Method and apparatus for remote control and updating of wireless mobile devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided to in one aspect update data on a wireless mobile device. Available updates may include both mandatory and discretionary updates, where the mandatory updates are always installed on the wireless mobile device. In another aspect, a method and apparatus for of remotely instructing a wireless mobile device to perform a service is provided. The wireless mobile device receives a ping message that instructs it to retrieve further instruction for performing services actions on the wireless mobile device.

1 . A wireless computing apparatus, designed to be mobile, and configured to perform one or more remote services, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device having stored therein computer-executable instructions designed to cause the processor to perform operations including:   determining that a message received from a remote source by the wireless computing apparatus is a service message for the wireless computing apparatus;   requesting and obtaining further instructions from the remote source, directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services; and   performing the action on the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the requesting is elicited by the determining that the message received is a service message. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with an update service comprises:
 requesting available updates;   receiving an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates;   receiving and installing any mandatory updates; and   depicting representations of any discretionary updates determined by the wireless computing apparatus to be relevant in a user-selectable manner.   
     
     
         4 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the action associated with an update service further comprises:
 enabling a user of the wireless computing apparatus to select a discretionary update from the representations; and   obtaining and installing the selected discretionary update.   
     
     
         5 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the relevance of a discretionary update is determined based on a current state of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the current state comprises software currently installed on the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the performing occurs automatically upon receipt of the further instructions. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a user of the wireless computing apparatus is not informed about the performing. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with a backup service comprises backing up at least a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with an updating service comprises erasing a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the erasing comprises erasing, as a mandatory update, a program that the wireless computing apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises locking the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises erasing data contained in at least one memory device of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless computing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises one or more security-related actions. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions designed to cause a processor of a wireless computing apparatus to perform operations including:
 determining that a message received from a remote source by the wireless computing apparatus is a service message for the wireless computing apparatus;   requesting and obtaining further instructions from the remote source, directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services; and   performing the action on the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the requesting is elicited by the determining that the message received is a service message. 
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with an update service comprises:
 requesting available updates;   receiving an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates;   receiving and installing any mandatory updates; and   depicting representations of any discretionary updates determined by the wireless computing apparatus to be relevant in a user-selectable manner.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the action associated with an update service further comprises:
 enabling a user of the wireless computing apparatus to select a discretionary update from the representations; and   obtaining and installing the selected discretionary update.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the relevance of a discretionary update is determined based on a current state of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 19 , wherein the current state comprises software currently installed on the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the performing occurs automatically upon receipt of the further instructions. 
     
     
         22 . The medium of  claim 21 , wherein a user of the wireless computing apparatus is not informed about the performing. 
     
     
         23 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with a backup service comprises backing up at least a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with an updating service comprises erasing a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         25 . The medium of  claim 24 , wherein the erasing comprises erasing, as a mandatory update, a program that the wireless computing apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         26 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises locking the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         27 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises erasing data contained in at least one memory device of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         28 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises one or more security-related actions. 
     
     
         29 . A method of remote instruction of a wireless computing apparatus to perform a service, the method comprising:
 determining that a message received from a remote source by the wireless computing apparatus is a service message for the wireless computing apparatus;   requesting and obtaining further instructions from the remote source, directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services; and   performing the action on the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the requesting is elicited by the determining that the message received is a service message. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with an update service comprises:
 requesting available updates;   receiving an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates;   receiving and installing any mandatory updates; and   depicting representations of any discretionary updates determined by the wireless computing apparatus to be relevant in a user-selectable manner.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the action associated with an update service further comprises:
 enabling a user of the wireless computing apparatus to select a discretionary update from the representations; and   obtaining and installing the selected discretionary update.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the relevance of a discretionary update is determined based on a current state of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the current state comprises software currently installed on the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the performing occurs automatically upon receipt of the further instructions. 
     
     
         36 . The medium of  claim 35 , wherein a user of the wireless computing apparatus is not informed about the performing. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with a backup service comprises backing up at least a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with an updating service comprises erasing a portion of a memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the erasing comprises erasing, as a mandatory update, a program that the wireless computing apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises locking the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises erasing data contained in at least one memory device of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the action associated with a mobile service comprises one or more security-related actions. 
     
     
         43 . A wireless communication server, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device having stored therein computer-executable instructions designed to cause the processor to perform operations including::   transmitting a service message to a wireless computing apparatus; and   in response to receiving a request for further instructions from the wireless computing apparatus, transmitting further instructions directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services.   
     
     
         44 . The wireless communication server of  claim 43 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the operations further comprise:
 transmitting to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to a request for available updates received from the wireless computing apparatus, an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates; and   transmitting the mandatory updates to the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         45 . The wireless communication server of  claim 44 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the operations further comprise:
 transmitting at least one discretionary update to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to receiving a request for the at least one discretionary update from the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         46 . The wireless communication server of  claim 43 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a backup service, the operations further comprise transmitting an indication of whether to backup or to erase all or a portion of memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         47 . The wireless communication server of  claim 46 , wherein a portion of memory to erase corresponds to a program that the wireless communication apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         48 . The wireless communication server of  claim 43 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the operations further comprise transmitting instructions to lock the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         49 . The wireless communication server of  claim 43 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the operations further comprise transmitting instructions to the wireless computing apparatus corresponding to one or more security-related actions. 
     
     
         50 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions designed to cause a processor to perform operations including:
 transmitting a service message to a wireless computing apparatus; and   in response to receiving a request for further instructions from the wireless computing apparatus, transmitting further instructions directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services.   
     
     
         51 . The medium of  claim 50 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the operations further comprise:
 transmitting to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to a request for available updates received from the wireless computing apparatus, an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates; and   transmitting the mandatory updates to the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         52 . The medium of  claim 51 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the operations further comprise:
 transmitting at least one discretionary update to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to receiving a request for the at least one discretionary update from the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         53 . The medium of  claim 50 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a backup service, the operations further comprise transmitting an indication of whether to backup or to erase all or a portion of memory of the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         54 . The medium of  claim 53 , wherein a portion of memory to erase corresponds to a program that the wireless communication apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         55 . The medium of  claim 50 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the operations further comprise transmitting instructions to lock the wireless computing apparatus. 
     
     
         56 . The medium of  claim 50 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the operations further comprise transmitting instructions to the wireless computing apparatus corresponding to one or more security-related actions. 
     
     
         57 . A method, at a wireless communication server, of remotely instructing a wireless computing apparatus to perform a service, the method comprising:
 transmitting a service message to a wireless computing apparatus; and   in response to receiving a request for further instructions from the wireless computing apparatus, transmitting further instructions directed to an action for at least one service selected from the group consisting of backup services, mobile services, and update services.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the method further comprises:
 transmitting to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to a request for available updates received from the wireless computing apparatus, an update catalog for available updates, wherein the updates are selected from the group consisting of discretionary updates and mandatory updates; and   transmitting the mandatory updates to the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with an update service, the method further comprises:
 transmitting at least one discretionary update to the wireless computing apparatus, in response to receiving a request for the at least one discretionary update from the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a backup service, the method further comprises:
 transmitting an indication of whether to backup or to erase all or a portion of memory of the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein a portion of memory to erase corresponds to a program that the wireless communication apparatus is not authorized to have. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the method further comprises:
 transmitting instructions to lock the wireless computing apparatus.   
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein, in conjunction with the action associated with a mobile service, the method further comprises:
 transmitting instructions to the wireless computing apparatus corresponding to one or more security-related actions.