Force upgrade of a mobile application via a server side configuration file

A system for upgrading a mobile application installed and operating on a mobile device, comprising:

• a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in a memory;
• and
• the memory storing computer-executable instructions of:
• a download module for downloading a configuration file including at least one build identifier, wherein each build identifier corresponds to a version of the mobile application;
• a build identifier verification module for determining whether a build identifier of the mobile application operating on the mobile device matches the at least one build identifier in the configuration file;
• and
• an application disabling module for restricting operation of the mobile application on the mobile device when the build identifier corresponding to the mobile application is listed in the configuration file, wherein if automatic upgrade of the mobile application is disabled, the restricting includes:
• selectively disabling one or more functions of the mobile application, including a data exporting function, until the upgrade of the mobile application is complete, and providing a notification, within the mobile application to a user, that indicates that the one or more functions of the mobile application are disabled until the upgrade of the mobile application is complete.

A host server used to upgrade a mobile application operating on a mobile device, the host server comprising:

• a memory to store a configuration file;
• a processor configured to:
• update the configuration file to include at least one build identifier, wherein each build identifier in the configuration file corresponds to a version of the mobile application released for download;
• compare a build identifier of the mobile application operating on the mobile device to the at least one build identifier in the configuration file;
• based on the comparison, instruct the mobile application to restrict the operation of the mobile application, wherein if automatic upgrade of the mobile application is disabled, the restricting includes selectively disabling one or more functions, including a data exporting function, of the mobile application until the upgrade of the mobile application is complete;
• and
• providing a notification, within the mobile application to a user, that indicates that the one or more functions of the mobile application are disabled until the upgrade of the mobile application is complete.

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium encoded with instructions for performing a method for forcing an upgrade of a mobile application operating on a mobile device, the instructions comprising:

• instructions to use a configuration file including at least one build identifier, wherein each build identifier corresponds to a version of the mobile application;
• instructions to compare a build identifier of the mobile application operating on the mobile device to the at least one build identifier in the configuration file;
• based on the comparison, instructions to restrict operation of the mobile application on the mobile device to force upgrade of the mobile application, wherein if automatic upgrade of the mobile application is disabled, the restricting includes selectively disabling one or more functions, including a data exporting function, of the mobile application until the force upgrade of the mobile application is complete;
• and
• providing a notification, within the mobile application to a user, that indicates that the one or more functions of the mobile application are disabled until the force upgrade of the mobile application is complete.