Patent ID: 8825002

Claim:
A method for controlling access to web-based applications available on a second network by a plurality of client mobile communications devices on a first network, wherein the first network is maintained by a service provider and includes (a) a first database comprising (i) a product catalog which contains a listing of a subset of the applications available on the second network, and (ii) a set of service rules which governs access to any of the applications in the product catalog by the client mobile communications devices through the service provider, (b) a second database which specifies the applications that have been activated for each of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, and (c) a network appliance which is in communication with the second database and which restricts access by each of the client mobile communications devices to the respective applications specified as active for that device, the method comprising: receiving a request, from one of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, for an action selected from the group consisting of (a) activating an application, and (b) reactivating a previously activated application; determining whether the request is allowable by (i) ascertaining whether the requested application is in the product catalog, and (ii) ascertaining whether the service rules permit the client device to access the requested application; if the request is allowable, updating the second database to indicate that the application has been activated for the requesting client device; and if the request is not allowable, sending a notice to the requesting client device that the request has been denied; wherein the steps of receiving the request and determining whether the request is allowable are performed by the service provider, and wherein the service provider provides services to the client mobile communications devices in accordance with the set of service rules; wherein the product catalog and service rules in the first database are maintained by an administrator, and wherein the administrator makes periodic modifications to the product catalog and service rules in the first database.