Mobile Station Policy Assignment via Group Conflict Resolution

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Solution Overview

Problem

In large enterprises, assigning policy settings to mobile communication devices is challenging due to the difficulty in reconciling conflicting policies across multiple groups that users may belong to, as conventional methods do not consider enterprise-defined groupings.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that utilize a directory service to collect group membership information, reconcile conflicting policies through hierarchical ranking, and automatically assign reconciled policy settings to mobile stations based on user group memberships.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If policy settings are assigned based on enterprise-defined groupings, then policy assignment accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple group memberships

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy assignment accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the policy assignment process into distinct functional components: a determiner that identifies group memberships and conflicts, and an assignor that applies resolved policies. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex multi-group scenarios by breaking down the decision-making process into manageable steps, improving policy assignment accuracy without overwhelming system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the determiner) that mediates between multiple group policies and the final policy assignment. This intermediary identifies conflicting policies, determines group memberships, and facilitates conflict resolution before policies are assigned, enabling accurate policy assignment based on enterprise-defined groupings while managing system complexity through structured intermediation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual policy administration is used, then policy control flexibility is maintained, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming manual assignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy control flexibilityVSAvoidpolicy assignment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the system automatically determines group memberships, identifies policy conflicts, and assigns appropriate policies without manual intervention. The determiner and assignor work autonomously to resolve policy assignments based on enterprise-defined groupings, dramatically improving productivity while maintaining policy control flexibility through configurable group definitions and policy rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining enterprise groupings and policy rules in advance. The determiner is pre-configured with knowledge of group memberships and policy conflicts, enabling automatic resolution and assignment without manual intervention. This preliminary setup maintains flexibility in policy control while significantly improving assignment efficiency through automated execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If conflicting policies from multiple groups are assigned, then policy coverage is improved, but reliability decreases due to policy conflicts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy coverageVSAvoidpolicy consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the determiner continuously monitors group memberships and policy conflicts, and the assignor adjusts policy assignments based on this feedback. When conflicts are detected among multiple group policies, the system uses feedback loops to identify and resolve inconsistencies, ensuring reliable and consistent policy assignment while maintaining comprehensive policy coverage from all relevant groups.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of policy conflicts into a benefit by using the presence of multiple group policies as input data rather than as obstacles. The determiner identifies conflicts as opportunities to apply conflict resolution rules, transforming what would be unreliable conflicting policies into a structured process that ensures comprehensive coverage while maintaining reliability through systematic conflict resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS8958776B2Apparatus, and associated method, for assigning policy settings to a mobile station

Publication Date: 2015.02.17 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

An apparatus, and an associated method, automatically calculates and assigns policy settings to be implemented at mobile stations. Information is collected relating to groups, such as groups within an enterprise, to which users of the mobile stations are members. Policy-setting conflicts between different groups, if the user is a member of more than one group, are reconciled, and the policy settings that are assigned are of reconciled settings.