Managing data access in mobile devices

Abstract

A, system, and computer program product for managing data access in a mobile device are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Using a data manager executing in the mobile device, a data item is configured in a data model. A value parameter of the data item is populated with data and a status parameter of the data item is populated with a status indication. A subscription to the data item is received from a mobile application executing in the mobile device. In response to the subscription, the data and the status of the data item are sent to the mobile application.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for managing data access in a mobile device, the computer usable code comprising:
 computer usable code for configuring, using a data manager executing in the mobile device, a data item in a data model;   
       computer usable code for populating a value parameter of the data item with data and a status parameter of the data item with a status indication; 
       computer usable code for receiving a subscription to the data item from a mobile application executing in the mobile device; and 
       computer usable code for sending, responsive to the subscription, the data and the status of the data item to the mobile application. 
     
     
         16 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for receiving an update for the data item;   computer usable code for updating the data in value parameter of the data item;   computer usable code for determining whether the status indication should be changed because of the update, forming a status determination;   computer usable code for adjusting the status parameter with a second status indication responsive to the status determination being affirmative;   computer usable code for pushing contents of the updated value parameter and the adjusted status parameter to the mobile application; and   computer usable code for causing a use of the value parameter to change in the mobile application due to the adjusted status parameter.   
     
     
         17 . The computer usable program product of  claim 16 , wherein the data in the value parameter is computed using the update, further comprising:
 computer usable code for repeating the receiving, the updating, the determining, and the adjusting responsive to an update frequency period specified for the data item elapsing.   
     
     
         18 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for receiving, from the mobile application executing in the mobile device, a request to unsubscribe from the data item;   computer usable code for unsubscribing the mobile application from the data item;   computer usable code for determining whether a second mobile application is subscribed to the data item;   computer usable code for receiving an update for the data item responsive to the second mobile application being subscribed to the data item; and   computer usable code for discontinuing the update for the data item responsive to no subscriptions remaining for the data item.   
     
     
         19 . The computer usable program product of  claim 18 , wherein the mobile application and the second mobile application use the update at different frequencies, wherein the update is received at a source's frequency, and wherein the update and a status indication from the data item are pushed to the mobile application and the second mobile application at their respective frequencies. 
     
     
         20 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , wherein the configuring configures a subset of a set of parameters of the data item, further comprising:
 computer usable code for configuring, using the mobile application, another subset of the set of parameters of the data item, wherein the data item is not previously configured in the data model.   
     
     
         21 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , the configuring comprising:
 computer usable code for identifying a source of data for the data item;   computer usable code for determining an update method for the data item; and   computer usable code for determining an update frequency for the data item, wherein the source, the update method, and the update frequency are provided to the data manager and not to the mobile application.   
     
     
         22 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for using a policy to one of (i) adjust an update frequency of the data item, and (ii) prioritize an update of the data item.   
     
     
         23 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for using a policy to determine the mobile application's entitlement to the data item, wherein the policy is used for denying the mobile application from subscribing to the data item.   
     
     
         24 . The computer usable program product of  claim 23 , wherein the policy uses a combination of an identity of the application, an identity of the mobile device, and a history of previous actions by the mobile application to determine the entitlement. 
     
     
         25 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for allowing a second mobile application executing in a second mobile device access to the data item by sending the date item to a second data manager in the second mobile device such that the second data manager does not have to receive an update to the data item from a designated source of the data item   
     
     
         26 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , wherein the data manager uses a combination of subscriptions to the data item, parameters of the data item, and available memory at the mobile device to purge the data item. 
     
     
         27 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for causing the provision of a cue at the mobile application based on a status indication in a status parameter of a data item, wherein the cue indicates in the mobile application that a value associated with the data item is out of date.   
     
     
         28 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for pre-fetching an update for the data item, the pre-fetching being based on a subscription history of the data item.   
     
     
         29 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system. 
     
     
         30 . The computer usable program product of  claim 15 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium associated with the remote data processing system. 
     
     
         31 . A data processing system for managing data access in a mobile device, the data processing system comprising:
 a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and   a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises:
 computer usable code for configuring, using a data manager executing in the mobile device, a data item in a data model; 
   computer usable code for populating a value parameter of the data item with data and a status parameter of the data item with a status indication;   computer usable code for receiving a subscription to the data item from a mobile application executing in the mobile device; and   computer usable code for sending, responsive to the subscription, the data and the status of the data item to the mobile application.   
     
     
         32 . The data processing system of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for receiving an update for the data item;   computer usable code for updating the data in value parameter of the data item;   computer usable code for determining whether the status indication should be changed because of the update, forming a status determination;   computer usable code for adjusting the status parameter with a second status indication responsive to the status determination being affirmative;   computer usable code for pushing contents of the updated value parameter and the adjusted status parameter to the mobile application; and   computer usable code for causing a use of the value parameter to change in the mobile application due to the adjusted status parameter.   
     
     
         33 . The data processing system of  claim 32 , wherein the data in the value parameter is computed using the update, further comprising:
 computer usable code for repeating the receiving, the updating, the determining, and the adjusting responsive to an update frequency period specified for the data item elapsing.   
     
     
         34 . The data processing system of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 computer usable code for receiving, from the mobile application executing in the mobile device, a request to unsubscribe from the data item;   computer usable code for unsubscribing the mobile application from the data item;   computer usable code for determining whether a second mobile application is subscribed to the data item;   computer usable code for receiving an update for the data item responsive to the second mobile application being subscribed to the data item; and   computer usable code for discontinuing the update for the data item responsive to no subscriptions remaining for the data item.   
     
     
         35 . The data processing system of  claim 34 , wherein the mobile application and the second mobile application use the update at different frequencies, wherein the update is received at a source's frequency, and wherein the update and a status indication from the data item are pushed to the mobile application and the second mobile application at their respective frequencies.