System and method of connection control for wireless mobile communication devices

• US 8,626,139 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kirkup, Michael G., Little, Herbert A., Yach, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US12/016,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

Systems and methods of connection control for wireless mobile communication devices enabled for communication via a plurality of communication connections are provided. Connection control information associates software applications with communication connections. When a connection request specifying a requested connection is received from a software application, it is determined whether the requested connection is permitted by the connection control information. Where the requested connection is permitted by the connection control information, the requested connection is opened. If the requested connection is a first connection opened by the software application, then the software application is associated with the requested connection in the connection control information.

Claims

1. A method for use by a mobile device in controlling connections attempted by the mobile device, the mobile device including a user interface and a connection controller configured to control the connections attempted by the mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying, by the connection controller of the mobile device, a connection request from a software application executable on the mobile device, the connection request being for an attempt to open a communication connection for the software application between the mobile device and a remote device;

causing, by the connection controller, a prompt to be displayed in the user interface of the mobile device, the prompt being for user input for selecting whether the connection request from the software application is to be allowed;

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is to be allowed, authorizing by the connection controller the attempt to open the communication connection, opening the communication connection, and allowing the mobile device to obtain data from the remote device over the opened communication connection; and

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is not to be allowed, denying by the connection controller the connection request for the attempt to open the communication connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the opening of the communication connection comprises opening the communication connection for use by the software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the opening of the communication connection comprises providing the software application with authorization information for use by the software application in opening the communication connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

connection control information associated with the software application and stored on the mobile device comprises a record of the communication connection as an allowable communication connection, and wherein the prompting is responsive to determining that the connection request satisfies the connection control information associated with the software application.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating or updating an entry of the connection control information in response to the user input.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining data from the remote device via the communication connection for use by the software application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein data obtained from the remote device comprises business-related data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data obtained from the remote device comprises personal data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first connection request is a request for use of a physical transport layer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the physical transport layer is a wireless interface, a USB interface, an Infrared Data Association interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a PCMCIA interface, a PCI interface, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein

connection control information associated with the software application and stored on the mobile device comprises a record of the communication connection as a prohibited communication connection, and wherein the prompting is responsive to determining that the connection request does not satisfy the connection control information associated with the software application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the connection control information associated with the software application, and storing the connection control information on the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising authenticating the connection control information.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a connection control information update associated with the software application and updating the connection control information based upon the received connection control information update.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the connection control information is based upon a connection type associated with the software application, one or more allowable connection types associated with the software application, a source associated with the software application with which the one or more allowable connection types is associated, one or more prohibited connection types associated with the software application, a source associated with the software application with which the one or more prohibited connection types is associated, a manual association of connection control information associated with the software application, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising creating or updating an entry of the connection control information associated with the software application based upon the user input, to indicate that the software application is restricted to opening connections to the remote device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising creating or updating an entry of the connection control information associated with the software application if the user input indicates authorization for both current and future openings of the first communication connection, to indicate that the software application is restricted to opening connections to the remote device.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, after the opening of the communication connection, a second connection request from the software application for the opening of the communication connection between the mobile device and a different device other than the remote device;

determining if the second connection request satisfies the connection control information associated with the software application; and

after determining that the second connection request does not satisfy the connection control information, denying authorization for opening the communication connection between the mobile device and the different device in response to the second connection request.

19. One or more non-transitory device-readable media for storing instructions that, upon execution by a processor, to control connections attempted by a mobile device by:

identifying, by a connection controller of the mobile device, a connection request from a software application executable on the mobile device, the connection request being for an attempt to open a communication connection for the software application between the mobile device and a remote device;

causing, by the connection controller, a prompt to be displayed in a user interface of mobile device, the prompt being for user input for selecting whether the connection request from the software application is to be allowed;

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is to be allowed, authorizing by the connection controller the of attempt to open the communication connection, opening the communication connection, and allowing the mobile device to obtain data from the remote device over the opened communication connection; and

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is not to be allowed, denying by the connection controller the connection request for the attempt to open the communication connection.

20. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a connection controller configured to control connections attempted by the mobile device;

a user interface coupled to the processor;

memory coupled to the processor and being configured to store a software application;

the processor and the connection controller being configured to;

identify, by the connection controller, a connection request from the software application executable on the processor, the connection request being for an attempt to open a communication connection for the software application between the mobile device and a remote device;

cause, by the connection controller, a prompt to be displayed in the user interface of the mobile device, the prompt being for user input for selecting whether the connection request from the software application is to be allowed;

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is to be allowed, authorize by the connection controller the attempt to open the communication connection, open the communication connection, and allow the mobile device to obtain data from the remote device over the opened communication connection; and

in response to receiving user input indicating that the connection request from the software application is not to be allowed, deny by the connection controller the connection request for the attempt to open the communication connection.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device is a PDA, a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a hand-held computer, a mobile e-mail device or a pager.