Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING A SERVICE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND A MOBILE DATA
SERVER FOR CONNECTING TO A WIRELESS NETWORK
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to communications, and more
particularly to a method and system for establishing a service relationship
between a mobile communication device and a mobile data server for
connecting to a wireless network.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Mobile communication devices need to be provided with service
data in order to connect to a wireless network, such as a wireless voice
and/or
data network, and to use the wireless services available on such networks. The
process by which a service relationship is established between a mobile
communication device and a mobile data server is referred to as "activation"
in
that the process of establishing a service relationship activates the wireless
services for the mobile communication device. This process is sometimes
referred to as "provisioning"; however, this usage of the term is unrelated to
the separate "provisioning" process which occurs at the wireless carrier
level.
[0003] Activation of a mobile communication devices is required for new
devices which do not have an existing service relationship, and may be
required
in other circumstances such as during device switch operations in which the
device associated with a wireless network subscription is switched (for
example,
when a SIM card is swapped between mobile communication devices) or when
the service data affecting the mobile communication devices or the mobile data
server changes. Activation of a mobile communication device must be done
securely in order to prevent unauthorized users from activating a device on a
mobile data server, for example, in a denial of service (DOS) attack.
Typically,
the mobile communication devices are activated by connecting the mobile
communication device to a computer which is a securely connected to the
wireless connector system (e.g. a mobile data server) which controls access to
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the wireless network. This secure connection is often provided by connecting
to
the mobile data server via a local area network (such as an enterprise
network).
[0004] Thus, there exists a need to provide an improved method and
system for establishing a service relationship between a mobile communication
device and a mobile data server for connecting to a wireless network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a communication system
including a mobile communication device to which example embodiments of the
present disclosure can be applied;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a mobile communication
device in which example embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the device communications
infrastructure utilized by a Web-based device management application on a
computer in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the device
communications infrastructure of FIG. 3 in further detail;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a communications exchange in
accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operations for loading device
software in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating operations for establishing a
service relationship between a mobile communication device and a mobile data
server in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; and
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[0012] FIG. 8 a flowchart illustrating a communications exchange in a
wireline activation of a mobile communication device in accordance with one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0013] It will be noted that throughout the drawings and description
similar features are identified by the same reference numerals.
SUMMARY
[0014] In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure,
there is provided a method for establishing a service relationship between a
mobile communication device and a mobile data server for connecting to a
wireless network, wherein the mobile communication device is connected to a
computer through a communications protocol, the method comprising:
displaying a web page including a scripting language within an Internet
browser
on the computer, the Internet browser including a scripting engine for
executing
the scripting language; providing a scripting-language capable device
controller
for interfacing communications between the scripting engine and the mobile
communication device in accordance with the communications protocol
connecting the computer and mobile communication device; receiving by the
Internet browser of a first request to establish the service relationship
between
the mobile communication device and the mobile data server via a user
interface element of the web page; receiving a device identifier and device
capability data by the scripting-language capable device controller from the
mobile communication device in response to the first request; sending the
device identifier and device capability data from the scripting-language
capable
device controller to the scripting engine of the Internet browser; sending the
device identifier and device capability data and the second request to
establish
the service relationship between the mobile communication device from the
Internet browser to a mobile data administration server in communication with
the computer via a communications network; receiving service data for the
mobile communication device from the mobile data administration server by the
Internet browser in response to the second request; sending the service data
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from the Internet browser to the scripting-language capable device controller;
sending the service data from the scripting-language capable device controller
to the mobile communication device through the communications protocol; and
storing the service data in a memory of the mobile communication device.
[0015] In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure,
there is provided a data processing system, comprising: a processor for
controlling the operation of the data processing system; a data interface
connected to the processor and configured for communicating with a mobile
communication device and for exchanging data with the mobile communication
device through a communications protocol; an Internet browser including a
scripting engine for executing a scripting language; a scripting-language
capable device controller for interfacing communications from the scripting
engine with the mobile communication device in accordance with the
communications protocol; a communications subsystem for exchanging data
with a communications network; a display connected to the processor for
displaying a web page within a Internet browser instance; means for receiving
by the Internet browser of a first request to establish the service
relationship
between the mobile communication device and the mobile data server via a
user interface element of the web page; means for receiving a device
identifier
and device capability data by the scripting-language capable device controller
from the mobile communication device in response to the first request; means
for sending the device identifier and device capability data from the
scripting-
language capable device controller to the scripting engine of the Internet
browser; means for sending the device identifier and device capability data
and
the first request to establish the service relationship between the mobile
communication device from the Internet browser to a mobile data
administration server in communication with the computer via a
communications network; means for receiving service data for the mobile
communication device from the mobile data administration server by the
Internet browser in response to the first request; means for sending the
service data from the Internet browser to the scripting-language capable
device
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controller; means for sending the service data from the scripting-language
capable device controller to the mobile communication device through the
communications protocol; and means for storing the service data in a memory
of the mobile communication device.
[0016] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a method for use by a server for establishing a
service relationship between a mobile communication device and a mobile data
server for connecting to a wireless network, wherein the mobile communication
device is connected to a computer through a communications protocol, the
method comprising: receiving device identifier and device capability data
about
a mobile communication device connected to the computer via a
communications network connecting the server to the computer; generating
service data for the mobile communication device in accordance with the device
identifier and device capability data; sending the service data to the
computer
via the communications network; and commencing service to the mobile
communication device when an acknowledgement message that the service
data has been stored on the mobile communication device is received by the
server.
[0017] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a server for establishing a service relationship
between a mobile communication device and a mobile data server for
connecting to a wireless network, wherein the mobile communication device is
connected to a computer through a communications protocol, the server
comprising: means for receiving by a mobile data administration server of
device identifier and device capability data about a mobile communication
device connected to the computer via a communications network connecting
the mobile data administration server to the computer; means for generating
service data for the mobile communication device in accordance with the device
identifier and device capability data; means for sending the service data to
the
computer via the communications network; and means for commencing service
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to the mobile communication device when an acknowledgement message that
the service data has been stored on the mobile communication device is
received by the server.
[0018] In accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure,
there is provided computer program products comprising a computer readable
medium having stored thereon computer program instructions for implementing
the methods described herein on a suitable data processing device (e.g.
computer or server).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
System Overview
[0019] Reference is first made to FIG. 1 which shows in block diagram
form a communication system 100 in which example embodiments of the
present disclosure can be applied. The communication system 100 comprises
a number of mobile communication devices 201 (described in greater detail in
FIG. 2) which may be connected to the remainder of system 100 in any of
several different ways. Accordingly, several instances of mobile communication
devices 201 are depicted in FIG. 1 employing different example ways of
connecting to system 100. Mobile communication devices 201 are connected to
a wireless network 101 which may comprise one or more of a Wireless Wide
Area Network (WWAN) 102 and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) 104 or
other suitable network arrangements. In some embodiments, the mobile
communication devices 201 are configured to communicate over both the
WWAN 102 and WLAN 104, and to roam between these networks. In some
embodiments, the wireless network 101 may comprise multiple WWANs 102
and WLANs 104.
[0020] The WWAN 102 comprises a wireless network gateway 110 which
connects the mobile communication devices 201 to the Internet 112, and
through the Internet 112 to a wireless connector system comprising a mobile
data server 120. The mobile data server 120 may be operated by an enterprise
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such as a corporation which allows access to a network 124 such as an internal
or enterprise network and its resources, or the mobile data server 120 may be
operated by a mobile network provider. If the mobile data server 120 is
operated by a mobile network service provider, the network 124 may be the
Internet 112 rather than an internal or enterprise network.
[0021] The wireless network gateway 110 provides translation and routing
services between the mobile data server 120 and the WWAN 102, which
facilitates communication between the mobile communication devices 201 and
other devices (not shown) connected, directly or indirectly, to the wireless
network 101. Accordingly, communications sent via the mobile communication
devices 201 are transported via the wireless network 101 to the wireless
network gateway 110. The wireless gateway 110 forwards the communications
to the mobile data server 120 via the Internet 112. Communications sent from
the mobile data server 120 are received by the wireless network gateway 110
and transported via the wireless network 101 to the mobile communication
devices 201.
[0022] The WWAN 102 may be implemented as a packet-based cellular
network that includes a number of transceiver base stations 108 (one of which
is shown in The WWAN 102 may be implemented using any suitable network
technology. By way of example, by not limitation, the WWAN 102 may be
implemented as a packet-based wireless network that includes a number of
transceiver base stations 108 (one of which is shown in FIG. 1) where each of
the base stations 108 provides wireless Radio Frequency (RF) coverage to a
corresponding area or cell. The WWAN 102 is typically operated by a mobile
network service provider that provides subscription packages to users of the
mobile communication devices 201. In some embodiments, the WWAN 102
conforms to one or more of the following wireless network types: Mobitex Radio
Network, DataTAC, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), GPRS
(General Packet Radio System), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), CDMA
(Code Division Multiple Access), CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data), iDEN
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(integrated Digital Enhanced Network), EvDO (Evolution-Data Optimized)
CDMA2000, EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution), UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunication Systems), HSPDA (High-Speed Downlink Packet
Access), WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or various
other networks. Although WWAN 102 is described as a "Wide-Area" network,
that term is intended herein also to incorporate wireless Metropolitan Area
Networks (WMAN) and other similar technologies for providing coordinated
service wirelessly over an area larger than that covered by typical WLANs.
[0023] The WLAN 104 comprises a wireless network which, in some
embodiments, conforms to IEEE 802.11x standards (sometimes referred to as
Wi-FiTM) such as, for example, the IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b and/or 802.11g
standard. Other communication protocols may be used for the WLAN 104 in
other embodiments such as, for example, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.16e (also
referred to as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access or "WiMAX"), or
IEEE 802.20 (also referred to as Mobile Wireless Broadband Access). The WLAN
104 includes one or more wireless RF Access Points (AP) 114 (one of which is
shown in FIG. 1) that collectively provide a WLAN coverage area.
[0024] The WLAN 104 may be a personal network of the user, an
enterprise network, or a hotspot offered by an Internet service provider
(ISP), a
mobile network provider, or a property owner in a public or semi-public area,
for example. The access points 114 are connected to an access point (AP)
interface 116 which connects to the mobile data server 120 directly (for
example, if the access point 114 is part of an enterprise WLAN 104 in which
the
mobile data server 120 resides), or indirectly via the Internet 112 if the
access
point 14 is a personal Wi-Fi network or Wi-Fi hotspot (in which case a
mechanism for securely connecting to the mobile data server 120, such as a
virtual private network (VPN), may be required). The AP interface 116 provides
translation and routing services between the access points 114 and the mobile
data server 120 to facilitate communication, directly or indirectly, with the
mobile data server 120.
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[0025] It will be appreciated that the WWAN 102 and WLAN 104 may
have coverage areas that overlap, at least partially. Typically, the coverage
area of the WWAN 102 will be much larger than the coverage area of the WLAN
104 and may overlap all or a large percentage of the coverage area of the
WLAN 104. The WLAN 104 may have sole coverage in some regions that are
dead spots in the WWAN 102. For example, some interior locations of buildings
may be impenetrable to signals transmitted by the WWAN 102. Typically, the
channel resources, such as bandwidth available for providing content to the
mobile communication devices 201 will be greater over the WLAN 104 than over
the WWAN 102.
[0026] The mobile data server 120 may be implemented as one or more
server modules, and is typically located behind a firewall 113. The mobile
data
server 120 manages communications to and from a set of managed mobile
communication devices 201 such that the mobile communication devices 201
are each enabled to exchange electronic messages and other information with
each other and computers, for example via the Internet 112. The mobile data
server 120 also provides administrative control and management capabilities
over users and mobile communication devices 201 which may connect to the
mobile data server 120.
[0027] The mobile data server 120 allows the mobile communication
devices 201 to access the network 124 and connected resources and services
such as a messaging server 132 (for example, a Microsoft ExchangeTM, IBM
Lotus DominoTM, or Novell GroupWiseTM email server) for implementing or
connecting to a messaging system, an Internet server 134 for connecting to the
Internet 112 and World Wide Web (WWW), and application servers 136 for
implementing server-based applications such as instant messaging (IM)
applications or for accessing other servers such as content servers. The
messaging server 132 maintains a user mailbox for each user of the mobile
data server 120 in a mailbox database or "mailstore" 133. The Internet server
134 and/or application servers 136 may, in some operational modes, function
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as proxy servers for obtaining content from remote content sources such as
content servers (sometimes referred to as origin servers).
[0028] The mobile data server 120 also provides a secure exchange of
data (e.g., email messages, personal information manager (PIM) data, and IM
data) with the mobile communication devices 201. In at least some
embodiments, communications between the mobile data server 120 and the
mobile communication devices 201 are encrypted. In some embodiments,
communications are encrypted using a symmetric encryption key implemented
using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or Triple Data Encryption Standard
(Triple DES) encryption. Private encryption keys are generated in a secure
environment and are used for both encryption and decryption of data. In some
embodiments, the private encryption key is stored on the messaging server 132
(for example, in the user's mailbox) and on the mobile communication device
201. In other embodiments, the private encryption key maintained by the
mobile data server 120 is stored elsewhere. The location of the private
encryption key maintained by the mobile data server 120 typically depends on
the messaging server 132 which is used. The private encryption key may, in
some embodiments, be regenerated by the user on mobile communication
devices 201. Data sent to the mobile communication devices 201 is encrypted
by the mobile data server 120 using the private encryption key retrieved from
the user's mailbox or other location. The encrypted data, when received on the
mobile communication devices 201, is decrypted using the private encryption
key stored in memory. Similarly, data sent to the mobile data server 120 from
the mobile communication devices 201 is encrypted using the private
encryption key stored in the memory of the mobile communication device 201.
The encrypted data, when received on the mobile data server 120, is decrypted
using the private encryption key retrieved from the user's mailbox or other
location.
[0029] The mobile data server 120 may also comprise an Internet
connectivity module (not shown) which provides TCP/IP (transmission control
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protocol/Internet protocol) and HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol)-based
connectivity providing an Internet based service connection. The Internet
connectivity module provides the mobile communication devices 102 with
access to the Internet 112 and World Wide Web (WWW) and possibly other
external communication networks connected directly or indirectly to the mobile
data server 120. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the Internet
connectivity
module may be implemented by a separate server or server application which is
connected to the mobile data server 120.
[0030] The wireless network gateway 110 is adapted to send data packets
received from the mobile communication device 201 over the WWAN 102 to the
mobile data server 120. The mobile data server 120 then sends the data
packets to the appropriate connection point such as the messaging server 132,
Internet server 134, or application servers 136 where the data packets can be
sent to the appropriate end point. Conversely, the mobile data server 120
sends data packets received, for example, from the messaging server 132,
Internet server 134, or application server 136 to the wireless network gateway
110 which then transmit the data packets to the destination mobile
communication device 201. The AP interfaces 116 of the WLAN 104 provide
similar sending functions between the mobile communication device 201, the
mobile data server 120 and network connection point such as the messaging
server 132, Internet server 134, and application server 136.
[0031] The network 124 may comprise a private local area network,
metropolitan area network, wide area network or combinations thereof and may
include virtual networks constructed using any of these, alone, or in
combination. A user may connect to the mobile data server 120 using a
computer 117, such as desktop or notebook computer, via the network 124. If
the mobile data server 120 is operated by a mobile network provider rather
than an enterprise, the network 124 may be the Internet 112. If the mobile
data server 120 is operated by an enterprise, there may be a number of
enterprise computers 117 connected to the network 124.
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[0032] The mobile data server 120 is typically configured to enforce IT
(information technology) policies on the mobile communication devices 201. IT
policies are rules which govern the functionality of the mobile communication
devices 201. The mobile data server 120 may periodically transmit IT policy
messages to enforce, modify, or terminate IT policies on the connected
computing devices. The mobile data server 120 transmits the IT policy
messages through the wireless network 101 to its managed mobile
communication devices 201 or via the physical interface (e.g., serial data
port
252 (FIG. 2) such as a USB port) or short-range wireless communication
interface (e.g., Bluetooth connection) 106 when connected to the user's
computer 117. The IT policy messages may be security policies (such as data
protection security policies), information and/or security settings regarding
these policies, and/or commands to be executed by the mobile communication
devices 201.
[0033] IT policies can be set by an IT administrator of the network 124 by
sending an appropriate IT policy message to the mobile communication devices
201 managed by the mobile data server 120. The periodic transmission of IT
policy messages from the mobile data server 120 the managed mobile
communication devices 201 assists in ensuring, among other things, that each
of the mobile communication devices 201 is kept up to date with the latest IT
policy. The content and frequency of IT policy messages may be set by the IT
administrator. Private and public key pairs are typically used to authenticate
the IT policy messages. The IT policy private key is stored in the mobile data
server 120. The IT policy public key 276 is stored on the mobile communication
device 201. The mobile data server 120 digitally signs all IT policy messages
using the IT policy public key which uses the IT policy public key to
authenticate the digital signature in received IT policy messages. The IT
policy
messages 274 and/or rules contained within the IT policy messages may be
stored in the memory (e.g., flash memory 244) of the mobile communication
device 201.
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[0034] The mobile data server 120 is connected to a mobile data
administration server 122 in a secure manner. The mobile data administration
server 122 may be operated by an enterprise which operates the mobile data
server 120, or the mobile data administration server 122 may be a public
server accessible to non-enterprise users and enterprise users. The mobile
data administration server 122 provides administrative services including
administrative control and management capabilities in relation to users and
mobile communication devices 201 connecting to the mobile data server 120.
The mobile data administration server 122 may be implemented on the
computer that hosts the mobile data server 120 or on a separate computer.
Users may access the mobile data administration server 122 via a Web server
121 or Internet server using an Internet browser 310 (FIG. 3) on a computer
117, for example, using an HTTPS connection over an encrypted SSL or TLS
connection. A Web-based device management application 302 may be
accessed via the Internet browser 310 on the computers 117 to access the
mobile data administration server 122 to perform administrative services in
relation to their mobile communication devices 201. The Web-based device
management application 302 is a Web-based client for end users which is
described in more detail below. The mobile data administration server 122
performs authentication functions for users seeking to access the mobile data
administration server 122 via the Web server 121 using the Web-based device
management application 302. The Web-based device management application
302 is a Web-based client for end users which is described in more detail
below.
The Web server 121 acts as a front end for Web-based device management
application 302. In some embodiments, Web server 121 may be a part of the
mobile data administration server 122.
[0035] Enterprise deployments may have controls, for example via IT
policy settings, which may be used to control whether or not enterprise users
may access a public mobile data administration server 122 and/or control the
functions which may be performed via a public mobile data administration
server 122. For example, enterprise deployments may have controls in relation
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to whether or not enterprise users may perform a device software upgrade via
a public mobile data administration server 122 and/or control the device
software which may be loaded onto enterprise devices 201. The IT policies
settings may be stored on enterprise devices 201 as noted above, for example
in a secure memory area to prevent tampering by device users.
[0036] The mobile data administration server 122 and mobile data server
120 are each connected to a configuration database 126. In some
embodiments, the mobile data server 120 directly communicates with the
mobile data administration server 122 when needed using Remote Procedure
Calls (RPC). A shared secret stored in the configuration database 126 is used
to authenticate messages sent between the mobile data server 120 and mobile
data administration server 122. In other embodiments, the mobile data server
120 may be connected to the mobile data administration server 122 using a
secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS) connection over an encrypted
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) connection.
[0037] The configuration database 126 is directly connected, or indirectly
connected by the mobile data administration server 122, to a second database
containing a device software share (or store) 404. The configuration database
126 may comprise the device software share 404. The device software share
404 is typically a shared network file system rather than a relational
database.
[0038] The mobile data administration server 122 is typically connected to
the configuration database 126 using a secure connection which may be
implemented using HTTPs, or which may be otherwise "secured" to prevent
other users on the network 124 reading data sent between the mobile data
administration server 122 and configuration database 126. The configuration
database 126 is a relational database which contains configuration information
such as user account data (such as user account profiles also known as user
account records) and mobile data server connection details. In some
embodiments, depending on the messaging server 132, at least a subset of the
user account data from the configuration database 126 is also stored in a
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corresponding user-specific location in the mailbox database 133. When the
messaging server 132 is a Microsoft ExchangeTM, at least a subset of the user
account data from the configuration database 126 may be stored directly in the
respective user mailbox in the mailbox database 133. When the messaging
server 132 is an IBM Lotus DominoTM messaging server, at least a subset of the
user account data from the configuration database 126 may be stored in a
parallel location to respective user mailbox within a distributed storage
system
of the messaging server 132. The mobile data server 120 can access user
mailboxes of the messaging server 132 in the mailbox database 133; however
the mobile data administration server 122 cannot access user mailboxes
directly.
[0039] In other embodiments, at least some of the functions of the mobile
data administration server 122 and mobile data server 120 could be combined
in a common server. In some embodiments, all functions of the mobile data
administration server 122, and possibly the Web server 121, may be performed
by the mobile data server 120 thereby eliminating the mobile data
administration server 122 and possibly the Web server 121.
[0040] The mobile data administration server 122 and mobile data server
120 could be computers implementing one or more server applications
configured for performing the processes and functions described herein. The
servers 120, 122 each comprise a controller comprising at least one
microprocessor for controlling its overall operation and a communication
subsystem. The communication subsystem performs communication functions
for directly or indirectly communicating with various connection points of the
communication system 100, such as the network 124 and servers 132, 134,
136, the AP interfaces 116 of the WLAN 104, the wireless network gateway 110
of the WWAN 102, and the mobile communication devices 201. The
communication subsystem comprises at least a WWAN communication
subsystem (not shown) for two-way communication with the WWAN 102 and
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possibly a WLAN communication subsystem (not shown) for two-way
communication with the WLAN 104 via the access points 116.
[0041] The servers 120, 122 may further comprise a display screen or
monitor connected to the microprocessor, one or more user input devices such
as a keyboard and navigation tool (such as a mouse) connected to the
microprocessor for sending user input signals to the microprocessor in
response
to user inputs, one or more memories or electronic storage elements connected
to the microprocessor such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or other non-volatile
memory such as flash memory, a random access memory (RAM), a read only
memory (ROM), a data port such as serial data port (for example, a Universal
Serial Bus (USB) data port), and auxiliary input/output (I/O) devices. Other
features of the servers 120, 122 for implementing the processes and functions
described herein will be appreciated by persons ordinarily skilled in the art.
[0042] The microprocessor of the servers 120, 122 operate under stored
program control and execute software modules stored in memory such as
persistent memory, for example, in the HDD. The software modules comprise
data and instructions which may comprise operating system software and
software applications. Data necessary for performing the various functions of
the servers 120, 122 are also stored on the HDD. Those skilled in the art will
appreciate that the software modules or parts thereof may be temporarily
loaded into volatile memory such as the RAM. The RAM is used for storing
runtime data variables and other types of data or information, as will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Although specific functions are
described
for various types of memory, this is merely an example, and those skilled in
the
art will appreciate that a different assignment of functions to types of
memory
could also be used.
[0043] A link 106 may be provided for exchanging information between
the mobile communication device 201 and a computer 117 connected to the
mobile data server 120. The link 106 may comprise one or both of a physical
interface and short-range wireless communication interface 106. The physical
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interface may comprise one or combinations of an Ethernet connection,
Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, FirewireTM (also known as an IEEE 1394
interface) connection, or other serial data connection, via respective ports
or
interfaces of the mobile communication device 201 and computer 117. The
short-range wireless communication interface is a personal area network (PAN)
interface. A Personal Area Network is a wireless point-to-point connection
meaning no physical cables are required to connect the two end points. The
short-range wireless communication interface may comprise one or a
combination of an infrared (IR) connection such as an Infrared Data
Association
(IrDA) connection, a short-range radio frequency (RF) connection such as
Bluetooth or IEEE 802.15.3a, also referred to as UltraWideband (UWB), or
other PAN connection.
[0044] The computer 117 typically comprises a controller having at least
processor (i.e., microprocessor) for controlling its operation, a
communications
subsystem connected to the processor for communicating with the
communication system 100, a display screen or monitor connected to the
processor, one or more user input devices such as a keyboard and mouse
connected to the processor for sending user input signals to the processor in
response to user inputs, a memory or storage element s connected to the
processor such as a hard disk drive (HDD), RAM, ROM and/or other suitable
memory connected to the processor, and other suitable input and output
devices (not shown) as desired or required. The memory has data and
instructions stored thereon for configuring the processor and computer 117.
Operating system software, software applications, and data used by the
processor are stored in the memory. The software and data configure the
operation of the computer 117. Other features of the computer 117 for
implementing the processes and functions described herein will be appreciated
by persons ordinarily skilled in the art.
[0045] It will be appreciated that the above-described communication
system is provided for the purpose of illustration only, and that the above-
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described communication system comprises one possible communication
network configuration of a multitude of possible configurations for use with
the
mobile communication devices 201. Suitable variations of the communication
system will be understood to a person of skill in the art and are intended to
fall
within the scope of the present disclosure.
Example mobile communication device
[0046] Referring back to FIG. 2, an example mobile communication device
201 in which example embodiments described in the present disclosure can be
applied will now be described in further detail. The mobile communication
device 201 is a two-way communication device having at least data and
possibly also voice communication capabilities, and the capability to
communicate with other computer systems, for example, via the Internet.
Depending on the functionality provided by the mobile communication device
201, in various embodiments the device may be a data communication device,
a multiple-mode communication device configured for both data and voice
communication, a mobile telephone, a PDA (personal digital assistant) enabled
for wireless communication or smartphone, or a computer system with a
wireless modem.
[0047] The mobile communication device 201 includes a wireless
communication subsystem 211 for exchanging radio frequency signals with the
wireless network 101. The wireless communication subsystem 211 comprises
at least one of a WAN communication subsystem for two-way communication
with the WWAN 102 and a WLAN communication subsystem two-way
communication with the WLAN 104 via the access points 116. The wireless
communication subsystem 211 includes a receiver 214, a transmitter 216, and
associated components, such as one or more antenna elements 218 and 220,
local oscillators (LOs) 222, and a processing module such as a digital signal
processor (DSP) 224. The antenna elements 218 and 220 may be embedded or
internal to the mobile communication device 201 and a single antenna may be
shared by both receiver and transmitter, as is known in the art. As will be
18
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
apparent to those skilled in the field of communication, the particular design
of
the wireless communication subsystem 221 depends on the wireless network
101 in which mobile communication device 201 is intended to operate.
[0048] The mobile communication device 201 may communicate with any
one of a plurality of fixed transceiver base stations 108 of the wireless
network
101 within its geographic coverage area. The mobile communication device 201
may send and receive communication signals over the wireless network 101
after the required network registration or activation procedures have been
completed. Signals received by the antenna 218 through the wireless network
101 are input to the receiver 214, which may perform such common receiver
functions as signal amplification, frequency down conversion, filtering,
channel
selection, etc., as well as analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion. A/D conversion
of
a received signal allows more complex communication functions such as
demodulation and decoding to be performed in the DSP 224. In a similar
manner, signals to be transmitted are processed, including modulation and
encoding, for example, by the DSP 224. These DSP-processed signals are input
to the transmitter 216 for digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion, frequency up
conversion, filtering, amplification, and transmission to the wireless network
101 via the antenna 220. The DSP 224 not only processes communication
signals, but may also provide for receiver and transmitter control. For
example,
the gains applied to communication signals in the receiver 214 and the
transmitter 216 may be adaptively controlled through automatic gain control
algorithms implemented in the DSP 224.
[0049] The mobile communication device 201 includes a microprocessor
240 which controls the overall operation of the mobile communication device
201. The microprocessor 240 interacts with communication subsystem 211
which performs communication functions. The microprocessor 240 also interacts
with additional device subsystems which may include but are not limited to a
display device 242 which may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a flash
memory 244, a random access memory (RAM) 246, a read only memory (ROM)
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248, auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems 250, a data port 252 such as
serial data port (for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data port), a
keyboard or keypad 254, a speaker 256, microphone 258, a navigation tool 260
such as a clickable scroll wheel (also referred to as a track wheel or
thumbwheel) or trackball, a short-range communication subsystem 262, and
other device subsystems generally designated as 264. Different numbers and
combinations of the aforementioned device subsystems may be present in
various embodiments, and not all need be present in some embodiments. The
keypad 254 maybe either a complete alphanumeric keypad, a limited, reduced,
or simplified alphanumeric keypad, or a telephone-type keypad. In some
embodiments, the mobile communication device 201 may comprise a
touchscreen display which, in at least some embodiments, includes a touch-
sensitive input surface which overlays the display device 242. In such
embodiments, the keypad 254 may be omitted, and possibly the navigation tool
260 may be realized using the touch-sensitive input surface.
[0050] The microprocessor 240 operates under stored program control
and executes software modules 220 stored in memory such as persistent
memory, for example, in the flash memory 244. The software modules 220
comprise operating system software 254 and software applications 258. Those
skilled in the art will appreciate that the software modules 220 or parts
thereof
may be temporarily loaded into volatile memory such as the RAM 246. The
RAM 246 is used for storing runtime data variables and other types of data or
information, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Although
specific
functions are described for various types of memory, this is merely an
example,
and those skilled in the art will appreciate that a different assignment of
functions to types of memory could also be used.
[0051] The software applications 258 may include a range of applications,
including, for example, an address book application, a messaging application,
a
calendar application, and/or a notepad application. In some embodiments, the
software applications 258 includes one or more of a Web browser application
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
(i.e., for a Web-enabled mobile communication device), an email message
application, a push content viewing application, a voice communication (i.e.
telephony) application, a map application, and a media player application.
Each
of the software applications 258 may include layout information defining the
placement of particular fields and graphic elements (e.g. text fields, input
fields,
icons, etc.) in the user interface (i.e. the display device 242) according to
the
application.
[0052] The mobile communication device 201 stores data 220 in an
erasable persistent memory, which in one example embodiment is the flash
memory 244. In various embodiments, the data 220 includes service data 222
comprising information required by the mobile communication device 201 to
establish and maintain communication with the wireless communication
network 101 (wireless network service data) and the wireless gateway 110
(gateway service data). The data 220 may also include user application data
226 such as email messages, address book and contact information, calendar
and schedule information, notepad documents, image files, and other
commonly stored user information stored on the mobile communication device
201 by its user, or other data 228. The data 220 may also include data
required for the communication layers managed by the mobile data server 120
and servers 132, 134, 136. The data 220 may include critical data that the
user of mobile communication device 201 or the user's associated enterprise
does not want to be accessed by an unauthorized party. Some of the data 220
may be stored on the memory card 230. The data 220 stored in the persistent
memory (e.g. flash memory 244) of the mobile communication device 201 may
be organized, at least partially, into a number of databases each containing
data items of the same data type or associated with the same application. For
example, email messages, contact records, and task items may be stored in
individual databases within the device memory.
[0053] In some embodiments, the auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems
250 may comprise an external communication link or interface, for example, a
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Global Positioning System (GPS) communication subsystem for communicating
with a satellite network (not shown) for navigation or other functionality, an
Ethernet interface, or wireless communication interfaces for communicating
with other types of wireless networks such as, for example, an orthogonal
frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) network.
[0054] The serial data port 252 may be used in handheld communication
devices such as smartphones for synchronization with the user's computer 117
and may be used to implement link 106 (FIG. 1) The serial data port 252 may
allow a user to set preferences on the device 201 using the computer 117 and
extends the capabilities of the mobile communication device 201 by providing
for information or software downloads to the mobile communication device 201
other than through the wireless network 101. The alternate download path
may, for example, be used to load an encryption key onto the mobile
communication device 201 through a direct, reliable and trusted connection to
thereby provide secure device communication.
[0055] In some embodiments, the mobile communication device 201 also
includes a removable memory card 230 (typically comprising flash memory)
and a memory card interface 232. Network access to the WWAN 102, and
possibly the WLAN 104, is typically associated with a subscriber or user of
the
mobile communication device 201 via the memory card 230, which may be a
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or other type of memory card for use in
the relevant wireless network type. The memory card 130 is inserted in or
connected to the memory card interface 232 of the mobile communication
device 201 in order to operate in conjunction with the wireless network 101.
[0056] The mobile communication device 201 also includes a battery 238
as a power source, which is typically one or more rechargeable batteries that
may be charged, for example, through charging circuitry connected to a battery
interface such as the serial data port 252. The battery 238 provides
electrical
power to at least some of the electrical circuitry in the mobile communication
device 201, and the battery interface 236 provides a mechanical and electrical
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
connection for the battery 238. The battery interface 236 is connected to a
regulator (not shown) which provides power V+ to the circuitry of the mobile
communication device 201.
[0057] The short-range communication subsystem 262 is an optional
component which provides for communication between the mobile
communication device 201 and different systems or devices, which need not
necessarily be similar devices. The subsystem 262 may include an infrared
device and associated circuits and components, or a wireless bus protocol
compliant communication mechanism such as a Bluetooth communication
module to provide for communication with similarly-enabled systems and
devices (Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.).
[0058] A predetermined set of applications that control basic device
operations, including data and possibly voice communication applications will
normally be installed on the mobile communication device 201 during or after
manufacture. Additional applications and/or upgrades to the operating system
254 or software applications 258 may also be loaded onto the mobile
communication device 201 through the wireless network 101, the auxiliary I/O
subsystem 250, the serial data port 252, the short-range communication
subsystem 262, or other suitable subsystem 264 other wireless communication
interfaces. The downloaded programs or code modules may be permanently
installed, for example, written into the program memory (i.e. the flash memory
244), or written into and executed from the RAM 246 for execution by the
microprocessor 240 at runtime. Such flexibility in application installation
increases the functionality of the mobile communication device 201 and may
provide enhanced on-device functions, communication-related functions, or
both. For example, secure communication applications may enable electronic
commerce functions and other such financial transactions to be performed using
the mobile communication device 201.
[0059] The mobile communication device 201 may include a personal
information manager (PIM) application having the ability to organize and
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manage data items relating to a user such as, but not limited to, instant
messaging, email, calendar events, voice mails, appointments, and task items.
The PIM application has the ability to send and receive data items via the
wireless network 101. In some example embodiments, PIM data items are
seamlessly combined, synchronized, and upgraded via the wireless network
101, with the user's corresponding data items stored and/or associated with
the
user's computer 117, thereby creating a mirrored host computer on the mobile
communication device 201 with respect to these data items.
[0060] The mobile communication device 201 may provide two principal
modes of communication: a data communication mode and an optional voice
communication mode. In the data communication mode, a received data signal
such as a text message, an email message, or Web page download will be
processed by the communication subsystem 211 and input to the
microprocessor 240 for further processing. For example, a downloaded Web
page may be further processed by a browser application or an email message
may be processed by an email message application and output to the display
242. A user of the mobile communication device 201 may also compose data
items, such as email messages, for example, using the keypad 254 and/or the
navigation tool 260 in conjunction with the display 242 and possibly the
auxiliary I/O device 250. The keypad 254 maybe either a complete
alphanumeric keypad or telephone-type keypad. These composed items may be
transmitted through the communication subsystem 211 over the wireless
network 101.
Web-based device management application
[0061] Referring now to FIG. 3 and 4, a Web-based device management
application 302 in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure
will now be described. The Web-based device management application 302 is a
Web-based client interface which allows users to manage and configure their
mobile communication devices 201 to receive messages. The Web-based
device management application 302 works in conjunction with the mobile data
24
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
administration server 122. The mobile data administration server 122 is the
server side component which processes and manages server side Web-based
device management application 302 tasks. The Web-based device
management application 302 provides users with the ability to perform a
controlled set of self-serve operations that cannot be readily performed on
the
mobile communication device 201 alone. Depending on the embodiment, the
Web-based device management application 302 allows device users to: (i)
activate their device; (ii) upgrade device software; (iii) install third party
applications; (iv) backup and restore device data; (v) configure device
settings;
(vi) obtain and review device service information; (vii) create activation
passwords; (viii) connect a device via USB and manage more than one device
concurrently; and/or (ix) obtain and review device service statistics.
[0062] The Web-based device management application 302 also provides
administrators with an additional way to deploy and manage mobile
communication devices 201 such as enterprise devices including, in at least
some embodiments, the ability to upgrade client software on the mobile
communication devices 201. The Web-based device management application
302 also provides administrators with the ability to enable/disable device
user
features, and customize the device user web interface, for example, to include
a
company logo or change text font colours. The Web-based device management
application 302 may be accessed from most, if not any, computer having an
Internet connection and any necessary communication component installed
(i.e., any communication interfaces and device communication stack
components), and is conveniently accessible for both users and administrators.
[0063] The Web-based device management application 302 may be
advantageous for organizations that prefer not to deploy client-based software
on some or all of the computers of their mobile device users. The Web-based
device management application 302 may also assist in reducing the total cost
of
ownership for organizations by reducing the overhead costs associated with
deploying, supporting and maintaining client software on the mobile
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
communication devices 201 and supporting software on the device users'
computers 117.
[0064] The supporting software on user computers 117 typically requires
periodic upgrading. This may be complicated in an enterprise environment
since users may not be technically capable of upgrading the software
themselves or may not have the security privileges required to perform an
upgrade. Typically, the operation of performing a software upgrade in an
enterprise environment is restricted to administrators. Therefore, software
upgrades typically require administrators to perform the upgrade on each
computer 117. This is time consuming and complicated by the possibility that a
computer 117 may not be accessible when the administrator seeks to upgrade
the computer, for example, because the computer 117 is a notebook computer
which has been removed by the user or because the computer 117 has been
locked by user. The Web-based device management application 302 obviates
the need to deploy or upgrade supporting thick client software on the device
users' enterprise computers 117. The Web-based device management
application 302, as a web application, can be updated as needed by the
administrator or other party without the need to update local client software.
The next time a device user accesses the Web-based device management
application 302, the user automatically accesses the updated web application.
This mitigates some of the overhead in supporting the software on the device
users' enterprise computers. In some cases, new or upgraded communication
components may need to be installed on the computer 117, however this poses
only a minimal burden on device users and may be largely automated.
[0065] Typically, device software on the mobile communication devices
201, such as the operating system and/or application software, also requires
periodic updating or upgrading. This may be problematic in that users may not
be technically capable of upgrading the software themselves. In some cases,
the device software may be bundled based on the device model and wireless
network carrier or other parameters. Many users are not aware of the model of
26
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
their mobile communication devices 201, and some many not know the'ir
wireless network carrier (for example, because the user's employer is billed
directly by the wireless network carrier). As a result, users may not have
enough information to select the correct bundle for the device software
upgrade. Even if the users know the required information to select the correct
bundle, it is often difficult for users to locate the correct bundle for the
upgrade,
for example, from the wireless network carrier or device manufacturer's
website. In addition, users may not know when a device software upgrade is
available. The result of the above is that often device software is not
upgraded,
thereby resulting in reduced performance of the mobile communication devices
201 and limited functionality over that which may be obtained if a device
software upgrade were performed. The Web-based device management
application 302, in some embodiments, provides a solution for automatically
upgrading the device software after an upgrade becomes available with minimal
intervention by the administrator or device user.
[0066] Referring again to FIG. 3 and 4, the communications infrastructure
utilized by the Web-based device management application 302 to communicate
with the mobile communication device 201 in accordance with one embodiment
of the present disclosure will now be described. The Web-based device
management application 302 is implemented in Dynamic HTML (Hypertext
Markup Language) (DHTML) via a series of web page(s) displayed in an Internet
browser 310 running on the computer 117. The DHTML of the web page(s) is
provided by markup document(s) written in DHTML which are retrieved by an
HTTP server or Internet server in response to a direct or indirect request
from
the computer 117 (e.g. by an HTTP request to access or "Go" to a respective
URL or web address). The Internet browser 310 communicates with a mobile
communication device 201 via a device manager 314 and optionally an
Application Loader 312. The Application Loader 312 is a program or program
module which loads device software onto a mobile communication device 201.
While the Application Loader 312 may be executed when connecting to the
computer 117 via Bluetooth in some embodiments, the user should be
27
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
cautioned about leaving the Bluetooth coverage area while a load (upgrade,
etc.) is in progress or the device may be left in an un-useable state. A local
backup of device software may be made and stored in the device memory prior
to a load operation to more quickly restore functionality of the device should
the load be interrupted, for example by removing the device from the
Bluetooth coverage area or due to a loss of Bluetooth connectivity (for
example, due to a power loss on the computer 117). In such cases, the
processor 240 is configured such that if the load is interpreted, it will
restore
the old device software from local memory. In other embodiments, the Web-
based device management application 302 may connect via Bluetooth for the
purposes of backup/restore, and device activation, however if the user
attempts
to perform a loading operation when connecting via Bluetooth only, the user is
prompted to connect with a USB cable.
[0067] The Application Loader 312 and device manager 314 in turn
communicate with connected mobile communication devices 201 via device
drivers 316 for a USB device (USB device driver), a serial device (serial
device
driver), or Bluetooth device (Bluetooth device driver) or other similar PAN-
connectible device. A USB Device is a device that uses USB as the physical
transport layer for wireline communications with the computer. USB devices
are connected to a USB port on the user's computer 117 or a USB hub that is
connected to a USB port on the computer 117. A serial device is a device that
uses RS-232 (Recommended Standard - 232) serial communications as the
physical transport layer for wireline communications with the computer. Serial
devices are connected to a serial port on the computer 117, typically through
a
"cradle" accessory. USB device drivers are installed in the operating system
of
the computer 117 in order to enable wireline communications to a USB device.
Serial device drivers are installed in the operating system of the computer
117
in order to enable wireline communications to a serial device. Typically,
serial
device drivers are provided with the operating system of the computer 117 and
need not be installed by the Web-based device management application 302.
28
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
[0068] The device manager 314 is a program or program module which
manages application-level wireline access to connected mobile devices 201,
and/or possibly Bluetooth or other short-range wireless access to connected
mobile devices 201. The device manager 314 provides a service routing
application programming interface (API) which provides applications such as
the
Web-based device management application 302 with the ability to route traffic
through the serial data connection (for example, USB) or Bluetooth
connection to the computer 117 using standard connectivity protocols. When a
user connects their mobile communication device 201 to the computer 117 via
a USB cable, the mobile data server 120 automatically routes traffic that was
destined for the wireless network 101 to mobile communication device 201 over
the network 124 and through the mobile data administration server 122 using
the USB cable connecting the mobile communication device 201 to the
computer 117. Similarly, any traffic destined for the wireless network 101
will
be automatically sent over the USB cable to the mobile data server 120 for
processing. This is sometimes referred to as least cost routing. In some
embodiments, the user has the ability to automatically route traffic over a
Bluetooth@ connection to their computer 117 rather than relying on USB
connectivity. All traffic to and from the mobile communication device 201 is
routed over the network 124 (which may be, for example, a wired network),
saving the user from utilizing additional bandwidth from their wireless
service
provider. When least cost routing is used on the mobile communication device
201, it is performed automatically by the low-level protocol layers and does
not
require any changes to an application for it to utilize this capability. When
connected via a Bluetooth connection, the computer software generally
handles a Bluetooth connection like a wireline connection.
[0069] The device manager 314 also provides a number of device related
communication services in addition to serial and Bluetooth data bypass
connection functionality. The communication services provided to the Web-
based device management application 302 by the device manager 314 include
29
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
the notification of device attach and detach events, tracking of serial
bypass/Bluetooth statistics, and device communications multiplexing.
[0070] The Internet browser 310 is equipped with a scripting engine to
run client-side scripts, such as a JavaScript scripting engine for running
JavaScript, within the DHTML web page(s) of the Web-based device
management application 302. As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the
art, JavaScript is a scripting language used in client-side web document, for
example, in web pages. The DHTML web pages include JavaScript code
(scripts) which interact with the Document Object Model (DOM) of the DHTML
web pages. The JavaScript engine of the Internet browser 310 (also known as
JavaScript interpreter or JavaScript implementation) is an interpreter that
interprets JavaScript scripts embedded in or included from DHTML pages and
executes the scripts accordingly. The Internet browser 310 provides a runtime
environment for the JavaScript engine and typically uses the public API
(application programming interface) to create objects and methods through
which the JavaScript scripts can interact with external processes and devices.
Within the JavaScript runtime environment, objects and data may be shared
between the JavaScript engine and the other components of the Internet
browser 310. In other embodiments, other scripting languages may be used
such as, for example, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), VBScript, and
Visual
Basic NET all from Microsoft Corporation.
[0071] The Internet browser 310 may be Internet ExplorerTM by Microsoft
Corporation, FireFoxT"' by Mozilla Corporation, or any other Internet browser
having the necessary capabilities for implementing the functions described
herein. In one example embodiment, the computer 117 runs a WindowsTM
operating system (by Microsoft Corporation) version Windows 2000 or later,
and the Internet browser 310 is Internet ExplorerT"' version 5.5 or later.
[0072] As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, dynamic HTML
is a collection of technologies used to create interactive and animated web
sites
by using a combination: a static markup language (such as HTML), a client-side
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
scripting language (such as JavaScript), a presentation definition language
(such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)), and the Document Object Model. An
DHTML web page is any web page in which client-side scripting changes
variables of the presentation definition language, which in turn affects the
appearance and function of otherwise "static" HTML page content after the page
has been fully loaded and during the viewing process. Thus, an DHTML web
page is "dynamic" in that its contents and function changes while the web page
is being viewed, not in its ability to generate a unique web page with each
page
load. This is in contrast to the broader concept of a "dynamic web page" which
is any web page generated differently for each user, load occurrence, or
specific
variable values. This includes web pages created by client-side or server-side
scripting where the content is determined prior to being viewed within the
Internet browser 310. Dynamic web pages lack the ability to affect contents or
function changes while a web page is being viewed.
[0073] To implement some of the functionality of the Web-based device
management application 302, the Internet browser 310 needs to communicate
with the connected mobile communication devices 201 and have native
communication with the connected mobile communication devices 201. In
some embodiments, only one device may be managed by the Web-based device
management application 302 at a time. Typically, the Web-based device
management application 302 will ask the user to select a device to be managed
if more than one device is connected to the computer 117 (via USB or
Bluetooth ), and will typically ask the user to provide a device password
which
secures at least some of the data 220 on the mobile communication devices
201 from being accessed by the Web-based device management application
302 without the device password being supplied by the device user. This may
occur during login to the Web-based device management application 302, or
after login if a second or further device is connected to the computer 117.
The
Web-based device management application 302 will request an identifier such
as a personal identification number (PIN) of the connected device to be
managed by the Web-based device management application 302. Typically, the
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
Web-based device management application 302 will maintain this selection as
the currently managed device until the user specifies that a different
connected
device is to be managed or the connected devices change. The PIN of the
connected device may be a globally unique number of the device that identifies
it to the device manufacturer and/or between device manufacturers. Other
identifiers may be used instead of the PIN such as the device model number or
name, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) for GSM and UMTS
devices, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for GSM and UMTS
devices, a globally unique identifier (GUID) which uniquely identifies the
connected device in all wireless networks around the world, or an electronic
serial number (ESN) associated with the connected device which uniquely
identifies the connected device within a particular wireless network (i.e.,
its
"home" network).
[0074] Alternatively, in other embodiments the Web-based device
management application 302 may concurrently manage more than one device.
In such embodiments, the user provides the Web-based device management
application 302 with an identifier of the connected device to which the
requested function should be applied.
[0075] The Internet browser 310 uses a Scripting-language
Capable/Compatible (SC) device controller 311 to interface the JavaScript
engine of the Internet browser 310 with the device communications stack 402
(the device manager 314 and device driver 316) of the mobile communication
device 201. The SC device controller 311 is a device controller which is
compatible with and which provides communications services to a scripting
engine of an Internet browser. In particular, in the present embodiment the SC
device controller 311 provides communications services to the JavaScript layer
of the DHTML web page(s) comprising: notifying of device attach and detach
events; sending and receiving data to connected devices; and invoking the
Application Loader 312. Any other communications services which require
native control by the JavaScript layer of the DHTML web page(s) may be
32
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
performed by the SC device controller 311 such as migrating settings or
invoking a device manager user interface. In terms of operations related to
device communications, the SC device controller 311 may be used to provide
communications services to the JavaScript layer of the DHTML web page(s) for
responding to password challenges from the mobile communication device 201.
In such cases, the device issues a callback to the JavaScript layer so that a
password prompt is placed inline within the browser page content.
Alternatively, password challenges may be handled by the SC device controller
311 itself without using a callback to the JavaScript layer.
[0076] In some embodiments, for example embodiments in which the
Internet browser 310 is Internet ExplorerT"', the SC device controller 311 is
implemented using one or more ActiveX Controls. ActiveX controls are a
MicrosoftTM COM (Component Object Model)-based technology for extending the
functionality of Internet browsers with third party native code extensions. In
other embodiments, for example embodiments in which the Internet browser
310 does not support ActiveX controls (such as, for exam.ple FireFoxTM), the
SC
device controller 311 is a browser "plug-in" used to extend the functionality
of
the Internet browser 310 in an analogous manner to an ActiveX control.
[0077] The SC device controller 311 provides the DHTML web page
content hosted in the Internet browser 310 with a mechanism to interact with
the mobile communication devices 201 connected to the computer 117. The SC
device controller 311 (e.g., ActiveX control) is instantiated within the
Internet
browser 310 process, which exposes COM interfaces to permit the JavaScript
scripting engine of the Internet browser 310 to interact with the connected
devices and to perform other client side operations using native code.
[0078] Although the device drivers 316 and device manager 314 have
been described as separate communication components within the device
communications stack 402 of the mobile communication device 201, it will be
appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the functions implemented by
these communication components may be combined within a single
33
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
WindowsTM group policy) instructing computers 117 to automatically install one
or more of the communication components from the location in device software
share 404 specified in the LDAP directory 130 if the communication components
are not installed on the computers 117 or are out of date. This allows the
communication components to be installed on demand, as required. The
connections between the mobile data administration server 122 and LDAP
server 128 are protected, for example, using the Transport Layer Security
(TLS)
security protocol or the Digest Authentication Mechanism (i.e., using DIGEST-
MD5 Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) authentication
mechanism).
[0081] The LDAP service provides a hierarchical framework of objects
comprising resources (e.g. data, printers), services (e.g. email), and users
(user accounts and groups). The LDAP service provides information on the
objects, organizes the objects, controls access and sets security. Each object
represents a single entity and its attributes. Some objects can be containers
of
other objects. The framework is organized as a hierarchy of domains linked in
a trust hierarchy. Typically, domains are identified by a domain name system
(DNS) name structure. The objects held within a domain are typically grouped
into containers called organizational units (OUs) to provide the domain with a
hierarchy: The OU is the common level at which to apply group policies and are
objects called group policy objects (GPOs), however group policies can be
applied on individual objects or attributes.
[0082] The administrator may add user account information to the LDAP
directory 130 for all user accounts which are to have access to the Web-based
device management application 302. After the user logs in to the Web-based
device management application 302, for example, using their messaging server
132 credentials, user information about the user is used to search user
entries
in the LDAP directory 130 to resolve group policy rules created by the
administrator. The operating system increases/escalates the privileges of the
user as (if) required so that communication components may be installed on
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
the computer 117 if needed. Typically, the user information used to resolve
the
group policy rule comprises or is derived from the user credentials (e.g.,
user
name and password) used to log in to the computer 117 (i.e., the WindowsTM or
other operating system credentials). However, different user credentials may
be used.
[0083] As noted above, after the privileges of the user have been
increased/escalated as (if) required, if one or more of the communication
components are not installed on the computers 117 or are out of date, the
missing communication components are installed from the location in the device
software share 404 specified by the LDAP directory 130 in accordance with the
policy rule (e.g., group policy) created by the administrator. Any serial
device
drivers are provided with the operating system of the computer 117 and need
not be installed, thus typically only the SC device controller 311, device
manager 314, and USB device drivers 316 need to be installed by the Web-
based device management application 302 if they are missing or out of date. In
some embodiments, the group policy is a registry-based group policy which
relies upon a registration key being installed on the computer 117 in order to
apply the group policy. Methods for implement registry-based group policies
are known and will not be described herein.
[0084] In one embodiment, the LDAP server 128 is implemented using the
Active DirectoryTM directory service provided by Microsoft Corporation, for
example, as part of a Microsoft Windows Server environment. Active
DirectoryTM is an LDAP directory service implementation that provides a multi-
purpose directory service with centralized authentication and authorization
which allows administrators to assign group policies, deploy software, and
apply
upgrades to the entire network 124. Using Active DirectoryTM information and
settings relating to the network users and/or enterprise are stored in a
central,
organized, accessible database. Active DirectoryTM creates a link between user
accounts, user mailboxes, and applications, thereby simplifying the task of
adding, modifying, and deleting user accounts. An administrator may add,
36
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
change or delete a single user account and have the change affected in all
applications or services connected to the Active DirectoryTM that the user has
access to.
[0085] While a specific implementation has been described, it will be
appreciated that other techniques for publishing the communication
components within a trusted environment for installation on computers 117
may be used, for example, if the communication components are not installed
or are out of date. For example, a directory or file lookup service may be
used
rather than an LDAP directory service. The LDAP server 128 is replaced with a
file server providing the directory lookup service.
[0086] An embodiment in which a directory lookup service is used to
install communication components will now be briefly described. In the first
step, the identity of the user is determined, for example, by confirming user
credentials such as a user name and password or other information provided by
the user against information stored in the configuration database 126. Next,
the
directory lookup service determines the location of the communication
components in the device software share 404. Typically, this determination is
based on information stored in the same location as the information used to
confirm the identity of the user, for example in the configuration database
126;
however it may be located elsewhere. Next, the Web-based device
management application 302 determines if any of the communication
components on the computer 117 are missing or out of date. To determine if
communication components on the computer 117 are out of date, the version of
the communication components on the computer 117 is compared to the
version of the communication components stored in the device software share
404.
[0087] If any of the communication components on the computer 117 are
missing or out of date, the file server determines whether the user is
authorized
to download/install the communication components (for example, by comparing
the user information against database records in the configuration database
37
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
126 or elsewhere). If the user is authorized to install the communication
components but does not have the necessary local privileges, the user
privileges are escalated (increased) to a level sufficient to install the
communication components (for example, to that of a local administrator).
Next, the directory lookup service retrieves and downloads the missing or out
of
date communication components to the computer 117. Next, the downloaded
communication components are installed on the computer 117. If the user
privileges where escalated to install the communication components, the user
privileges are returned to the previous state (de-escalated) and the
operations
end. It will be appreciated the above-described process is performed
automatically and invisibly to the user, i.e., the user does not know that
their
user privileges have been escalated. Furthermore, user privileges are only
escalated if communication components need to be installed because they are
missing or require upgrading, and are automatically de-escalated after the
installation of the communication components.
Device Software Loading and Upgrading
[0088] Referring again to FIG. 4, the Application Loader 312 will be
described in more detail. The Web-based device management application 302
interacts with the Application Loader 312 which performs device software loads
and upgrades using device software stored in the device software share 404
(FIG. 1). The Application Loader 312 may access the device software share 404
via the mobile data administration server 122. As noted above, the
configuration database 126 may comprise the device software share 404. In
some embodiments, the device software share 404 may be shared with a
wireless deployment system (not shown) for pushing device software wirelessly
(over-the-air or "OTA") to the mobile communication devices 201. The device
software share 404 is typically shared within the network 124 and so available
to all users. Alternatively, the Application Loader 312 may access a remote
device software share using an HTTP or FTP (file transfer protocol) server.
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
[0089] The device software share 404 stores a repository of device
software. The device software in the central repository may comprise one or
any combination of: platform software, device operating system software,
applications, language support modules for the device operating system,
components of any of the foregoing, and patches or fixes for the mobile
communication devices 201. The device software may be bundled or
unbundled. The bundles may comprise device software for the mobile
communication devices 201 including device operating system software which
comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling the operation of
the
mobile communication device 201, an application bundle of application software
for providing applications on the mobile communication device 201 (such as
JavaTM based applications), or both. The bundles may also comprise
communication components for the computer 117 (e.g., the device manager
314, the device drivers 316, and/or the SC device controller 311).
[0090] As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, in at least
some embodiments each mobile communication device has stored in memory,
for example in flash memory 244, a binary image of (1) the platform software
comprising the device OS, radio code and Java Virtual Machine (JVM) in native
code, and Java cod files, and (2) the application software. Each platform
version is a specific combination of device OS, radio code and JVM versions,
with associated Java cod files. Mobile network service providers (also
referred
to as wireless network carriers) typically certify each platform version
before it
can be released for use on mobile communication devices 201 in the wireless
networks of respective mobile network service providers. Similarly, mobile
network service providers typically certify each application version of the
device
applications before it can be released for use on mobile communication devices
201 in the wireless networks of respective mobile network service providers.
The device applications may be one or more of a Web browser application, an
email messaging or PIM application, a push content viewing application, a
mapping application, and a media player application. The device software in
the central repository may comprises device software bundles comprising: a
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
device operating system software which comprises a graphical user interface
(GUI) for controlling the operation of the mobile communication device 201,
radio code which configures a radio frequency (RF) based wireless
communication system of the mobile communication device 201, and a Java
Virtual Machine (JVM) for executing Java applications; and application
software
for providing applications on the mobile communication device 201.
[0091] Device software for mobile communication devices 201, such as
operating system software and applications, may be bundled based on device
attribute information of devices on which the device software may be loaded
onto such as, for example, a device model identifier (ID) and wireless network
carrier identifier (ID). Alternatively, device software device may be bundled
based on other attribute information. A bundle may be a specific combination
of device software comprising a specific platform version and a specific
application version. The same platform version may be combined (bundled)
with different application versions to form different device software bundles.
Similarly, the same application version may be combined (bundled) with
platform versions to form different device software bundles.
[0092] Bundles may alternatively or additionally be based on language(s)
supported and/or applications within the bundle. Different bundles may have
different third party applications, or in some cases no third party
applications.
For example, some bundles may have social networking client software such as
a FacebookT"' client for connecting to a social networking server, while other
bundles may not.
[0093] Bundle information is maintained about the plurality of device
software bundles in the repository. The bundle information comprises device
attribute information of devices on which the device software may be loaded
onto, and content information about the contents of the bundle. If a bundle
contains platform and application software, the content information may
comprise a specific platform version and/or specific application version of
platform and application software in the respective bundle. If a bundle
contains
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
communication component(s) for the computer 117, the content information
may comprise a specific version number of the communication component(s) in
the respective bundle. The bundle information may include or be stored in
association with location information (e.g., a UNC path or URL to the bundle)
about the bundle so that Application Loader 312 can obtain the correct bundle
once determined. The bundle information and/or location information associated
with a bundle may be stored, for example, in the form of metadata in the
device software share 404. The bundle information may be stored, for
example, in an LDAP directory 130 in LDAP directory service implementations,
or in another directory or location in a directory or file lookup service
implementations.
[0094] Patches or fixes for mobile communication devices 201 may be
stored in association with device attribute information (e.g. technical
capabilities) or device identifying information (e.g. one or more device
identifiers) of the affected mobile communication devices 201.
[0095] The bundles may be selected, downloaded or otherwise obtained,
and stored in the device software share 404 by an enterprise IT administrator
based on device attribute information such as the device model ID and wireless
network carrier ID of the mobile communication devices 201 in use by the
enterprise. In this way, the device software share 404 contains only device
software bundles which are relevant to enterprise mobile communication
devices 201. Alternatively, if the mobile data server is operated by a mobile
data service provider, an IT administrator for the mobile data service
provider
typically selects, downloads and stores only those device software bundles
which are relevant to the device model IDs supported by the mobile data
service provider.
[0096] Unbundled device software may similar be based on device
attribute information and/or language(s) supported, and have device software
information associated with it similar to bundle information. As with bundle
information, device software information comprises device attribute
information
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
of devices on which the device software may be loaded onto, and content
information describing the contents of device software, and possibly location
information about the location of the unbundled device software. Unbundled
device software may be selected, downloaded or otherwise obtained, and stored
in the device software share 404 by an enterprise IT administrator based on
device attribute information or other parameters as with device software
bundles.
[0097] The device software share 404 may comprise a number of different
data stores (also referred to as data storage elements). The device software
and communication components for the computer 117 (whether bundled or
unbundled) may be stored on the same data store or different data stores. The
basis of device software bundles may differ between embodiments of the
present disclosure, as described more fully below.
[0098] In some embodiments, the Application Loader 312 is not part of
the local software on the computer 117 or the installed device communications
component stack 402. The Web-based device management application 302 is
typically provided with a Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) path to a location
in the device software share 404 where the executable files and other support
modules of the Application Loader 312 are located. The Application Loader 312
may be executed directly from the device software share 404 via the UNC path.
Typically, the UNC path is provided as part of the DHTML web page(s) of the
Web-based device management application 302 with associated )avaScript for
invoking the Application Loader 312 from the URL in response to user input to
run Application Loader 312. The SC device controller 311 is typically is
invoked
by the Web-based device management application 302 which downloads
launches Application Loader 312 from the device software share 404.
[0099] Alternatively, the Web-based device management application 302
may be provided with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in the network 124 or
the Internet 112 (e.g. on a remote Internet server 134) where the Application
Loader 312 executable files and other support modules may be downloaded
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
from. Typically, the URL is provided as part of the DHTML web page(s) of the
Web-based device management application 302 with associated JavaScript for
invoking the Application Loader 312 from the URL in response to user input to
run the Application Loader 312. The SC device controller 311 is typically is
invoked by the Web-based device management application 302 which
downloads Application Loader 312 from the URL, caches it locally on the
computer 117, and launches Application Loader 312 from the cached copy at
runtime.
[0100] Invoking the Application Loader 312 from the device software
share 404 via the UNC path may have advantages over downloading the
program from an URL and running it from a cached copy. Running Application
Loader 312 from the device software share 404 ensures that it will be current
enough to load any device software in the device software share 404.
However, if Application Loader 312 is run from a cached copy it will typically
only have access to locally stored device software on the computer 117 which
may be limited to, for example, third party applications. New device software
and communication components are not likely to be stored on the computer
117.
[0101] In some embodiments, the Application Loader 312 includes a
forced upgrade (load) function which requires the device user to run the
Application Loader 312 application to upgrade (or validate) that the device
software present on the mobile communication device 201 is up to date. The
forced upgrade function may be controlled by administrators using IT
administrator-defined IT policy settings. A forced upgrade policy 274 may be
implemented using IT policy messages which are pushed out to the mobile
communication devices 201, for example, by the mobile data server 120. The
forced upgrade policy 274 may be stored in the memory of the mobile
communication devices 201, for example in the flash memory 244 or on the
mobile data administration server 122. In some embodiments, the
administrator may permit the device user to "defer" the forced upgrade. In
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
some embodiments, the forced upgrade may be deferred up to a predefined
maximum number of times.
[0102] In embodiments where the forced upgrade may be deferred up to
a predefined maximum number of times, a forced upgrade policy count
parameter is maintained. Typically, the forced upgrade policy count is a value
representing the number of upgrade deferrals (delays, bypasses, etc.) that are
remaining. Alternatively, the forced upgrade policy count may be a value
representing the number of deferrals which have been made.
[0103] In some embodiments, the forced upgrade policy count parameter
may also used to indicate whether a forced upgrade policy is in effect, for
example by setting the value of the forced upgrade policy count to a
predetermined non-numeric or zero value. Alternatively, a separate parameter
may be used to indicate whether a forced upgrade policy is in effect. The
forced upgrade policy count may be stored in memory on the mobile
communication device 201, for example in flash memory 244, or on the mobile
data administration server 122.
[0104] In some embodiments, the Application Loader 312 has several
operational modes. In the first operational mode, the Application Loader 312
is
configured to load the most current device software onto the mobile
communication device 201, overwriting the existing device software. This
operational mode may be useful if the existing device software is corrupted.
In
the second operational mode, the Application Loader 312 is configured to
determine the device software for which an upgrade is available and upgrade
only those components.
[0105] In a third operational mode, the Application Loader 312 is used to
transferred data 220 (such as user data 222, service data 224 and other data
226) from a first connected device to a second connected device. The data 220
may comprise third party applications, device settings and preferences. This
operation is sometimes referred to as a "device switch" and may be used when
44
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
a user is upgrading their mobile communication device 201, or switching
between mobile communication devices 201. In this operational mode, the
Application Loader 312 loads the most current device software onto the second
connected mobile communication device 201, activates the second mobile
communication devices 201, and transfers user data 222 such as user
documents/files, third party applications, device settings and preferences to
the
second connected device. The first connected device and second connected
device need not be connected at the same during a device switch operation, in
which user data 222 is backed up on the computer 117 as a preliminary step of
the device switch operation.
[0106] The Application Loader 312 may be configured to first determine if
a device software upgrade is available (for example, by perform a version
check), and then prompt for the device user for input regarding whether an
upgrade should be performed if a device software upgrades that applies to the
mobile communication device 201 has been found. Prompting the device user
in this manner allows the device user to decide whether the upgrade is
performed following the version check, or whether the upgrade is delayed (for
example, to a more convenient time for the user). In some embodiments, a
version check of some or all of the device software is performed automatically
by the Application Loader 312 without any input from the device users,
typically
in a manner which is invisible to the device user. In such embodiments, the
Web-based device management application 302 automatically invokes the
Application Loader 312, for example, after the expiry of a predetermined
amount of time since the last version check or upgrade. The device user is
only
notified if an upgrade is available. If deferrals are allowed, the device user
may
be given the option to defer the upgrade up to the predetermined maximum. If
deferrals are not allowed, the upgrade may be performed automatically without
any user input.
[0107] In some embodiments, the Application Loader 312 and/or Web-
based device management application 302 may be notified that new device
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
software has been added to the software share 404 and is available for an
upgrade. If the Application Loader 312 has been updated, this information may
be part of the upgraded Application Loader 312 processing logic.
Alternatively,
the Application Loader 312 and/or Web-based device management application
302 may be notified by an IT policy message sent by the administrator. Device
users may also be notified new device software has been added to the software
share 404 and is available for an upgrade, for example by an email message
sent by the administrator.
[0108] The Application Loader 312 may be provided with a forced upgrade
policy message to present device users, for example, notifying device users
when a forced upgrade policy is in effect. The message may be a freeform
message which may include any content chosen by the IT administrator, or may
be populated from the forced upgrade policy or IT policy assigned to the user
and stored on the mobile communication device 201. The message may be set
by the administrators and used to inform the user that the Application Loader
312 has determined that an upgrade is available and optionally the number of
deferrals remaining. In some embodiments, software upgrades may be
classified in accordance with a classification system. For example, in
accordance with some classification systems, software upgrades may be
classified as critical or non-critical. In such embodiments, the message may
indicate the classification of the upgrade, i.e. as a critical upgrade or non-
critical
upgrade. Alternatively, information regarding whether the upgrade is a
critical
upgrade may be stored by the mobile data administration server 122 with the
other data about the device software. Critical upgrades may be given no
deferrals in the forced upgrade policy 274 so that such upgrades are performed
more quickly. Critical upgrades may also be forced over-the-air (OTA).
[0109] Referring now to FIG. 5, an example communications exchange
500 between the Web-based device management application 302 and a mobile
communications device 201 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure will now be described. In this example, the computer 117 and
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
mobile communications device 201 are connecting using a communications
protocol comprising at least one of the Universal Serial Bus (USB)
communications protocol or Bluetooth communications protocol. The
communications protocol is implemented using device drivers 312 and possibly
a device manager 314, which may be implemented using the same or different
software modules. In some embodiments, the mobile communications device
201 may connect to the computer 117 using both Bluetooth and USB
communications protocols.
[0110] In the first step 502, a user of the computer 117 accesses the
Web-based device management application 302 using the Internet browser 310
(e.g., Internet ExplorerT"') by accessing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
controlled by the mobile data administration server 122 provided by the
administrator. The Internet browser 310 downloads the DHTML web page or
page(s) of the Web-based device management application 302 onto the
computer 117 from the URL, and displays the DHTML web page within the
Internet browser 310. Typically, the user must login to the Web-based device
management application 302 by providing their user credentials (i.e., username
and password provided by the administrator) via the DHTML web page(s) of the
Web-based device management application 302. The username and password
may be associated with the messaging server 132 or a unique username and
password defined for the mobile data administration server 122 or mobile data
server 120 (for example, where mobile data server 120 does not have an email
account associated with the user). Alternatively, in some implementations, for
example if the mobile data administration server 122 is a public server, there
may be no login and user credentials are not provided.
[0111] In the next step 504, communications components comprising one
or more of the device manager 314, the device drivers 316, and/or the SC
device controller 311 may be downloaded to the computer 117, for example,
using an LDAP directory service as described above. This step is optional and
is
not performed after every login. This step is typically performed only when
the
47
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
communications components are not installed on the computer 117, or when
the version installed on the computer 117 is out of date. The SC device
controller 311 (e.g., ActiveX control) may also need to be instantiated within
the Internet browser 310. If the mobile communication device 201 has
Bluetooth connectivity, typically it must connect to the computer 117 using
USB during the first login so that the necessary device drivers can be
installed,
if not installed already. The initialization parameters controlling the SC
device
controller 311 behaviour may be set to limit the number of instantiations of
the
SC device controller 311 (for example, an ActiveX control) to one to prevent
conflicts from multiple instantiations of the Application Loader 312. This may
occur as a result of the user cloning the current Internet browser 310 window
in
a new window, for example.
[0112] In the next step 506, a request is sent to the Web-based device
management application 302 to perform a function or service. The request is
usually a user request sent from the computer 117 via interaction with a user
interface element of the web page (e.g. clicking a user interface tab or on-
screen button presenting in the web page and/or possibly entering data in a
data entry field of the web page); however asynchronous server originating
requests could be sent to the Web-based device management application 302 in
addition or instead of user requests. The request may be a request to load
device software onto the mobile communication device 201, a request to
activate or provision a mobile communication device 201, a request to backup
of data of the mobile communication device 201, or a request to switch user
devices which are activated and bound to the mobile data server 120. Other
types of requests may also be received by the Web-based device management
application 302.
[0113] In the next step 508, the request is received by the Web-based
device management application 302. The request is typically processed by the
JavaScript engine of the Internet browser 310 which processes the request in
accordance with JavaScript of the DHTML web page; however requests could be
48
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
passed through the JavaScript engine. It will be appreciated that the
JavaScript
primarily controls the functionality of Web-based device management
application 302. The DHTML web page is typically redisplayed within the
Internet browser 310 in accordance with the output of the JavaScript engine.
For example, a request to load device software will result in a Web page
concerning the device software loading function to be displayed within the
Internet browser 310.
[0114] In the next step 510, first data may be obtained from the mobile
communication device 201 by the SC device controller 311. In response to the
request, the JavaScript interpreted by the JavaScript engine calls the SC
device
controller 311 which obtains the first data. This may be a background call
which does not produce any change in the web page presented in the Internet
browser 310. As described above, the SC device controller 311 interfaces the
JavaScript engine of the Internet browser 310 with the communication protocol
connecting the mobile communication device to the computer 117 (e.g., USB or
Bluetooth ). The first data may be device attribute information such as
hardware and software capabilities of the device 201 and/or user information
(e.g. user name or mailbox identifying information) for use in device
provisioning, the device model ID and wireless network carrier ID for use in
device software loading (or upgrading), or other information about the
connected device and possibly the user. This data may be used for many
purposes other than device provisioning and device software loading such as,
for example, updating the DHTML web page. The first data obtained from the
device 201 depends on the request in step 506. It is possible that some
requests may not require data to be obtained from the device 201. If the
request was a request to backup data from the device 201, the data obtained
from the device is user application data. The first data may be IT policy data
stored on the device 201.
[0115] In the next step 512, the first data obtained from the device 201 is
sent from the SC device controller 311 to the scripting engine of the Internet
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
browser 310, and from the Internet browser 310 to the mobile data
administration server 122. In response to obtaining the first data, the
JavaScript interpreted by the JavaScript engine instructs the Internet browser
310 to make a background HTTP request to the mobile data administration
server 122. This background HTTP request transmits the first data to the
mobile data administration server 122 and possibly requests a response. The
background HTTP request does not produce any change in the web page
presented in the Internet browser 310. It some cases, the first data is not
transmitted to the server 122, for example, if the request was to perform a
local backup to the computer 117, the first data is saved on the computer 117
and not sent to the server 112. In some cases, information derived from the
first data may be sent to the mobile data administration server 112 such as,
for
example, that a local backup to the computer 117 as performed.
[0116] In some embodiments, the operations may be entirely server-side
in nature, whether as a result of a user request in step 506 or an
asynchronous
server originating request. In such cases, the steps 510 and 512 may be
omitted and operations proceed to step 516.
[0117] In the step 516, second data may be received from the mobile
data administration server 122 by the Internet browser 310 as an HTTP
response. The content of the second data is dependent on the first data (e.g.,
device attribute information, IT policy data and/or user identifying
information)
and one or more predetermined parameters comprising at least the content of
the request in step 506. The second data may be generated on the mobile
data server 120 or mobile data administration server 122, or selected by the
mobile data administration server 122in accordance with the based first data.
The second data may be, for example, service data such as service books for
provisioning the device 201. The service data is dynamically generated for the
device 201 by the mobile data server 120 or mobile data administration server
122 and is based, at least in part, on the first data (e.g. hardware and
software
capabilities of the device 201) received by the server 122 (which may be sent
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
to the mobile data server 120). The service data may include IT policy data
such an IT policy message in addition to or instead of service data. As noted
above, IT policies are defined by the IT administrator. The IT policy data is
based on the identity of the user as determined by the user information. If
the
request is a restore operation from a remote backup on the server 122 or a
server connected to the mobile data administration server 122, the second data
is user application data. The IT policy data depends on the identity of the
user.
The identity of the user may be determined based identifying information
obtained from the device 201 and contained in the first data, or from separate
identifying information obtained from the Internet browser 310 based on the
login information in step 502.
[0118] Next, in step 518 the second data is sent from the Internet
browser 310 to the SC device controller 311 via the scripting engine, and from
the SC device controller 311 to the device 201 through the communications
protocol. The operations 500 then end. In the context of device provisioning
operations, the service data (e.g. service books) and IT policy data is sent
to
the device 201 and stored thereon. The service data provides the device 201
with the necessary data to connect to the wireless network 102 using through
the wireless network gateway 110 and mobile data server 120, etc. The IT
policy data allows IT policy to be enforced on the device 201. In the context
of
a restore operation from a remote backup operation, the backup user
application data is sent to the device 201 and stored thereon.
[0119] While example types of data for use in a communications
exchange have been described, it will be appreciated that the communications
exchange described above may be used to obtain any type of data from a
connected electronic device (which need not be a mobile communication device)
and send this data from an Internet browser to a remote server. The
communications exchange described above may also be used to obtain any type
of data from a remote server using an Internet browser, and to send this data
to the connected electronic device. Thus, any type of data may be exchanged
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between the connected electronic device and computer 117, and between the
computer 117 and mobile data administration server 122, and in either
direction. In addition, the connectivity between the connected electronic
device, computer 117, and mobile data administration server 122 which has
been described may be used by Web applications other than a Web-based
device management application 302.
[0120] While example types of data for use in a communications
exchange have been described, it will be appreciated that the communications
exchange described above may be used to obtain any type of data from a
connected electronic device (which need not be a mobile communication device)
and send this data from an Internet browser to a remote server. The
communications exchange described above may also be used to obtain any type
of data from a remote server using an Internet browser, and to send this data
to the connected electronic device. Thus, any type of data may be exchanged
between the connected electronic device and computer 117, and between the
computer 117 and mobile data administration server 122, and in either
direction. In addition, the connectivity between the connected electronic
device, computer 117, and mobile data administration server 122 which has
been described may be used by Web applications other than a Web-based
device management application 302.
[0121] Referring now to FIG. 6, example operations 600 for upgrading
device software of an electronic device connected to a computer 117 in
accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure will now be
described. The computer 117 and connected electronic device are connecting
using a communications protocol comprising at least one of the Universal
Serial
Bus (USB) communications protocol or Bluetooth communications protocol.
In some embodiments, the mobile communication device 201 may connect to
the computer 117 using both Bluetooth and USB communications protocols.
The communications protocol is implemented using device drivers 312 and
possibly a device manager 314, which may be implemented using the same or
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different software modules. The computer 117 may be any computer having an
Internet connection and is not necessarily an enterprise computer 117;
however for security purposes typically a secure mechanism for securely
connecting to the mobile data administration server 122 is typically required,
such as VPN or an HTTPS connection. VPN/HTTPS encryption can be used to
protect the user name and password used to log in. An HTTPS connection is
also useful in both the public and enterprise implementations of the mobile
data
administration server 122 to validate the identity of the server 122 to the
client
running on the computer 117.
[0122] In the first step 602, after logging into the Web-based device
management application 302, the user launches the Application Loader 312
from the Web-based device management application 302 via a user request to
perform a device software load or upgrade (such as a request 506 in the
operations 500 described above). A device software load may be performed to
restore device software after a device wipe or after components have been
removed, to upgrade the device software, or during a device switch. During a
device switch the status of the device software on the device 201 the user is
switching to may not be known (e.g. it may be out of date or the device 201
may have been wiped), and so the most current device software may be loaded
onto the device 201 during a device switch. Typically, if the device password
was not previously provided to the Web-based device management application
302, for example during login, or if a time limited password caching policy is
implemented (typically by the device manager 314) and the predetermined
time of password caching policy has lapsed without any activity by the user,
the
Application Loader 312 will prompt the device user for the device password for
the connected device 201.
[0123] The request is received by the Web-based device management
application 302. The request is processed by the JavaScript engine of the
Internet browser 310 which processes the request in accordance with
JavaScript of the DHTML web page. Depending on the implementation, the
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populates this memory area with the date obtained from other resources and
locations in memory. For example, the wireless network carrier ID (also known
as the vendor ID) may be retrieved from a read-only "branding area" whereas
the device model ID (also known as the device hardware ID) may be stored in a
"boot ROM" area. Other values, such as the current platform version and
application version, may be read from the respective software components
themselves, and hence even the original values are stored in the mutable flash
areas. In at least some embodiments, summary device information may be
obtained from any connected mobile communication device 201 without the
device password. Detailed device information may require the device password
to be supplied on the computer 117 to be obtained from a connected mobile
communication device 201.
[0134] Alternatively, in other embodiments device attribute information
such as device software information, device configuration and/or technical
capabilities may be maintained by the mobile data administration server 122.
[0135] Next, in step 608 the Application Loader 312 determines whether a
device software upgrade (sometimes referred to as an update) is available
using the device attribute information (for example, using the device model ID
and wireless network carrier ID) and possibly an IT policy rule limiting the
software which may be loaded on the device 201. Application Loader 312
determines candidate device software in the device software share 404 by
comparing the device attribute information determined in step 604 and possibly
an IT policy rule to the device software information about the device software
in
the share 404. This comparison may be based on any relevant data or
metadata concerning the device software information, device configuration
and/or technical capabilities.
[0136] In some embodiments, determining whether a device software
upgrade is available comprises identifying candidate device software having
associated device attribute information which matches device attribute
information of the device 201, and performing a version comparison of the
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output of the JavaScript Engine (e.g., the result of the JavaScript of the
DHTML
web page) causes the Application Loader 312 to be launched from a UNC path
to a location in the device software share 404. The location in the device
software share 404 is provided in the JavaScript of the DHTML web page. As
noted above, the UNC path points to the location in the device software share
404 where the executable files and other support modules of the Application
Loader 312 are located. Alternatively, Application Loader 312 may be
downloaded from an URL, cached locally on the computer 117, and launched
from the cached copy. It will be appreciated that Application Loader 312 is
not
launched if a request which does not require it is received.
[0124] In some embodiments, once launched Application Loader 312, may
communicate directly with the mobile data administration server 122 by
opening its own communications channel to it. In such embodiments, the
process of launching Application Loader 312 will include parameterizing this
launch with the necessary information to permit Application Loader 312 to make
its own direct connections to the mobile data administration server 122. These
attributes could include session cookies/URL, as well as the mobile data
administration server 122 address. This bypasses the scripting engine and
browser HTTP layer. Alternatively, in other some embodiments Application
Loader 312 may communicate with the mobile data administration server 122
using the SC controller 311 and Internet browser 310 as intermediaries.
[0125] Optionally, a check may be performed to determine if the user has
permission to perform a device software upgrade. For example, in enterprise
deployments administrators may not wish users to perform device upgrades
from a public mobile data administration server 122 since there is no control
over the device software which may be loaded, or may wish to limit the device
software which may be upgraded or loaded on to the device 201. In some
embodiments, the check may comprises determining whether an IT policy
restricting software upgrades is stored in memory on the device 201 (e.g. in
flash memory), reading the IT policy rule or rules defined by the IT policy,
and
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applying any IT policy rules is applied. Reading the IT policy may require the
SC controller 311 to interface with scripts in the web page to request and
receive the IT policy from the device 201. The IT policy may specify that no
device software upgrades are permitted, that no device software upgrades are
permitted from a public mobile data administration server 122, or that only a
subset of the device software in the share 404 may be loaded onto the device
201 (whether the server 122 is a public server or enterprise server). The
subset of the device software may be stored separately in the share 404 of the
public server, or the IT policy may define a filter or parameters by which the
mobile data administration server 122 or Application Loader 312 can determine
the available device software for the device 201. Depending on the
implementation, this check may be performed by the mobile data
administration server 112 or by Application Loader 312. If the check is
performed by the mobile data administration server 112, the IT policy rule may
need to be sent from the SC controller to the Internet browser 310, and from
the browser 310 to the mobile data administration server 122. If an IT policy
relating to device software loads (upgrades) is stored on the device 201, it
will
be followed. In other embodiments, the policy could be stored on the mobile
data administration server 122 or mobile data server 120.
[0126] If no IT policy relating to device software upgrades is stored on the
device 201, or if the IT policy does not contain a rule which limits device
software loads (upgrades), the administrator has not placed any controls on
whether or not enterprise users can perform a device software upgrade via a
public mobile data administration server 122. In this case, processing
proceeds
to step 604.
[0127] If the IT policy contains a rule that specifies no device software
upgrades are allowed 122, and the upgrade operations 600 end. If the IT
policy contains a rule that specifies that no device software upgrades are
allowed from a public mobile data administration server 122 and that mobile
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
data administration server 122 is a public server, the upgrade operations 600
end.
[0128] If the IT policy contains a rule that specifies only some device
software may be loaded, this information is used in step 606 when determining
the device software for the device 201 which is available. The IT policy could
specify, for example, that only bundles of platform and application software
may be loaded (i.e., separate, standalone applications cannot be installed),
only
approved bundles of platform and application software may be loaded (e.g. only
bundles with approved applications), or only patches or fixes may be loaded
via
the public server.
[0129] Next, in step 604 the Application Loader 312 obtains device
information, such as device attribute information, about the connected mobile
communication device 201 using the communication protocol connecting it to
the computer 117. The SC controller 311 reads the device attribute information
(e.g. device model ID and wireless network carrier ID) from the mobile
communication device 201 over the communications protocol (e.g. USB or
Bluetooth) connecting the computer 117 to the mobile communication device
201. The device attribute information is read from local memory on the device
201, for example from ROM, possibly in a boot ROM. The SC controller 311
then passes this information to Application Loader 312.
[0130] In other embodiments, the device attribute information may
comprise version information about the current state of the device 201 which
is
stored on the device 201, for example, in flash memory 244. The version
information contains information about versions of the various device software
components of the device 201 - these components are described more fully
below. The device software load history may also be stored on the computer
117, typically in the form of an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file. The
device software load history may be stored in the form of XML string data in
the
XML file. The device software load history allows the current state of the
device 201 to be determined even the device 201 is not connected to the
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computer 117, and allows the current state of the device to be determined
more efficiently even when the device 201 is connected. In other
embodiments, the device software load history could be stored on the mobile
data administration server 122 or database 126.
[0131] In other embodiments, device attribute information may comprise
summary device information about the device 201. Summary device
information may comprise one or more of the following (depending on the
device properties some of the summary device information may not be
applicable or available):
(1) the personal identification number (PIN) of the connected device
(the unique number of the device that identifies it to the device
manufacturer and/or between device manufacturers);
(2) the radio network family (for example, a value indicating the core
radio technology of the device which may include, but is not limited to,
MOBITEX, DATATAC, GPRS, CDMA, IDEN, Wi-FiTM, UMTS, and unknown
(if it cannot be determined));
(3) the connection media (for example, a value identifying the physical
transport through which the device is connected to the end-user's
computer which may include, but is not limited to serial connection, a
USB, BLUETOOTH);
(4) the device globally unique identifier (GUID) (an identifier that is
unique to the connected device, typically string-valued) which uniquely
identifies the mobile communication device 201 in all wireless networks
around the world; and
(5) the core application version (which, in some embodiments, is a
numeric representation of the functional level of the capabilities of the
connected device - it is an approximation that can be used to identify the
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generation of the device, but provides no specific details of individual
device capabilities).
[0132] In other embodiments, device attribute information may comprise
detailed device information about the device 201. Detailed device information
may comprise one or more of the following (depending on the device properties
some of the detailed device information may not be applicable or available):
(1) the device model (e.g., name or number);
(2) the built-in memory flash size of the device (e.g., in kilobytes),
excluding any removable storage;
(3) the version number of the "platform" software installed on the
device (platform refers to device core system software, including the
device operating system (OS) which comprises a graphical user interface
(GUI) for controlling the operation of the device 201, radio code and Java
Virtual Machine (JVM) each of which has an individual version number,
and possibly Java cod files);
(4) the version number of the application software installed on the
device;
(5) the electronic serial number (ESN) associated with the device (the
unique number of the device that identifies it to the wireless network for
access);
(6) the display screen height (e.g., in pixels);
(7) the display screen width (e.g., in pixels); and
(8) the WAN frequencies supported by the device.
[0133] Summary device information and detailed device information are
stored in from a memory area (not shown) in the flash memory 244, and are
retrieved using application-level data access protocols. The device 201
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populates this memory area with the date obtained from other resources and
locations in memory. For example, the wireless network carrier ID (also known
as the vendor ID) may be retrieved from a read-only "branding area" whereas
the device model ID (also known as the device hardware ID) may be stored in a
"boot ROM" area. Other values, such as the current platform version and
application version, may be read from the respective software components
themselves, and hence even the original values are stored in the mutable flash
areas. In at least some embodiments, summary device information may be
obtained from any connected mobile communication device 201 without the
device password. Detailed device information may require the device password
to be supplied on the computer 117 to be obtained from a connected mobile
communication device 201.
[0134] Alternatively, in other embodiments device attribute information
such as device software information, device configuration and/or technical
capabilities may be maintained by the mobile data administration server 122.
[0135] Next, in step 608 the Application Loader 312 determines whether a
device software upgrade (sometimes referred to as an update) is available
using the device attribute information (for example, using the device model ID
and wireless network carrier ID) and possibly an IT policy rule limiting the
software which may be loaded on the device 201. Application Loader 312
determines candidate device software in the device software share 404 by
comparing the device attribute information determined in step 604 and possibly
an IT policy rule to the device software information about the device software
in
the share 404. This comparison may be based on any relevant data or
metadata concerning the device software information, device configuration
and/or technical capabilities.
[0136] In some embodiments, determining whether a device software
upgrade is available comprises identifying candidate device software having
associated device attribute information which matches device attribute
information of the device 201, and performing a version comparison of the
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device software on the share 404 to the version of the device software on the
device 201. The version comparison comprises determining the version(s) of
the device software on the device 201, determining the version of the device
software on the device 201, and comparing the version of the device software
on the device 201 to the versions in the device software share 404. An upgrade
is available if one or more versions on the share 404 are more recent than the
version on the device 201. It will be appreciated that there is a plurality of
device software versions in bundled and unbundled form in the share 404 and
that there may be more than one version of device software in the share 404
which is newer than that on the device 201.
[0137] The version identifier which is compared may relate to one or more
of the core application version installed on the device 201, the version
number
of the "platform" software installed on the device 201, the version number of
the operating system software installed on the device 201, and the version
number of the application software installed on the device 201. Alternatively,
the version may related to a combination of the "platform" software installed
on
the device 201, the version number of the operating system software installed
on the device 201, and the version number of the application software
installed
on the device 201.
[0138] Software bundles may have their own version numbers
independent of the version of the platform and application software contained
within it. Each bundle number is incremented from the previous bundle number
and is associated with a device model ID and wireless network carrier ID.
Thus,
higher bundle numbers may have not have the most recent version of the
platform and application software because, for example, the bundle was a
custom bundle created for a special purpose (such as with software added or
removed) but is not necessarily the newest software. A preliminary bundle
selection may be made based on the highest bundle number for respective
device model ID and wireless network carrier ID. After preliminary bundle
selection, the platform and application version numbers of the software
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
contained in the bundle may be compared to the corresponding versions on the
device 201. If the bundle does not contain newer platform and application
version numbers than that on the device 201, other bundles may be selected
for respective device model ID and wireless network carrier ID in decreasing
order with respect to the bundle number, and then examined to determine if
they contain newer platform and application software than that of the device
201.
[0139] Determining whether a software upgrade is available may
comprise determining whether any device software or device software
components (e.g. applications or application components or language support
modules) stored in the central repository are not installed on the mobile
communication device. An upgrade is available when any device software or
device software components are available in the central repository which have
not been installed on the mobile communication device.
[0140] Determining whether a software upgrade is available.may
comprise determining whether any patches are stored in the central repository,
and determining whether patches stored in the central repository have been
installed on the mobile communication device. An upgrade is available when
any patches are available in the central repository have not been installed on
the mobile communication device.
[0141] In other embodiments, determining whether a device software
upgrade is available comprises determining the technical capabilities of the
mobile communication device 201 from the device attribute information, and
determining if an upgrade or patch specific to the technical capabilities of
the
device is available. The technical capabilities may be one or more of: radio
network family, connection media, connection port, device model, the display
properties (i.e., such as screen height and/or width), and the WAN or other
and/or wireless frequencies supported by the device 201. By providing device
software upgrades based on technical capabilities of the mobile communication
device 201, device software upgrades may be released to address concerns
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associated with the technical capabilities of the devices 201, for example
based
on determined problems with device components of one or more mobile
communication devices 201.
[0142] In other embodiments, determining whether a device software
upgrade is available comprises determining identifying information of the
mobile communication devices 201, and determining based on the identifying
information if an upgrade or patch specific to the device is available. The
identifying information may comprise one or more of: the IMEI for GSM and
UMTS devices, IMSI for GSM and UMTS devices, PIN, GUID, and ESN of the
mobile communication device 201. By providing device software upgrades and
bundled software upgrades based on identifying information of the mobile
communication device 201, software upgrades or device software bundles may
be released to address concerns associated with identified devices 201, for
example based on determined problems with identified devices 201. For
example, manufacturing information about the devices 201 and/or device
components may be traced to the identified devices 201 via the identifying
information and software patches/upgrades released for the affected devices
201.
[0143] In other embodiments, determining whether a device software
upgrade is available comprises analyzing the device software load history.
This
may comprise determining the software configuration or version of device
software from a previous software load from the device software load history,
and comparing the previous software configuration or version against the most
recent (i.e., current) software configuration or version for the mobile
communication device 201 in the software share 404. An upgrade is available
when the version of the device software in the central repository is more
current than the version of the previous software loaded on the mobile
communication device. This device software load history may be stored in the
computer 117, the mobile data administration server 122 or database 126, or
possibly the device 201. The comparison may comprise comparing device
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attribute information and version information as described above, or may
comprise comparing device attribute information and the date of the last
device
software load (or upgrade) with the date of the most recent candidate device
software in the share 404.
[0144] Alternatively, Application Loader 312 may determine candidate
device software which can be loaded onto the device 201 in accordance with the
device attribute information. Candidate device software information comprising
a list of candidate device software and descriptor information describing the
candidate device software is sent to and displayed in the Internet browser
310.
The user can then select the device software to be loaded (upgrade or added)
from the list of candidate device software. Location information about the
candidate device software may be previously provided to Application Loader
312, later determined or provided, or included in the candidate device
software
information.
[0145] The list of candidate device software may comprise a list of
different versions of particular device software, device software bundles
containing different combinations of device software versions (for example,
different platform and application version combinations), language support
packages or add-ons for the device operating system for supporting different
languages on the device 201 (e.g. French or Chinese where the installed OS
supports English only), standalone applications or application bundles
including
third party applications, or components of any of the above. Thus, the user
may be able to select between bundles, individual software applications, or
components.
[0146] If a device software upgrade is not available, i.e., the mobile
communication device 201 already has the latest device software loaded, the
processing ends. Typically, the device user is returned to the home page
(i.e.,
DHTML web page) of the Web-based device management application 302.
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[0147] If a device software upgrade is available, i.e., the mobile
communication device 201 does not have the latest device software loaded,
processing proceeds to step 610 where a check is performed to determine if the
user has any forced upload deferrals remaining, for example by determining if
the forced upgrade policy count is greater than or equal to the forced upload
deferral maximum. The forced upgrade policy count is typically stored in the
memory of the mobile communication device 201, for example in flash memory
244, or on the mobile data administration server 122 or database 126. If
Application Loader 312 was not provided with the forced upgrade policy count
by the mobile data administration server 122 on startup, and it was not
obtained from the device 201 along with the device attribute information, the
Application Loader 312 will need to call back to the mobile data
administration
server 122 to obtain it or request it from the device 201, depending on where
it
is stored. In some embodiments, if no forced upload deferrals are remaining, a
device software upgrade may be automatically performed without user input,
for example, upon login to the Web-based device management application 302
or Application Loader 312.
[0148] If no forced upload deferrals are remaining, processing proceeds to
step 612 where device software for the upgrade is selected. If the device
software is bundled, the mobile data administration server 122 selects the
appropriate bundle from the device software share 404. Next, processing
proceeds to step 614 where the device software upgrade performed. The
Application Loader 312 downloads the device software from the device software
share 404 and installs the device software on the mobile communication device
201 over the communications protocol. Typically, the device user is returned
to
the home page (i.e., DHTML web page) of the Web-based device management
application 302. In some embodiments, the device software upgrade files may
be stored locally on the computer 117 in case of network connection failure.
In
the event of a network connection failure, the device software upgrade may
continue based on the locally stored files.
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[0149] If one or more forced upload deferrals are remaining, the
operations 600 proceed to step 620. Next, in step 620 the device user is given
the option whether to proceed with a device software upgrade. The Application
Loader 312 may display a forced upgrade policy message on the display of the
computer 117 notifying the device user that a forced upgrade policy is in
effect,
and that a device software upgrade is available. The message may also notify
the device user of the number of deferrals remaining.
[0150] If the device user chooses to upgrade the device software (for
example, via respective, input on the computer 117), processing proceeds to
steps 612 and 614 where the device software for the upgrade is selected and
the device software upgrade is performed. The device software is downloaded
by Application Loader 312 from the device software share 404. The device
software is typically cached locally on the computer 117. Application Loader
312 then stores a copy of the device software to a predetermined local memory
block on the mobile communication device 201, for example into flash memory
244, using the communications protocol (e.g. USB or Bluetooth) connecting the
computer 117 to the mobile communication device 201.
[0151] Optionally a response regarding the success or failure of the device
software load is transmitted from Application Loader 312 to the SC device
controller 311. The SC device controller 311 then sends the response to the
JavaScript engine of the Internet browser 310. The Internet browser 310 then
sends the response to the mobile data administration server 122. If a forced
upload policy is in effect and the force upgrade policy count is maintained by
the mobile data administration server 122, the force upgrade policy count may
be reset or cleared if the device software load was successful. Alternatively,
if
the force upgrade policy count is stored on the device 201, the force upgrade
policy count on the device 201 may be reset or cleared without contacting the
mobile data administration server 122. In other embodiments, the response
regarding the success or failure of the device software load may be
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CA 02632484 2008-05-29
from Application Loader 312 directly to the mobile data administration server
122.
[0152] After the device software upgrade is performed, processing ends.
Typically, the device user is returned to the home page (i.e., DHTML web page)
of the Web-based device management application 302.
[0153] If the device user chooses not to upgrade the device software, the
operations 600 proceed to step 622 where the forced upgrade policy count is
incremented by one and processing ends. Typically, the device user is returned
to the home page (i.e., DHTML web page) of the Web-based device
management application 302.
[0154] The upgrade process 600 provides an efficient upgrade process for
mobile communication devices 201, particularly in an enterprise environment
where there may be a mixture of devices and possibly a mixture of wireless
network carriers by automatically selecting the most recent device software
for
the device 201 being upgrade in accordance with the device model ID and
wireless network carrier ID of the device.
[0155] In other embodiments, rather than providing Application Loader
312 with information about the device software in the share 404 and having it
select the correct device software or device software bundle for the upgrade
as
in the described upgrade operations 600, callbacks may be made to the mobile
data administration server 122. In such embodiments, the SC device controller
311 sends the device attribute information to the JavaScript engine of the
Internet browser 310. The Internet browser 310 then sends the device
attribute information to the mobile data administration server 122. The mobile
data administration server 122 then selects device software to be loaded onto
the device 201 in accordance with at least the device attribute information as
described above. The mobile data administration server 122 may also perform
the force load policy checks using forced load policy rule information and
deferral information obtained by the SC device controller 311.
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[0156] Alternatively, the mobile data administration server 122
determines candidate device software which can be loaded onto the device 201
in accordance with the device attribute information. Candidate device software
information comprising a list of candidate device software and descriptor
information describing the candidate device software (for example, taken from
the share 404) is transmitted by the mobile data administration server 122
(for
example, from the device software share 404) to the Internet browser 310
where it is displayed therein, and possibly to Application Loader 312. The
user
can then select the device software to be loaded (upgrade or added) from the
list of candidate device software. The selection is sent from the computer 117
to Application Loader 312 and possibly to the mobile data administration
server
122 via the Internet browser 310. Location information about the candidate
device software may be previously provided to Application Loader 312, later
determined or provided, or included in the candidate device software
information.
[0157] The list of candidate device software may comprise a list of
different versions of particular device software, device software bundles
containing different combinations of device software versions (for example,
different platform and application version combinations), language support
packages or add-ons for the device operating system for supporting different
languages on the device 201 (e.g. French or Chinese where the installed OS
supports English only), standalone applications or application bundles
including
third party applications, or components of any of the above.
[0158] It will also be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art
that steps 610 and 622 are not performed in all embodiments, and are only
performed in embodiments in which the forced upload function is available and
implemented by the administrator, for example, via IT policy settings.
[0159] It will be appreciated that the upgrade operations 600 may be
performed for each connected electronic device. If there is more than one
connected device, the upgrade operations are typically performed serially.
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However, the operations 600 may be adapted to perform the upgrade
operations for connected electronic devices in parallel.
[0160] While the upgrade operations 600 have been described as
occurring in a particular order, it will be appreciated to persons skilled in
the art
that some of the steps may be performed in a different order provided that the
overall functionality of operations is not impaired. Furthermore, while the
detailed description describes loading device software and performing a
software upgrade on a mobile communication device 201, it will be appreciated
that teachings of the present disclosure regarding loading device software and
performing a software upgrade may be applied to other types of electronic
devices.
Activation of Mobile Communication Devices
[0161] Referring now to FIG. 7 and 8, example operations 700 for
establishing a service relationship between a mobile communication device 201
and a mobile data server 120 for connecting to a wireless network in
accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure will now be
described. This process is referred to as "activation". Activation is the
process
by which a mobile communication device 201 and the mobile data server 120
establish a service relationship. In simple terms, activation provides the
mobile
data server 120 with the information it needs to know about the mobile
communication device 201 to provide the various wireless services, and
provides the mobile communication device 201 with the information it needs to
know about the mobile data server 120 to receive (access) those wireless
services. The information stored on the mobile communication device 201 is
referred to as service data and comprises information required by the device
201 to establish and maintain communications between the wireless network
101 (wireless network service data) and the wireless gateway 110 (gateway
service data).
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[0162] The service data stored on the mobile communication device 201
includes services books. A service book is a record that provides routing
information about a service endpoint of the mobile data server 120. For secure
transmission, encryption keys may be provided as part of the service book, or
the encryption keys may be provided separately but associated with the
respective service book. The service record effectively performs two
functions:
describing how to contact a service (the routing record) and describing how to
it
securely (the encryption key). The service record may also provide information
about the service's features, capabilities and configuration. After
activation, the
mobile communication device 201 has the service records that the mobile data
server 120 has provided to it. However, it is possible that the mobile
communication device 201 may not make use or even support the services
provided to it. Typically, to conserve memory on the mobile communication
device 201 the mobile data server 120 will withhold service records for
services
which it knows that the mobile communication device 201 cannot support.
[0163] Service book records are typically associated with a particular
"content type" which effectively identifies the application level protocol
used for
that particular service. Most mobile data servers 120 can provide several
services to the mobile communication devices 201. For example, a typical
mobile data server 120 can advertise several services, such as Email (CMIME),
wireless calendar synchronization (CICAL), and PIM data synchronization
(SYNC) among many wireless services. Other services may include an Internet
Protocol (IP) Proxy for providing Internet access on the mobile communication
device 201 and a Global Address Lookup (GAL) for accessing an enterprise
address book on an enterprise device 201.
[0164] The activation process involves exchanging identifying information
between the mobile communication device 201 and the mobile data server 120.
In at least some embodiments, the identifying information about the mobile
communication device 201 is the device PIN and the identifying information
about the mobile data server 120 is a service unique identifier (UID). In
other
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embodiments, different identifying information about the mobile communication
device 201 (e.g. a different device identifier) and the mobile data server 120
(e.g. a different server identifier) could be used. The device PIN is a unique
number assigned to each mobile communication device 201, typically expressed
as a 32 bit number. The mobile data server 120 addresses data to a mobile
communication device 201 by the device PIN.
[0165] The service UID is an identity string assigned to each mobile data
server 120 that connects to a wireless network relay infrastructure (not
shown)
of the wireless network 101 which receives and routes wireless data packets to
and from the mobile communication devices 201. The service UID is typically
of the form "Sn" where the n represents a decimal number. The service UID
also sometimes referred to as the Server Routing Protocol (SRP) Identifier.
Each service UID is accompanied with an SRP authentication key which is
required to authenticate the SRP connection of a mobile data server 120 to a
relay server (not shown) of the wireless network relay infrastructure.
[0166] To activate the wireless services for a new user who does not have
an existing mobile communication device 201, an IT administrator "adds" a user
account for the new user to the user records of the respective mobile data
server 120 using an administration tool. This may comprise creating a user
account in the configuration database 126 maintained by the mobile data server
120, and associating a user mailbox in the mailbox database 133 with the user
account created in the configuration database 126 maintained by the mobile
data server 120, or both. This step may involve creating a user mailbox in the
mailbox database 133. Where the user account data is stored typically depends
on the messaging server 132 which is used, for example, whether a Microsoft
ExchangeTM, IBM Lotus DominoTM, or Novell GroupWiseTM messaging server is
used. Each user account contains a user account profile which specifies, among
other things, the services that the device user is to have access to. The
services available for a device user is typically set by the IT administrator
and
may change over time as services are added and/or removed. However, all
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
user account information may not be stored on a per-user basis. Rather than a
per-user basis, some user information (such as IT policy data) may be assigned
to a user, a number of users or a user group. IT policy attributes can be
assigned to a variety of "containers", for example, some policies might be
assigned to a group or group(s) of which a user is a member. IT policy data
for
a given user may then be dynamically computed based on the user's current
group memberships. Thus, some of the user profile data items may be
computed/collated from other locations in the configuration database 126
rather
than being stored explicitly on a per-user basis (e.g. within the user account
profile).
[0167] The addition of a user account effectively tells the mobile data
server 120 that it is to provide wireless services to the user via the user
account; however, the mobile data server 120 cannot provide any services yet
as it does not know what mobile communication device 201 is associated with
the user account. In this state, the user account has been added to the mobile
data server records, but there is no activated mobile communication device
201. The mobile data server 120 cannot do anything further until a mobile
communication device 201 is activated for the user account.
[0168] The mobile communication device 201 may be activated through a
physical or logical cable connection (typically a serial or USB connection) to
a
computer 117 which is securely connected to the mobile data server 120. This
process is referred to as "wireline activation". In some implementations, the
information which is transferred between the mobile communication device 201
and the mobile data server 120 through the wireline connection is assumed to
be trustworthy and secured for activation purposes. Accordingly, no activation
password is required for a wireline activation operation in some embodiments.
In other embodiments, in either enterprise or public implementations, an
activation password and/or other security mechanisms may be implemented to
provide an additional layer of security. In some embodiments, a Bluetooth or
other PAN connection to the computer 117 may be used for exchanging
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activation information rather than a wireline connection. Activation may also
occur wirelessly; however, wireless activation is not the subject of the
present
disclosure and will not be described herein.
[0169] Referring again to FIG. 7, in the first step 702 of the activation
process 700 the mobile communication device 201 is connected to a computer
117 having Internet access using a communication protocol comprising a USB,
serial or Bluetooth connection. As noted above, this data path is generally
considered to be secure for activation purposes.
[0170] Next, in step 704 the Web-based device management application
302 is launched on the computer 117. It assumed that the necessary
communication components (i.e., the SC device controller 311, the device
manager 314 and device drivers 316) are installed on the computer 117. If the
communication components are not installed on the computer 117 or are out of
date, the communication components are (re)installed on the computer 117.
The SC device controller 311 (e.g., ActiveX control or plug-in) is invoked
(launched) as a part of this step. In some embodiments, the functionality of
activation process may be provided by an ActiveX control or browser plug-in or
other SC device controller 311.
[0171] Next, in step 706 wireline activation is triggered. The trigger is
typically an explicit request from the end user via the user interface of the
Web-
based device management application 302 but could be an implicit gesture via
the user interface.
[0172] Next, in step 708 the SC device controller 311 reads the device
capability data from the mobile communication device 201. The device
capability data describes the software capabilities of the device 201 such as
the
character encoding formats/languages supported. In some embodiments, the
device capability data comprises one or more of:
information regarding whether the device supports Secure/Multipurpose
Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME);
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information regarding whether the device supports wireless folder
management;
information regarding whether the device supports wireless calendar;
the cryptographic algorithms supported by device for device/server
communications;
the character set encoding supported by device (UTF-8/UTF-16/ISO-
8859-1) for the "traditional" service types (CMIME/CICAL/ALP/SYNC);
information regarding whether the device supports wireless application
delivery;
information regarding whether the device supports application control
policies;
information regarding whether the device can be reached via a wireless
network relay infrastructure;
the service book level supported by device;
the maximum upload message size supported by device;
the maximum download message size supported by device;
the device application version;
the device model;
the device hardware identifier;
the device operating system version;
the device branding identifier;
the device network type;
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information regarding whether the device supports "rich content" (e.g.
HTML email);
information regarding whether the device supports context-based
compression;
the services types for which device supports multiple instances;
information regarding whether the device supports synchronization of
personal distribution lists;
information regarding whether the device supports "flags for follow-up";
and
information regarding whether the device supports server-provided
browser configuration data.
[0173] The device PIN is also obtained from the mobile communication
device 201 by the SC device controller 311. The SC device controller 311 then
transmits the device capability data and device PIN to the Internet browser
310
via its JavaScript engine. The Internet browser 310 then transmits the device
capability data and device PIN to the mobile data administration server 122.
The mobile data administration server 122 then transmits the device capability
data and device PIN to the mobile data server 120.
[0174] Next, in step 710 the mobile data server 120 persists the device
PIN and the device capability data, and associates this information with the
respective user account in mobile data server records. The device PIN and the
device capability data are stored in the configuration database 106, and in
some embodiments, the user's mailbox in the mailbox database 133 depending
on the messaging server 132 which is used, for example, whether a Microsoft
ExchangeTM, IBM Lotus DominoTM, or Novell GroupWiseTM messaging server is
used.
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[0175] Next, in step 712 the mobile data server 120 generates a private
encryption key for the user account and places it in a "pending" state. The
private encryption key is an encryption key which is shared between the mobile
data server 120 and the mobile communication device 201 for encrypting and
decrypting data exchanged between them. In some embodiments, the private
encryption key may be an AES or Triple DES encryption key.
[0176] Next, in step 714 the mobile data administration server 122
generates service book records which comprise the service data which encodes
the services that are available for the user account. The services that are
available for the user account are determined by analyzing the user account
profile maintained by the mobile data server 120, the device capabilities
(from
the device capability data or "device code version"), administrator defined IT
policies (which allow services supported by the mobile data server 120 to be
enable (activated) or disabled (deactivated) for a given user, user group, or
enterprise), and possibly server side settings. Server side settings are
administrator defined settings of the mobile data server 120, typically
globally
defined for all devices 201, which control the behaviour or configuration of
the
mobile data server 120. An example of a server side setting is whether rich
text
email is used by the mobile communication devices 201. While the user
account profile describes the services that are available for a user account,
service book creation is fine tuned using the device capabilities and IT
policies
applicable to the user account of a given user so that service records
typically
only comprise service records for services supported by the device 201 (by
analysing the device capability data) and only services provided by the mobile
data server 120 which the user account is to have access (by analysing the IT
policy data). The service book records include the service UID (the normal
routing address) of the respective mobile data server 120. In other
embodiments, the service book records may be generated by the mobile data
server 120 rather than mobile data administration server 122.
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[0177] Next, in step 716 the mobile data server 120 transmits the private
encryption key, IT policy data (typically comprising one or more IT policy
messages) associated with the user account, and possibly the service book
records (if generated by the mobile data server 120) to the mobile data
administration server 122. The IT policy data is defined for the user account
based on settings/parameters specified by the IT administrator and stored in
the configuration database 126. The mobile data administration server 122
then transmits this information to the Internet browser 310 of the computer
117 via the JavaScript Engine. The Internet Browser 310 then transmits this
information to the SC device controller 311.
[0178] Next, in step 718 the SC device controller 311 stores the service
book records, the private encryption key, and IT policy data associated with
the
user account to the mobile communication device 201 in memory, for example,
in the flash memory 244. Typically, IT policy data is stored prior to the
service
records so that the service records aren't provided to it without an IT policy
already present on the mobile communication device 201. It is possible that
the IT policy data could influence the behaviour of the mobile communication
device 201 in terms of which service books it is willing to accept or operate
with.
[0179] Next, in step 720 if the service book records, the private
encryption key, and IT policy data were successfully stored on the mobile
communication device 201, an acknowledgement message that this information
was successfully stored on the device 201 is sent from the mobile
communication device 201 to the SC device controller 311. The SC device
controller 311 then transmits the acknowledgement message (or a notification
that it has been received) to the Internet browser 310 via its JavaScript
Engine.
The Internet browser 310 then transmits it to the mobile data administration
server 122 which, in turn, transmits this information to the mobile data
server
120.
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[0180] Next, in step 722 when the mobile data server 120 receives an
acknowledgement that the service book records, the private encryption key,
and IT policy data associated with the user account have been stored on the
mobile communication device 201, the mobile data server 120 promotes the
private encryption key from the "pending state" to a "current" or "active"
state
and begins wireless service for the mobile communication device 201. If no
acknowledgement is received, the private encryption key remains in the
"pending" state. In some embodiments, the service book records and/or the
private encryption key may be wiped (deleted) by the mobile data server 120 if
an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined duration.
[0181] After the mobile communication device 201 has been successfully
activated, sufficient information has been exchanged for regular wireless
service to be established between the mobile data server 120 and the mobile
communication device 201. In particular, after activation is completed the
following data has been exchanged:
(1) the mobile data server 120 knows the device PIN which is
associated with user account. The mobile data server 120
addresses data to the mobile communication device 201 by
specifying the device PIN;
(2) the device knows the service UID associated with the mobile data
server 120 which is effectively a server-side routing destination to
which the mobile communication device 201 can route data. The
mobile communication device 201 addresses data that is to be sent
to a particular mobile data server 120 by specifying this service
UID;
(3) the mobile communication device 201 has knowledge of what
services the mobile data server 120 can provide. This was
communicated from the mobile data server 120 through the
information in the service book records;
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(4) IT policy information defined by the IT administrator has been
installed on the mobile communication device 201. This
information was encoded in the IT policy data (e.g. IT policy data
messages);
(5) the mobile data server 120 has knowledge about the capabilities of
the mobile communication device 201; and
(6) the shared private encryption key that was generated by the
mobile data server 120. The private encryption key is typically
included with the service book record data.
[0182] Activation may be required again when any of the information
exchanged during activation is changed. This process is referred to as
(re)activation. In some embodiments, reactivation may occur wirelessly over-
the-air (OTA) in some cases, for example, when server the server-side
information changes. The shared encryption context can be used to send the
updated service records to the mobile communication device 201 and/or send
device capability data to mobile data server 120 the wirelessly. Depending on
the type of event, some information relating to activation may be maintained
on the mobile communication device 201 in which case the maintained data is
typically overwritten during (re)activation. For example, any of the following
events effectively typically require activation to be repeated:
(1) the device user seeks to use a new (different) mobile data server
120 - the mobile communication device 201 needs the new service
routing data (i.e. the service UID) of the new mobile data server 120 -
this is effectively a new activation on the new mobile data server ;
(2) the mobile data server 120 is upgraded to have new services or
capabilities about which the mobile communication device 201 requires
service data - as noted above, in some embodiments reactivation may
occur wirelessly over-the-air (OTA) when server data information
changes;
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(3) the device user switches to a new (different) mobile
communication device 201 - the mobile data server 120 needs to know
the device PIN and capabilities of the new mobile communication device
201, and the IT policy data and private encryption key must be
established on the new mobile communication device 201 - this is
effectively a new activation of the new mobile communication device 201
on the existing mobile data server 120; and
(4) when device software is upgraded or the device software is erased
(e.g. during a device wipe - a data security action) - the mobile
communication device 201 may obtain have new capabilities of which the
mobile data server 120 needs to be informed. A device software upgrade
or device wipe also purges the private encryption key and so the private
encryption key must be re-established on the mobile communication
device 201. In some embodiments, IT policy data may be maintained
over a software upgrade. If the private encryption key and service data
is preserved and the device capabilities do not change, a device software
upgrade/load may not require a reactivation.
[0183] Referring now to FIG. 8, the communications exchange between
during a wireline activation in accordance with one embodiment of the present
disclosure will be described. From a user interface (UI) perspective, wireline
activation may appear to be a simple, single-click action. However, the
communications exchange required to provided this seamless experience for the
web-client based end user involves two server-side calls, and interleaved with
two device communication operations. The JavaScript code in the DHTML page
is the component with access to both the mobile communication device 201 and
the mobile data server 120 and controls the overall activation process.
[0184] First, in step 802 the JavaScript code of the DHTML page requests
the device PIN and device capability data from the mobile communication
device 201 which is to be activated.
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[0185] Next, in step 804 the SC device controller 311 (e.g., ActiveX
control or plug-in) retrieves the device PIN and the device capability data
from
the mobile communication device 201.
[0186] Next, in step 806 the JavaScript Engine, which is running the
JavaScript of the DHTML page, receives the device capability data and PIN from
the SC device controller 311.
[0187] Next, in step 808 the JavaScript Engine makes a remote procedure
call (RPC) to the mobile data server 120 providing the device capability data
and the device PIN. The RPC call is sent to the Web server 121 which acts as
front end for the wireline activation process.
[0188] Next, in step 810 on receiving the RPC call the Web server 121
makes the appropriate call to the mobile data administration server 122 to
begin a wireline activation.
[0189] Next, in step 812 the mobile data administration server 122 makes
the necessary RPC call to a mobile data server 120 which persists the device
capability data and device PIN. The mobile data server 120 stores the device
capability data and device PIN in the configuration database 126 and possibly
corresponding user mailbox of the mailbox database 133, depending the
messaging server 132. The mobile data server 120 also generates a private
encryption key and places the private encryption into a pending" state.
[0190] Next, in step 814 the mobile data server 120 stores the encryption
key in the configuration database 126 in association with the corresponding
user account, and possibly the corresponding user mailbox of the mailbox
database 133 depending on the messaging server 132 which is used.
[0191] Next, in step 816 the mobile data administration server 122
retrieves the necessary data (e.g. user account data from user account
profile,
device capabilities, administrator-defined IT policies and server side
settings)
from the configuration database 126 and generates service book data packets
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
for the mobile communication device 201. The mobile data administration
server 122 also constructs IT policy data packets from IT policy data defined
for
the user for delivery to the mobile communication device 201. The mobile data
administration server 122 also retrieves the private encryption key from the
configuration database 126 (or possibly the mailbox database 133).
[0192] Next, in step 818 the service book records, private encryption key,
and IT policy data is sent to the Web server 121.
[0193] Next, in step 820 the Web server 121 sends the service book,
private encryption key, and IT policy data to the Internet Browser 310 on the
computer 117 via the JavaScript Engine.
[0194] Next, in step 822 the Internet Browser 310 via the JavaScript
Engine calls the SC device controller 311 with the service book records,
private
encryption key, and IT policy data, and requests that this information be
stored
on the mobile communication device 201.
[0195] Next, in step 824 the SC device controller 311 stores the service
book records, private encryption key, and IT policy data on the mobile
communication device 201. As noted above, the IT policy data is typically
stored first and before the service books.
[0196] Next, in step 826 upon receiving an acknowledgment from the SC
device controller 311 that the service book records, private encryption key,
and
IT policy data were successfully stored on the mobile communication device
201, the Internet Browser 310 via its JavaScript Engine makes a second remote
procedure call (RPC) to the mobile data server 120 indicating that the private
encryption key was successfully stored/installed on the mobile communication
device 201.
[0197] Next, in step 828 on receiving the RPC call the Web server 201
makes the appropriate call to the mobile data administration server 122 to
complete the wireline activation.
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[0198] Next, in step 830 the mobile data administration server 122 makes
the necessary RPC call to the mobile data server 120 which promotes the
"pending" private encryption key to the "current" or "active" state and
commences services for the mobile communication device 201.
[0199] Although reference has been made to certain wireless network
types and standards for the purpose of illustration, such as the IEEE 802.11x
standards, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure is intended to
cover
all further revisions, supplements, additions and replacements to the
referenced
network types and standards, whether or not explicitly described above.
[0200] The foregoing detailed description of example embodiments of the
present disclosure does not limit the implementation of the application to any
particular computer programming language. The present disclosure may be
implemented in any computer programming language provided that the
operating system (OS) provides the facilities that may support the
requirements
of the present disclosure. An embodiment is implemented in the JavaTM
computer programming language (or other computer programming languages
such as C or C++). (Java and all Java-based trademarks are the trademarks of
Sun Microsystems Corporation.) Any limitations presented would be a result of
a particular type of operating system or computer programming language and
would not be a limitation of the present disclosure.
[0201] While the present disclosure is primarily described as a method, a
person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the present
disclosure is
also directed to apparatus such as a computer, mobile communication device,
mobile data administration server, and mobile data server for carrying out at
least some of the aspects and features of the described methods and including
components for performing at least some of the described method steps, be it
by way of hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate
software to enable the practice of the disclosed method, by any combination of
the two, or in any other manner. Moreover, an article of manufacture for use
with the apparatus, such as a pre-recorded storage device or other similar
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computer readable medium including program instructions recorded thereon, or
a computer data signal carrying computer readable program instructions may
direct an apparatus to facilitate the practice of the disclosed method. It is
understood that such apparatus, articles of manufacture, and computer data
signals also come within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, a
communication system comprising a mobile data administration server, a
mobile data server and a plurality of mobile communication devices connected
via a wireless communication network, in which the communication system
components are configured to implement at least some of the processes
described herein, also comes within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0202] The present disclosure describes a method and system for
communicating between an Internet browser on a computer and a connected
electronic device. A communications interface or adapter interfaces
communications between the Internet browser on the computer and the
electronic device connected to the computer. Communication components such
as the communications interface and device communications stack components
required by the computer for communicating with the electronic device may be
provided in a trusted environment which may be accessed by the electronic
devices on demand in the event that the communication components are not
present or require updating. In at least some embodiments, providing the
communication components in the trusted environment allows the
communication components to be installed even in circumstances in which the
user's authorization and/or security privileges do not normally allow the
installation of communication components.
[0203] The present disclosure also describes a method and system which
allows for software on electronic devices connected to a computer to be
upgraded by users or administrators using a Web-based client application
hosted within an Internet browser. The upgrade software for the electronic
devices is automatically selected in accordance with upgrade parameters
determined from the electronic devices. In some embodiments, the electronic
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device is a mobile communication device (such as a handheld communication
device) and the upgrade software is automatically selected in accordance with
upgrade parameters comprising the device model and wireless network carrier
of the device. In some embodiments, the upgrade may be forced by the
administrator when predetermined conditions exist. The predetermined
conditions may be the availability of the upgrade, the expiry of a preset time
period after the upgrade becomes available, or after a preset number of
upgrade delays or bypasses after the upgrade first becomes available.
[0204] In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure,
there is provided a method for communicating between a computer and an
electronic device connected to the computer through a communications
protocol, the computer being in communication with network resources via a
communications network, the method comprising: displaying a web page
including a scripting language within an Internet browser on the computer, the
Internet browser including a scripting engine for executing the scripting
language; providing a scripting-language capable device controller for
interfacing communications between the scripting engine and the electronic
device in accordance with the communications protocol connecting the
computer and electronic device; receiving by the scripting-language capable
device controller of first data from the electronic device through the
communications protocol; sending the first data from the scripting-language
capable device controller to the scripting engine of the Internet browser; and
sending the first data from the Internet browser to a network server connected
to the communication network.
[0205] In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure,
there is provided a data processing system, comprising: a processor for
controlling the operation of the data processing system; a display connected
to
the processor; a data interface connected to the processor and configured for
communicating with an electronic device and for exchanging data with the
electronic device through a communications protocol; a scripting-language
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capable device controller for interfacing communications from the scripting
engine with the electronic device in accordance with the communications
protocol; a communications subsystem for exchanging data with a
communications network; an Internet browser including a scripting engine for
executing a scripting language; means for displaying a web page including a
scripting language within an Internet browser on the computer, the Internet
browser including a scripting engine for executing the scripting language;
means for providing a scripting-language capable device controller for
interfacing communications between the scripting engine and the electronic
device in accordance with the communications protocol connecting the
computer and electronic device; means for receiving by the scripting-language
capable device controller of first data from the electronic device through the
communications protocol; means for sending the first data from the scripting-
language capable device controller to the scripting engine of the Internet
browser; and means for sending the first data from the Internet browser to a
network server connected to the communication network.
[0206] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a method for upgrading device software on an
electronic device connected to a computer through a communications protocol,
the computer being connected to a central repository of device software over a
communications network, the method comprising: displaying a web page
including a scripting language within an Internet browser on the computer, the
Internet browser including a scripting engine for executing the scripting
language; providing a scripting-language capable device controller for
interfacing communications between the scripting engine and the electronic
device in accordance with the communications protocol connecting the
computer and electronic device; receiving by the Internet browser of a request
to install device software onto the electronic device via a user interface
element
of the web page; receiving by the scripting-language capable device controller
of device attribute information from the electronic device through the
communications protocol in response to the request; determining if an upgrade
CA 02632484 2008-05-29
is available for the electronic device in accordance with the device attribute
information; and when an upgrade is available, selecting upgrade software for
the electronic device from the central repository in accordance with at least
the
device attribute information, and upgrading the software on the electronic
device using the selected upgrade software using the communications protocol.
Determining whether an upgrade is available is available and selecting the
upgrade software for the electronic device may be performed locally on the
computer.
[0207] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a method for upgrading device software on an
electronic device connected to a computer through a communications protocol,
the computer being connected to a central repository of device software over a
communications network, the method comprising: displaying a web page
including a scripting language within an Internet browser on the computer, the
Internet browser including a scripting engine for executing the scripting
language; providing a scripting-language capable device controller for
interfacing communications between the scripting engine and the electronic
device in accordance with the communications protocol connecting the
computer and electronic device; receiving by the Internet browser of a request
to install device software onto the electronic device via a user interface
element
of the web page; receiving by the scripting-language capable device controller
of device attribute information from the electronic device through the
communications protocol in response to the request; sending the device
attribute information from the scripting-language capable device controller to
the scripting engine of the Internet browser; sending the device attribute
information from the Internet browser; when an upgrade is available, receiving
upgrade software for the electronic device in response to the sending the
device
attribute information, and upgrading device software on the electronic device
using the upgrade software using the communications protocol connecting the
computer and electronic device.
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[0208] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a method for use by a server for selecting
device
software for installing on an electronic device connected to a computer
through
a communications protocol, the computer and server being connected over a
communications network, the method comprising: providing a central repository
of device software on a data storage element connected to the communications
network, wherein the device software is stored in association with device
attribute information about electronic devices to which the device software
applies; receiving device attribute information about an electronic device
connected to the computer; determining whether an upgrade is available for the
electronic device in accordance with the device attribute information; and
when
an upgrade is available, selecting upgrade software for the electronic device
from the device software in the central repository in accordance with at least
the device attribute information, and sending the device software to the
computer.
[0209] In some embodiments, the electronic device is a mobile
communication device having a communications subsystem for exchanging data
with a wireless communications network, the server being configured to
communicate with a plurality of mobile communication devices over a wireless
communications network, and wherein the device attribute information
comprises a device model identifier (ID) of the mobile communication device
and a wireless network carrier identifier (ID) of the wireless communications
network.
[0210] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: sending a
policy message to one or more of the mobile communication devices in the
plurality of mobile communication devices associated with the server, the
policy
message including a policy rule restricting software which can be installed on
the electronic device.
[0211] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: sending a
policy message to one or more of the mobile communication devices in the
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plurality of mobile communication devices associated with the server, the
policy
message including a force upgrade policy rule specifying whether an upgrade is
required.
[0212] In some embodiments, the force upgrade policy rule specifies a
maximum number of upgrade deferrals.
[0213] In some embodiments, the policy messages are stored in memory
of the mobile communication devices when received.
[0214] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, there is provided a server for selecting device software for
installing
on an electronic device connected to a computer through a communications
protocol, the computer and server being connected over a communications
network, the server comprising: the server being connected to a central
repository of device software on a data storage element connected to the
communications network, wherein the device software is stored in association
with device attribute information about electronic devices to which the device
software applies; means for receiving device attribute information about an
electronic device connected to the computer; means for determining whether
an upgrade is available for the electronic device in accordance with the
device
attribute information; and means, responsive to when an upgrade is available,
for selecting upgrade software for the electronic device from the device
software in the central repository in accordance with at least the device
attribute information, and means for sending the device software to the
computer.
[0215] In accordance with further embodiments of the present disclosure,
there is provided apparatus such as a data processing system (e.g. computer
and/or server) for implementing the methods described herein, a computer
program product comprising a computer readable medium having stored
thereon computer program instructions for implementing the methods
described herein on a suitable data processing system, as well as a computer
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data signal having program instructions recorded therein for practising the
methods of the present disclosure on a suitable data processing system.
[0216] The embodiments of the present disclosure described above are
intended to be examples only. Those of skill in the art may effect
alterations,
modifications and variations to the particular embodiments without departing
from the intended scope of the present disclosure. In particular, features
from
one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected to create
alternate embodiments comprised of a sub-combination of features which may
not be explicitly described above. In addition, features from one or more of
the
above-described embodiments may be selected and combined to create
alternate embodiments comprised of a combination of features which may not
be explicitly described above. Features suitable for such combinations and sub-
combinations would be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon
review of the present disclosure as a whole. The subject matter described
herein and in the recited claims intends to cover and embrace all suitable
changes in technology.
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