Patents by Inventor Darrell R. May

Darrell R. May 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: 9552571
    Abstract: A method of providing a meeting notification includes adding an indication of an observer to a calendar event in a calendar graphical user interface at an organizer electronic device, saving the calendar event associated with the observer at the organizer electronic device, and sending an observer electronic message from the organizer electronic device to an observer electronic device. The observer electronic message includes the calendar event for storage at the observer electronic device with a period of time, associated with the calendar event, indicated as free time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Rohit Rocky Jain, Darrell R. May
  • Patent number: 9177300
    Abstract: A method of composing an email message at an electronic device and an electronic device operable to carry out the method are provided. The method includes receiving an email command from a user input of the electronic device through a calendar user interface, the email command relating to at least one of a plurality of intended attendees of a calendared meeting, and providing an email composition interface in response to receiving the email command. The email composition interface includes a user-editable portion of an address field. The user-editable portion of the address field is automatically populated with email address information for the at least one of the plurality of intended attendees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Atif Khan, Andrew Bocking
  • Patent number: 9047592
    Abstract: A method of checking a new entry in a calendar application having a cache that includes a first subset of existing entries falling within a first date range. Also, an electronic device implementing the method. The method includes determining whether the date of the new entry falls within the first date range. If so, the method determines whether the new entry directly conflicts with or is adjacent to one of the existing entries in the first subset, and provides a notification if appropriate. If the date is outside the first date range, the method creates a new calendar cache including a second subset of existing entries falling within a second date range around the new entry date, determines whether the new calendar entry directly conflicts with or is adjacent to one of the existing calendar entries in the second subset, and provides a notification if appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Andrew D. Bocking, Darrell R. May, Michael T. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20130012247
    Abstract: A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Alain R. Gagne, Kevin Sundberg
  • Patent number: 8316253
    Abstract: A method of controlling a portable electronic device includes receiving a power-down command, determining an automatic power-up date and time based on an earliest one of a next preset power-up and a next time-dependent event reminder, entering a power-down state, monitoring a date and time, and automatically powering up at the automatic power-up date and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Andrew Bocking, Tony Burns
  • Patent number: 8296387
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing shared data at a portable electronic device of a first entity is provided. A message is received advising that data associated with a second entity is being shared. A request is transmitted to a server for a list of shared folders associated with the second entity, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with the second entity being selected. The list is received. An initialize command is transmitted to the server, the initialize command identifying at least one folder in the list. The data associated with the second entity is received, responsive to the transmitting the initialize command. The data is stored in association with a second entity identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Lap Luu, Barry Linkert
  • Patent number: 8295867
    Abstract: A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Alain R. Gagne, Kevin Sundberg
  • Patent number: 8234347
    Abstract: An enhanced email system incorporating mobile wireless communication devices includes program logic for efficiently managing (i.e., at least partially synchronizing) “messages sent” files in the mobile device and in a related message server. The exemplary program logic also more efficiently handles resending of previously sent email messages from the mobile wireless communication device (especially in the context of synchronized messages sent files) by sending to the message server only abbreviated unique message ID in the first instance. In this way, wireless bandwidth is conserved as is the device battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Anthony G. Burns, Michael Thomas Hardy, Darrell R. May
  • Publication number: 20120164996
    Abstract: A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Alain R. Gagne, Kevin Sundberg
  • Patent number: 8155682
    Abstract: A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Alain R. Gagne, Kevin Sundberg
  • Patent number: 8145200
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for configuring unique profile settings for multiple services associated with an application in an electronic device. A profile system is provided having multiple programmable profile settings and a default profile setting for the application. Service records are received at the electronic device for each of the multiple services. The multiple services register with the profile system using a unique ID for each of the service records and include data for identifying the default profile setting for the application. Initially, the default profile setting is assigned to each of the multiple services. Subsequently, the multiple programmable profile settings are assigned to respective ones of the multiple services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Andrew Bocking
  • Patent number: 8136035
    Abstract: A method of checking a new entry in a calendar application having a cache that includes a first subset of existing entries falling within a first date range. Also, an electronic device implementing the method. The method includes determining whether the date of the new entry falls within the first date range. If so, the method determines whether the new entry directly conflicts with or is adjacent to one of the existing entries in the first subset, and provides a notification if appropriate. If the date is outside the first date range, the method creates a new calendar cache including a second subset of existing entries falling within a second date range around the new entry date, determines whether the new calendar entry directly conflicts with or is adjacent to one of the existing calendar entries in the second subset, and provides a notification if appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Andrew D. Bocking, Darrell R. May, Michael T. Hardy
  • Patent number: 8086689
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing shared data at a portable electronic device of a first entity is provided. A message is received advising that data associated with a second entity is being shared. A request is transmitted to a server for a list of shared folders associated with the second entity, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with the second entity being selected. The list is received. An initialize command is transmitted to the server, the initialize command identifying at least one folder in the list. The data associated with the second entity is received, responsive to the transmitting the initialize command. The data is stored in association with a second entity identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Lap Luu, Barry Linkert
  • Patent number: 7930651
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electronic device includes retrieving from at least one database of the electronic device, calendared events that meet a set of constraints, displaying the calendared events in a time-ordered list including a start date/time of each of the calendared events, and providing a user-selectable option to either show end times or to hide the end times in the time-ordered list. The time-ordered list includes an end date/time of each of the calendared events when the user-selectable option is set to show end times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Robert Edwards
  • Patent number: 7930358
    Abstract: An enhanced email system incorporating mobile wireless communication devices includes program logic for efficiently managing (i.e., at least partially synchronizing) “messages sent” files in the mobile device and in a related message server. The exemplary program logic also more efficiently handles resending of previously sent email messages from the mobile wireless communication device (especially in the context of synchronized messages sent files) by sending to the message server only abbreviated unique message ID in the first instance. In this way, wireless bandwidth is conserved as is the device battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Anthony G. Burns, Michael Thomas Hardy, Darrell R. May
  • Patent number: 7861005
    Abstract: A method of sharing data accessible by a server, with a portable electronic device of a first entity includes receiving permission at the server to share with the first entity, data associated with a second entity, the data for use with an application. The server retrieves the data associated with the second entity and transmits the data from the server to the portable electronic device of the first entity. The data associated with the second entity is received at the portable electronic device of the first entity and stored in association with a second entity identifier, thereby distinguishing the data from other data for use with the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Lap Luu, Barry Linkert
  • Patent number: 7849056
    Abstract: A method of managing databases at an electronic device, associated with respective ones of a first PIM service account and a second PIM service account. The method includes: receiving representative data of records at a server associated with the second PIM service account and obtaining data representative of records already present at the electronic device; comparing the data representative of the records at the server with the data representative of records already present at the electronic device; and determining with which of two of the databases ones of the records, at the server, for which representative data is received are associated, based on whether each of the records, at the server, for which representative data is received is already present in one of the two of the databases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Robert Bredin, Darrell R. May
  • Patent number: 7826406
    Abstract: A mobile communication device uses a condensed text message store wherein individual messages of a thread are stored in such a manner that the thread can later be reconstructed for display. By storing individual messages rather than thread objects including duplicative content, device memory is conserved. Network bandwidth can also be preserved by sending only individual messages between the device and a central server (which server may also utilize a condensed message store).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Anthony G. Burns, Darrell R. May, Michael T. Hardy
  • Patent number: 7730404
    Abstract: A method of composing an email message at an electronic device and an electronic device operable to carry out the method are provided. The method includes receiving an email command from a user input of the electronic device through a calendar user interface, the email command relating to at least one of a plurality of intended attendees of a calendared meeting, and providing an email composition interface in response to receiving the email command. The email composition interface includes a user-editable portion of an address field. The user-editable portion of the address field is automatically populated with email address information for the at least one of the plurality of intended attendees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Darrell R. May, Atif Khan, Andrew Bocking
  • Patent number: 7730028
    Abstract: A method of updating a database, including data records, to accord with an updated schema. The method includes obtaining, at a portable electronic device, the updated schema associated with the database. If a field is deleted in the updated schema, the data records are updated by deleting the field from each of the data records. An update command is transmitted from the portable electronic device for updating the database schema for a corresponding backup database at a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Piotr K. Tysowski, Darrell R. May