Method, system and apparatus for management of push content

1. A server comprising:

a network interface for connecting, via a network, to a computing device and a content server; the content server configured to maintain push content; the computing device configured to selectively install or uninstall a push content application uniquely corresponding to the push content;

a processor connected to the network interface, and configured to receive the push content addressed to the computing device;

a storage device connected to the processor, and configured to maintain a policy indicating whether the push content application is installed on the computing device; the policy including an additional condition for controlling delivery of the push content to the computing device;

the processor further configured to access the policy from the storage device when the push content is received;

the processor further configured, based on the policy, to forward the push content to the computing device if the push content application is installed on the computing device and if the additional condition is satisfied, and to drop the content if the push content application is not installed on the computing device; and

the processor further configured to decrement an allotment of the push content permitted to be delivered to the computing device by the content server.

2. The server of claim 1 , the processor further configured to send an exception message to the content server if the push content application is not installed on the computing device.

3. The server of claim 2 , the exception message including an instruction to the content server to update a policy maintained at the content server to cease sending further push content to the computing device.

4. The server of claim 2 wherein the network interface is connected to a firewall; the processor further configured to instruct the firewall to block further reception of any push content from the content server.

5. The server of claim 1 , the processor further configured to block the forwarding of the push content when the allotment has reached zero.

6. The server of claim 1 , the processor further configured to decrement the allotment regardless of whether or not the push content application is installed on the computing device.

7. The server of claim 1 wherein the additional condition permits the push content to be forwarded to the computing device only when the computing device is not roaming; the processor configured to forward the push content when the push content application is installed on the computing device and when the computing device is not roaming.

8. The server of claim 1 wherein the additional condition includes a time period when forwarding of the push content is permitted; the processor configured to forward the push content when the push content application is installed on the computing device and when the current time matches the time period.

9. A method of managing push content from a content server and addressed to a computing device; the content uniquely corresponding to a push content application; the method comprising:

receiving at a processor, via a network interface, the push content addressed to the computing device from the content server;

receiving at the processor, from a storage device, a policy indicating whether the push content application is installed on the computing device; the policy including an additional condition for controlling delivery of the push content to the computing device;

forwarding from the processor, via the network interface, the push content to the computing device if the policy indicates the push content application is installed on the computing device and if the additional condition is satisfied;

dropping the content if the policy indicates that the push content application is not installed on the computing device; and

decrementing an allotment of the push content permitted to be delivered to the computing device by the content server.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising sending an exception message to the content server if the push content application is not installed on the computing device.

11. The method of claim 10 , the exception message including an instruction to the content server to update a policy maintained at the content server to cease sending further push content to the computing device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the network interface is further connected to a firewall; the method further comprising instructing the firewall to block further reception of any push content from the content server.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising blocking forwarding of the push content to the computing device when the allotment has reached zero.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising decrementing the allotment regardless of whether or not the push content application is installed on the computing device.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the additional condition permits the push content to be forwarded to the computing device only when the computing device is not roaming; the method comprising forwarding the push content when the push content application is installed on the computing device and when the computing device is not roaming.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the additional condition includes a time period when forwarding of the push content is permitted; the method further comprising forwarding the push content when the push content application is installed on the computing device and when the current time matches the time period.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of computer-readable instructions, the computer readable instructions executable by a processor of a server for implementing a method of managing push content from a content server and addressed to a computing device; the content uniquely corresponding to a push content application; the method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface, the push content addressed to the computing device from the content server;

receiving, from a storage device, a policy indicating whether the push content application is installed on the computing device; the policy including an additional condition for controlling delivery of the push content to the computing device;

forwarding, via the network interface, the push content to the computing device if the policy indicates the push content application is installed on the computing device and if the additional condition is satisfied;

dropping the content if the policy indicates that the push content application is not installed on the computing device; and

decrementinq an allotment of the push content permitted to be delivered to the computing device by the content server.