Peer to peer secure synchronization between handheld devices

• US 9,641,606 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: King, Benjamin John
• Primary Examiner(s): KATSIKIS, KOSTAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/820,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 709228, 726 4, 726 9
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A method implemented in a user equipment (UE) comprising a processor. First information is stored to a removable memory connected to the UE and second information is stored to a non-volatile memory of the UE. The first information may be a unique value and may include additional information. A connection request based at least in part on the first information is received. A connection response based at least in part on the second information and the connection request is sent.

Claims

1. A method performed at a user equipment, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting a command to perform a swap operation, writing a unique value to a storage device of the user equipment and writing the unique value to a removable memory connected to the user equipment;

powering off the user equipment;

after powering on the user equipment and determining that the removable memory has been removed from the user equipment;

receiving a request from a requester, the request comprising a value, the value being obtained by the requester from the removable memory after the removable memory was removed from the user equipment;

after receiving the request;

determining if the value comprised in the request matches the unique value; and

when there is a match, transferring user data stored at the user equipment to the requester.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after receiving the request:

determining a round-trip time of a data packet between the user equipment and the requester, and transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester when there is a match between the value comprised in the request and the unique value and the round-trip time is within a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after receiving the request:

determining a physical distance between the user equipment and the requester, and transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester when there is a match between the value comprised in the request and the unique value and the physical distance is within a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique value comprises location data for the user equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the user data prior to transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the requester obtains the value of the request from the removable memory, the removable memory being connected to the requester after the removable memory was removed from the user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising listening for a connection request from the requester after powering on the user equipment and determining that the removable memory has been removed from the user equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein both the user equipment and the requester comprise a mobile wireless communications device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user data comprises at least one of contact information, settings and preferences.

10. A user equipment, comprising:

a storage device;

a removable memory connector;

at least one processor in communication with the storage device and the removable memory connector, the at least one processor being configured to;

in response to detecting a command to perform a swap operation, write a unique value to the storage device and write the unique value to a removable memory connected to the user equipment via the removable memory connector;

power off the user equipment;

after powering on the user equipment and determining that the removable memory has been removed from the removable memory connector;

receive a request from a requester, the request comprising a value;

after receiving the request;

determine if the value comprised in the request matches the unique value; and

when there is a match, transfer user data stored at the user equipment to the requester.

11. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, after receiving the request:

determine a round-trip time of a data packet between the user equipment and the requester, and transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester when there is a match between the value comprised in the request and the unique value and the round-trip time is within a predetermined threshold;

or

determine a physical distance between the user equipment and the requester, and transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester when there is a match between the value comprised in the request and the unique value and the physical distance is within a predetermined threshold.

12. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the unique value comprises location data for the user equipment.

13. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to encrypt the user data prior to transferring the user data stored at the user equipment to the requester.

14. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to listen for a connection request from the requester after powering on the user equipment and determining that the removable memory has been removed from the user equipment.

15. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to write the unique value to the storage device and to the removable memory prior to powering off the user equipment.

16. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the user equipment comprises a mobile wireless communications device.

17. The user equipment of claim 10, wherein the user data stored at the user equipment is stored in the storage device.

18. A method performed at a receiving user equipment, the method comprising:

detecting that a removable memory is connected to the receiving user equipment, the removable memory storing information comprising a unique value written to the removable memory by a sending user equipment while the removable memory was connected to the sending user equipment, the unique value being written by the sending user equipment to the removable memory in response to a detected command to perform a swap operation and prior to removal of the removable memory from the sending user equipment;

after detecting that the removable memory is connected to the receiving user equipment, transmitting a request to the sending user equipment, the request comprising at least the unique value;

establishing a data transfer connection with the sending user equipment when the request is received after the sending user equipment is powered on and the sending user equipment detects that the removable memory has been removed from the sending user equipment;

receiving, over the data transfer connection, user data from the sending user equipment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the information further comprises at least one of connection type data and connection parameter data, and the request comprises the at least one of connection type data and connection parameter data.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising executing a swap application stored on the removable memory to install the user data received from the sending user equipment.