Patents by Inventor Michael K. Brown

Michael K. 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).

  • Method and apparatus for providing intelligent error messaging
    Patent number: 7802139
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing intelligent error messaging is disclosed wherein a user of a mobile communications device is provided with descriptive error messaging information to assist the user in overcoming errors associated with the processing of electronic messages and data. For example, when the mobile device is being used to decrypt a cryptographically secured electronic message, and a problem is encountered, program logic of the device provides the user with (1) an indication of exactly what problem is preventing opening of the message, for example, a required cryptographic key is not available; (2) an indication of exactly what may be done to overcome the problem, for example, what utilities should be run on the device; and (3) exactly what data, if any, needs to be downloaded to the device, for example, what cryptographic keys should be downloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael K. Brown
  • System and Method for Accessing Keys for Secure Messaging
    Publication number: 20100235628
    Abstract: Methods and systems for handling on an electronic device a secure message to be sent to a recipient. Data is accessed about a security key associated with the recipient. The received data is used to perform a validity check related to sending a secure message to the recipient. The validity check may uncover an issue that exists with sending a secure message to the recipient. A reason is determined for the validity check issue and is provided to the mobile device's user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams
  • Controlling Visibility of a Wireless Device in Discoverable Mode
    Publication number: 20100232321
    Abstract: A wireless device in a discoverable mode controls its visibility by determining whether to ignore or respond to an inquiry, received from an inquiring device, based at least in part on one or more properties of the inquiring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Controlling visibility of a wireless device
    Patent number: 7796979
    Abstract: A first wireless device controls its visibility by disabling its discoverable mode or modes upon ascertaining that a second wireless device does not require the first device to be in a discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil Adams, Herbert Little, Michael K. Brown
  • Gathering randomness in a wireless smart card reader
    Patent number: 7792290
    Abstract: A device coupled to a smart card reader may request random data from a smart card inserted into the smart card reader, and the smart card reader may incorporate the random data into its randomness pool. A device having a source of random data may have a driver installed thereon for the smart card reader. The device may generate a random session key to encrypt traffic between the device and the smart card reader. The device may send an encrypted version of the random session key to the smart card reader. The smart card reader may decrypt the encrypted version and incorporate the random session key into its randomness pool. A smart card reader may incorporate random data received from a smart card inserted therein into its randomness pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herb Little, Michael McCallum, Michael K. Brown
  • LOW-LEVEL CODE SIGNING MECHANISM
    Publication number: 20100223475
    Abstract: Before an application is allowed to execute a secure function, code signing keys associated with the application are analyzed for correspondence with the class that contains the secure function as well as correspondence with the secure function. Optionally, code signing keys associated with the application are analyzed for correspondence with the input parameters to the function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: David MacFarlane, Michael K. Brown
  • COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING MOBILE DEVICE NOTIFICATION BASED UPON PERSONAL INTEREST INFORMATION AND CALENDAR EVENTS
    Publication number: 20100222033
    Abstract: A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device for storing personal interest information for respective contacts and for storing calendar event data. The system may further include a notification server communicating with the at least one mobile wireless communications device via a wireless communications network and configured to access the personal interest information and calendar event data from the at least one mobile wireless communications device, and send notifications to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the personal interest information and the calendar event data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott, Jason T. Griffin, Mark Church, Scott Reeve, Michael K. Brown
  • COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING MOBILE DEVICE NOTIFICATION BASED UPON CONTACT WEB PAGES AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20100223131
    Abstract: A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device for storing an address of a contact Web page including personal interest information for a contact, and a notification server which communicates with the at least one mobile wireless communications device via a wireless communications network. The notification server may be configured to access the address from the at least one mobile wireless communications device, retrieve the personal interest information on the contact Web page based upon the address, and send notifications to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the retrieved personal interest information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott, Gerhard Dietrich Klassen, Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown
  • COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING PERSONALIZED MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE NOTIFICATIONS AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20100223139
    Abstract: A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device associated with a respective user, a network server within a protected computer network, and a notification server outside of the protected computer network for generating generic notifications. The network server may be for storing within the protected computer network personalizing information for the user of the at least one wireless communications device, receiving generic notifications from the notification server, and generating and sending to the at least one wireless communications device personalized notifications based upon the personalizing information and the generic notifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sorel Bosan, Janice Zima, Michael K. Brown
  • COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING PERSONALIZED MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE NOTIFICATIONS AND RELATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20100223140
    Abstract: A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device associated with a respective user and storing personalizing information for the user, a network server within a protected computer network, and a notification server outside of the protected computer network configured to generate generic notifications. The network server may be configured to receive generic notifications from the notification server and sending the generic notifications to the at least one mobile wireless communications device. Moreover, the at least one mobile wireless communications device may be configured to receive the generic notifications from the network server and generate personalized notifications based upon the personalizing information and the received generic notifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Sorel Bosan, Janice Zima, Michael K. Brown
  • System and method for obtaining certificate status of subkeys
    Patent number: 7787626
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING DIGITAL SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES
    Publication number: 20100211795
    Abstract: A system and method for verifying a digital signature on a certificate, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, when a digital signature is successfully verified in a signature verification operation, the public key used to verify that digital signature is cached. When a subsequent attempt to verify the digital signature is made, the public key to be used to verify the digital signature is compared to the cached key. If the keys match, the digital signature can be successfully verified without requiring that a signature verification operation in which some data is decoded using the public key be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown
  • DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING USER NOTIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TASKS THAT ARE PENDING COMPLETION
    Publication number: 20100197292
    Abstract: A device and method for generating user notifications associated with tasks that are pending completion on a mobile device. When additional input is required from a user of the mobile device to complete performance of a task and is not being received from the user within a predefined time period, at least one form of user notification is generated. The particular form or forms of user notification are defined by a user profile associated with the user. User notifications may comprise visual, audible, and/or vibratory alerts, and different forms of these user notifications may be generated in a sequence. The volume of audible alerts or the period between periodic user notifications may vary over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • System and method for processing messages being composed by a user
    Patent number: 7756932
    Abstract: A system and method for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device (e.g. a mobile device). Embodiments are described in which the performance of certain tasks is initiated before a direction is received from a user to send a message being composed by the user. This may involve, for example, “pre-fetching” security-related data that will be required in order to send a message that is in the process of being composed by the user securely. Such data may include security policy data, certificate data, and/or certificate status data, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Controlling visibility of a wireless device in discoverable mode
    Patent number: 7751380
    Abstract: A wireless device in a discoverable mode controls its visibility by determining whether to ignore or respond to an inquiry, received from an inquiring device, based at least in part on one or more properties of the inquiring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • System and Method for Handling Restoration Operations on Mobile Devices
    Publication number: 20100169979
    Abstract: Systems and methods for handling restoration operations for a mobile device. A mobile device receives a kill pill command, wherein the command causes some or all data on the mobile device to be wiped. An indicator is stored to indicate that the kill pill command was sent to the mobile device. The indicator is used to determine whether a program should be wiped from the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Jonathan F. Hammell, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PROVISION A MOBILE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20100159876
    Abstract: A system and method for enabling functions on a primary mobile device from a secondary mobile device are described. The primary mobile device is configured to enable at least selected functions of the mobile communications device if authorization information is received at the primary mobile device at periodic intervals of time. The method comprises: storing at the secondary mobile device the authorization information; establishing a short range direct wireless communications link between the secondary mobile device and the primary mobile device; and periodically transmitting the authorization information to the primary mobile device to enable the at least selected functions of the mobile communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Michael KIRKUP, Michael S. BROWN
  • System and Method of Indicating the Strength of Encryption
    Publication number: 20100146270
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for secure messaging on mobile computing devices. The method and system provide for an indication of a security trust level associated with a security method used with an electronic message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown
  • System and method for encrypted smart card PIN entry
    Patent number: 7735132
    Abstract: A smart card, system, and method for securely authorizing a user or user device using the smart card is provided. The smart card is configured to provide, upon initialization or a request for authentication, a public key to the user input device such that the PIN or password entered by the user is encrypted before transmission to the smart card via a smart card reader. The smart card then decrypts the PIN or password to authorize the user. Preferably, the smart card is configured to provide both a public key and a nonce to the user input device, which then encrypts a concatenation or other combination of the nonce and the user-input PIN or password before transmission to the smart card. The smart card reader thus never receives a copy of the PIN or password in the clear, allowing the smart card to be used with untrusted smart card readers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • METHOD, SYSTEM AND MOBILE DEVICE EMPLOYING ENHANCED FINGERPRINT AUTHENTICATION
    Publication number: 20100133338
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for fingerprint authentication for a computing device. In one embodiment, the method comprises: storing a default finger swipe scan direction; receiving a finger swipe scan; authenticating the received finger swipe scan; determining a received finger swipe scan direction; and configuring the default finger swipe scan direction. The computing device may comprise a mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Neil P. ADAMS, Dinah L. M. DAVIS