Electronic device and operating method using bluetooth

• US 10,064,234 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sung-Geun
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US15/641,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A Bluetooth pairing method in an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a change of a switching state of a switch of the electronic device, selecting a Bluetooth Device (BD) address according to the changed switching state among a plurality of stored BD addresses, and applying the selected BD address to a Bluetooth pairing. The method can facilitate Bluetooth pairing to selectable types of host devices.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

an input device;

a wireless communication unit capable of supporting a wireless connection;

a switching unit to select a first external device or a second external device in response to a single input received via the switching unit; and

a processor adapted to;

establish, using the wireless communication unit, the wireless connection with the first external device if the single input corresponds to the first external device;

establish, using the wireless communication unit, the wireless connection with the second external device if the single input corresponds to the second external device; and

transmit, via the wireless connection, a signal corresponding to another input received via the input device to a corresponding external device of the first external device and the second external device as the other input is received via the input device.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to:

release the wireless connection with other external device of the first external device and the second external device that is not selected based at least in part on the single input.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to:

transmit, as at least part of the signal, a first command to the first external device if the first external device is selected via the switching unit based at least in part on the single input; and

transmit, as at least part of the signal, a second command to the second external device if the second external device is selected via the switching unit based at least in part on the single input.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a keypad unit including one or more keys.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising a memory to store first identification information corresponding to the first external device, and second identification information corresponding to the second external device, wherein the processor is adapted to:

establish the wireless connection using corresponding identification information of the first identification information and the second identification information based at least in part on the single input.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising an output unit, wherein the processor is adapted to:

present an indication indicative of the wireless connection via the output unit.

7. An apparatus comprising:

one or more keys;

an output unit;

a wireless communication unit;

a switching unit to receive a single input corresponding to a selection of a first external device or a second external device; and

a processor adapted to;

establish, using the wireless communication unit, a wireless connection with a corresponding external device of the first external device and the second external device in response to the selection;

transmit a signal corresponding to an input obtained via the one or more keys to the corresponding external device via the wireless connection such that a character, a number, or a symbol corresponding to the one or more keys is displayed via the corresponding external device as the input is obtained via the one or more keys; and

present, using the output unit, an indication indicative of the wireless connection.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least part of the switching unit forms at least one portion of an outer surface of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an interface unit to connect with a storage device external to the apparatus, wherein the processor is adapted to:

obtain data from the storage device via the interface unit; and

transmit the data to the corresponding external device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is adapted to:

receive, via the wireless communication unit, content from the corresponding external device after the establishing; and

reproduce the content.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a key pad unit including one or more keys;

a switching unit to receive a single input corresponding to a selection of a first external device or a second external device;

a wireless communication unit; and

a processor adapted to;

establish, using the wireless communication unit, a wireless connection with a corresponding external device of the first external device and the second external device in response to the selection;

obtain an input via at least one key of the one or more keys; and

transmit a signal corresponding to the input to the corresponding external device via the wireless connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted to:

establish the wireless connection with the first external device if the first external device is selected by the switching unit based at least in part on the selection; and

establish the wireless connection with the second external device if the second external device is selected by the switching unit based at least in part on the selection.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted to:

release the wireless connection with other external device of the first external device and the second external device that is not selected based at least in part on the selection.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the switching unit comprises a switch movable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the processor is adapted to:

select the first external device if the switch is located in the first position; and

select the second external device if the switch is located in the second position.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted to:

obtain first identification information from the first external device, and second identification information from the second external device prior to the establishing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is adapted to:

store the first identification information in the memory based at least in part on a determination that a strength of a signal received from the first external device falls within a specified range; and

store the second identification information in the memory based at least in part on a determination that the strength of the signal received from the second external device falls within the specified range.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted to:

perform the transmitting such that a character, a number, or a symbol corresponding to the signal is displayed via the corresponding external device as the input is obtained at the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a speaker, wherein the processor is adapted to:

reproduce, via the speaker, content received from the corresponding external device via the wireless communication unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is adapted to:

perform a first function compatible to the first external device based at least in part a determination that the first external device is selected; and

perform a second function compatible to the second external device based at least in part a determination that the second external device is selected.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first function is not compatible with the second external device, and the second function is not compatible with the first external device.