Cross domain notification

• US 8,412,175 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Hart, Steven R., Lindteigen, Ty, Mar, Phil, Wren, Christopher Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/588,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 228 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 709/223, 709/206, 709/229, 709/245, 709/205, 711/163, 718/108, 713/156, 719/315, 726/22
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains

Abstract

A method for a mobile communication device to indicate activity associated with an operating domain includes establishing a plurality of operating domains for the mobile communication device each operating as an independent virtual machine. The method also includes providing a trusted indicator at the mobile communication device for indicating activity associated with a high-side domain. The method also includes providing an input on the mobile communication device for switching from a low-side domain to the high-side domain. The method also includes providing a trusted element for the mobile communication device that is independent of either the high-side domain or the low-side domain. The trusted element may be configured to receive a signal from the input for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain and to perform user authentication for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain.

Claims

1. A method performed on a mobile communication device such that during operation the mobile communication device can indicate activity associated with an operating domain on the mobile communication device, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of operating domains for the mobile communication device each operating as an independent virtual machine, wherein at least one of the operating domains is a high-side domain and at least one of the operating domains is a low-side domain, the high-side domain being a secure domain and the low-side domain being an unsecure domain;

providing a trusted indicator at the mobile communication device for indicating activity associated with the high-side domain, the activity including at least one of an incoming call, an incoming text, or a new email message, the trusted indicator configured to activate a user notification to indicate the activity;

providing an input on the mobile communication device for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain, the input configured as an input only device that is activated by user input, wherein after switching to the high-side domain, previous activity on the low-side domain is preserved; and

providing a trusted element for the mobile communication device that is independent of either the high-side domain or the low-side domain, the trusted element configured to;

receive a signal from the input for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain;

perform user authentication for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain, the user authentication including providing output authentication information from the trusted element to an output device and receiving input authentication information at the trusted element from an input device; and

control a keypad and a display of the mobile communication device during the user authentication, the keypad configured to provide the input authentication information to the trusted element and the display configured to receive the output authentication information from the trusted element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user notification activated by the trusted indicator is a light emitting diode (LED) on the mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input on the mobile communication device for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain includes a hard-key press.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the output authentication information is provided from the trusted element to a display of the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input authentication information is received at the trusted element from a keypad of the mobile communication device.

6. A mobile communication device configured to operate in multiple domains, the mobile communication device comprising:

a processing module configured to run in a plurality of operating domains, each operating domain configured as an independent virtual machine, wherein at least one of the operating domains is a high-side domain and at least one of the operating domains is a low-side domain, the high-side domain being a secure domain and the low-side domain being an unsecure domain;

a trusted indicator to provide an indication of activity associated with the high-side domain, the activity including at least one of an incoming call, an incoming text message, or a new email message, the trusted indicator configured to activate a user notification to indicate the activity;

an input for switching between the low-side domain and the high-side domain, where after switching to the high-side domain, previous activity on the low-side domain is preserved, the input configured as an input only device that is activated by user input; and

a trusted element that is independent of either the high-side domain or the low-side domain, the trusted element configured to;

receive a signal from the input for switching between the low-side domain and the high-side domain;

perform user authentication for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain, the user authentication including providing output authentication information from the trusted element to an output device and receiving input authentication information at the trusted element from an input device; and

control a keypad and a display of the mobile communication device during the user authentication, the keypad configured to provide the input authentication information to the trusted element and the display configured to receive the output authentication information from the trusted element.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the user notification activated by the trusted indicator is an LED on the mobile communication device.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the input on the mobile communication device for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain includes a hard-key press.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the output authentication information is provided from the trusted element to a display of the mobile communication device.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein the input authentication information is received at the trusted element from a keypad of the mobile communication device.

11. A method of preparing a mobile communication device such that a user can securely switch between operating domains of the mobile communication device, the method comprising:

providing a mobile communication device having a plurality of operating domains each operating as an independent virtual machine, wherein at least one of the operating domains is a high-side domain and at least one of the operating domains is a low-side domain, the high-side domain being a secure domain and the low-side domain being an unsecure domain;

providing a trusted indicator at the mobile communication device to indicate activity associated with the high-side domain, the trusted indicator indicating at least one of an incoming call, an incoming text, or a new email message directed to the high-side domain, the activity indicated by activating a user notification;

providing an input on the mobile communication device for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain, the input configured as an input only device that is activated by user input, wherein after switching to the high-side domain, previous activity on the low-side domain is preserved;

providing a trusted element within the mobile communication device that is independent of either the high-side domain or the low-side domain, the trusted element configured to;

receive a signal from the input for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain; and

perform user authentication for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain, the user authentication including providing output authentication information from the trusted element to an output device and receiving input authentication information at the trusted element from an input device; and

control a keypad and a display of the mobile communication device during the user authentication, the keypad configured to provide the input authentication information to the trusted element and the display configured to receive the output authentication information from the trusted element.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein user notification activated by the trusted indicator is a light emitting diode (LED) on the mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the input on the mobile communication device for switching from the low-side domain to the high-side domain includes a hard-key press.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the output authentication information is provided from the trusted element to a display of the mobile communication device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the input authentication information is received at the trusted element from a keypad of the mobile communication device.