Synchronizing certificates between a device and server

• US 8,099,595 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Kenneth, Little, Herbert Anthony, Brown, Michael Stephen, Adams, Neil Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABYANEH, ALI S
• Application Number:
  US13/091,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156, 726/2, 380/247, 380/270, 380/277
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing messages within a wireless communications system are disclosed. A server within the wireless communications system maintains a list of certificates contained in devices that use the server. The server synchronizes or updates the list of certificates based on information contained in message to and from the device. By providing a server with certificates associated with devices that use the server, and providing a system and method for synchronizing the certificates between the device and server, the server can implement powerful features that will improve the efficiency, speed and user satisfaction of the devices. The exemplary embodiments also enable advantageous bandwidth savings by preventing transmission of certificates unnecessarily.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing information between a server and a mobile device, the method comprising the mobile device:

receiving from said server a message and a notification of action taken by said server, said notification being an indication whether said server determined that a certificate appended to said message was contained on said device based upon a list maintained by said server;

said mobile device evaluating said notification to determine whether said action taken by said server was correct; and

,

when said mobile device determines that said action taken was correct, said mobile device sending an acknowledgement to said server that said action taken was correct, and when said mobile device determines that said action taken was incorrect, said mobile device sending a notification comprising a message to said server that said action taken was incorrect and directing said server to take remedial steps to correctly synchronize certificates stored on said mobile device with said list.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said notification instructs said server to either add or remove a certificate from said list.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when said mobile device determines that said server improperly determined that said certificate was not contained on said device, said notification comprises a message to said server to add said certificate to said list.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

5. A system operative to synchronizing certificate information between a server and a mobile device, said system comprising:

said mobile device for receiving and processing messages and notifications of action taken by said server from said server;

program logic resident on said mobile device for determining whether said action taken by said server was correct by;

receiving said message and said notification from said server, said notification being an indication whether said server determined that a certificate appended to said message was contained on said device based upon a list maintained by said server;

evaluating said notification to determine whether said action taken by said server was correct; and

,

when said mobile device determines that said action taken was correct, sending an acknowledgement to said server that said action taken was correct, and when said mobile device determines that said action taken was incorrect, sending a notification comprising a message to said server that said action taken was incorrect and directing said server to take remedial steps to correctly synchronize certificates stored on said mobile device with said list.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said notification instructs said server to either add or remove a certificate from said list.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein when said mobile device determines that said server improperly determined that said certificate was not contained on said device, said notification comprises a message to said server to add said certificate to said list.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.