System and method for processing messages being composed by a user

• US 8,244,820 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Kenneth, Brown, Michael Stephen, Kirkup, Michael Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US13/229,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/238, 713/156, 713/170, 726/5
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A system and method for processing messages being composed by a user of a computing device (e.g. a mobile device). Embodiments are described in which the performance of certain tasks is initiated before a direction is received from a user to send a message being composed by the user. This may involve, for example, “pre-fetching” security-related data that will be required in order to send a message that is in the process of being composed by the user securely. Such data may include security policy data, certificate data, and/or certificate status data, for example.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

identify a triggering event that has occurred during composition of a message;

request certificate data from a certificate store in response to the triggering event, wherein the certificate data corresponds to a message recipient of the message;

detect when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device; and

retrieve certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate upon detecting that the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to initiate requesting the certificate data, detecting when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device and retrieving the certificate status data before a user direction to send the message is received.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process the message using requested certificate data.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to receive the user direction to send the message, and to send the message to the message recipient.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the certificate data requested from the certificate store comprises a certificate associated with the message recipient.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the mobile device.

6. A mobile device comprising a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

identify a triggering event in which a user selection of an icon or menu item is made to initiate composition of a message;

request certificate data from a certificate store in response to the triggering event, wherein the certificate data corresponds to a message recipient of the message;

detect when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device; and

retrieve certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate upon detecting that the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to initiate requesting the certificate data, detecting when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device and retrieving the certificate status data before a user direction to send the message is received.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process the message using requested certificate data.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to receive the user direction to send the message, and to send the message to the message recipient.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the certificate data requested from the certificate store comprises a certificate associated with the message recipient.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the mobile device.

11. A mobile device comprising a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

identify a triggering event in which a window for entering text in a message to be composed appears in a screen of the mobile device or when the text is first entered in the window;

request certificate data from a certificate store in response to the triggering event, wherein the certificate data corresponds to a message recipient of the message;

detect when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device; and

retrieve certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate upon detecting that the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to initiate requesting the certificate data, detecting when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device and retrieving the certificate status data before a user direction to send the message is received.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process the message using requested certificate data.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to receive the user direction to send the message, and to send the message to the message recipient.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the certificate data requested from the certificate store comprises a certificate associated with the message recipient.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the mobile device.

16. A mobile device comprising a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

identify a triggering event in which a document is attached to a message during composition of the message;

request certificate data from a certificate store in response to the triggering event, wherein the certificate data corresponds to a message recipient of the message;

detect when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device; and

retrieve certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate upon detecting that the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to initiate requesting the certificate data, detecting when the certificate data has been retrieved to the mobile device and retrieving the certificate status data before a user direction to send the message is received.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process the message using requested certificate data.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to receive the user direction to send the message, and to send the message to the message recipient.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the certificate data requested from the certificate store comprises a certificate associated with the message recipient.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the mobile device.