Context-aware mobile device management

Abstract

Technologies disclosed herein are directed to context-based mobile device management. According to one embodiment, an application executing in a mobile device detects an event to trigger context-based management of the mobile device. A usage context associated with the mobile device is determined. One or more policies to enforce on the mobile device are identified as a function of the usage context. The application enforces the one or more policies on the mobile device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 configuring, by a service, a device usage policy to enforce on a first mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices, the device usage policy restricting access to one or more mobile device applications on the first mobile device based on a usage context; and   transmitting, by the service, the device usage policy to the plurality of mobile devices.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the device usage policy to the plurality of mobile devices comprises transmitting the device usage policy to a first mobile device in response to the first mobile device entering a first context domain. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the service, an event to trigger context-based management of the first mobile device;   updating, by the service, the device usage policy based on the event; and   transmitting, by the service, the updated device usage policy to the first mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the event comprises a detection, by the service, of the first mobile device entering a second context domain. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the event comprises a detection, by the service, of the first mobile device exiting the first context domain. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the device usage policy comprises a whitelist of applications accessible on the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein updating the device usage policy comprises updating the whitelist of applications accessible on the plurality of mobile devices based on the usage context policy. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the first context domain is associated with a driving environment. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the device usage policy comprises a list of applications prohibited from access on the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prompting the first mobile device for an acknowledgement of the device usage policy; and   upon receiving the acknowledgement from the first mobile device, granting access to at least one of the one or more mobile device applications on the first mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing program code, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform an operation, comprising:
 configuring, by a service, a device usage policy to enforce on a first mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices, the device usage policy restricting access to one or more mobile device applications on the first mobile device based on a usage context, and 
 transmitting, by the service, the device usage policy to the plurality of mobile devices. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein transmitting the device usage policy to the plurality of mobile devices comprises transmitting the device usage policy to a first mobile device in response to the first mobile device entering a first context domain. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 detecting, by the service, an event to trigger context-based management of the first mobile device;   updating, by the service, the device usage policy based on the event; and   transmitting, by the service, the updated device usage policy to the first mobile device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the event comprises a detection, by the service, of the first mobile device entering a second context domain. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the event comprises a detection, by the service, of the first mobile device exiting the first context domain. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the device usage policy comprises a whitelist of applications accessible on the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein updating the device usage policy comprises updating the whitelist of applications accessible on the plurality of mobile devices based on the usage context policy. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first context domain is associated with a driving environment. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the device usage policy comprises a list of applications prohibited from access on the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 prompting the first mobile device for an acknowledgement of the device usage policy; and   upon receiving the acknowledgement from the first mobile device, granting access to at least one of the one or more mobile device applications on the first mobile device.