Remote management of device settings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9906398-B1
Application number	US-201313794419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A settings service running on a server remote from a computing device can identify at least one settings group to which the computing device belongs. The settings service can identify all settings that are included in the at least one settings group to which the device belongs. The settings service can compare all the settings and detect any conflicting settings. If there are conflicting settings, the service can choose which of the conflicting settings takes priority, in order to resolve the conflict. For example, a default setting can be overridden by a setting with a higher priority. After resolving the conflict, the settings service can merge the conflicting setting(s) which takes priority, as well as the non-conflicting settings, into a single set of settings to be applied to the device. The settings service can transmit the set of settings to the computing device to be applied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely managing device settings, comprising:
receiving, by a remote server, a request for settings to be applied to a computing device;
determining, by the remote server, an identifier for the computing device based at least in part upon the request;
determining, by the remote server, a first plurality of settings to apply to the computing device based at least in part on the identifier, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of the computing device, and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;
determining, by the remote server, at least one conflict between the at least one setting and at least one of default setting of a second plurality of settings;
determining, by the remote server, at least one resolved setting by resolving the at least one conflict;
determining, by the remote server, a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings different than the at least one default setting; and
transmitting, by the remote server, the third plurality of settings to the computing device in response to the request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request is associated with at least one of a periodic poll for updated settings, an application initiated request, or a user initiated request.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a first key and a first value and the second plurality of settings includes at least one setting associated with a second key and a second value, wherein determining the at least one conflict is based on a determination that the first key matches the second key, and wherein resolving the at least one conflict is based on a selection of the first value or the second value as a third value for the at least one resolved setting.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying, by a remote server, a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application of and a second application of the computing device and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;
determining, by the remote server, at least one conflict between the at least one setting of and at least one default setting of a second plurality of settings;
determining, by the remote server, at least one resolved setting by resolving the at least one conflict;
determining, by the remote server, a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more first settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality settings; and
transmitting, by the remote server, the third plurality of settings to the computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
implementing a namespace for the at least one setting of the first plurality of settings to prevent the third application from accessing the at least one setting.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting to the computing device a request to select between a first value for the at least one setting of the first plurality of settings or a second value for the at least one default setting of the second plurality of settings to resolve the at least one conflict.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting a push notification to indicate an availability of the third plurality of settings.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining that one or more settings of the first plurality of settings or one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings have been updated.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving, from the computing device, a request for settings to be applied to the computing device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the request is associated with at least one of a periodic poll for updated settings, an application initiated request, or a user initiated request.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining a more recently updated setting for resolving the at least one conflict.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining at least one of a setting or an operational state of the computing device for automatic transmission of the third plurality of settings to the computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first application, the second application, or the third application caches at least a subset of the third plurality of settings.

14. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
identify a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of the computing device, and that is inaccessible to a third application of the computing device;
determine at least one conflict between the at least one setting and at least one default setting of a second plurality of settings;
determine at least one resolved setting by resolving at least one conflict;
determine a third plurality of settings that includes the at least one resolved setting, one or more settings of the first plurality of settings different than the at least one setting, and one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings different than the at least one default setting; and
transmit the third plurality of settings over a network to the computing device.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a central repository configured to store settings applicable to a plurality of computing devices.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first application, the second application, or the third application caches at least a subset of the third plurality of settings.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a setting database configured to store the second plurality of settings.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the system to:
implement a namespace for the at least one setting of the plurality of settings to prevent the third application from accessing the at least one setting.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the system to:
determine that one or more settings of the first plurality of settings or one or more default settings of the second plurality of settings have been updated.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, upon being executed by a processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to:
identify a first plurality of settings associated with a computing device, the first plurality of settings includes at least one setting that is accessible to a first application and a second application of

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Passaglia Abraham Martin
• Mchugh Jason George
• Baki Omar Abdul
• Keljo Jonathan White

Classifications

• H04L41/00 Primary

  Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks · CPC title

• G06F9/44505 Primary

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• H04L41/082

  the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality · CPC title

• H04L41/0816

  the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events · CPC title

• H04L41/0813

  characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings · CPC title