Mobile communications device with security features

• US 20050191988A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Little, Herb, Thornton, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communications device for communicating with a wireless network. The device includes a processor, a communications sub-system connected to the processor for exchanging signals with the wireless network and with the processor, a user input device connected to the processor for sending user input signals to the processor in response to user inputs. A security module is associated with the processor for automatically taking a security action upon detecting a predetermined security user input through the user input device. The security action can include sending a duress message and/or wiping data stored on the device.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a user input device connected to the processor for sending user input signals to the processor in response to user inputs; and

a security module associated with the processor for automatically taking a security action upon detecting a predetermined security user input through the user input device.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device includes a communications sub-system connected to the processor for exchanging signals with a wireless network and with the processor, and the security action includes transmitting a duress message identifying the mobile electronic device to the wireless network.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 2 wherein the duress message includes location information about the mobile electronic device.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 2 wherein the duress message includes a header that includes an identifier identifying the duress message as a duress message type.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 2 wherein the security user input requires only one input step by a user.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 5 wherein the user input device includes a plurality of user input keys, the one input step including simultaneous activation of at least two predetermined user input keys.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 1 wherein the security module is configured for aborting the security action if, within a predetermined duration after detecting the predetermined security user input, a predetermined override user input is detected through the user input device.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1 including a storage connected to the processor and having data stored thereon, the security action including data protection action for protecting the data from unauthorized access.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 8 including a plurality of application modules associated with the processor for implementing applications on the mobile electronic device, the data stored on the storage including user application data associated with the applications, wherein the data protection action includes wiping substantially all user application data from the storage.

10. The mobile electronic device of claim 9 wherein the user input device includes a plurality of user input keys, the security user input requiring only a single input step of simultaneous activation of at least two predetermined user input keys.

11. The mobile electronic device of claim 9 including a display connected to the processor for displaying a series of successive user input screens, wherein the security user input includes a plurality of successive user input steps taken in response to the user input screens.

12. The mobile electronic device of claim 8 including a plurality of application modules associated with the processor for implementing applications on the mobile electronic device, the data stored on the storage including user application data associated with the applications, wherein the data protection action includes encrypting substantially all user application data on the storage.

13. The mobile electronic device of claim 8 wherein the mobile electronic device includes a communications sub-system connected to the processor for exchanging signals with a wireless network and with the processor, and the security action includes transmitting a duress message identifying the mobile device to the wireless network.

14. The mobile electronic device of claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device includes a lockout mode during which only a selected group of inputs through the user input device are processed by the processor and other inputs through the user input device are ignored, the security user input being within the selected group of inputs that are processed during the lockout mode.

15. A method for providing security for a mobile communication device that is configured to communicate over a wireless communications network, including steps of:

(a) monitoring for a predetermined user security action through a user input interface of the mobile communications device; and

(b) automatically taking a security action at the mobile communications device upon detecting the predetermined user security action.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the mobile communications device includes a plurality of user input keys, the user security action requiring only a single step of simultaneously activating a predetermined combination of the user input keys.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the security action includes sending a duress message from the mobile communications device to the wireless communications network.

18. The method of claim 17 including determining location information for the mobile communications device and including the location information in the duress message.

19. The method of claim 15 including detecting the duress message after the duress message is received through the wireless network and forwarding an electronic duress alert to a predetermined contact list, the contact list including the email address of at least one recipient.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the security action includes wiping or encrypting substantially all user application data that is stored on the mobile communications device.