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: 8442489
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little, David Victor MacFarlane, Ian M. Robertson
  • Patent number: 8442234
    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: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8429413
    Abstract: A method for processing security communication protocol compliant signed receipts at a mobile communication device linked to a host system is provided. The host system receives an email message linked to a digital signature, and a signed receipt. The host system redirects the signed receipt to the mobile communication device. The host system determines if the email message is available at the mobile communication device, and if not, the host system retrieves the email message and redirects the email message to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device can then verify the signed receipt based on the email message. Optionally, rather than the email message, the host system retrieves and/or recalculates data elements associated with the email message and required to verify the signed receipt, and redirects these data elements to the mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Neil Adams, Michael S. Brown, Luis Estable
  • Patent number: 8397076
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for resetting a password using a first device and a second device. The second device stores data encrypted using a content protection key, which itself is stored in encrypted form using the password, and is also stored in encrypted form using a key encryption key. The first device receives a public key from a second device. The first device uses the public key and a stored private key to generate a further public key. The further public key and a new password are sent to the second device. The second device uses the further public key to generate the key encryption key, which is then used to decrypt the encrypted content protection key. A new content encryption key is created, and encrypted using the new password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8396211
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically and automatically updating the appropriate fields on the message application screen of an electronic message to show which of the appropriate service book, security encoding or security properties are acceptable or allowed for the message being composed. This updating occurs automatically based on the contents of the fields that are modified during composition of the message, such as, for example, modifications to classification of the message, recipients, keywords, or the like. Thus, the properties in place for a given message is reflected in a dynamic options list provided to the user based on the contents of various fields of the electronic message and the system policies resident on the system. The dynamic updating may provide an updated list of options to the user, or may optionally automatically apply minimum level settings based on security policy and contents of the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Patent number: 8385887
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing encoded messages within a wireless communications system are disclosed. A server within the wireless communications system performs signature verification of an encoded message and provides, together with the message, an indication to the mobile device that the message has been verified. In addition, the server provides supplemental information, such as, for example, a hash of the certificate or certificate chain used to verify the message, to the device, to enable the device to perform additional checks on the certificate, such as, for example, validity checks, trust checks, strength checks, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little
  • Patent number: 8375282
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael S. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130036310
    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: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: David MacFarlane, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130024683
    Abstract: A system and method for sending encrypted messages to a distribution list. In one embodiment, the method comprises: identifying a distribution list address in a message; determining one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list address; for each member address, determining if a public key for a member identified by the member address is available on the computing device; and if so, encrypting the message to the member; sending the encrypted message to the distribution list address only if each of the one or more member addresses associated with the distribution list identifies a member for which a public key is available on the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130019102
    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: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Neil P. ADAMS, Herbert A. LITTLE
  • Publication number: 20130016833
    Abstract: A first device has a display that is able to show information. The information is to be exchanged with a second device. The information is cleared from the display following receipt of an indication from the second device that the information has been successfully inputted at the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. Brown, Herb Little, Michael S. Brown, Neil Adams
  • Patent number: 8355701
    Abstract: A mobile communications device for the display of an incrementally received message includes a message viewer application for scanning the received portions of the message. On determination that the received portion of the message includes a first displayable portion of the message content, the system signals to a message server to halt the message server from forwarding further portions of the message content. The system provides a mechanism for the user of the mobile communications device to cause the mobile communications device to further signal the message server to recommence the forwarding of further portions of the secure message content to permit the verification of the e-mail based on the further portions of the secure message content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Michael S. Brown, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown
  • Publication number: 20130013919
    Abstract: A system and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search. Certificates located in a certificate search are processed at a data server (e.g. a mobile data server) coupled to a computing device (e.g. a mobile device) to determine status data that can be used to indicate the status of those certificates to a user of the computing device. Selected certificates may be downloaded to the computing device for storage, and the downloaded certificates are tracked by the data server. This facilitates the automatic updating of the status of one or more certificates stored on the computing device by the data server, in which updated status data is pushed from the data server to the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup
  • Publication number: 20130012171
    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: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. ADAMS, Herbert A. LITTLE, Michael K. BROWN, Michael S. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20130014250
    Abstract: A wireless communication device (and its related method of operation) includes, if invoked, password protected access to data stored therewithin and/or to normal device operations and further includes duress password checking logic that automatically causes a duress message to be sent if a duress password has been entered. The duress message is preferably sent without maintaining any user accessible indication of such sending. It is also preferred that the password checking logic automatically cause an end-of-duress message to be sent if a normal password is entered after a duress password has been entered. A plurality of different duress passwords may be entered into a duress password portion of data memory in the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Michael G. Kirkup, Michael K. Brown, Ian M. Robertson, Jonathan F. Hammel
  • Publication number: 20130012248
    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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. ADAMS, Michael S. BROWN, Herbert A. LITTLE, Michael K. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20130013918
    Abstract: A system and method for retrieving certificates and/or verifying the revocation status of certificates. In one embodiment, when a user opens a digitally signed message, a certificate that is required to verify the digital signature on the message may be automatically retrieved if it is not stored on the user's computing device (e.g. a mobile device), eliminating the need for users to initiate the task manually. Verification of the digital signature may also be automatically performed by the application after the certificate is retrieved. Verification of the revocation status of a certificate may also be automatically performed if it is determined that the time that has elapsed since the status was last updated exceeds a pre-specified limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael S. Brown, Michael K. Brown, Neil P. Adams, Michael G. Kirkup, Herbert A. Little
  • Publication number: 20130013714
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing encoded messages within a wireless communication system. A server within the wireless communication system provides one or more indications to a mobile device as to certain conditions existing with respect to an encoded message. The mobile device performs a different message processing function based upon whether the indication is provided. The indications may include indicating whether a message exceeds a message size threshold and/or may indicate whether a partial message is being sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael K. BROWN, Michael S. BROWN, Herbert A. LITTLE
  • Publication number: 20130013627
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a novel apparatus and method for changing modes of notification in an electronic device. An electronic device includes a calendar application and a variety of other applications such as the message reader application or the daily alarm application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to track whether and how the user is notified of the receipt of an electronic message. In one embodiment, the user specifically associates a profile behavior to the calendar entry when the calendar entry is first created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: David Yach, David Castell, Neil Adams, Michael K. Brown, Ian Patterson
  • Publication number: 20130007446
    Abstract: A system and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search. Certificates located in a certificate search are processed at a data server (e.g. a mobile data server) coupled to a computing device (e.g. a mobile device) to determine status data that can be used to indicate the status of those certificates to a user of the computing device, without having to download those certificates to the computing device in their entirety. The data server is further adapted to transmit the status data to the computing device. In one embodiment, at least one status property of the certificates is verified at the data server in determining the status data. In another embodiment, additional certificate data is determined and transmitted to the computing device, which can be used by the computing device to verify, at the computing device, at least one other status property of the certificates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Neil P. Adams, Herbert A. Little, Michael K. Brown, Michael S. Brown, Michael G. Kirkup