Method and system for automatically configuring access control

• US 7,142,848 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Owen, Russell, Tyhurst, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/786,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20050191991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/425, 455/550.1, 709/203, 709/229, 709/231
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A method for automatically configuring an access control point based upon the network resource requirements of an application. The installation of a new application on a mobile device or other user device is accompanied, before, during, or after installation, with the distribution of access control information. An access control point blocks communications based upon access rules. An access update module modifies or sets the access rules based upon the access control information. The access control point and the access update module may be located within the mobile device, within an associated wireless connector system, or in other locations within the mobile communication system. The setting or resetting of the access rules based upon the access control information may be triggered during installation, modification, or removal of the application.

Claims

1. In an access update module, a method of automatically configuring an access control point, the access control point allowing or blocking transmissions between remote network resources and an a new application on a user device based upon access rules, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading the new application for installation on the user device, wherein the new application is configured to access the remote network resources during operation;

installing the new application on the user device;

receiving and reading access control information associated with the application; and

setting the access control rules based upon said access control information in order to permit communications between the new application and the remote network resources,

wherein the user device comprises a mobile device and wherein the access control point comprises a device access control point located at said mobile device, and said access control rules comprise device access rules, and wherein said step of setting includes setting said device access rules based upon said access control information.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of downloading comprises downloading an application file to the user device, and wherein said step of setting the access control rules is performed after installation of the application.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein said access control information is embedded within said application file.

4. The method claimed in claim 2, wherein said access control information is stored within a descriptor file associated with said application file, and wherein said step of receiving and reading comprises downloading said descriptor file.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein the application comprises a Java-implemented application, and wherein said descriptor file is a Java Descriptor File.

6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein said access control information includes an identifier corresponding to the remote network resources.

7. In an access update module, a method of automatically configuring an access control point, the access control point allowing or blocking transmissions between remote network resources and an new application on a user device based upon access rules, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading the new application for installation on the user device, wherein the new application is configured to access the remote network resources during operation;

installing the new application on the user device;

receiving and reading access control information associated with the application; and

setting the access control rules based upon said access control information in order to permit communications between the new application and the remote network resources,

wherein the user device comprises a mobile device and wherein the access control point comprises a server access control point located at a wireless connector system associated with said mobile device, and the access control rules comprise server access control rules, and said step of setting includes setting said server access control rules based upon said access control information.

8. The method claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of downloading comprises downloading an application file to the user device, and wherein said step of setting the access control rules is performed after installation of the application.

9. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein said access control information is embedded within said application file.

10. The method claimed in claim 8, wherein said access control information is stored within a descriptor file associated with said application file, and wherein said step of receiving and reading comprises downloading said descriptor file.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the application comprises a Java-implemented application, and wherein said descriptor file is a Java Descriptor File.

12. The method claimed in claim 7, wherein said access control information includes an identifier corresponding to the remote network resources.

13. A computer program product having a computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for automatically configuring an access control point, the access control point allowing or blocking transmissions between remote network resources and a new application on a user device based upon access rules, wherein the automatic configuration of the access point occurs in connection with downloading and installing the new application on the user device, and wherein the new application is configured to access the remote network resources during operation, the computer executable instructions creating an access update module comprising:

computer executable instructions for receiving and reading access control information associated with the application; and

computer executable instructions for setting the access control rules based upon said access control information in order to permit communications between the new application and the remote network resources,

wherein the user device comprises a mobile device and wherein the access control point comprises a device access control point located at said mobile device, and said access control rules comprise device access rules, and wherein said computer executable instructions for setting include computer executable instructions for setting said device access rules based upon said access control information.

14. The computer program product claimed in claim 13, wherein the downloading of the new application includes downloading an application file, wherein said application file installs the application upon the user device, and wherein said computer executable instructions for setting the access control rules execute after installation of the application.

15. The computer program product claimed in claim 14, wherein said access control information is embedded within said application file.

16. The computer program product claimed in claim 14, wherein said access control information is stored within a descriptor file associated with said application file.

17. The computer program product claimed in claim 16, wherein the application comprises a Java-implemented application, and wherein said descriptor file is a Java Descriptor File.

18. The computer program product claimed in claim 14, wherein the application file comprises computer-executable instructions for installing the access update module on the mobile device.

19. The computer program product claimed in claim 13, wherein said access control information includes an identifier corresponding to said remote network resources.

20. A computer program product having a computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable instructions for automatically configuring an access control point, the access control point allowing or blocking transmissions between remote network resources and a new application on a user device based upon access rules, wherein the automatic configuration of the access point occurs in connection with downloading and installing the new application on the user device, and wherein the new application is configured to access the remote network resources during operation, the computer executable instructions creating an access update module comprising:

computer executable instructions for receiving and reading access control information associated with the application; and

computer executable instructions for setting the access control rules based upon said access control information in order to permit communications between the new application and the remote network resources,

wherein the user device comprises a mobile device and wherein the access control point comprises a server access control point located at a wireless connector system associated with said mobile device, and the access control rules comprise server access control rules, and said computer executable instructions for setting include computer executable instructions for setting said server access control rules based upon said access control information.

21. The computer program product claimed in claim 20, wherein the downloading of the new application includes downloading an application file, wherein said application file installs the application upon the user device, and wherein said computer executable instructions for setting the access control rules execute after installation of the application.

22. The computer program product claimed in claim 21, wherein said access control information is embedded within said application file.

23. The computer program product claimed in claim 21, wherein said access control information is stored within a descriptor file associated with said application file.

24. The computer program product claimed in claim 23, wherein the application comprises a Java-implemented application, and wherein said descriptor file is a Java Descriptor File.

25. The computer program product claimed in claim 21, wherein the application file comprises computer-executable instructions for installing the access update module on the mobile device.

26. The computer program product claimed in claim 20, wherein said access control information includes an identifier corresponding to said remote network resources.