IP Library › Granted Patent US 12712762
Granted Patent B2
US 12712762 · App. 18/213,824 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Data sharing among mobile devices

Inventors: Brian Prodoehl (Plymouth Meeting, PA); Kevin Cunningham (Swarthmore, PA); Alexander Gizis (Philadelphia, PA); Brian Lutz (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignee: Connectify, Inc.
H04L12/4641H04W76/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12712762
App. No.
18/213,824
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

One example may include transmitting a request from a first device to a second device to retrieve data from a remote server, and the first device and the second device are operating on a common network, responsive to receiving the request, transmitting a connection request, via the second device, to a virtual private network (VPN) server over a connection between the second device and the VPN server, receiving from the VPN server, via the second device, a portion of the data retrieved from the remote server over the connection between the second device and the VPN server, and transmitting, via the second device, the portion of the data over the common network to the first device, and wherein the first device combines the portion of the data with another portion of the data received from the VPN server.

Claims (41)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first device assigned as a data receiving device at a second device assigned as a data sharing device to retrieve data from a remote server, wherein the first device and the second device are operating as mobile devices on a common network;

responsive to receiving the request, transmitting a notification to the VPN server by the second device informing the VPN server which devices on the common network have data sharing device statuses and are attempting to download data for the receiving device;

receiving from the VPN server, by the second device, a portion of the data retrieved from the remote server over the connection between the second device and the VPN server, wherein the VPN server determined the second device provide the portion of the data to the first device and the first device download another portion of the data; and

transmitting, by the second device, the portion of the data over the common network to the first device, wherein the another portion of the data is received directly at the first device from a data connection outside the common network, and wherein the first device combines the portion of the data with the another portion of the data received from the VPN server.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device receives the portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the second device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the request is sent from the first device to the second device over a Wi-Fi connection associated with the first device and the second device both operating on the common network.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device receives the another portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the first device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , comprising

bonding, by the VPN server, the cellular connection of the first device with the connection of the second device, which is also cellular connection; and

retrieving the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.

6 . The method of claim 4 , comprising

bonding, by the VPN server, the cellular connection of the first device with the connection of the second device, which is a Wi-Fi connection; and

retrieving the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising

uploading, by the second device, upload data originating from the second device to the VPN server while the second device receives the portion of the data destined for the first device from the VPN server.

8 . A device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request from another device is assigned as a data receiving device to retrieve data from a remote server, wherein the another device and the device are operating as mobile devices on a common network and wherein the device is assigned as a data sharing device;

responsive to receiving the request, a transmitter is configured to transmit a notification to the VPN server informing the VPN server which devices on the common network have data sharing device statuses and are attempting to download data for the receiving device;

wherein the receiver is configured to receive from the VPN server a portion of the data retrieved from the remote server over the connection between the device and the VPN server, wherein VPN server determined the second device provide the portion of the data to the first device and the first device download another portion of the data; and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the portion of the data over the common network to the another device, wherein the another portion of the data is received directly at the first device from a data connection outside the common network, and wherein the another device combines the portion of the data with the another portion of the data received from the VPN server.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the device receives the portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the device.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the request is sent from the another device to the device over a Wi-Fi connection associated with the another device and the device both operating on the common network.

11 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the another device receives the another portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the another device.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the VPN server bonds the cellular connection of the another device with the connection of the device, which is also cellular connection, and retrieves the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, and wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the VPN server bonds the cellular connection of the another device with the connection of the device, which is a Wi-Fi connection, and retrieves the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.

14 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the device uploads upload data originating from the device to the VPN server while the device receives the portion of the data destined for the another device from the VPN server.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed causes a process to perform:

receiving a request from a first device assigned as a data receiving device at a second device assigned as a data sharing device to retrieve data from a remote server, wherein the first device and the second device are operating as mobile devices on a common network;

responsive to receiving the request, transmitting a notification to the VPN server by the second device informing the VPN server which devices on the common network have data sharing device statuses and are attempting to download data for the receiving device;

receiving from the VPN server, by the second device, a portion of the data retrieved from the remote server over the connection between the second device and the VPN server, wherein the VPN server determined the second device provide the portion of the data to the first device and the first device download another portion of the data; and

transmitting, by the second device, the portion of the data over the common network to the first device, wherein the another portion of the data is received directly at the first device from a data connection outside the common network, and wherein the first device combines the portion of the data with the another portion of the data received from the VPN server.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second device receives the portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the second device.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the request is sent from the first device to the second device over a Wi-Fi connection associated with the first device and the second device both operating on the common network.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first device receives the another portion of the data over a cellular connection associated with the first device.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

bonding, by the VPN server, the cellular connection of the first device with the connection of the second device, which is also cellular connection; and

retrieving the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

bonding, by the VPN server, the cellular connection of the first device with the connection of the second device, which is a Wi-Fi connection; and

retrieving the data from the remote server over the bonded connection, wherein the retrieved data comprises the portion of the data and the another portion of the data.