Source: http://patents.com/us-10015168.html
Timestamp: 2019-03-22 20:58:32
Document Index: 361941504

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 03824087', 'Application No. 03824087', 'Application No. 03824087', 'Application No. 03787555', 'Application No. 03787555', 'Application No. 03787555', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 11160321', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 60']

US Patent # 1,001,5168. System and method for secure control of resources of wireless mobile communication devices - Patents.com
United States Patent 10,015,168
Owen , et al. July 3, 2018
Owen; Russell Norman (Waterloo, CA), Little; Herbert Anthony (Waterloo, CA), Yach; David Paul (Waterloo, CA), Shenfield; Michael (Richmond Hill, CA)
Family ID: 31888326
15/207,125
US 20160337363 A1 Nov 17, 2016
14543324 Nov 17, 2014 9391992
14188345 Nov 18, 2014 8893266
13371093 Feb 25, 2014 8661531
10524353 Sep 24, 2013 8544084
PCT/CA03/01245 Aug 19, 2003
60404120 Aug 19, 2002
Current CPC Class: H04L 63/0428 (20130101); H04L 63/104 (20130101); H04W 12/08 (20130101); H04L 63/0442 (20130101); H04L 63/102 (20130101); H04L 63/12 (20130101); G06F 21/6245 (20130101); H04L 63/10 (20130101); H04L 63/20 (20130101)
Current International Class: H04L 29/06 (20060101); H04W 12/08 (20090101); G06F 21/62 (20130101)
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Attorney, Agent or Firm: Conley Rose, P.C. Brown, Jr.; J. Robert Nair; Gayarty S.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/543,324 filed on Nov. 17, 2014 by Russell N. Owen, et al. entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices", which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 8,893,266 issued on Nov. 18, 2014 entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices,", which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 8,661,531, issued on Feb. 25, 2014 entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices,", which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,084, issued on Sep. 24, 2013 entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices,", which is a National Stage Filing of International Application No. PCT/CA2003/001245 filed Aug. 19, 2003, by Russell N. Owen, et al. entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices," which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/404,120 filed on Aug. 19, 2002, by Russell N. Owen, et al. entitled, "System and Method for Secure Control of Resources of Wireless Mobile Communication Devices,", all of which are incorporated by reference herein as if reproduced in their entirety.
1. A method comprising: storing corporate data and other data on a wireless communication device, wherein the corporate data is stored in a corporate domain of the wireless communication device and the other data is not stored in the corporate domain, wherein the corporate data is controlled by a corporate entity and the other data is controlled by a user of the wireless communication device; receiving, via a communication pipe, a request to access the corporate data; and controlling access, through a security firewall, to the corporate data based on whether the communication pipe is determined to be in the corporate domain by using a cryptographic key.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the communication pipe is in the corporate domain by using the cryptographic key from a key store.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving information; and determining whether to assign the information to the corporate domain based upon a domain policy.
7. A wireless communication device, comprising: at least one memory storing corporate data and other data on the wireless communication device, wherein the corporate data is stored in a corporate domain of the wireless communication device and the other data is not stored in the corporate domain, wherein the corporate data is controlled by a corporate entity and the other data is controlled by a user of the wireless communication device; and a controller configured to: receive, via a communication pipe, a request to access the corporate data; and control access, through a security firewall, to the corporate data based on whether the communication pipe is determined to be in the corporate domain by using a cryptographic key.
8. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the other data comprises personal data of the user of the wireless communication device, and wherein the personal data is stored in a personal domain of the wireless communication device.
9. The wireless communication device of claim 8, wherein the corporate domain and the personal domain are secure domains.
10. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the communication pipe is in the corporate domain by using the cryptographic key from a key store.
11. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive information; and determine whether to assign the information to the corporate domain based upon a domain policy.
12. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the domain policy specifies that the information should be associated with the corporate domain based upon any one or more of the following including any combination thereof: a source of the information, a digital signature of the information, an access list describing allowed domain information, or an input from the user of the wireless communication device.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the communication pipe is in the corporate domain if the cryptographic key controlled by the corporate entity is used for communication over the communication pipe.
14. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the communication pipe is in the corporate domain if the communication pipe includes a gateway through a corporate security firewall.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising program code executable by a processor such that when executed, cause a wireless communication device to: store corporate data and other data on the wireless communication device, wherein the corporate data is stored in a corporate domain of the wireless communication device and the other data is not stored in the corporate domain, wherein the corporate data is controlled by a corporate entity and the other data is controlled by a user of the wireless communication device; receive, via a communication pipe, a request to access the corporate data; and control access, through a security firewall, to the corporate data based on whether the communication pipe is determined to be in the corporate domain by using a cryptographic key.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the other data comprises personal data of the user of the wireless communication device, and wherein the personal data is stored in a personal domain of the wireless communication device.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the corporate domain and the personal domain are secure domains.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to determine whether the communication pipe is in the corporate domain by using the cryptographic key from a key store.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the program code is further configured to: receive information; and determine whether to assign the information to the corporate domain based upon a domain policy.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the domain policy specifies that the information should be associated with the corporate domain based upon any one or more of the following including any combination thereof: a source of the information, a digital signature of the information, an access list describing allowed domain information, or an input from the user of the wireless communication device.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a communication system in which wireless mobile communication devices may be used. The communication system 10 includes a Wide Area Network (WAN) 12, coupled to a computer system 14, a wireless network gateway 16 and a corporate Local Area Network (LAN) 18. The wireless network gateway 16 is also connected to a wireless communication network 20 in which a wireless mobile communication device 22 ("mobile device"), is configured to operate.
The corporate LAN 18 is an example of a typical working environment, in which multiple computers 28 are connected in a network. It is normally located behind a security firewall 24. Within the corporate LAN 30, a message server 26, operating on a computer behind the firewall 24, acts as the primary interface for the corporation to exchange messages both within the LAN 18, and with other external messaging clients via the WAN 12. Known message servers include, for example, Microsoft.TM. Exchange Server and Lotus Domino.TM.. These servers are often used in conjunction with Internet mail routers to route and deliver mail. The message server 26 may also provide additional functionality, such as dynamic database storage for data like calendars, todo lists, task lists, e-mail and documentation. Although only a message server 26 is shown in the LAN 18, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a LAN may include other types of servers supporting resources that are shared between the networked computer systems 28. The message server 26 and electronic messaging are described for illustrative purposes only. Owner control systems and methods are applicable to a wide range of electronic devices, and are in no way limited to electronic devices with messaging capabilities.
The message server 26 provides messaging capabilities to networked computer systems 28 coupled to the LAN 18. A typical LAN 18 includes multiple computer systems 28, each of which implements a messaging client, such as Microsoft Outlook.TM., Lotus Notes.TM., etc. Within the LAN 18, messages are received by the message server 26, distributed to the appropriate mailboxes for user accounts addressed in the received message, and are then accessed by a user through a messaging client operating on a computer system 28.
A wireless network 20 normally delivers messages to and from communication devices such as the mobile device 22 via RF transmissions between base stations and devices. The wireless network 20 may, for example, be a data-centric wireless network, a voice-centric wireless network, or a dual-mode network that can support both voice and data communications over the same infrastructure. Recently developed networks include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Groupe Special Mobile or the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks, and third-generation (3G) networks like Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), which are currently under development. GPRS is a data overlay on top of the existing GSM wireless network, which is used operating in virtually every country in Europe. Some older examples of data-centric networks include, but are not limited to, the Mobitex.TM. Radio Network ("Mobitex"), and the DataTAC.TM. Radio Network ("DataTAC"). Examples of known voice-centric data networks include Personal Communication Systems (PCS) networks like GSM and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) systems that have been available in North America and world-wide for several years.
As shown in FIG. 2, a mobile device 30 comprises a memory 32, a domain controller 40, a wireless transceiver 48, a user interface (UI) 46, and an interface or connector 50. The memory 32 includes a key store 31, a software applications store 33 configured to store software applications, a message store 34 for storing electronic messages, a contacts store 35 for storing contact information, a domain policy store 36, a persistent data store 37, a communication "pipes" table 38, and a properties store 39. These stores are illustrative of the types of information stores that may be provided in the memory 32. Other information stores may also be provided instead of or in addition to those shown in FIG. 2.
The memory 32 is a writeable store such as a RAM into which other device components may write data. Within the memory 32, the key store 31 stores cryptographic keys which may be used by the domain controller to implement domain policies. The software applications store 33 includes software applications that have been installed on the mobile device 30, and may include, for example, an electronic messaging software application, a personal information management (PIM) software application, games, as well as other software applications. The message store 34 stores electronic messages associated with one or more messaging software applications or services for which the mobile device 30 has been enabled. The contacts store 35 also stores information normally associated with such messaging software applications and services, including contact names, telephone and fax numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, and the like. In the domain policy store 36, domain membership control policies ("domain policies"), which specify the criteria used to determine into which domain a software application, property, or other information should be placed, are stored. Persistent data, or data which survives the termination of a software application which created it, is stored in the persistent store 37. Communication pipes, described in further detail below, are mobile device communication assets and are listed in the communication pipes table 38. As will also be described below, the communication pipes table 38 may also include or reference an application programming interface (API) 41 through which data may be sent to and received from a communication pipe. Properties represent configuration data, and are stored in the properties store 39. Other data associated with the mobile device 30 or software applications installed on the mobile device 30 may be stored in the data stores shown in FIG. 2, in further data stores in the memory 32 but not shown in FIG. 2, or possibly in a separate memory component on the mobile device 30.
The wireless transceiver 48 enables the mobile device 30 for communications via a wireless network, as described above in conjunction with FIG. 1. The mobile device 30 is also enabled for communications with a similarly-equipped PC or other device, including another mobile device, via the interface/connector 50. In FIG. 2, the domain controller 40 is coupled to the memory 32, the wireless transceiver 48, the UI 46, and the interface/connector 50. As will be described in further detail below, access to such mobile device assets or resources is controlled by the domain controller 40. The domain controller 40 will likely be implemented most often as a software module or operating system that is executed by a mobile device processor (not shown). For example, where the mobile device 30 is a Java.TM. enabled device including a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) as its operating system, functionality of the domain controller 40 may be incorporated within the JVM or implemented as a software component that is executed by the JVM. Domain control at the operating system level provides more streamlined and reliable domain security than domain control at a software application level.
The interface/connector 50 enables information transfer between the mobile device 30 and a PC or another device via a communication link established between the interface/connector 50 and a compatible interface or connector in the PC or other device. The interface/connector 50 could be any of a plurality of data transfer components, including, for example, an optical data transfer interface such as an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) port, some other short-range wireless communications interface, or a wired interface such as serial or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port and connection. Known short-range wireless communications interfaces include, for example, "Bluetooth" modules and 802.11 modules according to the Bluetooth or 802.11 specifications, respectively. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that Bluetooth and 802.11 denote sets of specifications, available from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), relating to wireless LANs and wireless personal area networks, respectively. Since communications between the mobile device 30 and other systems or devices via the interface/connector 50 need not necessarily be via a physical connection, references to connecting a mobile device to a PC or other device or system includes establishing communications through either physical connections or wireless transfer schemes. Thus, the mobile device 30 could be connected to a PC, for example, by placing the mobile device 30 in a mobile device cradle connected to a serial port on the PC, by positioning the mobile device 30 such that an optical port thereof is in a line of sight of a similar port of the PC, or by physically connecting or arranging the mobile device 30 and PC in some other manner so that data may be exchanged. The particular operations involved in establishing communications between a mobile device and another system or device will be dependent upon the types of interfaces and/or connectors available in both the mobile device and the other system or device.
In addition, none of the software applications in the carrier domain or the user domain can access the communication pipe in the employer domain. Only software applications in the employer domain can access corporate data which normally resides behind a security firewall in the employer's corporate network. This prevents "Trojan horse" type software applications from compromising the employer's network security. The employer IT department prevents the user from installing software applications in the employer domain, as described in further detail below. The user can still install software applications in the user domain, but they are not trusted by the employer.
A communication pipe is a means of communication between the mobile device and some external entity. A particular physical transport layer, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth.TM., a serial port, 802.11 and GPRS, can represent several logical communication pipes depending on the gateway at the other end. For example, a GPRS radio can be used to communicate with both the carrier WAP gateway in the carrier domain 62, as well as a corporate gateway through the corporate communication pipe in the employer domain 54. In this case, both the WAP gateway and the corporate communication pipe represent separate communication pipes even though they use the same physical transport. One reason for this separation is that even though the same physical transport is used, the gateways are controlled by separate stakeholders.
Application: +read, -write
Global: +read, -write
Application: -create
User: -create,
As described above, a trusted software application, a Property Editor, generates a user interface for editing properties. Since software applications may be able to modify and create properties, there should be a way to programmatically invoke the Property Editor. For example, each software application may have a menu item called "Options" that can be selected to invoke the Property Editor. When invoked from within a software application, the property editor does not display properties that cannot be read by the software application. Properties that cannot be modified by the software application are displayed in a read only mode.
For example, an employer would normally want to ensure that the creation and control of the employer domain 54 is secure. A secure connection is preferably established between the mobile device 52 and the employer system before a create domain message is sent to the mobile device 52. A secure connection could be established through encryption of the create domain message or other cryptographic techniques, or using a secure communication protocol between the employer system and the mobile device 52. Encryption may involve public key cryptographic operations, or "shared secret" type cryptography. Secure domain creation techniques may also be used by other stakeholders to securely create domains on the mobile device.
In the context of secure domain control on the mobile device 52, a domain owner digitally signs any information destined for a domain on the mobile device 52 using a signature private key. At the mobile device 52, the information is not placed in the domain unless the digital signature is verified using the domain owner's signature public key 56 or 66 for the domain. Referring again to both FIGS. 2 and 3, and specifically to the employer domain 54 (domain B), when digitally signed information is received by the mobile device 30, the domain controller 40 determines the domain for which the information is destined. The domain controller 40 may determine the appropriate domain by accessing the communication pipes table 38, or based on a domain indication either from the API 41 in the communication pipes table 38 or in the received information. Since cryptographic or "trust the key" domain policies facilitate receipt of data for a particular domain over other than the communication pipe(s) in that domain, a domain indication in received information may be particularly useful in conjunction with this type of domain policy. Once the appropriate domain has been identified, the domain controller 40 then retrieves the corresponding key for the domain, key B in this example, from the key store 31. The information is placed in the domain where the digital signature is verified using the key B. The received information may be discarded, or possibly placed in the default domain 58 if the digital signature is not verified. The operations of the domain controller 40 are similar for other domains having a trust the key domain policy, such as the user domain 64 (domain C).
The determination at step 74 may include further or alternative operations beyond determining whether the received request originated from the same domain as the domain assets affected by the requested operation. A "same domain" determination represents but one example of how a trust relationship might be verified. In the case of a super user software application, the software application might not belong to any particular domain. Therefore, instead of determining an originating domain, a domain controller determines whether the super user software application is trusted and has been granted access to the affected domain assets by the domain owner. Also, as described above, properties may have additional access rules. As such, when a requested operation affects properties, further criteria may be applied at step 74 to determine whether the operation is permitted. Domain policies may also be examined by a domain controller at step 74, where the received request relates to new domain data that is to be placed into an existing domain. If the request is a create domain message, then step 74 may involve interaction with a user to accept or reject a new domain.
Depending upon the type of network 519, the access requirements for the mobile device 500 may also vary. For example, in the Mobitex and DataTAC data networks, mobile devices are registered on the network using a unique identification number associated with each device. In GPRS data networks, however, network access is associated with a subscriber or user of the mobile device 500. A GPRS device typically requires a SIM in order to operate the mobile device 500 on a GPRS network. Local or non-network communication functions (if any) may be operable, without the SIM, but the mobile device 500 will be unable to carry out any functions involving communications over the network 519, other than any legally required operations, such as `911` emergency calling. As described above, domains may be established on a SIM before it is provided to a user, with further domains possibly being added to a SIM after it has been installed in a mobile device. When a GPRS device also includes a memory component, domains may exist on the memory component and the SIM. Different types of domain control and domain policies could be implemented depending upon the location of a domain.
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