Method for managing companion device, and electronic device using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11201863-B2
Application number	US-201716341849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for managing a companion device, and an electronic device using the same, the electronic device comprising: a communication unit for connecting a communication channel with at least one first external electronic device; and at least one processor functionally connected with the communication unit, wherein the at least one processor requests, from the at least one first external electronic device, information (companion device authentication information) necessary for registering the at least one first external electronic device as a companion device of a second external electronic device, in response to the connection with the at least one first external electronic device, receives and stores the companion device authentication information, registers the electronic device as a companion device of the second external electronic device when the electronic device is connected with the second external electronic device, and transmits the stored companion device authentication information to the second external electronic device such that the at least one first external electronic device is registered as a companion device of the second external electronic device. Other various embodiments are possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a communication circuit configured to connect, via a communication channel, with at least one first external electronic device; and
at least one processor functionally connected to the communication circuit,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
request, from the at least one first external electronic device, companion device authentication information necessary for registering the at least one first external electronic device as a companion device of a second external electronic device, in response to connecting with the at least one first external electronic device;
receive the companion device authentication information from the at least one first external electronic device and store the companion device authentication information; and
in response to the electronic device being connected with the second external electronic device:
register the electronic device as a companion device of the second external electronic device, and
transmit the stored companion device authentication information to the second external electronic device such that the at least one first external electronic device is registered as the companion device of the second external electronic device,

wherein the second external electronic device connects with the electronic device or the at least one first external electronic device automatically in response to detecting that the electronic device or the at least one first external electronic device is within a predetermined distance from the second external electronic device, after the registration of the companion device is completed, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to register the electronic device as the companion device of the second external electronic device by using a companion device framework.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to further perform user authentication when the electronic device is connected with the second external electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the companion device authentication information comprises at least one of: a device type, a device ID, a public key, or a device unique address.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory comprising a security area configured to store the companion device authentication information.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
perform authentication when the electronic device is connected with the at least one first external electronic device, and
request the at least one first external electronic device to transmit the companion device authentication information.

6. An electronic device comprising:
a communication circuit configured to connect, via a communication channel, with at least one first external electronic device; and
at least one processor functionally connected to the communication circuit,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
register the at least one first external electronic device as a companion device of the electronic device in response to connecting with the at least one first external electronic device;
receive, from the at least one first external electronic device, companion device authentication information necessary for registering at least one second external electronic device as a companion device of the electronic device;
register the at least one second external electronic device as the companion device of the electronic device, based on the companion device authentication information received from the at least one first external electronic device; and
connect with the at least one first external electronic device or the at least one second external electronic device automatically in response to detecting that the at least one first external electronic device or the at least one second external electronic device is within a predetermined distance from the electronic device, after the registration of the companion device is completed,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to register the at least one first external electronic device as the companion device of the electronic device by using a companion device framework.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform user authentication when the electronic device is connected with the at least one first external electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further comprises a memory configured to store information regarding the registered companion devices.

9. A method for managing a companion device of an electronic device, the method comprising:
connecting, by the electronic device, with at least one first external electronic device;
requesting, by the electronic device, companion device authentication information necessary for registering the at least one first external electronic device as a companion device of a second external electronic device from the at least one first external electronic device;
receiving the companion device authentication information from the at least one first external electronic device, and storing the companion device authentication information; and
in response to the electronic device being connected with the second external electronic device, registering the electronic device as a companion device of the second external electronic device and transmitting the stored companion device authentication information to the second external electronic device such that the at least one first external electronic device is registered as a companion device of the second external electronic device,
wherein the second external electronic device connects with the electronic device or the at least one first external electronic device automatically in response to detecting that the electronic device or the at least one first external electronic device is within a predetermined distance from the second external electronic device, after the registration of the companion device is completed, and
wherein the registering the electronic device as the companion device of the second external electronic device comprises registering the electronic device as the companion device of the second external electronic device by using a companion device framework.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing user authentication when the electronic device is connected with the second external electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the companion device authentication information comprises at least one of: a device type, a device ID, a public key, or a device unique address.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the storing comprises storing the companion device authentication information in a security area of a memory.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing authentication when the electronic device is connected with the at least one first external electronic device,
wherein the requesting comprises requesting the at least one first external electronic device to transmit the companion device authentication information.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsunng Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Ji Young
• Kim Hakjoo
• Park Yong-Jun
• LEE Gwiho
• JWA Ho-Dong
• Choi Wooyoung

Classifications

• H04L63/0876 Primary

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• G06F21/35 Primary

  communicating wirelessly · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F2221/2117

  User registration · CPC title