Electronic device providing hands-free functionality and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025365363-A1
Application number	US-202519275475-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2025
Priority date	May 27, 2024
Publication date	Nov 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to receive a first Bluetooth low energy (BLE) packet including first identification information, identify a first external device based on the first identification information, transmit a second BLE packet based on the identification of the first external device as a pre-registered device, based on a connection request being received from the first external device according to the transmission of the second BLE packet, perform a first connection between the electronic device and the first external device, and execute a first hands-free functionality of controlling a first notification, intended to be output by the first external device, to be output by the electronic device, based on the first connection of the electronic device with the first external device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a communication interface; one or more processors comprising processing circuitry; and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
identify a first external device based on identification information included in a first Bluetooth low energy (BLE) packet based on the first BLE packet received through the communication interface;
transmit, through the communication interface, a second BLE packet based on the identification of the first external device as a pre-registered device;
based on a connection request being received from the first external device through the communication interface according to the transmission of the second BLE packet, perform a first connection between the electronic device and the first external device; and
execute a first hands-free functionality of controlling a first notification, intended to be output by the first external device, to be output by the electronic device, based on the first connection of the electronic device with the first external device.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
based on a control instruction instructing to activate a second hands-free functionality of the electronic device with a second external device received from a server through the communication interface, perform a second connection between the electronic device and the second external device; execute the second hands-free functionality of controlling a second notification, intended to be output by the second external device, to be output by the electronic device, based on the second connection of the electronic device with the second external device; and register, based on a registration request received from the second external device through the communication interface, the second external device by pairing the electronic device with the second external device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
execute a third hands-free functionality of controlling the electronic device to output a third notification intended to be output by a third external device, based on the third external device, being connected to the electronic device via the communication interface, receiving data corresponding to the third notification intended to be output to the third external device.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first external device is configured to transmit the first BLE packet based on data corresponding to the first notification received.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
based on an mDNS query being received from a second external device, transmit, to the second external device through the communication interface, a multicast domain name system (mDNS) response comprising second identification information of the second external device; based on receiving data corresponding to a second notification, received by the second external device from a server in response to the transmission of the mDNS response, execute a second hands-free functionality of controlling the electronic device to output the second notification based on the data corresponding to the second notification; and wherein the second external device is configured to transmit the data corresponding to the second notification to the server to enable the data corresponding to the second notification to be transmitted to the electronic device.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second external device is configured to transmit the mDNS query to the electronic device based on the data corresponding to the second notification received.

7 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
execute the second hands-free functionality of the electronic device with the second external device based on a control instruction for activating the second hands-free functionality with the second external device received from the server; and wherein the control instruction including the identification information of the second external device.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
enable the electronic device, pre-registered to a second account logged into the second external device, to receive the instruction corresponding to a user input for activating the second hands-free functionality of the electronic device with the second external device based on a first account logged into the electronic device matching the second account.

9 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
enable the electronic device to receive the instruction corresponding to a user input for activating the first hands-free functionality, based on information of the electronic device being pre-registered to a first account logged into the first external device, and based on a third account logged into the electronic device being different from a second account logged into the second external device, wherein the information of the electronic device has been transmitted from the first external device to the second external device, and wherein the third account matches the first account.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
transmit, to the first external device using the communication interface, a response to the first notification based on a user input corresponding to the first notification.

11 . A control method of an electronic device, the control method comprising:
identifying a first external device based on identification information included in a first Bluetooth low energy (BLE) packet based on the first BLE packet received; transmitting, to the first external device, a second BLE packet based on identifying the first external device as a pre-registered device; based on a connection request being received from the first external device, according to the transmitting of the second BLE packet, performing a first connection between the electronic device and the first external device; and executing a first hands-free functionality of controlling a first notification, intended to be output by the first external device, to be output by the electronic device based on the first connection of the electronic device with the first external device.

12 . The control method of claim 11 , further comprising:
based on a control instruction instructing to activate a second hands-free functionality of the electronic device with a second external device received from a server, performing a second connection between the electronic device and the second external device; executing the second hands-free functionality of controlling a second notification, intended to be output by the second external device, to be output by the electronic device, based on the second

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Minji
• Ko Bongjun
• Kim Deoknam
• Moon Younghoon
• Yoon Sukun
• Jee Hojeen

Classifications

• H04W8/005

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

• H04L12/189

  in combination with wireless systems (selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06) · CPC title

• H04L61/4511

  using domain name system [DNS] · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04M1/72412 Primary

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title