Patent ID: 7917963

Claim:
A method for protecting data files transferred from a server to a mobile client, said server having a machine readable storage having stored thereon a plurality of code sections executable by a machine, said code sections comprising a plurality of data files and a data file manager, said data files further comprising protected applications and datasets, said data file manager comprising a plurality of interrelated tables comprising a database further comprising one or more tables of users, one or more tables of authorized client devices, one or more tables of data files, one or more tables of lease key duration settings, one or more tables mapping data files to users, one or more tables mapping client device types with data storage locations for each client device type, one or more tables mapping lease key duration settings with one or more data files, users, or client devices, said mobile client comprising a machine readable storage having stored thereon a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for communicating with said server, storing data, and receiving data transferred from said server, said method comprising the steps of: connecting said mobile client to said server; transferring at least a connection processor, an access verification mechanism, and a lease key management tool from said server to said client device, said connection processor establishing a secure connection with said server and authenticating said mobile client to said server for the transfer of one or more enumerations of data files, user information, and data files, said connection processor comprising means for retrieving and managing data files on said mobile client as specified in said one or more data file enumerations; said lease key management tool creating a lease key for each data file, each said lease key comprising secure information to enable said mobile client to access said lease key's associated data file upon verification of said lease key by said access verification mechanism, said secure information comprising information to cause said lease key to expire upon the occurrence of a predetermined event; said access verification mechanism enabling said mobile client to inspect a lease key to determine whether access to an associated data file is authorized; maintaining said lease key in a predetermined location in said mobile client; inspecting said lease key to determine whether access to an associated data file is authorized; if access to said associated data file is not authorized, determining whether said lease key has expired; if said lease key has expired, initiating lease key expiration procedures.