System and method for processing messages being composed by a user

• US 20070038704A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael, Kirkup, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

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.

Claims

1. A method of processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request from a user to compose a message;

b) detecting when at least one triggering event associated with the message being composed by the user has occurred; and

c) for each triggering event, initiating performance of at least one task associated with the respective triggering event while the message is being composed by the user, after detecting the occurrence of the respective triggering event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the task associated with at least one triggering event includes retrieving data that would be required to further process the message being composed by the user should the user direct the message to be sent.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a direction from the user to send the message being composed on the computing device;

further processing the message using the retrieved data; and

optionally sending the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein for a first event of the at least one triggering event, step c) comprises initiating retrieval of security policy data from a policy engine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein for the first event, the retrieval of security policy data from a policy engine is initiated upon detecting that the user has begun composing the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein for the first event, step c) further comprises initiating a determination of whether updated security policy data needs to be retrieved from a policy engine, and wherein the retrieval of security policy data from the policy engine is initiated only if it is determined that updated security policy data needs to be retrieved from the policy engine.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein for the first event, the determination of whether updated security policy data needs to be retrieved from a policy engine is initiated upon detecting that the user has begun composing the message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein for a second event of the at least one triggering event, step c) comprises initiating retrieval of certificate data from a certificate store.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein for the second event, the retrieval of certificate data from a certificate store is initiated for a certificate associated with a message recipient upon detecting that the user has identified the message recipient while composing the message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the computing device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the certificate data is an S/MIME certificate.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the certificate data is a PGP key.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein for a third event of the at least one triggering event, step c) comprises initiating retrieval of certificate status data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein for the third event, the retrieval of certificate status data is initiated to verify the status of a certificate associated with a message recipient upon detecting that the certificate associated with the message recipient who the user has identified while composing the message has been retrieved to the computing device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein for the third event, step c) further comprises initiating a determination of whether updated certificate status data needs to be retrieved, and wherein the retrieval of certificate status data is initiated only if it is determined that updated certificate status data needs to be retrieved.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein for the third event, the determination of whether updated certificate data needs to be retrieved to verify the status of a certificate associated with a message recipient is initiated upon detecting that the certificate associated with the message recipient who the user has identified while composing the message has been retrieved to the computing device.

17. A computer-readable medium upon which a plurality of instructions are stored, the instructions for performing a method of processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device as claimed in claim 1.

18. A system for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device, wherein the system comprises a policy engine connected to the computing device, and wherein the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1 are performed at the computing device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the policy engine resides on a device remote from the computing device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the policy engine is implemented in a PGP Universal Server.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the policy engines is implemented in an EMS.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device is a mobile device.