Patents by Inventor Kenneth A. Brown

Kenneth A. Brown 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: 8640222
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for protecting real-time data exchanged between a mobile electronic device and a VPN gateway over a communications link. The method comprises: establishing a first VPN connection between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link; establishing, while the first VPN connection is established, a second VPN connection between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link; providing key information to at least one of the mobile electronic device or VPN gateway through the first VPN connection; and exchanging real-time data packets between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the second VPN connection, wherein the key information is for encrypting and decrypting the real-time data packets exchanged through the second VPN connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Ian Robertson, Thomas C. Nagy
  • Patent number: 8631487
    Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a computing device is proposed, together with computing device on which the method is implemented. In the method a modified base image is overlaid with a modified overlay image on a display. The modified overlay image comprises a plurality of numbers. At least one of the modified base image and modified overlay image is moved by the user. Positive authentication is indicated in response to the base image reference point on the modified base image being aligned, in sequence, with two or more numbers from the overlay image that equal a pre-selected algebraic result when one or more algebraic operator is apply to the numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Jason Tyler Griffin, Steven Henry Fyke, Jerome Pasquero, Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Patent number: 8615086
    Abstract: A key agreement method is carried out by a first system in conjunction with a second system over a bidirectional communication path, including generating a first key pair having a first public key and a first private key, sending the first public key to the second system, receiving a second public key generated by the second system, and calculating a master key based upon the first private key, the second public key, a long-term private key, and a long-term public key. The long-term private key was generated by the first system during a previous key-agreement method as part of a long-term key pair. The long-term public key was generated by the second system and received during the previous key-agreement method. The previous key-agreement method required a secret to be known to the first system and the second system, thus conferring authentication based on the secret to the long-term public key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Herbert Anthony Little, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Patent number: 8611936
    Abstract: A mobile device for the display of messages includes a message viewer application for displaying segments of the message received from a server. The message can include content that is encoded in a first encoding that is renderable for display on the device, and the same content encoded in a second encoding. On determination that the received portion of the message includes a first part comprising content encoded in a first encoding and is renderable for display, first displayable portion of the message content, the server is signalled to halt forwarding further segments of the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little, Michael Stephen Brown, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Patent number: 8606871
    Abstract: A displayed string of emails is effectively compressed for improved readability by deleting some or all headers and/or by skipping the cursor from one message body to another in response to hot key actuation(s) by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup, Michael Stephen Brown
  • Patent number: 8601570
    Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a computing device is proposed, together with computing device on which the method is implemented. In the method a modified base image is overlaid with a modified overlay image on a display and at least one of the modified base image and modified overlay image is moved by the user. In addition to the moving, a change in orientation of at least one of the modified base image and the modified overlay image is required. Positive authentication is indicated in response to the base image reference point on the modified base image being aligned with the overlay image reference point on the modified overlay image and the change in orientation matching a pre-selected orientation criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Jason Tyler Griffin, Steven Henry Fyke, Jerome Pasquero, Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Publication number: 20130318344
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device, the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to one or more encryption and/or authentication aspects. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a host system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the host system to one or more receivers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup, Herbert Anthony Little
  • Patent number: 8589677
    Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, all certificates related to an identified certificate are retrieved from the certificate servers automatically by the certificate synchronization application, where the related certificates comprise at least one of one or more CA certificates and one or more cross-certificates. Embodiments described herein facilitate at least partial automation of the downloading and establishment of certificate chains, thereby minimizing the need for users to manually search for individual certificates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Grant Kirkup, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Publication number: 20130305180
    Abstract: A method is provided for reducing a number of keys that a user is required to depress on a device having a keyboard with a limited number of keys when the user enters a password. The method comprising the following steps. A subset of characters used to define the password is determined. A filter to apply to the keyboard is determined in accordance with the determined subset of characters. The filter is applied when the user depresses the keys. Devices: and computer readable medium for implementing the method arc also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Neil Patrick Adams, George Babu, Herbert Little, Michael Stephen Brown
  • Publication number: 20130288646
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operation upon a wireless mobile device to handle message notifications. A method can include receiving a message by the wireless mobile device over a wireless communications network. The received message is processed so that at least a portion of the sender's message is displayed to a user of the wireless mobile device before a signed receipt is provided to the sender.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil Patrick ADAMS, Herbert Anthony LITTLE, Michael Stephen BROWN, Michael Kenneth BROWN
  • Publication number: 20130283049
    Abstract: A method and devices for providing secure data backup from a mobile communication device to an external computing device is described. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of backing up data from a mobile communication device to an external computing device, the mobile communication device being in communication with the external computing device, the method includes: receiving a request to backup one or more data items stored on the mobile communication device; encrypting a data item using an encryption key stored in a protected memory of the mobile communication device; and transferring the encrypted data item to the external computing device for storage by the external computing device. A method of restoring backup data to a mobile communication device from an external computing device is also provided, as are mobile communication devices and computing devices configured for implementing the backup and restore operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth BROWN, Andrew Douglas Bocking, Scott William Totzke, David Francis Tapuska, Ronald Scotte Zinn, Maxime Matton, Michael Thomas Hardy, George Dos Santos, Christopher James Runstedler
  • Publication number: 20130268607
    Abstract: A system and method for handling e-mail address mismatches between the address contained within a user's certificate or certificate chain, and the account address actually being used is disclosed. In order to resolve address mismatches a canonical or generic domain name or user name may, for example, be used as a lifelong address of a user that is contained in the user's certificate. Upon detection of an address mismatch, the system and method disclosed herein may automatically re-check the certificate or search for a certificate containing the canonical or generic domain name and/or user name to attempt to resolve the mismatch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Stephen Brown, Timothy Lee Segato
  • Patent number: 8550342
    Abstract: A system includes a wireless-enabled smart card reader able to be connected concurrently to at least two devices and a mobile device able to be connected wirelessly to the smart card reader and to control connections of the smart card reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Neil Patrick Adams
  • Publication number: 20130254528
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for providing digital security to a child message transmitted from a mobile device to a messaging server, where the mobile device typically does not transmit the parent message with the child message to the messaging server. Whether to apply digital security, such as encryption or a digital signature, or both, is determined, and if the mobile device does not include a complete copy of a parent message for insertion into the child message, the mobile device selectively downloads the parent message from the messaging server prior to the computation of a digital signature or prior to encryption. The systems and methods may also provide a check of the child message size, when the child message includes inserted parent content, to ensure that the child message does not exceed any prescribed limits on message size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Stephen Brown, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Publication number: 20130254437
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a data connection between a mobile device and a peripheral. The mobile device is configured to determine whether to handle user approval of the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral. Through the mobile device, an input mechanism is provided for the user to provide input. The input is used in determining whether to approve the data connection between the mobile device and the peripheral.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup, Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little, Christopher Pattenden
  • Publication number: 20130246549
    Abstract: A system and method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client are provided. A display configured to operate in conjunction with the messaging client displays a compose screen that includes a message portion and a messaging settings portion when an outgoing message is to be composed on the messaging client. Messaging settings selected to control message characteristics of the outgoing message are displayed in the messaging settings portion of the compose screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Stephen Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Anthony Fabian Scian, Michael Kenneth Brown
  • Publication number: 20130247143
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a security-related mode of operation for computing devices. A policy data store contains security mode configuration data related to the computing devices. Security mode configuration data is used in establishing a security-related mode of operation for the computing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little, Michael Stephen Brown, Ian Robertson, Michael Grant Kirkup, Michael Kenneth Brown, David Victor MacFarlane
  • Publication number: 20130239225
    Abstract: A system includes a first wireless-enabled device that transparently stores confidential information and a second wireless-enabled device that stores the same confidential information. The confidential information is to be used to secure a wireless communication link between the first device and the second device. One or both of the first device and the second device is to delete the confidential information upon fulfillment of one or more conditions related to the communication link. The conditions include general timeout, device inactivity, loss of connection over the communication link, a decline in signal strength, and a predefined number of transactions having occurred between the first device and the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Michael Stephen Brown, Michael Kenneth Brown, Herbert Anthony Little, Scott William Totzke
  • Patent number: 8533329
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for integrating authentication protocols in the establishment of connections between a controlled-access first computing device and at least one second computing device. In one embodiment, network access user authentication data needed to access the at least one second computing device is transmitted to an authentication server automatically if the user has access to use the first computing device, thereby not requiring the user to manually enter the authentication data needed for such access at the first computing device. The network access user authentication data may be, for example, retrieved from a memory store of the first computing device and/or generated in accordance with an authentication data generating algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan F. Hammell, Ian M. Robertson, Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup, Herbert Anthony Little
  • Publication number: 20130232334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for updating status of digital certificate subkeys. A request is made to a key server to verify if a given key is revoked. If it is not, then the key with its subkeys is acquired from the key server. If one or more subkeys or signatures of the subkeys are different in the acquired key, then the key is replaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Michael Grant Kirkup, Herbert Anthony Little