Battery authorization server

• US 8,346,312 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael K., Robertson, Ian, Little, Herbert A., Winger, Lyall
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US13/190,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20110281559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A mobile communication device is capable of communicating with a battery authorization server. Determining an authorization status of a smart battery currently powering the mobile communication device involves an initial authorization process and a subsequent authorization process. The initial authorization process is conducted between the mobile communication device and the smart battery. If the initial authorization process is successful, it is followed by a subsequent authorization process between the mobile communication device and the battery authorization server.

Claims

1. A battery authorization server for authorizing a smart battery of a mobile communication device, the server comprising:

a processor;

a network interface controller coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the memory is to store data related to smart batteries and is to store code which, when executed by the processor, uses an identifier of the smart battery to look up data related to the smart battery and to determine an authorization status of the smart battery,

such that the battery authorization server is able to handle and to respond to battery authorization status requests received via the network interface controller.

2. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the data comprise a list of identifiers of authorized smart batteries.

3. The battery authorization server of claim 2, wherein the identifier of the smart battery belongs to the list of identifiers of authorized smart batteries, and the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is valid.

4. The battery authorization server of claim 2, wherein the identifier of the smart battery does not belong to the list of identifiers of authorized smart batteries, and the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is counterfeit.

5. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the data comprise a list of identifiers of unauthorized smart batteries.

6. The battery authorization server of claim 5, wherein the identifier of the smart battery does not belong to the list of identifiers of unauthorized smart batteries, and the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is valid.

7. The battery authorization server of claim 5, wherein the identifier of the smart battery belongs to the list of identifiers of unauthorized smart batteries, and the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is counterfeit.

8. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the data comprise a list of identifiers of smart batteries subject to recall.

9. The battery authorization server of claim 8, wherein the identifier of the smart battery belongs to the list of identifiers of smart batteries subject to recall, and the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is subject to recall.

10. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the data comprise a mapping of mobile communication device identities to identifiers of smart batteries.

11. The battery authorization server of claim 10, wherein, due to the identifier of the smart battery being mapped simultaneously to more than one mobile communication device identity, the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is duplicate.

12. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is valid.

13. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is counterfeit.

14. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is subject to recall.

15. The battery authorization server of claim 1, wherein the authorization status indicates that the smart battery is duplicate.