Method and device for controlling use of external data network via mobile access point

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11140610-B2
Application number	US-201916510358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2019
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

A method and a device for controlling external data network use via a mobile Access Point (AP) are provided. A host device set as the mobile AP determines whether a data-less mode is set, blocks a client device from using the external data network via the mobile AP, if the data-less mode is set, and permits the client device to use the external data network via the mobile AP, if the data-less mode is released. A client device connected to a mobile AP determines whether a data-less mode is set for a host device set as the mobile AP, if the client device is connected to the host device in a state of being connected to a wireless data network, maintains the connection to the wireless data network, if the data-less mode is set, and releases the connection to the wireless data network, if the data-less mode is released.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable communication device comprising:
first communication circuitry configured to support a first communication protocol;
second communication circuitry configured to support a second communication protocol;
a memory storing a first application for content sharing with an external electronic device; and
a processor configured to:
control the second communication circuitry to establish a second communication connection with an external network using the second communication protocol,
drive the first application for the content sharing with the external electronic device,
control the first communication circuitry to establish a first communication connection with a second electronic device by driving a mobile access point (AP) based on the first communication protocol and the first application for performing the content sharing with the second electronic device,
based on identifying that the driving of the first application and the driving of the mobile AP are performed, identify an event for disallowing the second electronic device to access the external network via the portable communication device, and
based on identifying the event, perform the content sharing with the second electronic device via the first communication connection by the first application and disallow the second electronic device to access the external network via the portable communication device while maintaining the second communication connection established between the portable communication device and the external network and the first communication connection established between the portable communication device and the second electronic device.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
control the first communication circuitry to establish the first communication connection using a short range communication protocol as at least part of the first communication protocol, and
control the second communication circuitry to establish the second communication connection using a non-short range communication protocol as at least part of the second communication protocol.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to set the portable communication device as a host device of the first communication connection and set the second electronic device as a client device of the first communication connection, as at least part of the establishing of the first communication connection.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify the portable communication device as a mobile access point and identify the second electronic device as a tethered device, as at least part of the establishing of the first communication connection.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to block sharing of the second communication connection such that the second electronic device cannot use the second communication connection to communicate with the external network.

6. The portable communication device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with another device external to the portable communication device via the second communication connection while the sharing of the second communication connection is blocked.

7. The portable communication device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to refrain from the blocking based at least in part on the first communication connection being released.

8. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display,
wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the first application being executed, present a notification via the display.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
audio circuitry,
wherein the processor is further configured to receive an audio signal via the audio circuitry as at least part of a user input related to the first application.

10. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control to establish, as at least part of the second communication connection, a communication channel between the first application executed in the portable communication device and the first application executed in the second electronic device.

11. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the second communication connection is related to a mode of operating the portable communication device.

12. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the second communication connection to allow the second electronic device to access the external network via the portable communication device, based at least in part on a mode of operating the portable communication device being released.

13. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display,
wherein the processor is further configured to, in driving the first application for content sharing, control the display to display a same screen as a display of the second electronic device.

14. A method of controlling a portable communication device, the method comprising:
establishing a second communication connection with an external network using a second communication protocol;
driving a first application for content sharing with an external electronic device;
establishing a first communication connection with a second electronic device by driving a mobile access point (AP) based on a first communication protocol and the first application for performing the content sharing with the second electronic device;
based on identifying that the driving of the first application and the driving of the mobile AP are performed, identifying an event for disallowing the second electronic device to access the external network via the portable communication device; and
based on identifying the event, performing the content sharing with the second electronic device via the first communication connection by the first application and disallowing the second electronic device to access the external network via the portable communication device while maintaining the second communication connection established between the portable communication device and the external network and the first communication connection established between the portable communication device and the second electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the establishing of the first communication connection comprises:
setting, at the portable communication device, the portable communication device as a host device of the first communication connection; and
setting, at the portable communication device, the second electronic device as a client device of the first communication connection.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
communicating, at the portable communication device, with another device external to the portable communication device via the second communication connection while sharing of the second communication connection is blocked.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store one or more computer programs including instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a portable communication device, cause the at least one processor to:
establish a second communication connection with an external network using a second communication protocol;
drive a first application for content sharing with an external electronic device;

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Keum-Ju
• Park Su-Young
• Hwang Sun-Min
• Lee Ju-Seung

Classifications

• H04L43/10

  Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route · CPC title

• H04W8/22

  Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities · CPC title

• H04M15/39

  Arrangements for preventing metering, charging or billing · CPC title

• H04W76/11

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title

• H04L12/145

  trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff · CPC title