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).

  • System and method for handling electronic messages
    Patent number: 8234339
    Abstract: Systems and methods for handling messages on a mobile device. A system and method could be configured to receive at a mobile device a message that is associated with a message expiry indicator. If a message expiry indicator is determined to be associated with the received message, then the received message is removed from the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, David Victor MacFarlane, Ian M. Robertson, Herbert A. Little
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING DATA FOR REDIRECTING AND TRANSPORTING OVER A WIRELESS NETWORK
    Publication number: 20120191978
    Abstract: A system and method for securing data for redirecting and transporting over a wireless network are generally described herein. In accordance with some embodiments, when it is determined that an electronic message that is protected with a first encryption algorithm is to be transported over a wireless network to a wireless device, the electronic message is converted to a data structure that is recognizable by the wireless device and the data structure is encrypted with a second encryption algorithm using a random session key. The second encryption algorithm has a stronger security than the first encryption algorithm. The random session key is encrypted with a public key and packets that comprise the encrypted data structure and the encrypted random session key are transmitted to the wireless device over the wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown, Jonathan F. Hammell, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Neil P. Adams
  • System and method for searching and retrieving certificates
    Patent number: 8209530
    Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one broad aspect, a method is provided in which a certificate search request is received, a search of one or more certificate servers for certificates satisfying the request is performed, located certificates are retrieved and processed at a first computing device to determine data that uniquely identifies each located certificate, and search result data comprising the determined data is communicated to a second device (e.g. a mobile device) for use in determining whether each located certificate is already stored on the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • MESSAGE-HANDLING SERVER AND METHOD FOR HANDLING SECURE MESSAGE ATTACHMENTS FOR A MOBILE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120159164
    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: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown
  • System and method for handling electronic messages
    Patent number: 8191105
    Abstract: A system and method for handling secure-format messages includes a message server that receives secure-format messages from senders and operates in conjunction with a secure message handler to detect and prevent the delivery of invalid secure-format messages. When a secure-format message is determined to be invalid, the secure message handler may take one or more of the following actions: replace the body of the invalid message with a template message, send a message to the sender of the invalid message indicating the message was rejected, delete the invalid message from the recipient's mailbox, or log the message on the message server and mark it for review. Additionally, the handling of invalid messages is configurable. In particular, the actions to take and the conditions under which those actions are to be taken may be specified by an administrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, David V. MacFarlane, Ian Robertson
  • System and method for content protection on a computing device
    Patent number: 8190913
    Abstract: Systems and methods for handling user interface field data. A system and method can be configured to receive input which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode. Data associated with fields displayed on a user interface are stored in a secure form on the mobile device. After the mobile device leaves the protected mode, the stored user interface field data is accessed and used to populate one or more user interface fields with the accessed user interface field data for display to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • DISPLAY OF SECURE MESSAGES ON A MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120122425
    Abstract: A mobile communications device for the display of an incrementally received message includes a message viewer application for scanning the received portions of the message. On determination that the received portion of the message includes a first displayable portion of the message content, the system signals to a message server to halt the message server from forwarding further portions of the message content. The system provides a mechanism for the user of the mobile communications device to cause the mobile communications device to further signal the message server to recommence the forwarding of further portions of the secure message content to permit the verification of the e-mail based on the further portions of the secure message content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Neil P. ADAMS, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MESSAGE THREAD COMPRESSION
    Publication number: 20120124155
    Abstract: A method for compressing electronic mail messages each having a message thread for storage in a storage device, comprising: identifying one or more sections of each message thread; assigning a respective identifier to each section; storing one occurrence of each section in the storage device for retrieval using its identifier; replacing each section in each thread by its identifier to thereby compress the messages; and, storing the messages in the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Harry R. Major
  • MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS TO A SECURITY TOKEN ACCESS DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120117637
    Abstract: A security token access device, a user device such as a computing device or communications device, and a method for managing multiple connections between multiple user devices and the access device. The access device maintains connection information, including security information, for each user device securely paired with the access device. Each time a new user device is paired with the access device, the access device transmits a notification to the user devices already paired to the user device. A user may provide instructions to the access device to terminate a pairing with one of the user devices by overwriting at least a portion of the connection information associated with the designated user device. A user device may further request a listing of all user devices currently paired with the access device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Herbert A. LITTLE, Neil P. ADAMS
  • MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS TO A SECURITY TOKEN ACCESS DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120117636
    Abstract: An electronic device, system and method for automatically managing wireless connections with a plurality of other devices are provided. The electronic device may be a security token access device and may be adapted to wirelessly pair and optionally securely pair with other devices. Connection information, which may comprise security information, is maintained at the electronic device for each connected device. When a connected device becomes stale, the electronic device implements one or more steps to manage the stale device's connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventor: Neil P. Adams
  • Method and system for supporting portable authenticators on electronic devices
    Patent number: 8166530
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for facilitating access to an electronic device. Password information is stored on the electronic device, and on a portable authenticator. When a user attempts to access the electronic device, the user is prompted to enter a password at the electronic device. The portable authenticator determines the validity of the entered password. The electronic device receives the results of the validity determination from the portable authenticator, and provides access to the electronic device based on the received validity determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, David Tapuska, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Method and system for determining support for a memory card
    Patent number: 8152066
    Abstract: Embodiments related to methods and systems for determining support for a memory card, where the memory card is accessible to a card reader and the card reader is in communication with an accessing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • METHOD, SYSTEM AND SMART CARD READER FOR MANAGEMENT OF ACCESS TO A SMART CARD
    Publication number: 20120080524
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to devices, methods and systems for managing access to a memory card, such as a smart card, by a plurality of accessing devices. Certain embodiments relate to a smart card reader for managing concurrent access to a smart card, wherein when a channel manager receives a close session request from a first accessing device, and a first session is open on a first channel for the first accessing device and a second session is open on a second channel for a second accessing device, the channel manager is configured to: issue a close channel command to the smart card to close the second channel; issue the close session request from the first accessing device to the smart card; and issue a further session request to the smart card to re-open the first channel, and continue the second session on the re-opened first channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael E. McCallum
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RETRIEVING RELATED CERTIFICATES
    Publication number: 20120084556
    Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, all certificates related to an identified certificate are retrieved from the certificate servers automatically by the certificate synchronization application, where the related certificates comprise at least one of one or more CA certificates and one or more cross-certificates. Embodiments described herein facilitate at least partial automation of the downloading and establishment of certificate chains, thereby minimizing the need for users to manually search for individual certificates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Answer to reset (ATR) pushing
    Patent number: 8146832
    Abstract: A wireless-enabled smart card reader receives an Answer to Reset (ATR) from a smart card and transmits the ATR using a wireless communication link to a computing device without waiting for an ATR request from the computing device. The computing device may cache the ATR and use it for subsequent communication sessions with the smart card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert Anthony Little
  • SYNCHRONIZING CERTIFICATES BETWEEN A DEVICE AND SERVER
    Publication number: 20120079269
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing messages within a wireless communications system are disclosed. A server within the wireless communications system maintains a list of certificates contained in devices that use the server. The server synchronizes or updates the list of certificates based on information contained in message to and from the device. By providing a server with certificates associated with devices that use the server, and providing a system and method for synchronizing the certificates between the device and server, the server can implement powerful features that will improve the efficiency, speed and user satisfaction of the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Michael S. BROWN, Herbert A. LITTLE, Neil P. ADAMS
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROTECTING DATA ON A COMMUNICATION DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120072722
    Abstract: A system and method of protecting data on a communication device are provided. Data received when the communication device is in a first operational state is encrypted using a first cryptographic key and algorithm. When the communication device is in a second operational state, received data is encrypted using a second cryptographic key and algorithm. Received data is stored on the communication device in encrypted form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • Controlling connectivity of a wireless smart card reader
    Patent number: 8136731
    Abstract: A system includes a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices and a mobile device able to be connected wirelessly to the smart card reader and to control connections of the smart card reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Neil P. Adams
  • Automated key management system and method
    Patent number: 8135951
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic key and certificate management is disclosed. In particular, a key store in a base computer contains both new and previously viewed cryptographic keys. In one embodiment, for each new key, if a corresponding certificate matches an existing certificate, the new certificate may be automatically downloaded to a mobile communications device without prompting a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFER SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20120060026
    Abstract: A method and system for Certificate management and transfer between messaging clients are disclosed. When communications are established between a first messaging client and a second messaging client, one or more Certificates stored on the first messaging client may be selected and transferred to the second messaging client. Messaging clients may thereby share Certificates. Certificate management functions such as Certificate deletions, Certificate updates and Certificate status checks may also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, David F. Tapuska, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, James A. Godfrey