Patents by Inventor Neil P. Adams

Neil P. Adams has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140031008
    Abstract: A system and method for handling message indicator processing on a wireless mobile communications device. Message state data is stored in a cache for use in generating message indicators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael S. BROWN, Neil P. ADAMS, Herbert A. LITTLE
  • Patent number: 8607334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for secure e-mail message processing. A device is configured to receive a secure electronic message. The message may then be processed to determine whether the sender's address provided in the message is indicative of the sender's address provided in a sender's security-related certificate. A message's recipient can be notified based upon the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8607326
    Abstract: A secure message that includes an attachment is received at a server. The secure message may have a secure layer that indicates that the secure message is at least digitally signed. The secure message may be provided without the attachment to the mobile device over a wireless network. A request may be received from the mobile device to access the attachment. The request may include an attachment identifier (ID) that identifies the attachment in accordance with a message-attachment indexing system. In response to the request to access the attachment, the server may perform an index lookup to find the attachment based upon the attachment ID, may look through the secure layer of the secure message in order to locate the attachment within the secure message, and may render at least an initial portion of the attachment by the server in a format for viewing by the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 8601261
    Abstract: Methods and systems for handling on an electronic device a secure message to be sent to a recipient. Data is accessed about a security key associate with the recipient. The received data is used to perform a validity check related to sending a secure message to the recipient. The validity check may uncover an issue that exists with sending a secure message to the recipient. A reason is determined for the validity check issue and is provided to the mobile device's user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams
  • Patent number: 8595630
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for a user of a mobile wireless communications device to have the option of viewing security status messages in a large or small format depending upon the user's preferences, form factor of the mobile communications device, or the like. In accordance with an exemplary aspect of the invention, a user may opt to display status icons on one row of a display and include an abbreviated text associated with each icon that is displayed when a particular icon is highlighted by the user. If no icon is highlighted by the user, the most important status text (determined based on predetermined criteria) is displayed. The user has the option of switching to a large status display to view additional information relating to the status icons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael Stephen Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8578171
    Abstract: A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender's attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predetermined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender's attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, David Victor MacFarlane, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8522321
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the management of privileges associated with certain applications that are accessible by users of electronic equipment, such as, for example, networked computers, mobile wireless communications devices, and the like. In particular, the disclosure is directed to systems and methods for managing privileges associated with particular applications and for revoking these privileges in a timely and robust manner. For example, the device keeps track of which applications get access to which privileges. When policies or application control changes, the system detects which privileges have been revoked for which applications. This can be accomplished by simply comparing the old set of privileges with the new set of privileges. For each revoked privilege for a given application, the system determines if the application has ever accessed that privilege in the past. If an application has accessed a privilege that is now revoked at any time in the past, the device is reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert Little
  • Patent number: 8521130
    Abstract: A system and method for handling message indicator processing on a wireless mobile communications device. Message state data is stored in a cache for use in generating message indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8499045
    Abstract: Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein facilitate the transmitting, receiving, and processing of encoded messages wherein the header fields in the message header are protected. In one embodiment, the contents of the header fields to be protected are inserted into the message body as one or more additional lines of text, for example, prior to encoding and transmitting the message to a message recipient. Upon receipt of the message, the message recipient processes the encoded message such that the contents of the protected header fields can be extracted from the message body. Accordingly, by inserting the contents of the header fields to be protected into the message body, the header fields may be protected using existing standards and protocols for facilitating secure message communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 8463855
    Abstract: A system and method for packaging electronic messages for delivery to a communication device is provided. Where the electronic message comprises at least one quoted parent message, the quoted parent message is identified by means of delimiters within the body of the electronic message, and the quoted message thus identified is replaced with an identifying instruction referring to an identifier corresponding to a previously received message comprising the quoted parent message. The edited electronic message is then transmitted to a recipient device, which uses the identifying instruction to reconstruct the original message by querying a data store using the identifier to locate a copy of the quoted parent message. If no quoted parent message is found, a request is issued by the recipient device to transmit a full version of the original electronic message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8447696
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a data connection between a mobile device and a peripheral. The mobile device is configured to determine whether to handle user approval of the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral. Through the mobile device, an input mechanism is provided for the user to provide input. The input is used in determining whether to approve the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Christopher E. S. Pattenden, Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Patent number: 8442489
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a security-related mode of operation for computing devices. A policy data store contains security mode configuration data related to the computing devices. Security mode configuration data is used in establishing a security-related mode of operation for the computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little, David Victor MacFarlane, Ian M. Robertson
  • Patent number: 8429411
    Abstract: A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender's attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predeterined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender's attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, David Victor MacFarlane, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8424079
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for user authentication for a computing device. In one embodiment, the method comprises: enabling receipt of input in relation to selection of a plurality of authenticators for consecutive use by the computing device to authenticate a user; and storing reference information identifying the selected plurality of authenticators in a memory of the computing device. The computing device may comprise a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Richard P. Sibley
  • Patent number: 8402523
    Abstract: A system and method for associating message addresses with certificates, in which one or more secondary message addresses are identified and associated with a user-selected certificate that does not contain any e-mail addresses. In certain situations, a message may be encrypted using a certificate that does not contain an e-mail address that matches the e-mail address of the individual to which the message is to be sent, so long as the address to which the message is to be sent matches any of the message addresses associated with the certificate. The message addresses are saved in a data structure that resides in a secure data store on a computing device, such as a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Publication number: 20130066999
    Abstract: A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender's attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predetermined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender's attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. ADAMS, David Victor MacFarlane, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8396514
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to methods, systems and handheld electronic communications devices for selecting and displaying a caller ID image from an image database configured to respond to user input and selectively display images on a display. The image database stores at least one tag identifier data corresponding to each image. An address book database stores at least one individual identifier and at least one corresponding address. A caller ID image corresponding to at least one caller ID is selected from the images and displayed on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Neil P. Adams
  • Patent number: 8386805
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for activating one or more security functions of a mobile electronic device. The system and method provide for the activation of one or more security functions when the mobile electronic device is stored in a mobile electronic device holder. Security functions include, for example, closing a data item currently being displayed on the mobile electronic device, erasing decrypted information stored on the mobile electronic device, locking the mobile electronic device, and performing a secure garbage collection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Scott W. Totzke
  • Publication number: 20130024683
    Abstract: A system and method for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list. In one embodiment, the method comprises: identifying a distribution list address in a message; determining one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address; for each member address, determining if a public key for a member identified by the member address is available on the computing device; and if so, encrypting the message to the member; sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address only if each of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130019102
    Abstract: A smart card, system, and method for securely authorizing a user or user device using the smart card is provided. The smart card is configured to provide, upon initialization or a request for authentication, a public key to the user input device such that the PIN or password entered by the user is encrypted before transmission to the smart card via a smart card reader. The smart card then decrypts the PIN or password to authorize the user. Preferably, the smart card is configured to provide both a public key and a nonce to the user input device, which then encrypts a concatenation or other combination of the nonce and the user-input PIN or password before transmission to the smart card. The smart card reader thus never receives a copy of the PIN or password in the clear, allowing the smart card to be used with untrusted smart card readers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Neil P. ADAMS, Herbert A. LITTLE