Patents by Inventor Chris Wormald

Chris Wormald 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: 10979400
    Abstract: A method for securing an instant messaging (“IM”) conversation between at least a first and a second user, the first and second users having a first and a second client, respectively, in communication over a network, the method comprising: receiving a command from the first user through an input device and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) presented on a display of the first client to disable copying of the IM conversation; and, transmitting a message to the second client to inform the second client and the second user that copying of the IM conversation has been disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Luis Pablo Estable
  • Patent number: 9648151
    Abstract: A mobile device having: a keyboard; a printed circuit board having at least one contact responsive to the keyboard; and a fuel cell assembly having: a fuel cell located between the keyboard and the printed circuit board, the fuel cell having a membrane and at least one aperture corresponding with the at least one contact; a tank adapted to store a fuel for the fuel cell; and piping connecting the tank with the fuel cell, where the fuel cell ventilates through the keyboard. Alternatively, the fuel cell acts as the printed circuit board and at least one contact for the keyboard is printed onto the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Raymond Reddy, Lyall Kenneth Winger
  • Patent number: 9237548
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for determining the availability of a mobile communications device on a network based on a prediction that the device will cross a pre-defined service boundary between two different coverage areas serviced by two different service providers. Specifically, when the device is predicted to cross the service boundary, or has crossed the boundary, a notification of a change in service is issued to at least one of the user of the device, a presence service, or another network operator. The notification may include a change in the presence status of the mobile communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Chris Wormald
  • Patent number: 9049255
    Abstract: A method of event notification on a handheld communications device involves first receiving an indication of an occurrence of an event at the handheld communications device. The communications device comprises a display device, and the event has an associated notification definition for providing a visual notification of the occurrence of the event. The notification definition comprises a content parameter that specifies a scope of the content of the visual notification, and an action parameter that specifies the action to be taken on the communications device after the visual notification is initiated. Then, a visual notification of the occurrence is provided on the display device in accordance with the associated notification definition. The visual notification provides particulars of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Tammy MacFarlane, Alain Gagne, Chris Wormald, Herbert Little
  • Patent number: 8739071
    Abstract: A collating application for message display and management executes on a communication device. The communication device includes a plurality of message applications associated with various communication channels, each message application receiving and storing messages associated with one of the various communications channels. The collating application dynamically accesses messages stored by the plurality of message applications to retrieve messages that meet defined matching criteria. The collating application permits the user to select a listing of the heterogeneous retrieved messages in a single view on the communication device. Icons associated with the matching criteria are displayable and vary in accordance with the presence or absence of unread messages meeting the matching criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard D. Klassen, Chris Wormald, David Yach
  • Patent number: 8606248
    Abstract: A communications system includes at least one mobile wireless communications device for contacting a given entity having a telephone number associated therewith and an advertising server. The advertising server is configured to identify the given entity based upon the telephone number and identifying at least one property associated with the given entity. The advertising server is also configured to selectively send a targeted advertisement to the at least one mobile wireless device based upon the at least one property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Jason Griffin
  • Patent number: 8509677
    Abstract: A method is provided for updating a position of a mobile device coupled to a wireless communication network via one of a plurality of base stations. The method comprising the following steps. A position of the mobile device is determined. The mobile device then waits for a predefined trigger notification before determining an updated position of the mobile device. The predefined trigger notification is generated in response to a motion trigger. A device configured to implement the method as well as a computer readable medium comprising instructions to implement the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Samer Fahmy, Gerhard Klassen, Chris Wormald
  • Patent number: 8396470
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the availability of a mobile communications device on a network based on a prediction that the device will cross a peer-defined service boundary. The service boundary may be the periphery of a region in which the received signal strength is stronger than a minimum value, or the periphery of a region in which a particular service provider's signal is dominant. When the device is about to cross the service boundary, or has crossed the boundary, a notification of a change in service is issued to at least one of the user of the device, a presence service, or another network operator. The notification may comprise a change in the presence status of the mobile communications device. The service boundary is defined using aggregated data from a plurality of mobile communications devices reporting the received signal strength at various geographic locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Chris Wormald
  • Patent number: 8346266
    Abstract: A wireless device operates in an operating state determined as a function of the wireless device's physical speed. In some implementations, the wireless device determines the physical speed using a GPS (global positioning system). If the wireless device determines based on the physical position and/or physical speed that the user is driving an automobile in a region in which using a wireless device is not permitted while driving, then the wireless device automatically disables device features. However, if the user is actually a passenger, then the user may over-ride the automatic disabling of device features. In some implementations, the wireless device also informs other wireless users that communication is inappropriate or impossible. In some implementations, the wireless device also informs a communications node to process communications directed to the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Russell N. Owen
  • Patent number: 8346893
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a processor cooperating with a wireless transceiver for displaying on a display a linking web page including a plurality of introductory content portions of linked web articles having hyperlinks associated therewith. User selection of a corresponding hyperlink for a given linked web article is permitted via at least one input device. Content of the given linked web article is searched to determine a remaining content portion after the introductory content portion. At least part of the remaining content portion is displayed on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Chris Wormald
  • Publication number: 20120304080
    Abstract: A method for securing an instant messaging (“IM”) conversation between at least a first and a second user, the first and second users having a first and a second client, respectively, in communication over a network, the method comprising: receiving a command from the first user through an input device and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) presented on a display of the first client to disable copying of the IM conversation; and, transmitting a message to the second client to inform the second client and the second user that copying of the IM conversation has been disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Chris WORMALD, Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN, Luis Pablo ESTABLE
  • Publication number: 20120266257
    Abstract: A system and method blocks objectionable communications in a social network. A first user of the social network determines when communications from a second user to the first user that are displayed and viewed by third party users of the social network are objectionable. In response, the first user blocks further display of communications from the second user to the first user that were intended by the second user to be displayed and viewed by third party users of the social network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Raymond Reddy
  • Patent number: 8266219
    Abstract: A method for securing an instant messaging (“IM”) conversation between at least a first and a second user, the first and second users having a first and a second client, respectively, in communication over a network, the method comprising: receiving a command from the first user through an input device and a graphical user interface (“GUI”) presented on a display of the first client to disable copying of the IM conversation; and, transmitting a message to the second client to inform the second client and the second user that copying of the IM conversation has been disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Luis Pablo Estable
  • Patent number: 8209266
    Abstract: A system and method blocks objectionable communications in a social network. A first user of the social network determines when communications from a second user to the first user that are displayed and viewed by third party users of the social network are objectionable. In response, the first user blocks further display of communications from the second user to the first user that were intended by the second user to be displayed and viewed by third party users of the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Raymond Reddy
  • Publication number: 20120135277
    Abstract: A mobile device having: a keyboard; a printed circuit board having at least one contact responsive to the keyboard; and a fuel cell assembly having: a fuel cell located between the keyboard and the printed circuit board, the fuel cell having a membrane and at least one aperture corresponding with the at least one contact; a tank adapted to store a fuel for the fuel cell; and piping connecting the tank with the fuel cell, where the fuel cell ventilates through the keyboard. Alternatively, the fuel cell acts as the printed circuit board and at least one contact for the keyboard is printed onto the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Chris WORMALD, Raymond REDDY, Lyall Kenneth WINGER
  • Patent number: 8145222
    Abstract: A method, mobile communication device, and system for selective downloading to a mobile communication device are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method on a mobile communication device for downloading data from a content source to the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device being configured for connecting to at least cellular data networks and wireless local area networks (WLANs), the method comprising: receiving a request to download data; determining if the requested data comprises a media file; selecting a communication medium for downloading the requested data in accordance with whether the requested data comprises a media file; and downloading the requested data to the mobile communication device using the selected communication medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, David Tapuska, Robert Edwards
  • Patent number: 8133621
    Abstract: A mobile device having: a keyboard; a printed circuit board having at least one contact responsive to the keyboard; and a fuel cell assembly having: a fuel cell located between the keyboard and the printed circuit board, the fuel cell having a membrane and at least one aperture corresponding with the at least one contact; a tank adapted to store a fuel for the fuel cell; and piping connecting the tank with the fuel cell, where the fuel cell ventilates through the keyboard. Alternatively, the fuel cell acts as the printed circuit board and at least one contact for the keyboard is printed onto the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Raymond Reddy, Lyall Kenneth Winger
  • Publication number: 20110195725
    Abstract: The approximate location of a directed cell of a cellular network is calculated based on locations in the vicinity of which mobile devices were able to detect the directed cell. A mobile device is able to estimate its own location from the approximate locations of one or more directed cells that it can identify. This estimated location of the mobile device may be used to seed its GPS receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Chris Wormald, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Patent number: 7945270
    Abstract: The approximate location of a directed cell of a cellular network is calculated based on locations in the vicinity of which mobile devices were able to detect the directed cell. A mobile device is able to estimate its own location from the approximate locations of one or more directed cells that it can identify. This estimated location of the mobile device may be used to seed its GPS receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Bells, Chris Wormald, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20100228720
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communications device includes a processor cooperating with a wireless transceiver for communicating with a remote server to search a markup language file of at least one web page stored on a remote web server to determine addresses of a plurality of web feeds on the at the least one web page. The processor also cooperates with an input device and a display to display on the display a list of the plurality of web feeds and to generate a list of selected web feeds based upon the input device. Information from the selected web feeds is downloaded using the wireless transceiver and based upon respective addresses of the selected web feeds. The downloaded information from the selected web feeds is displayed on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Chris Wormald, Gerhard D. Klassen, Kalu Kalu