Patents by Inventor John F. A. Dahms

John F. A. Dahms 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: 8973148
    Abstract: A method and system for performing garbage collection involving sensitive information on a mobile device. Secure information is received at a mobile device over a wireless network. The sensitive information is extracted from the secure information. A software program operating on the mobile device uses an object to access the sensitive information. Secure garbage collection is performed upon the object after the object becomes unreachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Stefan E. Janhunen, John F. A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 8943492
    Abstract: A reverse patch for undoing a forward patch for obtaining a new binary image from an old binary image is generated in two parts. First a reverse index file is generated when the forward patch is created at a host or server. The reverse index file identifies regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image. The reverse index file is transmitted with the forward patch to an electronic device. Second, while applying the forward patch to obtain the new binary image from the old binary image, the electronic device generates the reverse patch based upon the new binary image, the old binary image, and the reverse index file. The forward patch and reverse patch may both be incremental patches. Incremental patches are generated and applied on a sector-by-sector basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Anthony F. Scian, John F. A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 8832656
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing symbolic information about fields, methods, and/or classes for a target device. A system and method may be used where the runtime processing is split between a host system and a target system. At the target device a test program uses a symbol not defined on the target device. A query is sent from the target device to a symbolic information source. The symbolic information source then provides the target device with information about the undefined symbol. The target device uses the information from the symbolic information source to complete the test program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: John F. A. Dahms, David B. Howes, Stephen D. Woodward
  • Patent number: 8694571
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding floating point numbers. A system can include encoding logic which encodes invalid floating point representations as valid data. Decoding logic can be used to recognize the invalid floating point representations and map can provide the invalid floating point representations to valid data values. The decoding logic then can provide the valid data values so that operations on the valid data values can be performed in accordance with instructions received from an associated program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: John F. A. Dahms, David P. Yach
  • Patent number: 8627316
    Abstract: A system and method of pre-linking classes for use by one or more applications. The system and method may also be used where the runtime processing is split between a host system and a target system. At the host system at least several classes are loaded and linked. At least one host-linked module is generated from the linked classes. The host-linked module is made available for use by the one or more applications operating on the target system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: David P. Yach, John F. A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 8499282
    Abstract: Scripting Language based applications can be limited in their ability to supply and execute sophisticated logic and complex processing. More traditional programming languages contain explicit function and/or procedure calls to implement more complex functionality, however, these languages use more complicated syntax and traditionally require mosophisticated programming knowledge to use. There are provided systems and methods for extending the capabilities of an application program for execution by a terminal. The application includes a script based workflow and non-executable content. One such method comprises loading the workflow for interpretation by a script interpreter, such that the workflow is configured for having a plurality of executable elements. This method also provides a global symbol structure for reference by the executable elements, the global symbol structure including addressing for coupling selected ones of the executable elements to corresponding external components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Bryan R. Goring, Michael Shenfield, John F. A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 8463254
    Abstract: A system and method updates software in a mobile device, which includes an application processor and associated application processor memory and a radio processor and associated radio processor memory and a serial port connecting the processors. The associated application processor memory stores an ā€œnā€ byte digest signature that had been calculated. The software in the radio processor and associated radio processor memory can be updated by over-the-air software loading while checking the associated application processor memory for the ā€œnā€ byte digest signature used for the over-the-air software loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Joel Troster, John F. A. Dahms, Leonardo J. S. Salomone
  • Patent number: 8365160
    Abstract: A reverse patch for undoing a forward patch for obtaining a new binary image from an old binary image is generated in two parts. First a reverse index file is generated when the forward patch is created at a host or server. The reverse index file identifies regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image. The reverse index file is transmitted with the forward patch to an electronic device. Second, while applying the forward patch to obtain the new binary image from the old binary image, the electronic device generates the reverse patch based upon the new binary image, the old binary image, and the reverse index file. The forward patch and reverse patch may both be incremental patches. Incremental patches are generated and applied on a sector-by-sector basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Anthony F. Scian, John F. A. Dahms
  • Publication number: 20120290809
    Abstract: A method and system for performing garbage collection involving sensitive information on a mobile device. Secure information is received at a mobile device over a wireless network. The sensitive information is extracted from the secure information. A software program operating on the mobile device uses an object to access the sensitive information. Secure garbage collection is performed upon the object after the object becomes unreachable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Stefan E. Janhunen, John F.A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 8261358
    Abstract: A method and system for performing garbage collection involving sensitive information on a mobile device. Secure information is received at a mobile device over a wireless network. The sensitive information is extracted from the secure information. A software program operating on the mobile device uses an object to access the sensitive information. Secure garbage collection is performed upon the object after the object becomes unreachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Stefan E. Janhunen, John F. A. Dahms
  • Publication number: 20120117134
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding floating point numbers. A system can include encoding logic which encodes invalid floating point representations as valid data. Decoding logic can be used to recognize the invalid floating point representations and map can provide the invalid floating point representations to valid data values. The decoding logic then can provide the valid data values so that operations on the valid data values can be performed in accordance with instructions received from an associated program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: John F.A. Dahms, David P. Yach
  • Patent number: 8055096
    Abstract: An incremental patch is generated as a set of delta files or sector-specific patches, intended to be applied incrementally to an old binary image. Each sector-sized patch takes into account changes to the binary image made by previous patches in the series, such that cyclic dependencies are eliminated. The sector-sized patches are generated by applying a binary difference algorithm to the then-current partially patched image, until each sector has a corresponding delta file. The order for patching sectors may be determined by selecting sectors for patching based on first overwriting those sectors making the least contribution of data to generation of the new binary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: John F. A. Dahms, Anthony F. Scian
  • Patent number: 8019789
    Abstract: A system and method for handling an application's access of persisted objects for use within a mobile communications device. The device includes a non-volatile storage device that has at least a portion of its storage locations addressable by the application. A reference table contains the addresses of persisted objects contained in the storage device. Via the reference table, an application can locate persisted objects stored in the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: John F. A. Dahms, David P. Yach
  • Patent number: 7958300
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating upon a mobile communications device. A system and method can be used with data operations with respect to the mobile communications device's memory, wherein the memory has sectors. Data structures are used with the data operations to determine whether a sector contains valid data or to locate a record's pointer in the memory. The data structures can be used for such operations as record creation, record movement, recovery, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: John F. A. Dahms, Anthony F. Scian, Michael J. Carmody
  • Patent number: 7877431
    Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding floating point numbers. A system can include encoding logic which encodes invalid floating point representations as valid data. Decoding logic can be used to recognize the invalid floating point representations and map can provide the invalid floating point representations to valid data values. The decoding logic then can provide the valid data values so that operations on the valid data values can be performed in accordance with instructions received from an associated program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: John F.A. Dahms, David P. Yach
  • Publication number: 20100306756
    Abstract: A reverse patch for undoing a forward patch for obtaining a new binary image from an old binary image is generated in two parts. First a reverse index file is generated when the forward patch is created at a host or server. The reverse index file identifies regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image. The reverse index file is transmitted with the forward patch to an electronic device. Second, while applying the forward patch to obtain the new binary image from the old binary image, the electronic device generates the reverse patch based upon the new binary image, the old binary image, and the reverse index file. The forward patch and reverse patch may both be incremental patches. Incremental patches are generated and applied on a sector-by-sector basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Anthony F. Scian, John F.A. Dahms
  • Publication number: 20100281470
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, files are generated from .java files or .class files or .jar files. The generated files are directly linkable and interpretable by a Java Virtual Machine. The generated files may be stored in a directly addressable memory of a device. References between .class files may appear in the generated files as hard offsets or symbolic references. The generated files may be grouped so that cross-references between generated files in the same group appear as hard offsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Gregory R. Bentz, John F.A. Dahms, David C. Yach
  • Patent number: 7779401
    Abstract: A reverse patch for undoing a forward patch for obtaining a new binary image from an old binary image is generated in two parts. First a reverse index file is generated when the forward patch is created at a host or server. The reverse index file identifies regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image. The reverse index file is transmitted with the forward patch to an electronic device. Second, while applying the forward patch to obtain the new binary image from the old binary image, the electronic device generates the reverse patch based upon the new binary image, the old binary image, and the reverse index file. The forward patch and reverse patch may both be incremental patches. Incremental patches are generated and applied on a sector-by-sector basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Anthony F. Scian, John F. A. Dahms
  • Patent number: 7761861
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, files are generated from java files or class files or jar files. The generated files are directly linkable and interpretable by a Java Virtual Machine. The generated files may be stored in a directly addressable memory of a device. References between class files may appear in the generated files as hard offsets or symbolic references. The generated files may be grouped so that cross-references between generated files in the same group appear as hard offsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Gregory R. Bentz, John F. A. Dahms, David P. Yach
  • Publication number: 20100138930
    Abstract: A method and system for performing garbage collection involving sensitive information on a mobile device. Secure information is received at a mobile device over a wireless network. The sensitive information is extracted from the secure information. A software program operating on the mobile device uses an object to access the sensitive information. Secure garbage collection is performed upon the object after the object becomes unreachable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Stefan E. Janhunen, John F.A. Dahms