Unified Wireless Device Policy Management System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless device management systems face complexity in managing policy configurations across different types and platforms, leading to cumbersome and error-prone processes, especially when devices from multiple manufacturers are deployed, as each platform requires unique configurations and policies, necessitating duplication and requiring administrators to be knowledgeable about various device and platform specifics.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for managing policies in a device-agnostic manner, where a global policy is created as a combined set of configurations across all platforms, abstracted into a master set, allowing for platform-specific mappings to translate generic policy definitions into device-specific configurations, eliminating the need for administrators to be aware of platform-specific features and reducing duplication of configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate management systems are implemented for different device platforms, then each platform can be managed with platform-specific configurations, but the system complexity increases and configuration duplication occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate management systems into a single unified management system that can handle multiple device platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry) through a common interface. The system consolidates platform-specific configuration capabilities into one integrated platform, eliminating the need for administrators to manage separate systems for each device type.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified management system implements universal functionality to manage diverse device platforms through a single system. It provides platform-agnostic configuration capabilities that work across iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry devices, allowing one system to perform multiple platform-specific management functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If platform-specific configuration sections are maintained separately, then each platform's unique requirements can be addressed, but configuration duplication and maintenance errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration system into a master configuration section that defines platform-agnostic policies and device-specific configuration sections that contain platform-specific implementations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both universal and platform-specific configurations in an organized manner, where the master section serves as the single source of truth for overall policy definitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a mapping mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the master configuration section and device-specific configuration sections. This mapping layer translates and coordinates configurations across platforms, ensuring that changes in the master section are properly propagated to device-specific sections while maintaining platform-specific requirements, thereby preventing configuration duplication errors.
3Manufacturing precision
If administrators must knowledge of various platform specifics, then precise platform-specific configurations can be applied, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service functionality where the unified management system automatically handles platform-specific configuration details without requiring administrator intervention. When administrators define policies in the master configuration section, the system automatically translates and applies appropriate configurations to each device platform, eliminating the need for administrators to manually configure each platform's specific parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping mechanism serves as an intermediary that shields administrators from platform-specific complexities. It automatically translates high-level platform-agnostic policy definitions into detailed platform-specific configurations, allowing administrators to work with simplified, unified configuration interfaces while the system handles the complex platform-specific implementation details in the background.
4Adaptability or versatility
If configurations are duplicated across platforms, then each platform can be independently managed, but maintenance effort and error risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments configuration management into a centralized master configuration section and distributed device-specific sections. This segmentation enables independent platform management at the device-specific level while maintaining centralized control at the master level, allowing platforms to be managed independently when needed while automatically synchronizing updates to reduce maintenance effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that automatically detect and propagate configuration changes across platforms. When configurations are updated in the master section, the system provides feedback to device-specific sections and automatically applies necessary updates, reducing manual maintenance effort and ensuring consistency across platforms without requiring administrators to manually update each platform's configurations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for managing policies for groups of wireless devices, associated with a corresponding one of multiple different wireless device platforms comprising collecting for all platforms a set of configurations and policies supported by the platforms, and generating a master set of device agnostic rule definitions from the collected configurations and policies, the rules being defined without regard to constraints on the configuration settings governed by the multiple different wireless device platforms.