System and method for assessing an application based on data from multiple devices
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein is a system and method for efficiently gathering information about applications for mobile communications devices (e.g., smartphones, netbooks, and tablets) and using that information to produce assessments of the applications. To gather information, a server may send a request for application data to a mobile communications device. In response, the server may receive some but not all of the first-requested application data. The server may then a second request for application data to a second mobile communications device that also has access to the application. The server may receive application data from the second mobile communications device, and store the received first- and second-requested application data. The server then uses the stored application data to assess the application.
1. A method for obtaining an assessment about a first data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a server to a first mobile communications device, a first request for application data resident on the first mobile communications device about a first data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices, the first data object accessible by the first mobile communications device;
receiving, by the server, at least a first portion of the first-requested application data from the first mobile communications device, the server configured to authenticate the first mobile communications device;
after the server does not receive at least a second portion of the first-requested application data from the first mobile communications device within a set time period:
transmitting, by the server to a second mobile communications device, a second request for application data accessible by the second mobile communications device about a second data object accessible by the second mobile communications device that is at least substantially similar to the first data object accessible by the first mobile communications device, and,
receiving, by the server, a third portion of the second-requested application data from the second mobile communications device, the server configured to authenticate the second mobile communications device;
storing, by the server, the received portions of the application data from the first and second mobile communications devices; and,
at the server, using at least a portion of the stored application data from the first and second mobile communications devices, performing an analysis to obtain an assessment of the first data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application data includes behavioral data for the first or second data objects.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application data includes metadata for the first or second data objects.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application data includes at least a portion of the first or second data object.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application data indicates that the first data object is installed on the first mobile communications device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application data indicates that the first data object is uninstalled from the first mobile communications device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the assessment is stored by the server.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the assessment is stored in a data store accessible by the server.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received portions of the application data from the first and second mobile communications devices are stored in a data store accessible by the server.
10. A method for obtaining an assessment about a first data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a server to a first mobile communications device, a first request for application data resident on the first mobile communications device about a first data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices, the first data object accessible by the first mobile communications device;
receiving, by the server, at least a first portion of the first-requested application data from the first mobile communications device;
after the server does not receive at least a second portion of the first-requested application data from the first mobile communications device within a set time period:
transmitting, by the server to a second mobile communications device, a second request for application data accessible by the second mobile communications device about a second data object accessible by the second mobile communications device that is at least substantially similar to the first data object accessible by the first mobile communications device, and,
receiving, by the server, a third portion of the second-requested application data from the second mobile communications device;
storing, by the server, the received portions of the application data from the first and second mobile communications devices; and,
at the server, using at least a portion of the stored application data from the first and second mobile communications devices, performing an analysis to obtain an assessment of the first data object accessible by the first mobile communications device.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application data includes behavioral data for the first or second data object.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application data includes metadata for the first or second data object.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application data includes at least a portion of the first or second data object.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application data indicates that the first data object is installed on the first mobile communications device.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the application data indicates that the first data object is uninstalled from the first mobile communications device.
16. A method for collecting application data and providing an assessment about a data object accessible by at least two mobile communications devices, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a server to a first mobile communications device, a first request for application data resident on the first mobile communications device concerning the data object;
receiving, by the server, a first portion of application data from the first mobile communications device concerning the data object;
transmitting, by the server to a second mobile communications device, a second request for application data resident on the second mobile communications device concerning the data object;
receiving, by the server, a second portion of application data from the second mobile communications device concerning the data object;
storing, by a server, the received first portion of application data from the first mobile communications device and the received second portion of application data from the second mobile communications device; and,
at the server, using the stored application data, performing an analysis to obtain an assessment of the data object.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data or second portion of application data includes behavioral data for the data object.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data or second portion of application data includes metadata for the data object.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data or second portion of application data includes at least a portion of the data object.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data is different from the second portion of application data.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data and second portion of application data include behavioral data for the same data object, the first portion including behavioral data that is different from the second portion.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first portion of application data and second portion of application data include metadata for the same data object, the first portion including metadata that is different from the second portion.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the application data indicates that the data object is installed on the first mobile communications device.
24. The method of claim 16 further comprising storing the assessment by the server.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the assessment is stored in a data store accessible by the server.
26. The method of claim 16 , wherein the received portions of the application data from the first and second mobile communications devices are stored in a data store accessible by the server.