Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Michael Saffitz

Megan Galbraith Donahue

Kevin Timothy Shields

Dawn Wilson

Kenneth Lynn Crocker

Darin Miller

Rachel Jiang

Rhon Manlapaz

Kenneth D Ray

John Bruno

Geir Olsen

Background tasks are managed through background task settings that allow or prevent the execution of agents associated with mobile device applications in the background of a mobile computing device. Background task management can extend the battery life of a mobile device and can be done by a user, the mobile device or a combination thereof. Agents scheduled for execution by a mobile device are executed according to the background task settings associated with the application. Background task settings can be controlled via background task control panels. Background task settings can be set on a system-wide, application or background task basis. Disabled background tasks can be enabled when the application is next launched. A user can be invited to navigate to the background task control panels when various events occur such as the battery life dropping below a threshold or the current power consumption exceeding a threshold.

Management of background tasks

A technique allows software developers to develop applications for a smart phone or other terminal by unlocking the terminal so that it can run unsigned applications. A developer registers with a web-based service, agrees to registration terms, and provides authentication credentials. Data which verifies the authentication credentials is provided back to the developer's computer. The terminal is connected to the developer's computer, and via a user interface, the developer requests registration of the terminal. In response, the terminal receives the data from the developer's computer, and provides the data and a unique terminal identifier to the service. If authorized, the service returns a persistent token or license which is stored at, and used to unlock, the terminal. The service can also provide a command which enforces an expiration date. The terminal checks in with the service to determine if the account is in good standing, and is re-locked if warranted.

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