System and Method For Transactional Application Lifecycle Management For Mobile Devices

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to networks and lifecycle transaction management of mobile devices. There is provided a system and method for managing the lifecycle of applications on mobile devices. The system has components for implementing a method comprising the steps of creating a transaction context comprising a transaction command, sending the transaction context in a transaction context message to a plurality of mobile devices, and evaluating an ending scenario based on transaction statuses of the plurality of mobile devices.

1 . A method of transactional application lifecycle management for mobile devices, the method comprising:
 creating a transaction context comprising one or more transaction commands for management of an application;   sending the transaction context in a transaction context message to a plurality of mobile devices for initiating an application lifecycle transaction on each of the plurality of mobile devices;   evaluating an ending scenario based on transaction statuses of the plurality of mobile devices to determine instructions for completing the application lifecycle transaction on the plurality of mobile devices; and   sending, to each of the plurality of mobile devices, an ending scenario message comprising the determined instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating a server save point for storing server state information prior to sending the transaction context message, the server state information including application metadata associated with the plurality of mobile devices; and   restoring the server state information to the server save point or deleting the server save point based on the evaluation of the ending scenario.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating and starting a timeout timer for initiating the evaluation of the ending scenario; and   evaluating the ending scenario after the expiration of the timeout timer.   
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving a transaction execution message indicating a transaction execution status of a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices; and   setting a transaction status of the mobile device based on the transaction execution status of the received transaction execution message.   
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein once the transaction status of all mobile devices of the plurality of mobile devices has been set, evaluating the ending scenario. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 upon expiration of the timeout timer, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices:   determining if the transaction execution message has been received; and if the transaction execution message has not been received for each mobile device, setting the transaction status to indicate a transaction execution message has failed to be received.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise commit instructions for committing the transaction on the mobile device when all mobile devices have successfully executed the transaction. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise roll back instructions for rolling back the transaction on the mobile device, when all mobile devices have unsuccessfully executed the transaction or a transaction status threshold has been exceeded. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise status specific instructions for committing the transaction on successful mobile devices and rolling back the transaction on unsuccessful mobile devices, when a transaction status threshold has been exceeded. 
     
     
         10 . A lifecycle transaction management system comprising:
 a lifecycle transaction server comprising:   a message component for sending and receiving messages to and from a plurality of mobile devices; and   a transaction component comprising a server transaction manager for creating a transaction context comprising a transaction command to be sent to the plurality of mobile devices using the message component the transaction context for initiating an application lifecycle transaction on each of the plurality of mobile devices, evaluating an ending scenario based on transaction statuses of the plurality of mobile devices, and sending an ending scenario message to each of the plurality of mobile devices based on the evaluation of the ending scenario, the ending scenario message comprising instructions for completing the application lifecycle transaction on the plurality of mobile devices.   
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the server transaction manager comprises a server save point component for creating a server save point for storing server state information prior to sending the transaction context message, and restoring the server state information to the server save point or deleting the server save point based on the evaluation of the ending scenario, the server state information including application metadata associated with the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the server transaction manager comprises a timer component for creating and starting a timeout timer, and indicating to evaluate the ending scenario upon expiration of the timeout timer. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile device instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise commit instructions for committing the transaction on the mobile device when all mobile devices have successfully executed the transaction. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile device instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise roll back instructions for rolling back the transaction on the mobile device, when all mobile devices have unsuccessfully executed the transaction or a transaction status threshold has been exceeded. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the mobile device instructions included in the ending scenario message comprise status specific instructions for committing the transaction on successful mobile devices and rolling back the transaction on unsuccessful mobile devices, when a transaction status threshold has been exceeded. 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a unique transaction ID associated with the transaction context;   a device table for storing information associated with messages sent between the transaction manager and the device, the messages associated with the transaction context;   a timeout timer associated with the transaction context for generating a timeout event if a transaction execution message is not received from the device within the timeout period; and   a message processor component for sending and receiving the messages associated with the transaction context.   
     
     
         17 . A method of application lifecycle management on a mobile device, the method comprising:
 receiving at the mobile device a transaction context message of an application lifecycle transaction associated with an application;   creating a device save point for storing a device state prior to execution of one or more transaction commands defined by the application lifecycle transaction;   executing at least one of the one or more transaction commands associated with the application lifecycle transaction;   sending a transaction execution message to indicate a status of execution of the at least one transaction command associated with the application lifecycle transaction; and   receiving an ending scenario message comprising instructions for ending the application lifecycle transaction.   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the instructions for ending the application lifecycle transaction comprise instructions for restoring the device state to the device application state stored in the device save point or deleting the device save point based on the instructions for ending the application lifecycle transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 initiating an abort timer upon executing the transaction command; and   executing an abort ending scenario upon expiration of the abort timer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein executing the abort ending scenario restores the device state to the device application state stored in the device save point. 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 cancelling the abort timer if the ending scenario message is received prior to the expiration of the abort timer.   
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the transaction execution message is sent from the mobile device to a remote server, and wherein the ending scenario message is received at the mobile device from the remote server. 
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one transaction command comprises instructions selected from the group comprising:
 a transaction start command;   a transaction end command;   an application install command;   an application upgrade command;   an application delete command;   an application quarantine command   an application un-quarantine command;   an application suspend command;   an application resume command; and   a command for changing a mobile device configuration.   
     
     
         24 . A mobile device for managing a device application lifecycles, the mobile device comprising:
 a memory for storing instructions;   a processor for executing the instructions stored in memory, the execution of the instructions by the processor implementing:
 an application lifecycle transaction manager comprising:
 a message processor for receiving a transaction context message of an application lifecycle transaction associated with an application; 
 a command controller for executing at least one of the one or more transaction commands associated with the application lifecycle transaction; and 
 a save point controller for creating a device save point storing a device state prior to execution of one or more transaction commands defined by the application lifecycle transaction; and 
 a messaging component for receiving the transaction context message, sending a transaction execution message to indicate a status of execution of the at least one transaction command associated with the application lifecycle transaction, and receiving an ending scenario message comprising instructions for ending the application lifecycle transaction. 
 
   
     
     
         25 . The mobile device as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the command controller restores the device state to the device applications state stored in the device save point or deletes the device save point based on the received instructions for ending the application lifecycle transaction. 
     
     
         26 . The mobile device as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising:
 initiating an abort timer upon executing the transaction command; and   executing an abort ending scenario upon expiration of the abort timer.   
     
     
         27 . The mobile device of  claim 26 , wherein executing the abort ending scenario restores the device state to the device application state stored in the device save point. 
     
     
         28 . The mobile device as claimed in  claim 26 , further comprising:
 cancelling the abort timer if the ending scenario message is received prior to the expiration of the abort timer.   
     
     
         29 . The mobile device as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising:
 sending the transaction execution message using a reliable message protocol.