Patents by Inventor Gerhard Dietrich

Gerhard Dietrich 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: 9091555
    Abstract: A method in a mobile device for use in receiving updates of network-maintained map data sets is described. The mobile device receives, through a wireless network, map data for rendering a map. The map data has a plurality of layers, where each of the plurality of layers includes a version number and a plurality of data entries associated therewith. Each of the plurality of data entries indicates a plurality of data points for rendering one or more artifacts or labels within an area of interest of the map. The mobile device stores the map data, and displays the area of interest from the plurality of layers of the stored map data. The mobile device then receives, through the wireless network, an indication of an alternative version of one of the layers of the stored map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Jesse Joseph Boudreau, Eric Johnson, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20150200888
    Abstract: A method and communication device for processing data for transmission from the communication device to a second communication device is provided. It is detected that the data comprises an attachment. An address of a copy of the attachment is determined, the attachment present on a storage device external to the communication devices. An address of the copy of the attachment is substituted in the data such that the copy is retrievable at the second communication device via the address. The data is then transmitted to the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN, Robert John EDWARDS
  • Patent number: 9037156
    Abstract: A method of displaying a map on a wireless communications device, the method comprising obtaining map data for rendering the map to be displayed on the wireless communications device and determining a zoom level of the map. If the zoom level of the map exceeds a predetermined zoom level, corrected map data is generated by applying a fixed spherical correction factor to the map data. If the zoom level of the map does not exceed the predetermined zoom level, the corrected map data is generated by computing a spherical correction factor based on a latitude of the map. The method also includes rendering the corrected map data to display the map on a display of the wireless communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Gregory Bowman, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Patent number: 9026150
    Abstract: A method of tracking a first wireless communications device using another computing device, such as a second wireless communications device, includes obtaining current position data for the first wireless communications device and obtaining one or more of speed data, time data, and path data for the first wireless communications device. The first wireless device then transmits the current position data and at least one of the speed data, time data and path data to the second wireless communications device or other computing device. In addition to current position data, the speed, path and time data facilitate tracking of the first wireless communications device. When a first mobile user wants a second mobile user to follow him, the first mobile user can put his device in “follow me” (tracking) mode. This is particularly useful when the first and second mobile users are traveling in respective cars or other vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Eric Johnson, Christopher Wormald, Allan Lewis
  • Patent number: 9009264
    Abstract: A generic IM device/server protocol permits a single implementation of a IM application on client devices for communicating with different enterprise IM servers types. The protocol defines a server maintained tag to identify the currency of a contact list it is managing for a client device. The client device receives and persists the tag and provides it at login. The server automatically sends a contact list update only if the tag indicates the client devices contact list instance is not current. Presence updates may also be sent automatically at login and the client device need not separately request contact list or presence updates at login. The client device may be pre-provisioned with respective graphics, text and server capabilities for multiple server types. A specific IM configuration may be selected in response to service information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Christopher R. Wormald, Andreea Manolescu
  • Patent number: 9008630
    Abstract: A system is provided for allowing mobile stations to exchange identification information using a predetermined communication path for the purpose of obtaining identification information to use in establishing a different communication path for communicating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Mihal Lazaridis, David Paul Yach, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20150099462
    Abstract: A near-field communication (NFC) capable mobile communication device (120) and a releaseable support (400) are described. The support can include one or more magnets (410) or other devices (610) disposed so as to releaseably engage the NFC-capable mobile communication device (120); and one or more persistent memorys (430) accessible by an NFC system (8130) of the NFC-capable mobile communication device (120), the persistent memory(ies) (430) comprising data suitable for causing the NFC-capable mobile communication device (120) to execute one or more wireless communication functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventor: Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN
  • Patent number: 9002928
    Abstract: A method and communication device for processing data for transmission from the communication device to a second communication device is provided. It is detected that the data comprises an attachment. An address of a copy of the attachment is determined, the attachment present on a storage device external to the communication devices. An address of the copy of the attachment is substituted in the data such that the copy is retrievable at the second communication device via the address. The data is then transmitted to the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Robert Edwards
  • Patent number: 9003330
    Abstract: There is disclosed a user interface for selecting a photo tag. In an embodiment, the user interface embodies a method of selecting a photo tag for a tagged photo, comprising: providing a tag entry field for entering a photo tag; in dependence upon a string entered by a user, displaying in a matching tag list any tags from one or more selected tag sources matching the entered string. The method may further comprise displaying a tag type for each tag appearing in the matching tag list. The method may further comprise allowing user selection of a tag in the matching tag list to complete the tag entry field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Terrill Mark Dent
  • Patent number: 8963894
    Abstract: An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved alarm clock function and a BEDTIME mode that is initiated by execution of a BEDTIME mode routine. The alarm clock function enables an alarm to be edited very easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Kalu Onuka Kalu
  • Patent number: 8965361
    Abstract: A method of managing inbound communications received by a roaming wireless communications device entails enabling a user of the roaming wireless communications device to activate an inbound communications filter having filter criteria based on a current location of a sender of an inbound communication. Once the wireless device has determined whether the inbound communication satisfies the filter criteria, the wireless device notifies the user that the inbound communication has been received provided that the inbound communication satisfies the filter criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20150046258
    Abstract: A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device and an advertising server cooperating with the at least one mobile wireless communications device via a wireless communications network. The advertising server may be for generating an activity history for the at least one wireless communications device including geographical positions at corresponding times of day, and selectively sending advertisements to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the activity history and a given time of day.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jason Tyler GRIFFIN, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Scott David Reeve, Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott
  • Patent number: 8953799
    Abstract: A device management method, is disclosed in which available features on a slave mobile device are managed (monitored or controlled) by a slave manager module commanded by a master device through secure messages exchanged between the two devices using respective electronic messaging capabilities on the two devices. Selection of the features of the slave mobile device to be controlled or monitored is facilitated on the master device through a master manager module resident thereon. The features that are controlled or monitored may comprise any user-accessible feature incorporated or installed on the slave mobile device and user access to the feature may be prevented according to at least one criterion, such as date of use, time of day of use, number of times of use, originator and recipient. User access to the feature may be prevented access to the user-accessible feature when usage limitations for the feature have been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Harry Richmond Major, Alain Rene Gagne, Karen Jean Creditor, Jesse J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: 8948809
    Abstract: Methods of predicting future connectivity of a portable electronic device is described along with systems and devices for implementing the methods. The method includes receiving an indication of a plurality of radio scenes detected at the portable electronic device at different reference times. Each of the plurality of radio scenes identifies transmitters and associated signal strength of signals received by the portable electronic device at the respective reference time. One or more connectivity predictions can be retrieved from a corpus of pairs of a composite signature vector and associated connectivity information. Each of the one or more connectivity predictions can be retrieved based on a similarity between the associated respective composite signature vector and a query composite signature vector. A future connectivity prediction of the portable electronic device can be provided based on the one or more retrieved connectivity predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Anand Ravindra Oka, Christopher Harris Snow, Ghasem Naddafzadeh Shirazi, Sean Bartholomew Simmons, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20140372454
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining priority of data in a database managed by a computing device are provided. The data comprises a list of events, the computing device comprising a processing unit interconnected with a memory device and a display device. Context data is processing at the processing unit to determine a priority ranking for each of the items, wherein processing the context data to determine a priority ranking comprises at least one of processing attendance data, location, event data, and telephone record data. Respective areas of the display device are controlled to provide visual representations of each of the events, each respective area controlled according to the priority ranking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: David Ryan Walker, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, James Andrew Godfrey, Scott Douglas Rose, Matthew Bells, Steven Henry Fyke
  • Publication number: 20140357242
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for generating and publishing multi-media information associated with actions performed on a mobile communication device. A publishing application monitors actions performed on the mobile communication device and enables selection of at least one of the actions. Content associated with selected actions may be stored and data associated with at least one of the selected actions and the content associated with at least one selected action may be extracted. The multi-media information may be displayed on a graphical user interface in a pre-selected format, such as a chronologically arranged list. Users may preview and modify the multi-media information before publication through a pre-selected communication service. The multi-media information may be published by selecting an icon, including an image identifying the pre-selected communication service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN, Terrill Mark DENT
  • Publication number: 20140355391
    Abstract: An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved world clock function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Sherryl Lee Lorraine SCOTT, Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN
  • Patent number: 8892353
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method, computer program product, mobile device or a system allowing for determining various route metrics based on stored route records associated with routes traversed by the mobile device. The determination of a route metric may utilize processing of a single route record or multiple route records. Exemplary route metrics include route timing metrics such as lap times, or route record metrics. Configurations of computer program products, mobile devices and systems for enabling the determination of various route metrics are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Raymond Paul Vander Veen, Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott, David Paul Yach
  • Patent number: 8886709
    Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for uploading a document from the device to a server. In an embodiment, the method comprises: (i) generating and storing a scaled down version of the document on the device; (ii) determining the type of connection the device has established with the server; (iii) if the device has established a specified type of high bandwidth connection to the server, then: uploading the document from the device to the server; deleting the document from the device; and creating an upload record of data associated with the scaled down version of the document on the device to subsequently access the uploaded document; (iv) else, if the device has not established a specified type of high bandwidth connection to the server, then uploading the scaled down version of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Gerhard Dietrich Klassen
  • Publication number: 20140321774
    Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for geotagging objects on a mobile handheld communication device. In an embodiment, the method comprises: providing a user interface with a plurality of user selectable options for obtaining geographic location coordinates; receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of options; and tagging an object with the geographic location coordinates obtained from the selected one of the plurality of options. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise obtaining from an active global positioning system (GPS) module the geographic location coordinates for a current location to tag the object. The method may further comprise providing previously saved geographic location coordinates to tag the object. The object may be an image object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Gerhard Dietrich KLASSEN, Thomas P. MURPHY, Gordon Gregory BOWMAN