System and method of connection control for wireless mobile communication devices

• US 7,076,239 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yach, David P., Kirkup, Michael G., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart, James D
• Application Number:
  US10/698,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040142686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/414.1, 455/418, 370/230, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 709217-219, 709225-227, 709/229, 711/163, 711/164, 707 9- 10, 380/227, 380/229, 713/168, 713/193, 713/194, 713200-202
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

Systems and methods of connection control for wireless mobile communication devices enabled for communication via a plurality of communication connections are provided. Connection control information associates software applications with communication connections. When a connection request specifying a requested connection is received from a software application, it is determined whether the requested connection is permitted by the connection control information. Where the requested connection is permitted by the connection control information, the requested connection is opened. If the requested connection is a first connection opened by the software application, then the software application is associated with the requested connection in the connection control information.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a connection on a remote communicating device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a connection request from a software application executing on a remote communicating device;

determining if the received connection request satisfies connection control information associated with the software application;

if the connection request satisfies connection control information associated with the software application, authorizing the opening of a communication connection for use by the software application; and

if the connection request does not satisfy connection control information associated with the software application, then providing an interface to a user of the remote communicating device for receiving authorization for the opening of the communication connection and only updating the connection control information associated with the software application if the received authorization indicates authorization for both current and future opening of the communication connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of authorizing the opening of the communication connection comprises the step of opening the communication connection for use by the software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises the step of retrieving connection control information associated with the software application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining step further comprises the step of comparing one or more control criteria based on the retrieved connection control information with one or more request parameters based upon the received connection request.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of determining a desired communication connection from the received connection request and, if the retrieved connection control information comprises a record of the desired communication connection as an allowable communication connection, then determining that the received connection request satisfies connection control information associated with the software application.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of determining a desired communication connection from the received connection request and, if the retrieved connection control information comprises a record of the desired communication connection as a prohibited communication connection, then determining that the received connection request does not satisfy connection control information associated with the software application.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of receiving connection control information associated with the software application and storing the received connection control information.

8. The method of claim 7, and further comprising the step of authenticating the received connection control information.

9. The method of claim 7, and further comprising the step of receiving a connection control information update associated with the software application and updating the stored connection control information based upon the received connection control information update.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection control information is based upon the software application at installation on the remote communicating device, a connection type associated with the software application, one or more allowable connection types associated with the software application, a source associated therewith or a connection type associated therewith, one or more prohibited connection types associated with the software application, a source associated therewith or a connection type associated therewith, configuration information provided at installation, manual association of connection control information associated with the software application or combinations thereof;

wherein the connection request is a request for use of a physical transport layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the physical transport layer is a

wireless interface, a USB interface, an Infrared Data Association interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a PCMCIA interface, a PCI interface, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of updating the connection control information if the received connection request is the first connection request received from the software application.

13. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer to control a connection on a remote communicating device by performing the steps of claim 1.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the received connection request satisfies connection control information and further comprising the step of receiving data via the communication connection for use by the software application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication connection allows access to data from a computer within a secured corporate computer network.

16. The method of claim 14, and further comprising the step of receiving a second connection request from the software application, wherein the second connection request does not satisfy connection control information, and denying authorization for opening a second communication connection in response to the received second connection request.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection control information includes one or more connection types associated with the software application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the connection types are an external connection, an internal connection, or combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request is a request for use of a physical transport layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the physical transport layer is a

wireless interface, a USB interface, an Infrared Data Association interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a PCMCIA interface, a PCI interface, or combinations thereof.