Abstract:
A method, system, and computer program product that provides the capability to manage, control, and reconfigure wireless devices remotely over a wireless network with acceptable reliability and security. A method for remotely managing a wireless device over a telecommunications network comprising a server and the wireless device, the method comprises the steps of establishing a communicative connection between the server and the wireless device over a signaling channel of the telecommunications network, transmitting a command from the server to the wireless device over the signaling network, and executing the command at the wireless device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Ser. No. 09/925,536, filed Aug. 10, 2001, which claims the benefit of provisional application 60/251,034, filed Dec. 5, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a system and method for providing remote over the air management of wireless data terminals over Common Channel Signaling System 7 (SS7/C7) and any application protocol that runs on SS7 such as SMS and Instant Messaging. Management includes over the air, locking/unlocking the terminal; zapping/deleting contents from the terminal; terminal password management; data application distribution and application configuration on the wireless terminal.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Currently, there are various implemented and proposed protocols to manage, control, and reconfigure computer systems remotely over a network via a central console. Such protocols are designed for an environment in which the computer systems to be managed are connected to the central console by fixed wiring, such as twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, or fiber optic cable. Management and control methods for networks that utilize fixed wiring assume that the network is quite reliable. In addition, many protocols are designed for a controlled network environment, such as a local area network, in which the computing environment is secure. Such security may be provided by use of a firewall to connect the local area network to other networks.  
           [0004]    However, networks utilizing fixed wiring are limited in that in mobile devices cannot be configured onto a fixed network and so cannot be utilized. In addition, in many situations, the installation of the fixed wiring may be expensive or infeasible. Wireless networks provide these capabilities that fixed networks lack. Thus, a need arises for a technique that will allow data terminals to be remotely managed, controlled, and reconfigured using a wireless network. Network considerations in a wireless network are different that those in a fixed network. For example, wireless connections are not as reliable as fixed connections, due to interference and other reception difficulties. In addition, security considerations in a wireless network are different, in that wireless signals carrying data are much more subject to interception than are signals carrying data in a fixed network. Signaling networks in wireless telecommunications have been used for device activation/provisioning, voice call set up/tear down and providing messaging service such as Short Message Service (SMS) and instant messaging service. However, a need arises for a technique that provides the capability for more advanced management of wireless devices, as well as the capability to control and reconfigure wireless devices remotely over a wireless network with acceptable reliability and security.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is a method, system, and computer program product that provides the capability to manage, control, and reconfigure wireless devices remotely over a wireless network with acceptable reliability and security. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for remotely managing a wireless device over a telecommunications network comprising a server and the wireless device, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a communicative connection between the server and the wireless device over a signaling channel of the telecommunications network, transmitting a command from the server to the wireless device over the signaling network, and executing the command at the wireless device.  
           [0006]    In one aspect of the present invention, the signaling channel of the telecommunications network comprises a Common Channel Signaling System 7 channel. The signaling channel of the telecommunications network may comprise a Short Message Service application or Instant messaging application. The transmitting step may comprise the step of transmitting the command to a management agent process executing on the wireless device. The transmitting step may comprise the step of transmitting the command to a management agent process executing on the wireless device in a Short Message Service message.  
           [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, the transmitting step comprises the step of transmitting the command to a management agent process executing on the wireless device. The connection may be established periodically or the connection may be established based on a threshold condition.  
           [0008]    In one aspect of the present invention, the command comprises one of: enabling/disabling access of the wireless device to the server, enabling/disabling applications that may run on the wireless device, erasing all or part of contents of the wireless device, transmitting new commands and parameters to the wireless device, querying a current state of the wireless device, monitoring a level of a battery in the wireless device, monitoring a location of the wireless device in the wireless network, and reconfiguring applications that may run on the wireless device.  
           [0009]    In one aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of transmitting information relating to execution of the command at the wireless device from the wireless device to the server. The information relating to execution of the command may be transmitted periodically or the information relating to execution of the command may be transmitted based on a threshold condition of the wireless device.  
           [0010]    In one aspect of the present invention, the transmitting step comprises the steps of transmitting registration information relating to the wireless device from the wireless device to the server, verifying the registration information at the server, establishing a DCB for the wireless device at the server, placing a command for the wireless device in the DCB, delivering the command from the DCB to the wireless device, and executing the command at the wireless device.  
           [0011]    In one aspect of the present invention, the delivering step comprises the steps of: establishing a connection between the wireless device and the server, transmitting a request for contents of the DCB from the wireless device to the server, and transmitting the contents of the DCB from the server to the wireless device. The connection may be established periodically or the connection may be established based on a threshold condition.  
           [0012]    In one aspect of the present invention, the delivering step comprises the steps of: establishing a connection between the wireless device and the server, transmitting the contents of the DCB from the server to the wireless device without a request from the wireless device, and accepting the contents of the DCB at the wireless device. The connection may be established periodically or the connection may be established based on a threshold condition.  
           [0013]    In one aspect of the present invention, the command comprises one of: enabling/disabling access of the wireless device to the server, enabling/disabling applications that may run on the wireless device, erasing all or part of contents of the wireless device, transmitting new commands and parameters to the wireless device, querying a current state of the wireless device, monitoring a level of a battery in the wireless device, and monitoring the location of the wireless device in the wireless network.  
           [0014]    In one aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of transmitting information relating to execution of the command at the wireless device from the wireless device to the server. The information relating to execution of the command may be transmitted periodically or the information relating to execution of the command may be transmitted based on a threshold condition of the wireless device.  
           [0015]    In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for remotely managing a wireless device over a wireless network comprising the steps of: receiving registration information from the wireless device, verifying the received registration information, placing a command for the wireless device in a Device Control Box (DCB), and delivering the command to the wireless device.  
           [0016]    In one aspect of the present invention, the delivering step comprises the steps of: establishing a connection with the wireless device, receiving a request for contents of the DCB from the wireless device, and transmitting the contents of the DCB to the wireless device. The connection may be established periodically or the connection may be established based on a threshold condition.  
           [0017]    In one aspect of the present invention, the delivering step comprises the steps of establishing a connection with the wireless device and transmitting the contents of the DCB to the wireless device without a request from the wireless device. The connection may be established periodically or the connection may be established based on a threshold condition.  
           [0018]    In one aspect of the present invention, the command execution comprises the step of: verifying the signature of the command with the signature of the device and only then executing the received command. The signature may comprise one or more of the following: encrypted keys, physical identity of the device, logical identity of the device, a mapping between the logical identity and physical identity of the device, a mapping between device ownership and the origin of the command or explicit authentication.  
           [0019]    In one aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of receiving information relating to execution of the command at the wireless device from the wireless device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers and designations refer to like elements.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a network system in which the present invention may be implemented.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 a  is an exemplary block diagram of a wireless network system  200  incorporating the remote management technique of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 b  is an exemplary block diagram of the use of a signaling channel shown in FIG. 2 a  in implementing the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of management server shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is an exemplary flow diagram of a process for remotely managing devices over a wireless network, according to the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a data flow diagram of the operation of the process shown in FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    An exemplary block diagram of a network system  100  in which the present invention may be implemented is shown in FIG. 1. Network system  100  includes telecommunications network  102 . Telecommunications network  102  provides communicative interconnection of a plurality of devices, such as client systems  106 A- 106 Z and  110 A- 110 Z and servers  108 A- 108 N and  112 A  112 N. Telecommunications network  102  may include one or more wireless networks and/or one or more wireline networks. The transmission media in a wireless network is typically electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves or light, while the transmission media in a wireline network is wire, such as copper wire, or the equivalent of wire, such as fiber optic cable. The wireless telecommunications networks included in telecommunications network  102  may include, for example, digital cellular telephone networks, such as Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM) networks, Personal Communication System (PCS) networks, etc. The wireline telecommunications networks included in telecommunications network  102  may include, for example, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), as well as proprietary local and long distance telecommunications networks. In addition, telecommunications network  102  may include digital data networks, such as one or more local area networks (LANs), one or more wide area networks (WANs), or both LANs and WANs. One or more networks may be included in telecommunications network  102  and may include both public networks, such as the Internet, and private networks and may utilize any networking technology and protocol, such as Ethernet, Token Ring, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), etc.  
         [0028]    Client systems  106 A- 106 Z and  110 A- 110 Z may include any type of electronic data processing system or communication device. Examples of such electronic data processing system include personal computer systems, such as desktop or laptop computers, workstation computer systems, server computer systems, networks of computer systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless communications devices, such as cellular telephones, etc. In an embodiment in which the client systems are computer systems, the computer systems may connect directly to network  102 , or the computer systems may connect indirectly to network  102  through one or more other networks, gateways, firewalls, etc. Likewise, the connection to network  102  may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. In an embodiment in which the client systems are other types of devices, such as PDAs or telephone devices, the connection to network  102  may be direct or indirect, wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless, as is appropriate. Typically, the user interface of client systems  106 A- 106 Z and  110 A- 110 Z is a graphical user interface, but other interfaces may be used as well. For example, the client systems may include conventional landline telephones or cellular telephones communicatively connected to a touch-tone response unit or a voice response unit, which accepts touch-tone or voice commands and transmits them over network  102  and which receives responses over network  102 , converts the received responses to audio, and transmits the received responses to the client systems.  
         [0029]    Management server  114  is also communicatively connected to network  102 . Management server  114  interfaces with telecommunications network  102  and with multiple servers and clients that are connected to telecommunications network  102  and provides remote management of those servers and clients over telecommunications network  102 .  
         [0030]    An exemplary block diagram of a wireless network system  200  incorporating the remote management technique of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 a . System  200  includes telecommunications network  102 , management server  114 , gateway  201 , and a plurality of remotely managed devices  202 A- 202 Z. Telecommunications network  102  includes a traffic channel  204  and a signaling channel  206 . Traffic channel  204  carries telecommunications traffic, such as telephone voice and data calls. Signaling network  206  carries signaling data relating to the telecommunications traffic and the configuration of telecommunications network  102 . For example, signaling channel  206  may include the well-known Common Channel Signaling System 7 (SS7).  
         [0031]    Remotely managed devices  202 A- 202 Z may include both client and server systems shown in FIG. 1. Each remotely manage device includes a management agent  208 , which is typically a software process that provides the capability for management server  114  to remotely manage the device. Management server  114  communicates with the each remotely managed device using signaling channel  206  of telecommunications network  102 . Management server  114  is communicatively connected to signaling channel  206  via gateway  201 . The information that is communicated is directed to or originated from the management agent that is running on the device. Management server  114  typically transmits commands to each remotely managed device. These commands are directed to the management agent running on the device and are then carried out on the device under the control of the management agent. Typical commands that may be transmitted from management server  114  are enabling/disabling access of the remotely managed device to the server, enabling/disabling applications that may run on the remotely managed device, erasing all or part of the device contents, such as programs and data, transmitting new commands and parameters to a device, querying the current state of the device, etc. Some commands cause the remotely managed device to transmit data to management server  114 . In this situation, the management agent on the device originates a transmission of the data to management server  114  over telecommunications network  102 .  
         [0032]    A signaling system provides three basic functions in a telecommunications network:  
         [0033]    Network supervision—the status of lines and circuits is monitored to see if they are busy, idle, or requesting service.  
         [0034]    Alerting—indicates the arrival of an incoming call.  
         [0035]    Addressing—transmitting routing and destination signal over the network.  
         [0036]    Older signaling systems were “inband”, that is, the signaling signals were transmitted along with and on the same circuits as the voice signals in the telephone network. This was inefficient and prone to fraud. Newer signaling system are “out-of-band”, that is, the signaling signals are transmitted in a network that is separate from the circuits that carry the voice signals in the telephone network. This improves efficiency and fraud resistance of the telecommunications network.  
         [0037]    One example of an out-of-band signaling network that is in widespread use is the Common Channel Signaling System 7 (SS7). SS7 is a global standard for telecommunications defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). The standard defines the procedures and protocol by which network elements in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) exchange information over a digital signaling network to effect wireless (cellular) and wireline call setup, routing and control.  
         [0038]    SS7 utilizes a signaling network that includes physical communication channels, as well as protocols. The protocols provide functions such as destination routing, data fields, variable length messages, etc. A major characteristic of SS7 is its layered functional structure. The SS7 protocol includes of a number of sub-protocols:  
         [0039]    Message Transfer Part (MTP)—provides functions for basic routing of signaling messages between signaling points.  
         [0040]    Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)—provides additional routing and management functions for transfer of messages other than call setup between signaling points.  
         [0041]    Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP)—provides for transfer of call setup information between signaling points.  
         [0042]    Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP)—provides for transfer of non-circuit related signaling information between signaling points.  
         [0043]    SS7 provides fast call setup via high-speed circuit-switched connections. In addition, SS7 provides transaction capabilities that deal with remote database interactions.  
         [0044]    The physical communication channels of a signaling networks, such as SS7, include signaling points, which are interconnected by signaling links. The signaling network provides a bi-directional transport facility for messages between connected devices, such as the wireless terminals and any data server. The data servers are connected to signaling networks via Gateways such as SMS-C (Short Message Service Center) Gateway.  
         [0045]    Wireless data terminals are the devices that provide environment for deploying/running data and voice applications. Such devices are active on the network and always reachable via signaling channel. Such device can roam anywhere in the world, as far as they are connected to wireless network, data server located in any enterprise can deliver information to these devices. Among the data that can be transported using a signaling network, such as SS7, are messages known as Short Message Service (SMS) messages. SMS messages are placed onto the signaling network by a Short Message Service Center (SMS-C). For example, gateway  201 , shown in FIG. 2 a , may be an SMS-C.  
         [0046]    Typically, the messages sent using SMS can be up to 160 characters of text in length. Those 160 characters can include words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination. Non-text based short messages (for example, in binary format) are also supported. These are used for ringtones and logos services for instance.  
         [0047]    The Short Message Service is a store and forward service, in other words, short messages are not sent directly from sender to recipient, but always via an SMS Center instead. Each mobile telephone network that supports SMS has one or more messaging centers to handle and manage the short messages.  
         [0048]    The Short Message Service features confirmation of message delivery. This means that unlike paging, users do not simply send a short message and trust and hope that it gets delivered. Instead the sender of the short message can receive a return message back notifying them whether the short message has been delivered or not.  
         [0049]    Short messages can be sent and received simultaneously with voice, Data, and Fax calls. This is possible because whereas voice, Data, and Fax calls take over a dedicated radio channel for the duration of the call, short messages travel over and above the radio channel using the signaling path. As such, users of SMS rarely if ever get a busy or engaged signal as they can do during peak network usage times.  
         [0050]    Ways of sending multiple short messages are available. SMS concatenation (stringing several short messages together) and SMS compression (getting more than 160 characters of information within a single short message) have been defined and incorporated in the SMS standards.  
         [0051]    The use of the SS7 signaling system and Short Message Service in implementing the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 b . As shown, a management server  114  communicates a control payload  210  with a remotely managed device, such as remotely managed device  202 A. Control payload  210  includes information that is used to control aspects of the operation of remotely managed device  202 A, such as commands to the device, status information from the device, etc. Control payload  210  is carried in one or more SMS messages to remotely managed device  202 A. Management server  114  generates messages that include the information to be included in control payload  210  and transmits these messages to gateway  201 . When SMS is used gateway  201  includes a Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) The SMS-C formats the messages received from management server  114  into SMS messages that may be sent using the Short Message Service  212 , and transmits the messages using service  212 . The SMS messages are transported using the signaling network, such as SS7 signaling network  214  and delivered to management agent  204  of remotely managed device  202 A, which extracts control payload  210  from the message.  
         [0052]    Control payload  210  may also include information from remotely managed device  202 A, which is carried in one or more SMS messages from remotely managed device  202 A to management server  114 . Remotely managed device  202 A generates messages that include the information to be included in control payload  210 , formats the messages into SMS messages that may be sent using the Short Message Service  212 , and transmits the messages using service  212 . The SMS messages are transported using the signaling network, such as SS7 signaling network  214  and delivered, via the SMS-C of gateway  201 , to management server  114 , which extracts control payload  210  from the message.  
         [0053]    An exemplary block diagram of management server  114  is shown in FIG. 3. Management server  114  is typically a programmed general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer, workstation, server system, and minicomputer or mainframe computer. Management server  114  includes processor (CPU)  302 , input/output circuitry  304 , network adapter  306 , and memory  308 . CPU  302  executes program instructions in order to carry out the functions of the present invention. Typically, CPU  302  is a microprocessor, such as an INTEL PENTIUM® processor, but may also be a minicomputer or mainframe computer processor. FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which management server  114  is implemented as a single processor computer system. However, the present invention contemplates embodiments in which management server  114  is implemented as a multi-processor system, in which multiple processors  302 A- 402 N share system resources, such as memory  308 , input/output circuitry  304 , and network adapter  306 . The present invention also contemplates embodiments in which management server  114  is implemented as a plurality of networked computer systems, which may be single-processor computer systems, multi-processor computer systems, or a mix thereof.  
         [0054]    Input/output circuitry  304  provides the capability to input data to, or output data from, computer system  300 . For example, input/output circuitry may include input devices, such as keyboards, mice, touchpads, trackballs, scanners, etc., output devices, such as video adapters, monitors, printers, etc., and input/output devices, such as, modems, etc. Network adapter  306  interfaces management server  114  with gateway  201 , which communicatively connects management server  114  with signaling channel  206  of telecommunications network  102 , shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0055]    Memory  308  stores program instructions that are executed by, and data that are used and processed by, CPU  302  to perform the functions of the present invention. Memory  308  may include electronic memory devices, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc., and electromechanical memory, such as magnetic disk drives, tape drives, optical disk drives, etc., which may use an integrated drive electronics (IDE) interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as enhanced IDE (EIDE) or ultra direct memory access (UDMA), or a small computer system interface (SCSI) based interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as fast-SCSI, wide-SCSI, fast and wide-SCSI, etc, or a fiber channel-arbitrated loop (FC-AL) interface.  
         [0056]    Memory  308  includes management data  312 , mailbox  314 , management protocol routines  316 , management processing routines  318 , and operating system  320 . Management data  312  includes data relating to each remotely managed device being managed by management server  114 . Management data  312  includes data such as the current state and identity of each remotely managed device. This data is obtained from the management agent running on each remotely managed device. Mailbox  314  stores commands that are to be delivered to remotely managed devices so that the devices can retrieve the commands. Management protocol routines  316  include software that implements the protocols that communicate the remote management commands to devices over telecommunications network  102 . Management processing routines  318  include software that receives or determines the remote management commands that are to be communicated to the remotely managed devices by management protocol routines  314 . Operating system  320  provides overall system functionality.  
         [0057]    A process  400  for remotely managing devices over a signaling channel, according to the present invention, is shown in FIG. 4. It is best viewed in conjunction with FIG. 5, which is a data flow diagram of the operation of process  400 . Process  400  begins with step  402 , in which a remotely managed device, such as remotely managed device  502 , is activated. Device  502  runs management agent  504 , which transmits registration event message  506  to management server  508 . Registration event message  506  includes information identifying device  502  and information relating to the state of the device. Registration event message  506 , and all communications between device  502  and management server  508 , is transmitted using a security protocol that ensures that only authorized remotely managed devices, running authorized management agents, can communicate with management server  506 . Preferably, the security mechanism used is based on public key encryption, but any other security mechanism that provides adequate security may also be used.  
         [0058]    In step  404 , the management server verifies the registration event by checking the validity of the information contained in registration event message  506 . In particular, management server  508  verifies the identity of remotely managed device  502 . Upon verification of device  502 , management server  508  registers device  502  by storing registration information relating to device  502  in management data  510 . The registration information includes the identity and state of device  502 . Management server  508  establishes a mailbox  512  for the newly registered remotely managed device  502 . Management server  506  also transmits a message  514  acknowledging successful registration of remotely managed device  502  to the device.  
         [0059]    In step  406 , management server  508  places commands intended for remotely managed device  502  in DCB  512 . Such commands may include, for example:  
         [0060]    enabling/disabling access of the remotely managed device to the server (Lock/Unlock the device)  
         [0061]    enabling/disabling applications that may run on the remotely managed device  
         [0062]    erasing all or part of the device contents, such as programs and data  
         [0063]    transmitting new commands and parameters to a device  
         [0064]    querying the current state of the device  
         [0065]    monitoring the level of the battery in the device  
         [0066]    monitoring the location of the device in the wireless network, including foreign networks  
         [0067]    verifying that the command signature is in agreement with the signature of the device  
         [0068]    Reconfiguring applications that may run on the remotely managed device  
         [0069]    In steps  408  and  410 , the commands stored in DCB  512  are delivered to the remotely managed device. In particular, in step  408 , a connection  516  is established between management agent  504 , running on remotely managed device  502 , and management server  508 . Upon connection  516  being established, the commands that were stored in DCB  512  in step  406  are transmitted  518  to device  502 . This protocol is applicable to both push and pull devices. A pull devices is a device that must request data before the data is transmitted to the device. A push device is a device to which data is transmitted without the device requesting the data, but which will nevertheless accept the data. In an embodiment in which remotely managed device  502  is a pull device, the management agent running on device  502  will occasionally connect to management server  508  and request the commands in DCB  512 . In an embodiment in which remotely managed device  502  is a push device, management server  508  will occasionally connect to remotely managed device  502  and transmit the commands in DCB  512  to management agent  504 . In both embodiments, the connections may be made periodically, based on some defined time interval, or they may be made based on predefined threshold conditions.  
         [0070]    In step  410 , management agent  504  executes the retrieved commands and transmits a notification message  520  that informs management server  508  of the results of executing each command. In addition, if one or more of the commands were to monitor parameters of remotely managed device  502 , then, in step  412 , management agent  504  will transmit the monitored information  522  to management server  508 . The transmission may be periodic, based on some defined time interval, or they may be based on the values of certain parameters of device  502  in relation to predefined threshold conditions. The time intervals or threshold conditions may be inherent in device  502 , or they may be transmitted as parameters or data related to the commands that were retrieved by device  502 .  
         [0071]    It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media such as floppy disc, a hard disk drive, RAM, and CD-ROM&#39;s, as well as transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links.  
         [0072]    Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.