System and Method for Restricting System and Application Software Available for Installation on a Managed Mobile Device

Abstract

A method for managing software on a device is provided. The method comprises: receiving, from a third party associated with the device, by a software administrator of an organization different from the third party, release information regarding software versions for the device; creating, by the software administrator, a profile that specifies whether or not at least one of the software versions is allowed on the device; and transmitting the profile, by the software administrator to a server computer associated with the third or other parties, to promote enforcement of the profile for the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing software on a device, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a third party associated with the device, by a software administrator of an organization different from the third party, release information regarding software versions for the device;   creating, by the software administrator, a profile that specifies whether or not at least one of the software versions is allowed on the device; and   transmitting the profile, by the software administrator to a server computer associated with the third or other parties, to promote enforcement of the profile for the device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer, responsive to receiving the profile, transmits information regarding enforcement of the profile to a software loading service, thereby causing the software loading service to enforce the profile on the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enforcement of the profile for the device comprises at least one of:
 allowing installation of at least one software version on the device;   preventing installation of at least one software version on the device;   providing an alert on the device that at least one software version is available for installation on the device; and   providing an alert on the device that at least one software version is not available for installation on the device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the software administrator receives the release information from the server computer responsive to sending the server computer a request for the release information, and wherein the server computer previously received the release information from the software loading service and stored the release information in a data storage component accessible to the server computer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, when the server computer does not have an internet connection, the software administrator receives the release information from the software loading service and sends the release information to the server computer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the administrator creates the profile via an interface that allows selection of at least one software version and selection of at least one action to be performed on the software version, wherein the action is one of installing, by the software loading service, the software version on the device or following, by the software loading service, a rule that prohibits installing the software version on the device, and wherein the interface further allows specification of a condition under which the action is to be taken, the condition being related to at least one of:
 a location of the device;   a location in which the action is to be taken;   a time when the action is to be taken;   a roaming status of the device;   an amount of memory space available on the device;   the software version, wherein the most recent available software version is to be mandatorily installed on the device;   a hardware characteristic of the device;   a software characteristic of the device;   a radio access technology in use by the device; and   a radio access network in use by the device.   
     
     
         7 . A method for managing software on a device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a server computer under exclusive control of a third party, from a software loading service, release information regarding software versions for the device;   transmitting, by the server computer to a software administrator of an organization different from the third party, the release information;   receiving, by the server computer from the software administrator, at least one profile that specifies whether at least one of the software versions is allowed on the device or is prohibited on the device; and   transmitting, by the server computer to the software loading service, information regarding a specified software version that is allowed on the device or is prohibited on the device, thereby causing the software loading service to make the specified software version available for installation on the device or causing the software loading service to prevent installation of the specified software version on the device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the server computer transmits the release information to the software administrator responsive to receiving a request for the release information from the software administrator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the server computer previously received the release information from the software loading service and stored the release information in a data storage component accessible to the server computer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the information regarding the specified software version is one of:
 a payload transmitted to the device and then transmitted from the device to the software loading service, wherein the payload contains information specific to the device; or   the profile, wherein the profile is transmitted to a web service application programming interface accessible to the software loading service and then transmitted from the application programming interface to the software loading service.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, when the server computer receives more than one profile for the device, the server computer performs a reconciliation procedure to determine which of the profiles is to be enforced on the device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the server computer compares the software installed on the device to the software specified in the profile and, when the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile, the server computer at least one of:
 sends the software administrator a message informing the software administrator that the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile;   sends the device a message informing the device that the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile; or   takes an action to impair the functioning of the device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the software versions included in the release information are determined based on at least one of:
 a hardware characteristic of the device;   a software characteristic of the device;   a radio access technology in use by the device; and   a radio access network in use by the device.   
     
     
         14 . A server computer under exclusive control of a third party, the server computer comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured such that the server computer receives, from a software loading service, release information regarding software versions for a mobile device; further configured such that the server computer stores the release information to the memory; further configured such that the server computer transmits, to a software administrator of an organization different from the third party, the release information; further configured such that the server computer receives, from the software administrator, at least one profile that specifies whether at least one of the software versions is allowed on the device or is prohibited on the device; and further configured such that the server computer transmits to the software loading service information regarding a specified software version that is allowed on the device or is prohibited on the device, thereby causing the software loading service to make the specified software version available for installation on the device or causing the software loading service to prevent installation of the specified software version on the device.   
     
     
         15 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein the server computer transmits the release information to the software administrator responsive to receiving a request for the release information from the software administrator. 
     
     
         16 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein the server computer previously received the release information from the software loading service and stored the release information in a data storage component accessible to the server computer. 
     
     
         17 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein the information regarding the specified software version is one of:
 a payload transmitted to the device and then transmitted from the device to the software loading service, wherein the payload contains information specific to the device; or   the profile, wherein the profile is transmitted to a web service application programming interface accessible to the software loading service and then transmitted from the application programming interface to the software loading service.   
     
     
         18 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein, when the server computer receives more than one profile for the device, the server computer performs a reconciliation procedure to determine which of the profiles is to be enforced on the device. 
     
     
         19 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein the server computer compares the software installed on the device to the software specified in the profile and, when the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile, the server computer at least one of:
 sends the software administrator a message informing the software administrator that the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile;   sends the device a message informing the device that the software installed on the device does not correspond to the software specified in the profile; or   takes an action to impair the functioning of the device.   
     
     
         20 . The server computer of  claim 14 , wherein the software versions included in the release information are determined based on at least one of:
 a hardware characteristic of the device;   a software characteristic of the device;   a radio access technology in use by the device; and   a radio access network in use by the device.