METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR ACCESSING APPLICATIONS AND CONTENT ACROSS A PLURALITY OF COMPUTERS

• US 20120079007A1
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Stephen, Little, Herbert Anthony, Bender, Christopher Lyle
• Granted Patent: US 9,160,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for accessing applications and content across a plurality of computers is provided. In one aspect, a client machine and a mobile computing device are provided. The client machine is configured to execute a browser application. The mobile computing device is configured to host a web server application. When the client machine and the mobile computing device are connected, functions on the mobile computing device become available on the client machine via the interaction between the web server and the browser. When the client machine accesses an email or other message with referenced content, different portions of the system can be configured to select a particular pathway to actually fetch the content.

Claims

1. A remote computer for providing access to a content source, the remote computer comprising:

a first connection for accessing a private network, the first connection, via a mobile device, adapted to provide secure communication to the private network;

a second connection for accessing a public network; and

processing circuitry configured to;

access a message via the first connection,

select a content pathway for accessing content referenced in the message, the content pathway comprising either the first connection or the second connection,

fetch the content via the content pathway selected.

2. The remote computer of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an electronic mail message.

3. The remote computer of claim 2, wherein the content pathway is selected based upon a server that originated the electronic mail message.

4. The remote computer of claim 2, wherein the content pathway is selected based upon a sender of the electronic mail message.

5. The remote computer of claim 2, wherein the electronic mail message includes a link specifying the content source for the content referenced in the message.

6. The remote computer of claim 5, wherein the link specifying the content source includes a proxy server reference.

7. The remote computer of claim 1, wherein selecting the content pathway comprises selecting a default connection.

8. The remote computer of claim 7, wherein selecting the content pathway comprises selecting an alternate connection when the default connection fails.

9. The remote computer of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the first connection as the content pathway when the message is associated with an enterprise mail account, and

select the second connection as the content pathway when the message is associated with a personal mail account.

10. The remote computer of claim 1, wherein the content pathway comprises encryption.

11. A method in a client machine for accessing content, the method comprising:

accessing a message via a connection to a computing device configured to host a messaging application,

receiving an instruction to fetch content referenced in the message,

selecting a content pathway for accessing the content from a server;

the content pathway comprising either a first content pathway omitting the connection to the computing device or a second content pathway including the connection to the computing device;

fetching the content at the client machine via the content pathway selected.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the message comprises an electronic mail message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting the content pathway comprises identifying a server that originated the electronic mail message.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting the content pathway comprises identifying a sender of the electronic mail message.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic mail message includes a content reference that includes an identification of the server providing access to the content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the content reference includes a proxy server reference.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the content pathway comprises selecting a default content pathway.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selecting the content pathway comprises selecting an alternate content pathway when the default content pathway fails.