US 12,407,692 B2
Method and apparatus for providing an adaptable security level in an electronic communication
Marinus Struik, Toronto (CA)
Assigned to BlackBerry Limited, Waterloo (CA)
Filed by BLACKBERRY LIMITED, Waterloo (CA)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/852,179.
Application 16/852,179 is a continuation of application No. 16/153,676, filed on Oct. 5, 2018, granted, now 10,637,869.
Application 16/153,676 is a continuation of application No. 15/595,542, filed on May 15, 2017, granted, now 10,097,559, issued on Oct. 9, 2018.
Application 15/595,542 is a continuation of application No. 14/170,213, filed on Jan. 31, 2014, granted, now 9,667,634, issued on May 30, 2017.
Application 14/170,213 is a continuation of application No. 11/735,055, filed on Apr. 13, 2007, granted, now 8,688,978, issued on Apr. 1, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/791,434, filed on Apr. 13, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2020/0244669 A1, Jul. 30, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 9/40 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 63/105 (2013.01) [H04L 63/12 (2013.01); H04L 63/1441 (2013.01); H04L 63/20 (2013.01); H04L 63/0227 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a first device, a frame from a second device, wherein the frame comprises a header and data, and the header indicates a first minimum security level, and wherein the header comprises a frame type, a key identifier of a key and a key representation of the key, wherein the key identifier and the key representation indicate whether the key is used for broadcast communication or unicast communication, wherein the frame type corresponds to a particular security level;
determining, by the first device, whether the frame is acceptable based on the particular security level corresponding to the frame type included in the header, the first minimum security level indicated by the header, the key identifier included in the header and the key representation included in the header, wherein the determining whether the frame is acceptable comprises comparing the first minimum security level indicated by the header with the particular security level corresponding to the frame type in the header.