Electronic device for controlling data communication of external electronic device and communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11032859-B2
Application number	US-201816163291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device may include a network interface, a wireless communication circuit configured to support directional communication, a processor electrically connected with the network interface and the wireless communication circuit, and a memory electrically connected with the processor. The memory may store instructions executed to enable the processor to form a first wireless communication channel with a first external electronic device using the wireless communication circuit, form a second wireless communication channel with a second external electronic device using the wireless communication circuit, determine information associated with positions of the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, detect communication, via the electronic device, between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, and enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to directly connect to each other in the frequency band at least partially based on the information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a network interface configured to connect to an internet;
a wireless communication circuit configured to support directional communication in a frequency band between 20 GHz to 100 GHz;
a processor electrically connected with the network interface and the wireless communication circuit; and
a memory electrically connected with the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
establish a first wireless communication channel with a first external electronic device using the wireless communication circuit,
establish a second wireless communication channel with a second external electronic device using the wireless communication circuit,
obtain information associated with positions of the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device,
detect communication, via the electronic device, between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on receiving, from the first external electronic device, a data packet to be received by the second external electronic device,
enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to directly connect to each other in the frequency band at least partially based on the information, and
based on a data transmission speed of the communication via the electronic device or a data transmission speed of direct communication between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to perform communication via another electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the obtained information comprises:
information regarding a direction and a distance of the first external electronic device from the electronic device, and
information regarding a direction and a distance of the second external electronic device from the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine a distance between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, and
enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to directly connect to each other at least partially based on the distance.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the frequency band includes 60 GHz.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the first external electronic device to transmit data to the second external electronic device via the wireless communication circuit or another electronic device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control data communication between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on a data transmission rate as per a distance and a bandwidth.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control data communication between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on channel utilization of a bandwidth.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control data communication between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on a hop count for the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
determine another electronic device that has a sum of distances smaller than a sum of distances (i) between the electronic device and the first external electronic device and (ii) between the electronic device and the second external electronic device, and
control the first external electronic device to transmit data to the second external electronic device via the another electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
obtain a first distance and a first angle between the electronic device and the first external electronic device using wireless communication of a 60 GHz frequency band,
obtain a second distance and a second angle between the electronic device and the second external electronic device using the wireless communication of the 60 GHz frequency band, and
determine a distance and an angle between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on the first distance, the second distance, the first angle, and the second angle.

11. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of an electronic device, cause the at least one processor to: establish a first wireless communication channel with a first external electronic device,
establish a second wireless communication channel with a second external electronic device,
obtain information associated with positions of the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device,
detect communication, via the electronic device, between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device based on receiving, from the first external electronic device, a data packet to be received by the second external electronic device,
enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to directly connect to each other using a frequency band at least partially based on the information,
based on a data transmission speed of the communication via the electronic device or a data transmission speed of direct communication between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to perform communication via another electronic device.

12. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the obtained information comprises:
information regarding a direction and a distance of the first external electronic device, and
information regarding a direction and a distance of the second external electronic device.

13. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to:
determine a distance between the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device, and
enable the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device to directly connect to each other at least partially based on the distance.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the frequency band includes 60 GHz.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
identify first location information about at least one access point (AP) with respect to the first external electronic device based on location information about the at least one AP,
identify second location information about the at least one AP with respect to the second external electronic device based on the location information about the at least one AP,
select a first AP positioned closest to the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device at least partiall

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Min Hyun-Kee
• Lee Sung-Hee
• Lim Tae-Hun
• Hong Min-Whoa
• Lee Sun-Key
• Kang Doo-Suk
• Choi Bo-Kun

Classifications

• Y02D30/70

  in wireless communication networks · CPC title

• H04W28/10

  Flow control {between communication endpoints} · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• H04W16/14

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title