Method for wireless connection and electronic device therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020146081-A1
Application number	US-201816608597-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	May 7, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The electronic device according to various embodiments may comprise: a housing; a universal serial bus (USB) connector connected or integrated with the housing; a wireless communication circuit located inside the housing; a processor that is located inside the housing and electrically connected to the USB connector and the wireless communication circuit; and a memory that is located inside the housing and electrically connected to the processor. The memory, when in operation, may store instructions for the processor to determine that the USB connector is electrically connected to a first external electronic device having an identifier, receive the identifier from the first external electronic device via the USB connector, generate a wireless signal packet comprising the identifier, receive a probe request from a second external electronic device via the wireless communication circuit, transmit the wireless signal packet to the second external electronic device via the wireless communication circuit, and configure a wireless communication channel with the second external electronic device, after transmitting the wireless signal packet. Other various embodiments are possible.

First claim

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing; a universal serial bus (USB) connector configured to be connected to or integrated with the housing; a wireless communication circuit configured to be located in the housing; a processor configured to be located in the housing and electrically coupled to the USB connector and the wireless communication circuit; and a memory configured to be located in the housing and electrically coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores, when executed, instructions that cause the processor to determine whether the USB connector is electrically connected to a first external electronic device having an identifier, receive the identifier from the first external electronic device through the USB connector, generate a wireless signal packet including the identifier, receive a probe request from a second external electronic device through the wireless communication circuit, transmit the wireless signal packet to the second external electronic device through the wireless communication circuit, and establish a wireless communication channel with the second external electronic device after transmitting the wireless signal packet.

2 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine whether the identifier exists in a list of identifiers stored in the memory before the wireless signal packet is generated.

3 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal packet includes a device name field including the identifier.

4 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal packet includes an information field including the identifier.

5 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the identifier includes a medium access control (MAC) address of the first external electronic device.

6 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a group for wireless communication with the second external electronic device based on the identifier.

7 . The electronic device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the group includes a persistent group for performing the wireless communication with the first external electronic device without performing a discovery procedure, an owner determination procedure, or an authentication procedure.

8 . A method for operating an electronic device, comprising:
determining whether a USB connector included in the electronic device is electrically connected to a first external electronic device having an identifier; receiving the identifier from the first external electronic device through the USB connector; receiving a probe request from a second external electronic device through a wireless communication circuit included in the electronic device; transmitting a wireless signal packet to the second external electronic device through the wireless communication circuit; and establishing a wireless communication channel with the second external electronic device.

9 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
determining whether the identifier exists in a list of identifiers stored in a memory included in the electronic device before the wireless signal packet is generated.

10 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the wireless signal packet includes a device name field including the identifier.

11 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the wireless signal packet includes an information field including the identifier.

12 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the identifier includes a MAC address of the first external electronic device.

13 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a group for wireless communication with the second external electronic device based on the identifier.

14 . The method for operating the electronic device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the group includes a persistent group for performing the wireless communication with the first external electronic device without performing a discovery procedure, an owner determination procedure, or an authentication procedure.

15 . A system comprising:
an electronic device configured to receive, from a first external electronic device having an identifier, the identifier through a USB connector; and a second external electronic device configured to transmit a probe request to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device transmits a wireless signal packet including the identifier to the second external electronic device, and the second external electronic device establishes a wireless communication channel with the electronic device.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Nam-Ju
• BANG Hye-Jung
• Jung Dong-Jea
• Kim Bum-Jib
• Oh Hyunah
• Choi Bokun
• Jung Bu-Seop
• Kang Doo-Suk

Classifications

• H04W76/11 Primary

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title

• H04W84/20

  Leader-follower arrangements · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W76/14 Primary

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• H04L61/6022

  Electricity · mapped topic