Method and System for Configuring Settings for a Communications Client Utilizing Host Device Drivers

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a client on a host device using a configuration application on a configuring device, the system comprising: a link between the configuring device and the host device; host drivers for communicating between the host device and the configuring device over the link; and an interface between the host drivers and the configuration application, wherein said interface allows said configuration application to be independent of the host drivers while allowing the configuration application to configure the client.

1 . A configuring device, comprising:
 a configuration application;   one or more host drivers to communicate between a configuring device and one or more host devices; and   an interface between the one or more drivers and the configuration application, the interface enables the configuration application to configure the client on a first one of the host devices via a first one of the host drivers and the interface enables the application to configure the client on a second one of the host devices via a second one of the host drivers.   
     
     
         2 . The configuration device of  claim 1 , further comprising a link to enable communication between the configuration device and the host devices, the link selected from the group consisting of: a Bluetooth connection; an IrDA connection; and a physical serial link. 
     
     
         3 . The configuration device of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration device is a personal computer. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method for configuring a client on host devices via a configuration device, the method comprising:
 configuring the client on the host devices;   adding one or more host drivers to the configuration device; and   providing an interface between an application and the set of host drivers, the interface enables the application to configure the client on a first one of the host devices via a first one of the host drivers and the interface enables the application to configure the client on a second one of the host devices via a second one of the host drivers.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein one of the host devices is a mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the client is a data client. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein configuring the client involves setting an encryption key. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein configuring the client involves setting a server identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein configuring the client includes backing up and restoring data. 
     
     
         10 . A host device for configuring a client, comprising:
 client applications;   host applications;   a virtual machine for the client applications; and   an interface between the host applications and client applications configured to permit the client applications to start the host applications and the host applications to start the client applications using the virtual machine.   
     
     
         11 . The host device of  claim 10 , wherein the host device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The host device of  claim 10 , wherein the client is a data client. 
     
     
         13 . The host device of  claim 12 , wherein configuring the client involves setting an encryption key. 
     
     
         14 . The host device of  claim 12 , wherein configuring the client involves setting a server identifier. 
     
     
         15 . The host device of  claim 12 , wherein configuring the client includes backing up and restoring data.