System and method for supporting multiple certificate authorities on a mobile communication device

• US 7,197,296 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US11/398,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for supporting operations with multiple certification authorities (CAs) on a communication device. A common CA interface is provided between a plurality of secure communication applications and a plurality of CA-specific components, each of which interacts with a particular CA. A further common interface may also be provided for operatively coupling the secure communication applications to cryptographic components in the device.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a plurality of certification authority (CA) provider components, each associated with a respective CA; and

a common CA interface that receives a security-related request from a software application and communicates the security-related request to one of the plurality of CA provider components;

the one CA provider component sending the security-related request received from the common CA interface to its respective associated CA.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an application communication link that exchanges data between the common CA interface and the software application.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the software application is an m-commerce application.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the software application is an e-commerce application.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the software application is a wireless communication application.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the security-related request includes an encryption request.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the security-related request includes a digital signature-related request.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the security-related request includes a request for a public key from a CA associated with one of the plurality of CA provider components.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the security-related request includes a request to register a public key with a CA associated with one of the plurality of CA provider components.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the respective CAs associated with the plurality of CA provider components utilize different protocols to respond to security-related requests.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the respective CAs associated with the plurality of CA provider components utilize different data formats in handling security-related requests.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the software application is associated with a particular CA, and wherein the common CA interface communicates the security-related request to the one CA provider component based on the particular CA associated with the software application.