Patents by Inventor Will D. Franco

Will D. Franco 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).

  • Patent number: 9059979
    Abstract: In one illustrative example, a method in a communication device adapted for communications using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) involves setting, at the communication device, an HTTP cookie which includes a user identification of a user of the communication device and a message portion which is signed with a digital signature of the user. The communication device sends, to an application server site via the communication network, a request message which includes the HTTP cookie. If verification of the digital signature at the application server site is successful, the communication device will receive access to an application service of the application server site. In one variation, the HTTP cookie is alternatively set with a group identification of a group with which the user is associated, and the message portion is signed with a digital signature of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Nedim Fresko, Will D. Franco, Alexander Sherkin
  • Patent number: 8954744
    Abstract: A technique in a mobile device which is configured to communicate in a wireless network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider is described. The mobile device is configured to access via the wireless network a server for execution of an e-commerce transaction. The server is configured to administer a proof-of-work test in order to allow completion of the e-commerce transaction. The mobile device receives via the wireless network a token from a token server. The token is digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature thereof. The mobile device sends via the wireless network a message to the server, and this message includes the token. When token validation of the message at the server is successful, the mobile device completes the e-commerce transaction with the server without performing the proof-of-work test, which is bypassed for the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Alexander Sherkin, Will D. Franco
  • Patent number: 8386773
    Abstract: A mobile communication device operates in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider (e.g. a wireless carrier for voice telephony, or data service provider for data synchronization). An application server receives, via the wireless network, a message from the mobile device. The message has a field for inclusion of a token having a digital signature corresponding to the service provider. The application server performs token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider. The application server then grants or denies access to an application service depending on the outcome of the token validation. In one embodiment, the application service is an e-commerce transaction service, wherein a proof-of-work (POW) test (e.g. a Captcha test) otherwise utilized for the service is bypassed or excluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Alexander Sherkin, Will D. Franco
  • Publication number: 20110265166
    Abstract: Authentication to a network resource of a user associated with a mobile communication device is disclosed. A message is received from a device. The message includes a hardware identifier of the device, and identifies a network resource as the destination of the message. A user identity is associated with the hardware identifier, and is sufficient to obtain session credentials from an authentication resource. Session credentials are obtained from the authentication resource. The session credentials are used to authenticate the associated user identity to the network resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Will D. Franco, Sunning Chung Ning Go
  • Publication number: 20100223471
    Abstract: In one illustrative example, a method in a communication device adapted for communications using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) involves setting, at the communication device, an HTTP cookie which includes a user identification of a user of the communication device and a message portion which is signed with a digital signature of the user. The communication device sends, to an application server site via the communication network, a request message which includes the HTTP cookie. If verification of the digital signature at the application server site is successful, the communication device will receive access to an application service of the application server site. In one variation, the HTTP cookie is alternatively set with a group identification of a group with which the user is associated, and the message portion is signed with a digital signature of the group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Nedim Fresko, Will D. Franco, Alexander Sherkin
  • Publication number: 20100144314
    Abstract: A mobile communication device operates in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider (e.g. a wireless carrier for voice telephony, or data service provider for data synchronization). An application server receives, via the wireless network, a message from the mobile device. The message has a field for inclusion of a token having a digital signature corresponding to the service provider. The application server performs token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider. The application server then grants or denies access to an application service depending on the outcome of the token validation. In one embodiment, the application service is an e-commerce transaction service, wherein a proof-of-work (POW) test (e.g. a Captcha test) otherwise utilized for the service is bypassed or excluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Alexander Sherkin, Will D. Franco