System and method for processing messages being composed by a user

• US 8,516,068 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Kenneth, Brown, Michael Stephen, Kirkup, Michael Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US13/568,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/238, 726/5, 713/156, 713/170
• 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 computing device configured to:

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

retrieve certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate associated with a message recipient of the message;

wherein the computing device is configured to initiate retrieving the certificate status data after the triggering event has occurred and before a user direction to send the message is received.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a detection that a recipient for the message is identified.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a user selection of an icon or menu item made to initiate composition of the message.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a window for entering text in the message appearing in a screen of the computing device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to text being first entered, during composition of the message, into a window appearing in a screen of the computing device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a document being attached to the message during composition of the message.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to process the message using the certificate.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing device 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 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to retrieve the certificate associated with the message recipient from a certificate store.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the computing device, or on the computing device.

11. A method, performed at a computing device, comprising:

identifying a triggering event that has occurred during composition of a message; and

retrieving certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate associated with a message recipient of the message;

wherein the retrieving is initiated after the triggering event has occurred and before a user direction to send the message is received.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a detection that a recipient for the message is identified.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a user selection of an icon or menu item made to initiate composition of the message.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a window for entering text in the message appearing in a screen of the computing device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to text being first entered, during composition of the message, into a window appearing in a screen of the computing device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a document being attached to the message during composition of the message.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising processing the message using the certificate.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the user direction to send the message, and sending the message to the message recipient.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving the certificate associated with the message recipient from a certificate store.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the computing device, or on the computing device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions, executable by a computing device, for performing acts comprising:

identifying a triggering event that has occurred during composition of a message; and

retrieving certificate status data, wherein the certificate status data is used to verify the status of a certificate associated with a message recipient of the message;

wherein the retrieving is initiated after the triggering event has occurred and before a user direction to send the message is received.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a detection that a recipient for the message is identified.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a user selection of an icon or menu item made to initiate composition of the message.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a window for entering text in the message appearing in a screen of the computing device.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to text being first entered, during composition of the message, into a window appearing in a screen of the computing device.

26. The medium of claim 21, wherein the triggering event is identified in response to a document being attached to the message during composition of the message.

27. The medium of claim 21, the acts further comprising processing the message using the certificate.

28. The medium of claim 21, the acts further comprising receiving the user direction to send the message, and sending the message to the message recipient.

29. The medium of claim 21, the acts further comprising retrieving the certificate associated with the message recipient from a certificate store.

30. The medium of claim 29, wherein the certificate store resides on a server remote from the computing device, or on the computing device.