Distributed cellular client network

• US 9,648,663 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Adderly, Darryl M., Jackson, Jonathan W., Jariwala, Ajit, Libow, Eric B.
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US14/742,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20160374143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 455 111, 455 7, 455 9, 455 15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A second cellular client delegates cellular communication to a first cellular client. The first cellular client determines that the first cellular client has been assigned to perform cellular communication for the second cellular client. The first cellular client receives a transmission from a cellular service-provider antenna intended for the second cellular client. The first cellular client sends a first command based on the transmission to the second cellular client. The first command instructs the second cellular client to enable the cellular functionality of the second cellular client.

Claims

1. A computer program product for delegating cellular communication, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a first cellular client to perform a method comprising:

sending, by the first cellular client, a sharing request to share cellular communication with other cellular clients;

receiving, by the first cellular client, a response from a second cellular client that the second cellular client will share cellular communication with the first cellular client;

assigning, by the first cellular client, the first cellular client to perform cellular communication for the second cellular client;

sending, by the first cellular client, an authentication request to the second cellular client for an authentication credential, the authentication credential configured for use in performing cellular communication for the second cellular client;

receiving, by the first cellular client, the authentication credential from the second cellular client;

receiving, by the first cellular client, a transmission from a cellular service-provider antenna intended for the second cellular client; and

sending, by the first cellular client and based on the transmission, a first command to the second cellular client that instructs the second cellular client to enable the cellular functionality of the second cellular client.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the assigning is based on a battery status of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the assigning is based on an operation status of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the assigning is based on a cellular signal of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

5. A system for delegating cellular communication, the system comprising:

a memory, the memory located in a first cellular client; and

a processor, the processor located in the first cellular client, the processor in communication with the memory, wherein the system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

sending, by the first cellular client, a sharing request to share cellular communication with other cellular clients;

receiving, by the first cellular client, a response from a second cellular client that the second cellular client will share cellular communication with the first cellular client;

assigning, by the first cellular client, the first cellular client to perform cellular communication for the second cellular client;

sending, by the first cellular client, an authentication request to the second cellular client for an authentication credential, the authentication credential configured for use in performing cellular communication for the second cellular client;

receiving, by the first cellular client, the authentication credential from the second cellular client;

receiving a transmission from a cellular service-provider antenna intended for the second cellular client; and

sending, based on the transmission, a first command to the second cellular client that instructs the second cellular client to enable the cellular functionality of the second cellular client.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the assigning is based on a battery status of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the assigning is based on an operation status of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the assigning is based on a cellular signal of the first cellular client and the second cellular client.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the transmitting is performed by a close-range wireless network.