Electronic device and method for controlling node in network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10932107-B2
Application number	US-201816203774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device forming a mesh network with a plurality of other devices and a method for operating the same are disclosed. According to an embodiment, an electronic device may comprise a wireless communication circuit configured to provide Bluetooth low energy (BLE) wireless communication and a control circuit operably connected with the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to form a mesh network with a plurality of devices using the wireless communication circuit, where a provisioning process is performed so that each of the plurality of devices is a node in the mesh network, receive, from a first device among the plurality of devices, first information including first identification information associated with the first device and second identification information associated with a second external device outside the mesh network, determine whether the first device is able to perform the provisioning process, when the first device is determined to be able to perform the provisioning process, provide, to the first device, an authorization that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second device by the first device, and receive, from the first device, second information including a result of the provisioning process on the second external device and device information associated with the second external device. Other various embodiments are also possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a wireless communication circuit configured to provide Bluetooth low energy (BLE) wireless communication; and
a control circuit operably connected with the wireless communication circuit, the control circuit configured to:
form a mesh network with a plurality of devices in a coverage of a scanning of the electronic device using the wireless communication circuit, wherein a provisioning process is performed so that each of the plurality of devices is a node in the mesh network,
receive, from a first device among the plurality of devices, first information including first identification information associated with the first device and second identification information associated with a second external device outside the coverage of the scanning,
determine whether the first device is able to perform the provisioning process,
when the first device is determined to be able to perform the provisioning process, provide, to the first device, a role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second external device by the first device, and
receive, from the first device, second information including a result of the provisioning process on the second external device and device information associated with the second external device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning process includes provision of a network key to a device to be added to the mesh network.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the network key used in the provisioning process of the first device is same as the network key used in the provisioning process of the second external device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to, after reception of the second information, receive a message from the second external device through the first device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
receive, from a third device in the mesh network, third identification information associated with the third device and fourth identification information associated with a fourth external device outside the mesh network, and
provide, to the third device, another role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the fourth external device by the third device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
receive, from a third device in the mesh network, third identification information associated with the third device and fourth identification information associated with a fourth external device outside the mesh network,
sequentially provide, to the first device, the role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second external device by the first device, and, to the third device, another role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the fourth external device by the third device, as per designated time periods.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to, when the first device is determined to not be able to perform the provisioning process, provide the role to a fifth device positioned adjacent to the first device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive information about at least one feature that each of the plurality of devices supports from the plurality of devices using the wireless communication circuit.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium in an electronic device storing instructions that are executed by a processor to perform at least one operation, the at least one operation comprising:
forming a mesh network with a plurality of devices, wherein a provisioning process is performed so that each of the plurality of devices is a node in the mesh network;
receiving, from a first device among the plurality of devices in a coverage of a scanning of the electronic device, first information including first identification information associated with the first device and second identification information associated with a second external device outside the coverage of the scanning;
determining whether the first device is able to perform the provisioning process;
when the first device is determined to be able to perform the provisioning process, providing, to the first device, a role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second external device by the first device; and
receiving, from the first device, second information including a result of the provisioning process on the second device and device information associated with the second device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the provisioning process includes provision of a network key to a device to be added to the network.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 10 , wherein the network key used in the provisioning process of the first device is same as the network key used in the provisioning process of the second device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises, after receiving a message from the first device, receiving a message from the second device through the first device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises:
providing the role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second external device by the first device when the second external device is outside the coverage of the scanning of the electronic device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises:
receiving, from a third device in the mesh network, third identification information associated with the third device and fourth identification information associated with a fourth device outside the mesh network; and
providing, to the third device, another role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the fourth device by the third device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises:
receiving, from a third device in the mesh network, third identification information associated with the third device and fourth identification information associated with a fourth device outside the mesh network; and
sequentially providing, to the first device, the role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the second device by the first device, and, to the third device, another role that allows performance of the provisioning process on the fourth device by the third device, as per designated time periods.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises:
when the first device is determined to not be able to perform the provisioning process, providing the role to a fifth device positioned adjacent to the first device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one operation further comprises receiving information about at least one feature that each of the plurality of devices supports from the plurality of devices.

18. An electronic device, comprising:
a wireless communication circuit configured to provide BLE wireless communication;
a memory configured to store first identification information associated with the e

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bae Yun-Sik
• Kang Nam-Yong
• Kang Dae-Hui
• Kim Seong-Bok
• Kim Chi-Hwan
• Kang Doo-Suk

Classifications

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04L41/0806

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title