Method and apparatus for single sign-on collaboration among mobile devices

A method for enabling a user of a first mobile device to extend user authentication credentials to a second mobile device, the method comprising:

• issuing and sending a first identity token to the first mobile device, wherein the first identity token can be utilized to authenticate the user of the first mobile device to a service provider;
• generating a collaboration credential, wherein generation of the collaboration credential is based on one or more of user authentication and receipt of a collaboration request associated with the first identity token and wherein the collaboration credential is sharable among a plurality of mobile devices;
• sending the collaboration credential to the first mobile device;
• receiving the collaboration credential from the second mobile device;
• verifying the collaboration credential received from the second mobile device;
• and
• in response to verifying the collaboration credential received from the second mobile device, issuing and sending a second identity token to the second mobile device, wherein the second identity token can be utilized to authenticate the second mobile device to the service provider;
• further comprising receiving a collaboration notification that identifies the first mobile device as a source of the collaboration credential and identifies the second mobile device as a recipient of the collaboration credential.

An apparatus for enabling single sign-on collaboration among a plurality of mobile devices, the apparatus comprising:

• a mobile device comprising a processor that is configured to:
• receive each of a first identity token and a collaboration credential from a server, wherein the first identity token can be utilized to authenticate a user of the mobile device to a service provider and wherein the collaboration credential is sharable among a plurality of mobile devices and is configured to enable each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices to obtain an identity token;
• and
• send the collaboration credential to another mobile device;
• wherein the processor further is configured to, send a collaboration notification to the server, wherein the collaboration notification identifies the mobile device as a source of the collaboration credential and identifies the another mobile device as a recipient of the collaboration credential.

A method for enabling single sign-on collaboration among a plurality of mobile devices, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a mobile device of the plurality of communication devices, each of a first identity token and a collaboration credential from a server, wherein the first identity token can be utilized to authenticate a user of the mobile device to a service provider and wherein the collaboration credential is sharable among a plurality of mobile devices and is configured to enable each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices to obtain an identity token;
• and
• sending, by the mobile device, the collaboration credential to another mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices;
• wherein the method further comprises sending a collaboration notification to the server, wherein the collaboration notification identifies the mobile device as a source of the collaboration credential and identifies the another mobile device as a recipient of the collaboration credential.