FR2868177A1 - Mobile terminal's e.g. smart phone, use supervising, measuring and analyzing device, has program with automaton directing messages towards filtering procedure for filtering events in messages and sending activity trial to server - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a program with an automaton (PAUT) that identifies an active window of a smart telephone and that stores an address (add-proc) of processes generating messages of the window. The automaton directs the messages towards a filtering procedure for filtering events in the messages and storing analysis data related to network and system events. The procedure allows an activity trial (LOG) to be sent to a collection server. Independent claims are also included for the following: (A) a process for supervising the use of a mobile terminal (B) a mobile terminal including a mobile terminal`s use supervising device.

Description

The present invention relates to a software probe, i.e.

  device that can be embedded in a mobile terminal to supervise, measure and analyze its use.

  In general, the known software probes embedded in a mobile terminal only allow the supervision of a particular service.

  In a neighboring field, there are known methods based on the collection of data from communication servers and which make it possible to obtain certain usage data of the mobile terminals in connection with these servers, and in particular information related to the configuration of services. , or transactions made from these terminals.

  But these collection methods do not make it possible to obtain information on the use of the human machine interface of the mobile terminal (navigation in the menus, etc.) or on the use of local applications (this is to say without remote access) embedded in the mobile terminal.

  The present invention solves the aforementioned problems.

  For this purpose, it aims at a device for supervising the use of a mobile terminal comprising an operating system and a man-machine interface managing windows, this device being characterized in that it comprises: identification means the active window of the terminal; means for obtaining and storing the address of the process managing the messages of the active window; means for diverting these messages to event filtering means for filtering events included in these messages, according to predetermined filtering rules; means for storing at least one analysis data associated with the filtered events; and means for redirecting the messages to the previously stored address.

  The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to obtain analysis data of all the functions of the terminal and of the applications embedded in the terminal, since they are associated with events of the process linked to the active window of the terminal. terminal.

  The invention thus relies on the identification of the process managing the messages of the active window of the terminal, then on the temporary diversion of these messages to means for filtering events to be supervised, in order to memorize only data that is wants to analyze later.

  The monitoring device operates transparently since the intercepted messages are finally redirected to their normal destination address.

  Preferably, the identification means comprise means for filtering a predetermined system event associated with the passage of the active window in the background.

  This characteristic advantageously makes it possible, when a window passes in the background, to reconfigure the filter according to the rules associated with the newly active window, namely that which occupies the foreground.

  Preferably, the identification means of the active window are adapted to obtain and store the title of the active window, this title constituting one of the aforementioned analysis data.

  In a preferred embodiment, the filtering rules are contained in a definition file read at startup (in English boot) of the mobile terminal.

  According to the invention, these rules make it possible to position filters, that is to say configure the filtering means, to supervise two types of events: system events; and / or network events.

  As described later, system events are events that track the user's use of the mobile terminal, with network events being used primarily to qualify the quality of a QOS Quality of Service service.

  Preferably, the supervision device according to the invention is configured so as to supervise a system event representative of the pressing or releasing of a key on a keyboard of the terminal, or the transmission of a character, and a network event representative of the taking or the release of a resource in a telecommunication network accessible by the terminal (WiFi, Bluetooth, GPRS, etc.).

  According to the invention, the supervision device comprises means for storing an analysis data item associated with the filtered events.

  This analysis data can notably be constituted by the type of event, the date and time of its occurrence, or an event counter.

  In a preferred embodiment, the storage means comprise means for editing the analysis data in an activity log (English log file), these editing means having a low execution priority with respect to other processes, so as not to disrupt the operation of the mobile terminal.

  The supervision device according to the invention preferably comprises means for sending this activity log to a collection server.

  Correlatively, the invention also relates to a method for supervising the use of a mobile terminal comprising an operating system and a man-machine interface managing windows, this method being characterized in that it comprises: a step of identification of the active window of the terminal; a step of obtaining and storing the address of the process managing the messages of the active window; a step of diverting messages and filtering events included in these messages, according to predetermined filtering rules; a storage step of at least one analysis data associated with the filtered events; and a step of redirecting messages to the previously stored address.

  The invention also relates to a mobile terminal comprising, in the form of a resident program, a supervision device or means for implementing a supervision method, as briefly described above.

  The particular advantages of the supervision method and the mobile terminal being identical to those of the device mentioned above, they will not be recalled here.

  Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description of particular embodiments which will follow, this description being given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appendices and drawings in which: Appendix A includes lines of a definition file for configuring supervision filters according to the invention; - Figure 1 represents, in flowchart form, the main steps of a supervision method according to the invention in a preferred embodiment; and Figure 2 shows schematically a mobile terminal according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

  The method and the device according to the invention described here can be used to supervise the use of a Smartphone 2003 smartphone type smartphone equipped with the Windows CE.NET operating system.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the supervision method described here comprises a first initialization step E10 during which a resident program is loaded into the working memory of the smart phone.

  In the preferred embodiment described here, this resident program comprises: a P_AUT automaton; and a P_FILTRE event filtering procedure.

  After the initialization step E10, the P_AUT automaton is adapted to implement a step E20 for identifying the active window 140 of the smart phone 10, namely the window displayed on the screen 130 of the terminal 10.

  For this purpose, this step first uses the function GetForegroundWindow (), defined in the Winuser.h file of Windows CE, and returns a pointer p_140 on the active window 140.

  During this same step, the automaton P_AUT filters, for the active window 140 thus obtained, the predetermined system event WM_ACTIVATE, associated with the passage of the active window 140 in the background, this event being defined in the file Winuser.h of Windows CE.

  When this event is received, the controller P_AUT retrieves the pointer p_140 on the new active window 140 by another call to the function 10 GetForegroundWindow as described above.

  In the preferred embodiment described here, during this identification step E20, the title t of the active window is retrieved and stored using the filter WM_SETTEXT defined in the Winuser.h file of Windows CE.

  The step E20 of identification of the active window is followed by a step E30 during which the automaton obtains, by calling the procedure GetWindowLong (), the address add_proc of the process managing the messages of the active window 140. .

  In the following step E40, the PLC P_AUT stores this address add_proc.

  The storage step E40 is followed by a step E50 during which the PLC P_AUT diverts the messages from the active window 140 to the filtering procedure P_FILTRE.

  This hijacking step is performed by calling the SetWindowLong () function defined in the Windows CE Winuser.h file.

  According to the invention, this filtering procedure P_FILTRE, makes it possible to implement a step E60 of filtering the events included in the messages, according to predetermined filtering rules.

  In the embodiment described here, these filtering rules are read from an F_DEF definition file contained in the register database of the terminal 10.

  An example F_DEF definition file will now be described with reference to Appendix A. In the example described here, the expressions / * and * 1 are used to delimit comments.

  This F_DEF definition file is used to configure two types of filters: - system event filters specified in the first section (/ * System event section * /); and - network event filters specified in the second section (/ * System event section * /).

  More precisely, this file F_DEF allows filtering: - key system events pressed (/ * L1 * /), key released (/ * L2 * /), and emitted character (/ * L3 * /) during window supervision active associated with the application mms_compose message editing; and - network service events using the 9201 communication port.

  In the embodiment described here, the filtering of the actual system events is performed by the filtering procedure P_FILTRE activated during the step E40 of diversion already described.

  In the preferred embodiment described here, network event filtering is implemented by a Service Provider Interface (SPI) transport service of the P_FILTRE filtering procedure.

  In a known manner, this SPI transport service uses the standard interface of the same name defined, in accordance with the Windows Open Statement Architecture (WOSA) model in Windows CE Winsock 2.2 (Windows Sockets) architecture, between the Windows programming interface. API (and the exported functions of the Winsock DLL dynamic link library, ws2.dII) and the network protocol layers.

  This SPI transport service makes it possible to pass all calls to the Winsock API to a Layered Service Provider (LSP) dynamic link library previously recorded by the call to the DIIRegisterServer function defined by Microsoft Windows CE version. 2.0 and later, and whose path was specified in the registers at the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHI NE \ COM \ WS2 \ LSP key.

  The positioning of the filters is done by indicating the port numbers (9201 in this example) that we want to supervise, the main events reported being incoming and outgoing TCP connection events, as well as the sending or receiving of data transiting by this port.

  Those skilled in the art will understand that such a filter is positioned between the level 4 (transport) and 5 (session) layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.

  The filtering step E60 is followed by a test E62 in which it tests whether the filtered event is the event WM_ACTIVATE representative of the passage in the background of the active window 140.

  If this is the case, the result of this test is positive. This test is then followed by a step E64 during which the normal process of management of the window 140, newly in the background, is restored by calling the function SetWindowLong () already mentioned.

  This restitution step E64 is followed by the already described step E20 of identification of the new active window.

  On the other hand, if the filtered event is different from the event WM_ACTIVATE, the result of the test E62 is negative.

  This test E62 is then followed by a step E70 of storing analysis data associated with the system and network events filtered in the previous step.

  In the preferred embodiment described here, this step is implemented by the event filtering procedure P_FILTRE, which publishes in a LOG activity log, with a low execution priority compared to other processes running. in the mobile terminal, the date, time and title t of the active window 140 at the time of occurrence of events, and a counter storing the number of occurrences of each of these events.

  The storage step E70 is followed by a step E80 in which the filtering procedure sends the LOG activity log to a collection server, for later analysis of this data.

  The present invention thus enables a real monitoring of the use of the human machine interface of the mobile terminal, to quantify the use of services, to note the preferential navigation paths, to identify navigation inconsistencies, to detect failures when using services, and detecting ergonomic problems at the HMI.

  This sending step E80 may in particular be performed at regular intervals or on remote request from the collection server.

  The sending step E80 is followed by a step E90 of redirecting the messages intercepted during the step E50 of diversion.

  This step consists in retransmitting each of the messages to the destination address add_dest stored in the step E40 already described.

  We will now describe, with reference to FIG. 2, a smartphone 10 according to the invention, this telephone being of Smartphone type 2003.

  In a known manner, this telephone 10 comprises in particular a processor 100, a keyboard 110 with keys 120, a screen 130, a ROM ROM 135, a flash memory 150, a RAM RAM 160, a communication module radio 170, these elements being interconnected by a bus system 180.

  The telephone 10 comprises a man-machine interface managing windows 140, 141.

  For simplicity, it will be assumed that all the programs stored in the read-only memory 135 are installed in the RAM 160 when the terminal 10 is turned on.

  Thus, the RAM 160 comprises in particular, at the end of the initialization phase E10, the resident program P_RES, whose automaton P_AUT and the filtering procedure P_FILTRE have already been described with reference to FIG.

  The RAM 160 also includes an operating system according to Windows CE.NET, and 200 drivers for the management of the keyboard 110, the screen 130 and the radio communication module 170.

  The RAM 160 also includes an API programming interface defining the different call procedures used by the applications embedded in the terminal 10 and an SPI transport service between the Windows API programming interface and the network protocol layers not shown here. .

  The RAM 160 also has three registers p_140, add_proc and t in which the P_AUT automaton stores respectively the pointer on the active window 140, the add_proc address of the process handling the messages of this window, and the title t of this window.

  In the example described here, the RAM also includes the application mms_compose message editing.

  In the preferred embodiment described herein, the flash memory 150 includes the F_DEF definition file of Appendix A, and the LOG activity log.

  As described above, the messages of the active window 140 are diverted to the filtering procedure P_FILTRE.

  In accordance with the filtering rules defined in the file F_DEF, the filtering procedure P_FILTRE filters the network events of the port 9201 and the system events of pressing or releasing the key 120, or sending a character by the application mms_compose.

  Then the filtering procedure P_FILTRE stores analysis data associated with these events in the activity log LOG, which can then be sent by the radio communication means 170 to a collection server not shown here.

  The processor 100, the ROM ROM 135, the flash memory 150, the random access memory RAM 160 and the radio communication module 170 and the resident program P_RES constitute elements of a supervision device according to the invention. in a preferred embodiment.

  In fact, the resident program P_RES constitutes: suitable means, by filtering the system event WM_ACTIVATE, to identify the active window 140 of the terminal 10; means for obtaining and storing in the random access memory 160 the address add_proc of the process managing the messages of the active window 140; means for diverting said messages to the event filtering procedure P_FILTRE included in these messages, according to predetermined filtering rules defined in the definition file F_DEF; means for storing and editing the analysis data associated with the filtered events in the LOG activity log; means for redirecting the messages to the add_proc address; and means for sending, in cooperation with the radio communication module 170, the log of activity LOG to a collection server.

  The invention can also be used to supervise the system events of a Smartphone 2002 type terminal.

  11 APPENDIX A / * System Event Section * / [HKEY_CURRENT_USER1Software \ M0B \ APPLICATION \ W INDOWS_APP \ mms_compose \ CAPEDIT \ MATCH_MESSAGE] "MSG1" = "WM_KEYDOWN" / * L1 * / "MSG2" = "WM_KEYUP" / * L2 * / "MSG3" = "WM_CHAR" / * L3 * / / * Network events section * / [HKEY_CURRENT_USER1Software \ MOB \ APPLICATION \ NETWORK_FILTER] "PORT" = "9201" / * L4 * /

Claims (17)

  Device for monitoring the use of a mobile terminal (10) comprising an operating system and a man-machine interface managing windows (140, 141), said device being characterized in that it comprises: means identifying the active window (140) of said terminal; means for obtaining and storing the address (add_proc) of the process managing the messages of said active window (140); means for diverting said messages to event filtering means, for filtering events included in said messages, according to predetermined filtering rules; means for storing at least one analysis data item associated with said filtered events; and means for redirecting said messages to said previously stored address (add_proc).   2. Supervision device according to claim 1, characterized in that said identification means comprise means for filtering a predetermined system event (WM_ACTIVATE) associated with the passage of the active window (140) in the background.   3. Supervision device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said identification means are adapted to obtain and store the title (t) of said active window, said title constituting one of said analysis data.   4. Supervision device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said filtering rules are contained in a definition file (F_DEF) and in that they make it possible to configure said means of filtering to supervise at least one system event and / or at least one network event.   5. Supervision device according to claim 4, characterized in that said system event is representative of the pressing or releasing of a key (120) of a keyboard (110) of said terminal (10) or the emission of a character.   6. Supervisory device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said event filter is representative of the taking or the release of a resource in a telecommunication network accessible by said terminal (10).   7. Supervision device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said storage means comprise means for editing said analysis data in an activity log (LOG), said means for edition with a low execution priority.   8. Supervisory device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises means for sending said activity log (LOG) to a collection server.   9. A method of supervising the use of a mobile terminal (10) comprising an operating system and a man-machine interface managing windows, this method being characterized in that it comprises: a step (E20) of identifying the active window of said terminal; a step of obtaining (E30) and storing (E40) the address (add_proc) of the process managing the messages of said active window (140); a step (E50) of diverting said messages and event filtering (E60) included in said messages, according to predetermined filtering rules; a step (E70) for storing, at least one analysis data associated with said filtered events; and a step (E90) of redirecting said messages to said stored destination address (add_proc).   10. Supervision method according to claim 9, characterized in that said identification step (E20) comprises a step of filtering a predetermined system event (WM_ACTIVATE) associated with the passage of the active window (140) in the background.   11. Supervision method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it further comprises a step (E20) for obtaining the title (t) of said active window, said title (t) constituting one of said data of analysis.   12. Supervision method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, during said filtering step (E60), at least one system event and / or at least one network event is supervised, in function filter rules read in a definition file (F_DEF).   13. Supervision method according to claim 12, characterized in that said system event is representative of the pressing or releasing of a key (120) of a keyboard (110) of said terminal (10) or the emission of a character.   14. Supervision method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said event filter is representative of the taking or the release of a resource in a telecommunication network accessible to said terminal (10).   15. Supervision method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that, during said step (E70) of storage of the analysis data, it publishes, with low execution priority, said data analysis in an activity log (LOG).   16. Supervision method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that it comprises a step of sending (E80) said activity log (LOG) to a collection server.   17. Mobile terminal characterized in that it comprises, in the form of a resident program (P_RES), a supervision device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 or means for implementing a method of supervision according to any one of claims 9 to 16.