Flexible real-time inbox access

• US 9,342,684 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Backholm, Ari, Sawhney, Parvinder
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehedi, Morshed
• Application Number:
  US14/487,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20150007268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Systems and methods for authenticating access to multiple data stores substantially in real-time are disclosed. The system may include a server coupled to a network, a client device in communication with the server via the network and a plurality of data stores. The server may authenticate access to the data stores and forward information from those stores to the client device. An exemplary authentication method may include receipt of a request for access to data. Information concerning access to that data is stored and associated with an identifier assigned to a client device. If the identifier is found to correspond to the stored information during a future request for access to the store, access to that store is granted.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating access to one or more email data stores, the system comprising:

a server device comprising;

a server communication interface;

a processor communicatively coupled to the server communication interface; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the server device is operable to;

receive a first notification message of an update in email data at the one or more email data stores, wherein the first notification message comprises an indication of a presence of new email data or a change to existing email data and does not include all of the information associated with the new or changed email data; and

send a second notification message to a mobile device, wherein the second notification message informs the mobile device of the update in email data; and

the mobile device comprising;

an Internet Protocol connection manager comprising a mobile communication interface;

a mobile processor communicatively coupled to the Internet Protocol connection manager; and

a mobile memory communicatively coupled to the mobile processor, the mobile memory containing instructions executable by the mobile processor whereby the mobile device is operable to;

receive the second notification message from the server device; and

initiate, through the Internet Protocol connection manager, a synchronization operation that occurs asynchronously and in a background of other mobile device operations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein when the synchronization operation is initiated, the server device authenticates access to the one or more email data stores and forwards the updated email data from the one or more email data stores to the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connection management application stored in the one or more email data stores and configured to generate the first notification message of the update in email data at the one or more email data stores.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the connection management application applies a data filter on the update in email data to determine whether to generate the first notification message of the update in email data at the one or more email data stores.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server device only authenticates access to specific email data stores from the one or more email data stores and wherein the specific email data stores are identified in response to user input at the mobile device for a particular synchronization operation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server device only authenticates access to specific email data stores from the one or more email data stores and wherein the specific email data stores are identified by a synchronization profile for all synchronization operations, the synchronization profile having been created in response to user input at the mobile device.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the forwarding of the new data or changed existing data occurs in real-time or near real time.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second notification messages are the same.

8. A server device for authenticating access to one or more email data stores, comprising:

a server communication interface;

a processor communicatively coupled to the server communication interface; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the server device is operable to;

receive a first notification message of an update in email data at one or more email data stores, wherein the first notification message comprises an indication of a presence of new email data or a change to existing email data and does not include all of the information associated with the new or changed email data

determine whether an Internet Protocol connection exists between a mobile device and the server device;

if an Internet Protocol connection exists, generate a second notification message to the mobile device to inform the mobile device of the update in email data at the one or more email data stores; and

if no Internet Protocol connection exists, cause an Internet Protocol connection manager on the mobile device to open an Internet protocol connection to the server device to allow synchronization operation.

9. The server device of claim 8, wherein the server device is further operable to:

receive information from the one or more email data stores following authentication of the mobile device.

10. The server device of claim 9, wherein the server device is further operable to:

forward the information received from the one or more email data stores to the mobile device.

11. The server device of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is identified based on a client identifier.

12. The server device of claim 11, wherein the client identifier is a token comprising a unique string of data, the token having been previously assigned to the mobile device by an identification module.

13. The server device of claim 11, wherein the client identifier is at least one of a telephone number and a user name associated with a user of the mobile device.

14. The server device of claim 11, wherein the server device queries an Internet Protocol connection manager to determine whether an Internet Protocol connection exists between the mobile device and the server device, and wherein the Internet Protocol connection manager delivers the trigger to the mobile device in response to an instruction from the server device.

15. The server device of claim 8, wherein the synchronization operation occurs in real-time or near real time.

24. The server device of claim 8, wherein the first and second notification messages are the same.

42. The method of claim 10, wherein forwarding information occurs in real-time or near real time.

43. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication of the presence of new email data or a change to existing email data at the one or more email data stores is a result of email data at the one or more email data stores having been filtered, the indication being received only when the filtered data corresponds to a particular configuration of a filter.

44. The method of claim 8, further comprising

authenticating access to specific email data stores from the one or more email data stores, wherein the specific email data stores are those identified by a synchronization profile for the synchronization operation;

and

forwarding email data from the specific email data stores to the mobile device upon establishment of an Internet Protocol connection.

16. A method for authenticating access to one or more email data stores, comprising:

receiving, by a server, a first notification message of an update in email data at one or more email data stores, wherein the first notification message comprises an indication of a presence of new email data or a change to existing email data and does not include all of the information associated with the new or changed email data;

generating, by the server, a trigger for a mobile device to cause the mobile device to open an Internet Protocol connection with the server; and

utilizing, by the server, the opened Internet Protocol connection to the mobile device to facilitate a synchronization operation in the background of other mobile device operations of the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising forwarding information from the one or more email data stores to the mobile device, wherein the forwarded information is at least one of electronic mail, personal information management data and documents.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein forwarding information occurs in real-time or near real time.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the indication of the presence of new email data or a change to existing email data at the one or more email data stores is a result of email data at the one or more email data stores having been filtered, the indication being received only when the filtered data corresponds to a particular configuration of a filter.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger is generated for the mobile device upon determining that no Internet Protocol connection exists between the server and the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 16,

wherein the trigger for the mobile device comprises information informing the mobile device of the presence of new email data or a change to existing email data at the one or more email data stores.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising

authenticating access to specific email data stores from the one or more email data stores, wherein the specific email data stores are those identified by a synchronization profile for the synchronization operation;

and

forwarding email data from the specific email data stores to the mobile device upon establishment of an Internet Protocol connection.

25. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

receiving information from the one or more email data stores following authentication of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile device is identified based on a client identifier.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the client identifier is a token comprising a unique string of data, the token having been previously assigned to the mobile device by an identification module.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the client identifier is at least one of a telephone number and a user name associated with a user of the mobile device.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the synchronization operation occurs in real-time or near real time.

30. A server device for authenticating access to one or more email data stores, comprising:

a server communication interface;

a processor communicatively coupled to the server communication interface; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the server device is operable to;

receive a first notification message of an update in email data at one or more email data stores, wherein the first notification message comprises an indication of a presence of new email data or a change to existing email data and does not include all of the information associated with the new or changed email data;

generate a trigger for a mobile device to cause the mobile device to open an Internet Protocol connection with the server device; and

utilize the opened Internet Protocol connection to the mobile device to facilitate a synchronization operation in the background of other mobile device operations of the mobile device.

31. The server device of claim 30, wherein the server device is further operable to:

forward information from the one or more email data stores to the mobile device, wherein the forwarded information is at least one of electronic mail, personal information management data and documents.

32. The server device of claim 31, wherein forwarding information occurs in real-time or near real time.

33. The server device of claim 31, wherein the indication of the presence of new email data or a change to existing email data at the one or more email data stores is a result of email data at the one or more email data stores having been filtered, the indication being received only when the filtered data corresponds to a particular configuration of a filter.

34. The server device of claim 30, wherein the trigger for the mobile device is generated upon determining that no Internet Protocol connection exists between the server device and the mobile device.

35. The server device of claim 30, wherein the trigger for the mobile device comprises information informing the mobile device of the presence of new email data or a change to existing email data at the one or more email data stores.

36. The server device of claim 30, wherein the server device is further operable to:

authenticate access to specific email data stores from the one or more email data stores, wherein the specific email data stores are those identified by a synchronization profile for the synchronization operation; and

forward email data from the specific email data stores to the mobile device upon establishment of an Internet Protocol connection.

37. The server device of claim 30, the method further comprising:

receiving information from the one or more email data stores following authentication of the mobile device.

38. The server device of claim 30, wherein the mobile device is identified based on a client identifier.

39. The server device of claim 38, wherein the client identifier is a token comprising a unique string of data, the token having been previously assigned to the mobile device by an identification module.

40. The server device of claim 38, wherein the client identifier is at least one of a telephone number and a user name associated with a user of the mobile device.

41. The server device of claim 30, wherein the synchronization operation occurs in real-time or near real time.