Automatic Mobile Device Configuration

Abstract

A remote wireless device registers with a server. Responsively, the server determines the identity of a server-side application associated with a user of the remote wireless device. The server may then generate an application definition file specific to the server-side application and to the remote wireless device. The application definition file may contain definitions for: a user interface format; a format for network messages; and a format for storing data. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data generated by the server-side application and formatted in accordance with the definitions. The wireless device may then present a user interface for the server-side application. The application definition file may be an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. Advantageously, configuration of devices is more efficiently accomplished.

1 . A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor of a computing device in communication with a mobile communication device, cause said computing device to facilitate configuration of said mobile communication device by:
 receiving a request for registration of said mobile communication device;   based on said request for registration, determining an identity of a user associated with said mobile communication device;   determining a set of N server-side applications associated with said identity of said user, where N is an integer greater than one; and   automatically, for each of said N server-side applications:
 generating a document in a markup language, said document for configuring said mobile communication device to access said server-side application; and 
 transmitting said document to said mobile communication device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said determining said identity of said user comprises parsing said request for registration. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said determining said set of N server-side applications comprises:
 determining an identity of a group listing that includes said identity of said user; and   identifying a plurality of application identities associated with said group listing.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises combining:
 a format of a user interface to said server-side application at said mobile communication device;   a format of network messages for exchange of data generated by said server-side application; and   a format for storing data related to said server-side application at said mobile communication device.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 4  further comprising, before said combining:
 determining a type for said mobile communication device; and   selecting said format of said user interface based on said type.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises providing a telephone number. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 6  wherein said telephone number is associated with a network entity with which said mobile communication device is to form a dial-up connection to gain access to said server-side application. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises providing an Internet Protocol address. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8  wherein said Internet Protocol address is associated with a server with which said mobile communication device is to form a connection to gain access to said server-side application. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said Internet Protocol address is associated with a Virtual Private Network server with which said mobile communication device is to form a connection to gain access to said server-side application. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said generating said document further comprises providing encryption key settings. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein said generating said document further comprises providing an indication of an authentication protocol. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises providing an indication of a protocol for use in connecting to a server gateway which said mobile communication device is to form a connection to gain access to said server-side application, where said protocol is optimized for a predetermined type of connection to said server gateway. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises providing an indication of a delivery mechanism to use for interaction with said server-side application. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14  wherein said delivery mechanism is a push protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14  wherein said delivery mechanism is a pull protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein said generating said document comprises providing an indication of a mechanism for re-establishing a connection once said connection has been lost, where said connection allows access to said server-side application. 
     
     
         18 . A mobile communication device comprising:
 a processor;   memory in communication with said processor storing software that, when executed by said processor, adapts said mobile communication device to:
 send, to a computing device, a request for registration of said mobile communication device; and 
 receive, from said computing device, N markup language documents for configuring said mobile communication device to access N respective server-side applications via said computing device, where N is an integer greater than one, each of said N markup language documents being previously associated with an identity of a user of said mobile communication device, said N markup language documents having been automatically generated and transmitted by said computing device in response to said request for registration. 
   
     
     
         19 . The mobile communication device of  claim 18  wherein said software further adapts said mobile communication device to interpret at least one of said N markup language documents for the purpose of configuring said mobile communication device to access a respective one of said N server-side applications. 
     
     
         20 . A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause said mobile communication device to:
 send, to a computing device, a request for registration of said mobile communication device; and   receive, from said computing device, N markup language documents for configuring said mobile communication device to access N respective server-side applications via said computing device, where N is an integer greater than one, each of said N markup language documents being previously associated with an identity of a user of said mobile communication device, said N markup language documents having been automatically generated and transmitted by said computing device in response to said request for registration.