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).

  • Patent number: 7657736
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 7653696
    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 predetermined 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: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7647498
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Dinah L. M. Davis
  • Patent number: 7646872
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, David Victor MacFarlane, Michael S. Brown, Dinah Lea Marie Davis
  • Patent number: 7641111
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the authentication of contactless payments attempted by a device having embedded contactless payment functionality. In particular, the disclosure is directed to systems and methods that utilize authentication schemes that already exist on a device in which the contactless payment functionality is embedded. One example of such authentication schemes is the use of password protection to lock or unlock the device in which the contactless payment functionality is embedded. Using the password protection functionality may provide varying levels of authentication protection based on the desires of the user. A number of exemplary uses of such a method and apparatus are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7640575
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20090307498
    Abstract: An electronic device includes password protected functionality using a password that can be changed by the user. A user-specified password is stored in association with unique version data that is subsequently provided to help user recall of the password associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Patent number: 7631183
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Neil P. Adams, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20090280744
    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: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090282247
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a method and device for authenticating a user of a computer and a corresponding system using the method and device. The device is a handheld electronic device configured to receive a first authentication code and to generate a secure identification token. If the received first authentication code and the generated token match, a second authentication code is transmitted to a computer to unlock the computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael G. Kirkup, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 7613304
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090266883
    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: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil ADAMS, Michael S. BROWN, Herb LITTLE, Michael McCALLUM, Michael K. BROWN
  • Patent number: 7603556
    Abstract: A challenge response scheme authenticates a requesting device by an authenticating device. The authenticating device generates and issues a challenge to the requesting device. The requesting device combines the challenge with a hash of a password provided by a user, and the combination is further hashed in order to generate a requesting encryption key used to encrypt the user supplied password. The encrypted user supplied password is sent to the authenticating device as a response to the issued challenge. The authenticating device generates an authenticating encryption key by generating the hash of a combination of the challenge and a stored hash of an authenticating device password. The authenticating encryption key is used to decrypt the response in order to retrieve the user-supplied password. If the user-supplied password hash matches the stored authenticating device password hash, the requesting device is authenticated and the authenticating device is in possession of the password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 7603083
    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 that is searching for discoverable devices, based at least in part on one or more properties of the inquiring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090240943
    Abstract: A challenge response scheme authenticates a requesting device by an authenticating device. The authenticating device generates and issues a challenge to the requesting device. The requesting device combines the challenge with a hash of a password provided by a user, and the combination is further hashed in order to generate a requesting encryption key used to encrypt the user supplied password. The encrypted user supplied password is sent to the authenticating device as a response to the issued challenge. The authenticating device generates an authenticating encryption key by generating the hash of a combination of the challenge and a stored hash of an authenticating device password. The authenticating encryption key is used to decrypt the response in order to retrieve the user-supplied password. If the user-supplied password hash matches the stored authenticating device password hash, the requesting device is authenticated and the authenticating device is in possession of the password.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Michael S. BROWN, Michael G. KIRKUP, Herbert A. LITTLE
  • Publication number: 20090240888
    Abstract: Increasing security for a hand-held data processing device with communication functionality where such a device includes an access-ordered memory cache relating to communications carried out by the device. The hand-held data processing device has a locked state that is entered by the device receiving or initiating a trigger. On occurrence of the trigger to enter the locked state the memory cache is reordered so as to disrupt the access-ordering of the cache to obscure device traffic information and thus increase the security of the device in the locked state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael S. Brown
  • Patent number: 7594120
    Abstract: An electronic device includes password protected functionality using a password that can be changed by the user. A user-specified password is stored in association with unique version data that is subsequently provided to help user recall of the password associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20090234931
    Abstract: A system and method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client are provided. A data store configured to operate in conjunction with the messaging client stores records comprising messaging settings or characteristics for previously received and/or sent messages. The messaging client is configured to send outgoing messages, each of the messages having message characteristics, to determine whether a record for an addressed recipient of an outgoing message exists in the data store, and to select messaging settings to control the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on the record where a record exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Anthony F. Sclan, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090235351
    Abstract: Protection of real-time data such as voice data exchanged as packets between a mobile electronic device and a VPN gateway during a media session over a communications link that includes a wireless network. A first VPN connection is established between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link, the first VPN connection using key-based encryption to protect data exchanged therethrough. While the first VPN connection is established, a second VPN connection is established between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link, the second VPN connection using key-based encryption to protect data exchanged therethrough. Real-time data packets are exchanged between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the second VPN connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Thomas C. Nagy, Ian M. Robertson
  • Publication number: 20090228699
    Abstract: A system for adding a redundancy check to an electronic message to discourage tampering and facilitate identification of altered messages provides a communication device for composing message content, a messaging module with a formatting and encoding layer for encoding the message content with header information in a series of message blocks, and an encryption layer for calculating a redundancy check value and inserting the value in one or more locations within the series of message blocks according a rule defined by a characteristic of the message content or the header information, and encrypting the message for delivery to a recipient. Upon receipt, the recipient communication device decrypts the message, extracts the redundancy check value from the message, and compares a calculated redundancy check value with the extracted redundancy check value to determine if the message had been altered before receipt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown