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).

  • Publication number: 20100138667
    Abstract: A method is provided for storing a biometric template extracted a smart card for use on a user computing device. The biometric template is extracted from the smart card using a smart card reader. The biometric template is encrypted using a content protection key. The content protection key is encrypted using at least one of a device password or a smart card password. The password may be hashed. The encrypted biometric template, the encrypted content protection key and the hashed password may then be stored in a cache. A method for using the stored biometric template to access the user computer device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Neil Patrick Adams, Michael K. Brown, Ravi Singh
  • Publication number: 20100134274
    Abstract: Responsive to intercepting an outbound command, a command interceptor may, upon determining that the command is associated with a particular category of commands, transmit an anticipatory response to the source of the command, for example, to prematurely indicate that the command has met with success. Accordingly, a given application whose further execution is dependent upon the successful completion of the command may further execute earlier than would be the case if the given application was to await the transmission of the command, the generation of a response indicating success and the receipt of the response indicating success.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Ravi Singh, Michael K. Brown, Dinah Lea Marie Davis, Neil Patrick Adams
  • Patent number: 7726566
    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: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herb Little, Neil Adams
  • Patent number: 7725711
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams
  • Publication number: 20100122089
    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 encryption and/or authentication aspect. 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 remote system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the remote system to one or more receivers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: James A. Godfrey, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Carl L. Cherry, Timothy R. Tyhurst, Michael S. Brown
  • Publication number: 20100121931
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing digitally signed messages in which address mismatch errors are detected. In at least one aspect, the number of address mismatch errors reported to a user for a message may be minimized for messages that properly incorporate message portions signed by someone other than the sender of the message, as may be the case where the message contains a conversation thread for example, by performing at least one pre-determined action for digital signatures corresponding to signed data appearing after a message separator. The message separator may indicate that the message contains data from an older forwarded message or from an older message that has been replied to, for example. The at least one-predetermined action may comprise bypassing verification of address matches for those digital signatures, or verifying address matches for those digital signatures but suppressing user notification of any address mismatch errors, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7716139
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7711392
    Abstract: A system and method for provisioning a primary mobile device from a secondary mobile device, including storing at the secondary mobile device provisioning data for the primary mobile device, the provisioning data including information used by the primary mobile device for communicating over a wireless network; establishing a direct wireless communications link between the secondary mobile device and the primary mobile device; and sending the provisioning data over the communications link from the secondary mobile device to the primary mobile device and storing the provisioning data at the primary mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Publication number: 20100104102
    Abstract: A method for secure bidirectional communication between two systems is described. A first key pair and a second key pair are generated, the latter including a second public key that is generated based upon a shared secret. First and second public keys are sent to a second system, and third and fourth public keys are received from the second system. The fourth public key is generated based upon the shared secret. A master key for encrypting messages is calculated based upon a first private key, a second private key, the third public key and the fourth public key. For re-keying, a new second key pair having a new second public key and a new second private key is generated, and a new fourth public key is received. A new master key is calculated using elliptic curve calculations using the new second private key and the new fourth public key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, David Victor MacFarlane, Michael S. Brown, Dinah Lea Marie Davis
  • Publication number: 20100106970
    Abstract: Authentication of two devices in communication with a third device is achieved where the first and second devices each possess a shared secret value. The authentication includes communication of authentication values from the first device to the second device using the third device. Similarly, there is communication of values from the second device to the first device using the third device. The third device retains the communicated values. The values are calculated to permit the third device to authenticate the first and second devices without the third device receiving the shared secret value. The authentication may be used to establish a communications channel between the first and the second devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Herbert A. LITTLE, Dinah L. M. DAVIS
  • Patent number: 7707639
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Jonathan F. Hammell, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • Publication number: 20100100932
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a security encoding to be applied to a message being sent by a user of a computing device, such as a mobile device, for example. In one broad aspect, the method comprises determining, at the computing device, whether a general message encoding configuration setting thereon indicates that the security encoding to be applied to the message is to be established by a policy engine; if the general message encoding configuration setting on the computing device indicates that the security encoding to be applied to the message is to be established by the policy engine, determining the security encoding to be applied to the message by querying the policy engine for the security encoding to be applied to the message; applying the determined security encoding to the message; and transmitting the message to which the security encoding has been applied to the at least one recipient. In one embodiment, the policy engine is a PGP Universal Server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Patent number: 7697926
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20100082976
    Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, a certificate synchronization application is programmed to perform certificate searches by querying one or more certificate servers for all certificate authority (CA) certificates and cross-certificates on the certificate servers. In another 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 of the invention 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: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20100056228
    Abstract: A mobile communication device is capable of communicating with a battery authorization server. Determining an authorization status of a smart battery currently powering the mobile communication device involves an initial authorization process and a subsequent authorization process. The initial authorization process is conducted between the mobile communication device and the smart battery. If the initial authorization process is successful, it is followed by a subsequent authorization process between the mobile communication device and the battery authorization server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Ian Robertson, Lyall Winger, Herbert A. Little
  • Publication number: 20100049979
    Abstract: A system and method for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list that facilitates the sending of such messages only to individuals or other entities associated with the distribution list that will be able to read the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown
  • Patent number: 7664707
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Christopher E. S. Pattenden, Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20100030821
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for preserving data records of a system comprising a mobile electronic device and a remote log storage configured to store data records corresponding to auditable events. The mobile electronic device comprises memory storage configured to store user data and the user data includes a data log comprising data records corresponding to auditable events. As well, the mobile electronic device is operatively coupleable to the remote log storage. The method comprises receiving a command to delete the user data; determining any data records in the data log which have not been uploaded to the remote log storage; storing any determined data records in the remote log storage; and deleting the user data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Scott W. TOTZKE, Radu Alexandru MANEA
  • Publication number: 20100031371
    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: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Christopher E.S. Pattenden, Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Patent number: 7657741
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown