System and method for content protection on a computing device

• US 8,190,913 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laforgia, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolentino, Roderick
• Application Number:
  US11/118,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20050257043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,587 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189, 713/193, 713155-159, 726/1, 726/2, 726/22, 726/26, 726/34, 711/163, 711/164, 380/247, 705/67
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

Systems and methods for handling user interface field data. A system and method can be configured to receive input which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode. Data associated with fields displayed on a user interface are stored in a secure form on the mobile device. After the mobile device leaves the protected mode, the stored user interface field data is accessed and used to populate one or more user interface fields with the accessed user interface field data for display to a user.

Claims

1. A method for operation upon a mobile device that is capable of displaying user interfaces, comprising:

receiving input which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode, wherein entering the protected mode includes locking the mobile device;

encrypting data, by the mobile device, associated with fields displayed on a user interface, the data associated with the displayed fields having been entered at the user interface;

storing on the mobile device the encrypted user interface field data;

leaving the protected mode and decrypting the stored encrypted user interface field data;

populating one or more user interface fields with the decrypted user interface field data; and

displaying the user interface with the decrypted user interface field data, thereby allowing the mobile device to return to the same screen that was displayed on the user interface before the mobile device entered into the protected mode, wherein user field values are entered into one or more of the fields displayed on the user interface, and wherein the user entered field values are the data that is encrypted during said encrypting step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the values are numeric values, textual values, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a private key is used to encrypt the user interface field data during said encrypting step.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the private key is stored in the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a lock icon is displayed on the user interface when the mobile device is in the secure mode;

wherein the lock icon indicates that data on the mobile device is protected based upon the user interface field data having been encrypted and stored on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the lock icon is displayed despite the device locking while the user interface field data was being viewed or edited on the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted user interface field data is stored in an encrypted form in the mobile device'"'"'s flash memory or random access memory (RAM).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the encrypted form is used to counter attacks on the mobile device wherein an attempt is made to read data directly from the mobile device'"'"'s flash memory or RAM.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

erasing the private key when the mobile device enters into the protected mode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input indicating that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode is generated after a certain period of user interface inactivity or comprises input received at the user interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein plain text is cleared from the mobile device'"'"'s screen based upon the mobile device entering into the protected mode.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypting and decrypting of the user interface field data are performed using an asymmetric cryptographic technique, a symmetric cryptographic technique, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface field data includes PIM (Personal Information Management) data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the application associated with the user interface is not closed when the mobile device enters the protected mode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein when the mobile device is to enter into the protected mode, any screen containing data entered at the user interface is closed;

wherein after the screen is closed and the encrypted user interface field data is stored, the user interface field data associated with the user interface is released and garbage collected.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device returns to a main application screen before the mobile device enters into the protected mode.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a wireless mobile communications device or a personal digital assistant (PDA) that receives messages over a wireless communication network.

18. Computer software program or programs stored on one or more computer readable media, the computer software program or programs comprising program code for carrying out a method according to claim 1.

19. A mobile device comprising a data store capable of storing non-transitory computer readable media for operation upon the mobile device, which is capable of displaying user interfaces, comprising:

first software instructions configured to execute on the mobile device and to encrypt data, by the mobile device, associated with fields displayed on a user interface in response to input being received which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode, the data associated with the displayed fields having been entered at the user interface, wherein entering the protected mode includes locking the mobile device;

wherein the data store stores the encrypted user interface field data; and

second software instructions configured to execute on the mobile device and to leave the protected mode and decrypt the stored encrypted user interface field data, wherein one or more user interface fields are populated with the decrypted user interface field data and displayed on the user interface of the mobile device in response to leaving the protected mode, thereby allowing the mobile device to return to the same screen that was displayed on the user interface before the mobile device entered into the protected mode,

wherein user field values are entered into one or more of the fields displayed on the user interface, and

wherein the user entered field values are the data that is encrypted by the mobile device.

20. A method for operation upon a mobile device that is capable of displaying user interfaces, comprising:

receiving input which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode, wherein entering the protected mode includes locking the mobile device;

storing, in a secure form on an integrated memory of the mobile device, encrypted data associated with fields displayed on a user interface, the data associated with the displayed fields having been entered at the user interface;

leaving the protected mode and decrypting the stored encrypted user interface field data; and

populating one or more user interface fields with the decrypted user interface field data and displaying the populated user interface on the mobile device, thereby allowing the mobile device to return to the same screen that was displayed on the user interface before the mobile device entered into the protected mode,

wherein user field values are entered into one or more of the fields displayed on the user interface, and

wherein the user entered field values are the encrypted data that is stored.