Verification methods and apparatus for use in providing application services to mobile communication devices

• US 8,386,773 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Sherkin, Alexander, Franco, Will D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Teshome
• Application Number:
  US12/331,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155, 713/159, 713/168, 713/172, 713/176, 713/178, 726/2, 726/9
• US Class Current: 713/155
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices

Abstract

A mobile communication device operates in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider (e.g. a wireless carrier for voice telephony, or data service provider for data synchronization). An application server receives, via the wireless network, a message from the mobile device. The message has a field for inclusion of a token having a digital signature corresponding to the service provider. The application server performs token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider. The application server then grants or denies access to an application service depending on the outcome of the token validation. In one embodiment, the application service is an e-commerce transaction service, wherein a proof-of-work (POW) test (e.g. a Captcha test) otherwise utilized for the service is bypassed or excluded.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile communication device configured to operate in a wireless communication network utilizing a communication service provided by a service provider of the mobile communication device, the communication service of the service provider being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network, the mobile communication device having access to an application server via the wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving via the wireless network a token from a token server of the service provider, the token including an identifier which identifies the service provider which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

sending via the wireless network a message to the application server, the message including the token having the identifier which identifies the service provider and the digital signature of the service provider; and

if token validation of the message at the application server is successful, then receiving access via the wireless network to an application service of the application server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider is a wireless carrier for the voice telephony service for the mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving access to the application service comprises at least one of:

receiving via the wireless network data for rendering in a display at the mobile communication device;

receiving via the wireless network web data for rendering a web page in a browser application of the mobile communication device;

or

receiving access via the wireless network to an e-commerce transaction service of the application server for performing an e-commerce transaction via the application server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to provide a proof-of-work test for accessing the application service, and further configured to bypass the proof-of-work test for the mobile communication device if the token validation at the application server is successful.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the application service comprises an e-commerce transaction service.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the proof-of-work test comprises a Captcha test.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more subsequent messages sent by the mobile device are validated based on a previous token validation of a previous message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the token includes a timestamp and the token validation includes a test of whether the timestamp is within a predetermined time period of a current time of receipt of the message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein gaining access to the communication service prior to receiving the token comprises causing authentication credentials of the mobile communication device to be sent via the wireless network for authentication by the service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request message, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving display data in response to the HTTP request message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to store a personal information manager (PIM) application, and the service provider is a data service provider which provides a data synchronization service for the mobile communication device for the synchronization of data items of the PIM application with data items at a host server.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium; and

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a mobile communication device configured to operate in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider of the mobile communication device, the communication service of the service provider being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network, the mobile communication device having access to an application server, the computer instructions being further executable for;

receiving via the wireless network a token from a token server of the service provider, the token including an identifier of the service provider which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

sending via the wireless network a message to the application server, the message including the token having the identifier of the service provider and the digital signature of the service provider; and

if token validation of the message at the application server is successful, then receiving access via the wireless network to the application service of the application server.

13. A mobile communication device configured to access an application service of an application server, the mobile communication device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors and being operative for communications in a wireless communication network utilizing a communication service provided by a service provider of the mobile communication device, the communication service being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network;

the one or more processors being operative to;

receive via the wireless transceiver a token from a token server of the service provider of the communication service, the token including an identifier of the service provider a which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

send via the wireless transceiver a message to the application server, the message including the token having the identifier of the service provider and the digital signature of the service provider; and

if token validation of the message at the application server is successful, then receive access via the wireless transceiver to the application service of the application server.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the application server is configured to provide a proof-of-work test for access to the application service, and further configured to allow the proof-of-work test to be bypassed for the mobile communication device if the token validation at the application server is successful.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the proof-of-work test comprises a Captcha test.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are operative to access the communication service by causing authentication credentials of the mobile communication device to be sent via the wireless network for authentication by the service provider in the wireless network.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the message comprises a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request message, the one or more processors being further operative to receive display data in response to the HTTP request message.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the memory is for storing a personal information manager (PIM) application, and the service provider is a data service provider which provides a data synchronization service for the mobile communication device for the synchronization of data items of the PIM application with data items at a host server.

19. A method in an application server which permits access to an application service for a mobile communication device which is configured to operate in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider, the communication service of the service provider being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving via the wireless network a message from the mobile communication device, the message having a field for inclusion of a token having an identifier of the service provider which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

performing token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider; and

if the token validation is successful, then granting the mobile communication device access to the application service of the application server via the wireless network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein granting access to the application service comprises at least one of:

sending via the wireless network data for rendering in a display at the mobile communication device;

sending via the wireless network web data for displaying a web page in a browser application of the mobile communication device;

or

granting the mobile communication device access via the wireless network to an e-commerce transaction service for executing an e-commerce transaction via the application server.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the application server is adapted to provide a proof-of-work test for accessing the application service, and wherein the method further comprises:

if the token validation is successful, then bypassing the proof-of-work test for the mobile communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the proof-of-work test comprises a Captcha test.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the application service is an e-commerce transaction service.

24. The method of claim of 19, wherein performing the token validation of the message includes testing whether a timestamp of the token is within a predetermined time period of a current time of receipt of the message.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the service provider is a data service provider for a data synchronization service for the mobile communication device, for the synchronization of data items of a personal information manager (PIM) application of the mobile communication device and data items at a host server.

26. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a application server for permitting access to an application service for a mobile communication device which is configured to operate in a wireless communication network with use of a communication service provided by a service provider, the communication service of the service provider being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network, the computer instructions being further executable for;

receiving, via the wireless network, a message from the mobile communication device, the message having a field for inclusion of a token including an identifier of the service provider which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

performing token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider; and

if the token validation is successful, then granting the mobile communication device access to the application service of the application server via the wireless network.

27. An application server configured to provide an application service for a mobile communication device which is operative in a wireless communication network using a communication service provided by a service provider, the communication service of the service provider being a voice telephony service or a data communication service for communications provided via the wireless communication network, the application server being further configured to receive via the wireless network a message from the mobile communication device, the message having a field for inclusion of a token including an identifier of the service provider which provides the voice telephony service or the data communication service via the wireless communication network, the token being digitally signed by the service provider with a digital signature of the service provider;

perform token validation of the message, which includes a verification step for verifying the digital signature of the token with a public key corresponding to the service provider; and

if the token validation is successful, then grant the mobile communication device access via the wireless network to the application service of the application server.