Method and apparatus for differentiated access control

• US 9,047,451 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Kenneth, Bender, Christopher Lyle, Little, Herbert Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US13/242,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 726/16, 713/193
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time

Abstract

A method for differentiated access control on a computing device, and the computing device, the method including starting a timer on the computing device; resetting the timer if activity occurs on the computing device prior to the expiration of the timer; and preventing a subset of applications from being launched or enabled on expiry of the timer.

Claims

1. A method for providing differentiated access control on a mobile device, the method comprising:

starting a timer on the mobile device, the timer being an inactivity timer for a subset of applications selected from a plurality of applications on the mobile device;

resetting the timer if activity occurs on the mobile device prior to the expiration of the timer; and

preventing each application of the subset of applications from being launched or enabled on the mobile device upon expiry of the timer, the preventing further comprising changing a graphical representation of an application thumbnail or icon of each application of the subset of applications on the mobile device, the changing the graphical representation showing each application of the subset of applications is locked, while applications on the mobile device other than those in the subset of applications remain unlocked.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of applications on the mobile device utilize a separate file system from other applications in a memory of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation is a grid style and the changing replaces the application thumbnail with an obscured out or locked graphic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selection of the obscured graphic initiates a password prompt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the timer has a plurality of expiry times for different subsets of applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of applications is designated as corporate applications.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the designating is based on an enterprise information technology policy.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the designating is done on the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes any interacting with a user interface on the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes only interaction with any one of the subset of applications.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising unlocking each application in the subset of applications in response to successful authentication.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing each application in the subset of applications whose timer has expired from being launched or enabled, while allowing the launching or enablement of one or more applications associated with another subset of applications.

13. A mobile device comprising:

a processor;

a user interface; and

memory,

wherein the processor is enabled to;

start a timer on the mobile device, the timer being an inactivity timer for a subset of applications selected from a plurality of applications on the mobile device;

reset the timer if activity occurs on the mobile device prior to the expiration of the timer; and

prevent each application of the subset of applications from being launched or enabled on the mobile device upon expiry of the timer, wherein the processor, user interface and memory further cooperate to prevent by changing a graphical representation of an application thumbnail or icon of each application of the subset of applications displayed on the mobile device, the changing the graphical representation showing each application of the subset of applications is locked, while applications on the mobile device other than those in the subset of applications remain unlocked.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the subset of applications on the mobile device utilize a separate file system from other applications in a memory of the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the graphical representation is a grid style and the changing replaces the application thumbnail with an obscured or locked graphic.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein selection of the obscured or locked graphic on the user interface initiates a password prompt.

17. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the timer has a plurality of expiry times for different subsets of applications.

18. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the subset of applications are designated as corporate applications.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the designating is made based on an enterprise information technology policy.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the designating is done on the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes any interaction with the user interface.

22. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes only interaction with the subset of applications.

23. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a mobile device cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

starting a timer on the mobile device, the timer being an inactivity timer for a subset of applications selected from a plurality of applications on the mobile device;

resetting the timer if activity occurs on the mobile device prior to the expiration of the timer; and

preventing each application of the subset of applications from being launched or enabled on the mobile device upon expiry of the timer, the preventing further comprising changing a graphical representation of an application thumbnail or icon of each application of the subset of applications on the mobile device, the changing the graphical representation showing each application of the subset of applications is locked, while applications on the mobile device other than those in the subset of applications remain unlocked.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the subset of applications on the mobile device utilize a separate file system from other applications in a memory of the mobile device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the graphical representation is a grid style and the changing replaces the application thumbnail with an obscured out or locked graphic.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein selection of the obscured graphic initiates a password prompt.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the timer has a plurality of expiry times for different subsets of applications.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the subset of applications is designated as corporate applications.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the designating is based on an enterprise information technology policy.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the designating is done on the mobile device.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes any interacting with a user interface on the mobile device.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein activity occurring on the mobile device includes only interaction with any one of the subset of applications.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, the operations further comprising unlocking each application in the subset of applications in response to successful authentication.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24, the operations further comprising preventing each application in the subset of applications whose timer has expired from being launched or enabled, while allowing the launching or enablement of one or more applications associated with another subset of applications.