IP Library Granted Patent US 10,158,996
Granted Patent B2
US 10,158,996 · App. 15/027,781 · Granted Dec 18, 2018

Enabling cellular access

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,158,996
App. No.
15/027,781
Granted
Dec 18, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses and methods in a communication system are provided. The solution includes communicating with a communication system as authentic and authorized user equipment; storing information on another user equipment and communicating with the communication system to authorize the access of another user equipment to the communication system.

Claims (69)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

communicate with a communication system as authentic and authorized user equipment to the communication system;

store on the authorized user equipment authentication information of the authorized user equipment to the communication system for another user equipment which has not been authorized access by the communication system;

use a device-to-device communication link to form device pairing of the authorized user equipment and the another user equipment; and

using the authentication information of the authorized user equipment stored on the authorized user equipment, communicate with the communication system to cause the communication system to authorize access of the another user equipment to the communication system based on the device pairing with the authorized user equipment using the device-to-device communication link.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

register at the communication system as having a sub-user relationship with the another user equipment at the communication system;

receive a request from the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system; and

transmit a response to the request to the communication system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the authorized access of the another user equipment to the communication system based on the authentication information of the authorized user equipment stored on the authorized user equipment is to allow sending messages and making phone calls, but further data traffic is prohibited by the another user equipment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

transmit a request to the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

receive a request from the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system; and

transmit a response to the request to the communication system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

transmit to the communication system information about the another user equipment;

transmit a request to the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system;

receive from the communication system information enabling the authorized access of the another user equipment; and

transmit using the device-to-device connection to the another user equipment the information, wherein the another user equipment does not have a subscriber identity module.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

request an additional Enhanced Packet Core connection to be set up for the another user equipment.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

request an access token for the another user equipment, the access token comprising an authorized configuration profile including needed access parameters, restrictions or limitations, guidelines the another user equipment can use to access the communication system.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to:

request an access token for the another user equipment, the access token comprising authentication related parameters so that device can use those authentication/security related information to access the network.

10. A method, comprising:

communicating, by a first user equipment, with a communication system, the first user equipment being an authentic and authorized user equipment to the communication system;

storing on the first user equipment, by the first user equipment, authentication information of the first user equipment to the communication system for another user equipment which has not been authorized access by the communication system;

using a device-to-device communication link form device pairing of the first user equipment and the another user equipment;

using the authentication information stored on the first user equipment, communicating with the communication system to cause the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system based on the device pairing with the first user equipment using the device-to-device communication link.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

registering a sub-user relationship with the another user equipment at the communication system;

receiving a request from the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system; and

transmitting a response to the request to the communication system.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

receiving the request and transmit the response using application service.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

transmitting a request to the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

receiving a request from the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system; and

transmit a response to the request to the communication system.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

transmitting to the communication system information about the another user equipment;

transmitting a request to the communication system to authorize the access of the another user equipment to the communication system;

receiving from the communication system information enabling the authorized access of the another user equipment; and

transmitting using the device-to-device connection to the another user equipment the information, wherein the another user equipment does not have a subscriber identity module.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising

requesting an additional Enhanced Packet Core connection to be set up for the another user equipment.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising

requesting an. access token for the another user equipment, the access token comprising an authorized configuration profile including needed access parameters, restrictions or limitations, guidelines the another user equipment can use to access the communication system.

18. A method, comprising:

communicating in a communication system with a second user equipment of the communication system, wherein the second user equipment is allowed access to the communication system based on authentication information of the second user equipment;

based on the communicating, storing on the second user equipment authentication information of the second user equipment for a first user equipment which has not been authorized access by the communication system;

using a device-to-device communication link form device pairing of the second user equipment and the first user equipment; and

allowing access of the first user equipment to the communication system, the access being authorized using the authentication information stored on the second user equipment provided by the second user equipment and stored on the first user equipment during the communicating, wherein the access is based on the device the pairing with the first user equipment using the device-to-device communication link.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the communicating comprises:

receiving from the first user equipment a request to access the communication system;

transmitting an request to the second user equipment to authorize the access of the first user equipment

receiving authorization message from the second user equipment; and

allowing the access of first user equipment to the communication system on the basis of the message.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the request of the first user equipment comprises identification of the second user equipment.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the communicating comprises:

receiving from the second user equipment a request to allow the access of the first user equipment to the communication system the access being authorized by the second user equipment; and

allowing the access of first user equipment to the communication system on the basis of the message.

22. A computer program product embodied on a distribution non-transitory medium readable by a computer and comprising program instructions which, when loaded into an apparatus, execute the method according to claim 10 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2019
From: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 050927/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2018
From: VAN PHAN, VINH; YU, LING; HORNEMAN, KARI VEIKKO
To: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
Reel/Frame 047419/0563 →