an
application provisioning system and for administering and delivering software
applications to client devices. The application provisioning system comprises
a
repository for storing a component package and maintaining a mobile device
application profile, a component manager web service module for sending the
component package to a mobile device, and a component manager client module
for
receiving and processing the component package.
[0006] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is
provided a
method of administering and delivering software applications to client
devices. The
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method comprises the steps of receiving a request for a client device
application
profile, obtaining a first component package that includes the client
application
profile, sending the first component package to the client device, and
processing the
first component package.
[0007] Advantageously, the application provisioning system provides a
centrally
managed application assignment that is transparent to the user. A client
component
downloads what applications are required automatically. Preferably, web
services is
used for client to server communication (open standard).
[0008] This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all
features of the
to invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other features of the invention will become more apparent
from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings
wherein:
[0010] Figure 1 shows in a network connectivity diagram an example of a system
15 overview of a design, development and operational environment, in
accordance with
an embodiment of the invention;
[0011 ] Figure 2 shows in a software module diagram another example of a
system
overview of a design, development and operational environment, in accordance
with
an embodiment of the invention;
20 [0012] Figure 3 shows an example an application provisioning system for
administering and delivering software applications to client devices, in
accordance
with an embodiment of the invention;
[0013] Figure 4 shows in a flowchart a method of application provisioning, in
accordance with an embodiment of the application provisioning system;
25 [0014] Figure 5 shows in a tree diagram an example of an organizational
grouping, in
accordance with an embodiment of the application provisioning system;
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[0015] Figure 6 shows another example of an application provisioning system
for
administering and delivering software applications to client devices;
[0016] Figure 7 shows in a flowchart another example of a method of
application
provisioning, in accordance with an embodiment of the application provisioning
system; and
[0017] Figure 8 shows in a flowchart an example of a method of processing a
component package, in accordance with an embodiment of the application
provisioning system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
to [0018] The following description is of a preferred embodiment.
[0019] The present invention will be further illustrated in the following
examples.
[0020] Figure 1 shows in a network diagram an example of a system overview 100
of
a design, development and operational environment for deploying feature rich
applications (that may or may not use web services for communication with a
server)
15 to mobile devices and desktop personal computers, in accordance with an
embodiment
of the invention. The system overview 100 comprises one or more or mobile
client
components (or handheld terminals) 102 for allowing a user to collect, review
and
modify data; a server component 104 for providing applications and
connectivity
options to external systems; a network 106 for allowing the handheld terminals
102 to
20 communicate with the server component 104 via a communications protocol;
and a
back-end system (or host) 108 for providing a database or enterprise resource
planning
(ERP) system. Examples of mobile components may include personal computers
(PCs), vehicle mount computers, tablet PCs, and devices with embedded
operating
systems, etc.
25 [0021] Figure 2 shows in a layer diagram another example of a system
overview 200
of a design, development and operational environment, in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. The mobile client component 102 comprises one or
more client applications 202 that communicate with a web services client 204.
The
server component 104 comprises an Internet information server (IIS) 206 for
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communicating with the web services client 204, one or more server
applications 208
and a host interconnect module 210 for communicating with the host (or back-
end
system) 108. The server applications 208 communicate with both the IIS 206 and
the
host interconnect module 210.
[0022] An application console may be installed as client application 202 on
the
mobile client component 102 to provide a presentation layer and application
framework that end users use to collect, review and modify data. The
application
console communicates with the server component 104 via web services running on
the
IIS 206. The server component 104 is a middle tier where data is synchronized
before
being sent to the back-end system 108.
[0023] The server component 104 provides the applications and connectivity
options
to integrate back-end systems 108. A unified administration console for
administering
middleware on may be installed as a server application 206 to provide a single
source
for system management and monitoring and can be used remotely. Advantageously,
the unified administrative console simplifies mufti-site, mufti-device
management and
deployment. This allows for ease of deployment and controlled rollouts. Host
interconnect modules 210 provide the information and logic used to integrate
with the
back-end systems 108.
[0024] Back-end systems 108, whether databases or full-featured enterprise
resource
2o planning (ERP) systems, are supported via the host interconnect modules 210
installed
on the server component 104. Standard interface technologies are supported,
including extensible markup language (XML) and open database connectivity
(ODBC), as well as ERP-specific interfaces.
[0025] Figure 3 shows an example an application provisioning system 300 for
administering and delivering software applications to client devices 102, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The application provisioning
system 300 comprises a repository (or database) 304 for storing component
packages
and maintaining mobile device application profiles, a component manager web
service
module 306 for sending component packages to a mobile device, a component
3o manager client module 308 for receiving component packages and processing
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component packages, and a client repository 302 for storing a client profile.
The
component manager web service module 306 communicates with the repository 304
and with the component manager client module 308. The client repository 302
communicates with the component manager client module 308. The client
repository
302 and the component manager client module 308 are implemented as code in a
mobile device 102, while the repository 304 and component manager web service
module 306 are implemented as code in the server component 104. Other
components
may be added to the application provisioning system 300, including a component
manager administration module for creating a component package to be sent to a
1o mobile device 102, and a reporting module for advising an administrative
user of the
system regarding the state of the mobile workers and if any had problems
synchronizing.
[0026] Preferably, the mobile device 102 topology is centrally administered on
the
server 104. During administration, the workstation 102 (device or personal
computer)
15 is assigned to a site, which is a logical geographical unit (e.g., a
warehouse). A site
can have many workstations. When the application for the workstation is
developed it
is inserted into the repository 304 of components. Then the particular version
of the
application is assigned to the workstation. There is also another logical unit
called
Group. Group unlike the site is more logical then geographical, e.g., picking.
2o Workstations can be assigned from multiple sites to a group if those
workstations are
used for the same type of work. Then the application can be assigned to the
group and
it will get distributed to all workstations in that group (across multiple
sites).
Advantageously, the same application does not need to be assigned to every
single
workstation. Groups are further described below.
25 [0027] Figure 4 shows in a flowchart a method of application provisioning
(400), in
accordance with an embodiment of the application provisioning system 300.
Preferably, when an application console is run for the first time on a device
102, it
prompts the user for Site ~ and Workstation ID. This information is
communicated
to the server whenever required during communication. When a device 102 is
3o activated, the component manager client module 308 sends a request for the
device
application profile to the component management web service module 306. The
component management web service module 306 receives the request for the
device
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application profile (402) and obtains a component package that includes an
application profile (404) associated with the device 102 that is stored in the
repository
304. The component manager web service module 306 sends the component package
to the mobile device 102 (406) where it is processed (408). Other steps may be
added
to the method (400), including the steps of generating a component package to
be sent
to a mobile device 102, storing component packages in a repository along with
mobile
device profiles and user profiles, and receiving the component package.
[0028] A group is a logical grouping of workstations (e.g., by task). A
version of a
component can be assigned to the workstation directly or to the group. A
component
can have multiple versions. Preferably, each component has a collection of
install and
uninstall commands.
[0029] Figure 5 shows in a tree diagram an example of an organizational
grouping
500, in accordance with an embodiment of the application provisioning system
300.
The organizational grouping comprises a root company tier 502, a location tier
504 for
defining physical or logical locations, a group tier 506 for defining user
functionality,
and a workstation tier 508 for defining a specific site of the organization.
Business
applications are grouped together and then the groups are assigned to
workstations
102 (these groups can spawn across multiple sites). The workstations 102,
running a
single instance of the application provisioning system 300 in an application
console,
are defined for each site 506. This offers the flexibility of targeting
functionality to
groups of workstations that are designed specifically for that purpose.
Typically,
different devices are used for customer relationship management than the
devices used
at a receiving dock.
[0030] Preferably, users are also created on a per-site basis to ensure users
work in the
areas to which they are assigned. As the number and type of tasks each
workstation
user does can vary, it may be desirable to limit which users can perform the
tasks.
Users may be assigned roles, tokens and dynamic properties, which the
application
(device-based) or web method (server-based) validates to decide how the user
or
process may proceed. Provisioning is open to all users. An application (e.g.,
Picking)
can take advantage of roles, tokens, users and dynamic properties.
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[0031] Figure 6 shows another example of an application provisioning system
600 for
administering and delivering software applications to client devices 102. The
application provisioning system 600 comprises a component manager
administration
module 602 for creating a component package to be sent to a mobile device 102,
the
repository 304, the component manager web service module 306, the component
manager client module 308, and a client repository 608 for storing a client
profile
associated with the device 102. The component manager administration module
602
communicates with the repository 304 and is implemented as code in the server
component 104. The client repository 608 is implemented as code in the device
102
to and communicates with the component manager client module 308. The
component
package may include instructions regarding how to process the application
profile.
Other components may be added to the system 600, including a reporting module
for
advising an administrative user of the system regarding the state of the
mobile
workers and if any devices or users had problems synchronizing, and a
notification
15 module to notify a mobile client user that a device is up-to-date.
[0032] The client 202 contacts the server 204 upon start-up and synchronizes
the
assigned application. Upon start-up of the client 202, the component manager
client
module 308 is invoked and communicates with the component manager web service
module 306 to determine what components are assigned to the workstation 102
upon
2o which the client 202 is located. The service 306 returns the list of
components that
are assigned to the workstation 102 directly and indirectly through the group.
The
client 202 then checks a local repository 302 to see what components it
already has
installed to determine what new components to download and install. If there
is a
component installed on the client and that component (by version) does not
appear in
25 the list of components supplied by the service 306, such component will be
uninstalled (using uninstall commands).
[0033] Preferably, the component manager client 308 synchronizes the
workstation
components before logging-on to the client. That way the server can send the
user
database to the client. For example, if a user who worked in a first warehouse
was let
3o go by an organization, any interaction the user has with a mobile device is
undesirable
for the organization. Advantageously, the application provisioning system 300,
600
prevents any damage to the organization by having the device download a new
user
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database (before login) and then asking the user to login. Provided that the
component manager administration module 602 had been notified about the change
in
the user's relationship with the employer, the user is no longer able to
login.
[0034] Figure 7 shows in a flowchart another example of a method of
application
provisioning (700), in accordance with an embodiment of the application
provisioning
system 600. The method comprises the step of generating a component package
(702)
to be sent to a mobile device 102. The generated component package is stored
(704)
in a repository along with mobile device profiles and user profiles. When a
device
102 is activated, the component manager client module 308 sends a request for
the
to device application profile (706) to the component management web service
module
306. The component management web service module 306 receives the request for
the device application profile (402) and obtains a component package that
includes an
application profile (404) associated with the device 102 that is stored in the
repository
304. The component package may also include instructions regarding how to
process
15 the application profile. The component manager web service module 306 sends
the
component package to the mobile device 102 (406). The component package is
received by the component manager client module 308 (708) where it is
processed
(408).
[0035] Figure 8 shows in a flowchart an example of a method of processing a
2o component package (408), in accordance with an embodiment of the
application
provisioning system 600. The method (408) includes the step of comparing an
application profile included in the component package with a device profile
(710)
stored in the device repository 508. The component manager client module 308
looks
at the next application listed in the device profile (712). If the application
is not in the
25 device profile (714), then the component manager client module 308 sends a
request
for a version of the application (716) to the component manager web service
306. If
the application is in the device profile (714), but the application version
does not
match (718), then the component manager client module 308 sends a request for
a
version of the application (720) to the component manager web service 306. The
3o component manager web service 306 locates the application (722) in the
repository
304, preferably compresses it for better network performance, and sends it to
the
component manager client module 308 in a component package (724).
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[0036] If there is a previous version of the application installed (726), then
the
component manager client module 308 uninstalls the previous version of the
application (728) in the mobile client 202. The received version is installed
(730) in
the mobile client 202 and the device profile entry for this application is
updated to
match the corresponding application profile entry (732). Preferably,
instructions have
been sent earlier with the application profile, such that only the version of
the
application (preferably its binary is downloaded per request). Alternatively,
instructions may be sent along with an application binary. Once the device
profile is
updated (732) and there are more applications listed in application profile
(734), then
1o steps (712) to (732) are repeated until all the applications listed in the
application
profile are updated in the device.
[0037] For each application present in the device profile that is not present
in the
application profile (734), the component manager client module 308 uninstalls
the
application (728) from the mobile client 202 and updates the device profile
entry for
15 that application to match the corresponding application profile entry
(732).
Alternatively, an application may be disabled rather than uninstalled. Steps
(734) to
(732) are repeated until there are no more applications to uninstall from the
client.
Other steps may be added to the method (700) and/or processing step (408),
including
reporting the state of the mobile workers and if any devices or users had
problems
2o synchronizing, and sending a notification to a mobile client user that a
device is up-to-
date.
[0038] Advantageously, as an administrator operating on the server 104
determines
the distribution of the components on the server 104, the client component 102
is only
required to download any new components and install them as needed.
25 Advantageously, the application provisioning system 300, 600 provides a
centrally
managed application assignment that is transparent to the user. A client
component
102 downloads what applications are required automatically. Thus, a user is
not
prompted to download and install/uninstall the applications. The applications
assigned to the workstation (or mobile client) 102 are decided by the central
3o administrator. Preferably, web services is used for client to server
communication
(open standard).
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[0039] The application provisioning system and method according to the present
invention may be implemented by any hardware, software or a combination of
hardware and software having the above described functions. The software code,
either in its entirety or a part thereof, may be stored in a computer readable
memory.
Further, a computer data signal representing the software code which may be
embedded in a carrier wave may be transmitted via a communication network.
Such a
computer readable memory and a computer data signal are also within the scope
of the
present invention, as well as the hardware, software and the combination
thereof.
[0040] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown
and
to described, changes and modifications may be made to such embodiments
without
departing from the true scope of the invention.
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