METHOD OF CONNECTING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20100232408A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIM, Jin-mook
• Granted Patent: US 9,668,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless communication device and method for same, including: a first communication unit configured to use a non-IP-based wireless communication protocol, a second communication unit configured to use an IP-based wireless communication protocol, and a controller configured to: search for a wireless device for communication, the wireless communication device configured to provide a universal plug and play (UPnP) service, the search being by use of the first communication unit, and initiate the UPnP service with respect to a found wireless device for communication by use of the second communication unit.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first communication unit configured to use a non-IP-based wireless communication protocol;

a second communication unit configured to use an IP-based wireless communication protocol; and

a controller configured to;

search for a wireless device for communication, the wireless communication device configured to provide a universal plug and play (UPnP) service, the search being by use of the first communication unit; and

initiate the UPnP service with respect to a found wireless device for communication by use of the second communication unit.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the non-IP-based wireless communication protocol is based on ZigBee.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the IP-based wireless communication protocol is based on Wi-Fi.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller exchanges IP information with the found wireless device for communication.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the IP information includes an IP address and a subnet mask.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the second communication unit in response to the IP information'"'"'s having been exchanged.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to inactivate the second communication unit in response to the UPnP service'"'"'s having been terminated.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a UPnP start request message to the found wireless device for communication.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a UPnP start request message from the found wireless device for communication;

generate IP information of the wireless device for communication; and

send the generated IP information in a response message responding to the UPnP start request message.

10. A method of connecting wireless communication devices, the method comprising:

searching for a wireless communication device by use of a non-IP-based wireless communication unit, the wireless communication device being configured to provide a universal plug and play (UPnP) service;

transmitting a UPnP start request message including IP information of the wireless communication device to a found wireless communication device;

receiving a response message, the message responding to the UPnP start request message and including IP information of the found wireless communication device;

activating an IP-based wireless communication unit; and

initiating the UPnP service by use of the activated IP-based wireless communication unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising inactivating the IP-based wireless communication unit in response to the UPnP service'"'"'s having been terminated.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-IP-based wireless communication unit is based on ZigBee.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the IP-based wireless communication unit is based on Wi-Fi.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the searching for the wireless communication device providing the UPnP service comprises:

searching for a first wireless communication device capable of performing an non-IP-based wireless communication; and

searching for a second wireless communication device providing a UPnP service among the first wireless communication device and a type of the UPnP service provided by the second wireless communication device.

15. A method of connecting wireless communication devices, the method comprising:

at a first wireless communication device, transmitting a message used to search for a wireless communication device capable of performing a universal plug and play (UPnP) service by use of a non-IP-based wireless communication unit, to a second wireless communication device;

at the second wireless communication device, informing the first wireless communication device whether the second wireless communication device is capable of providing the UPnP service and a type of the UPnP service provided by the second wireless communication device by use of a non-IP-based wireless communication unit;

at the first wireless communication device, transmitting a UPnP service start request message to the second wireless communication device;

at the second wireless communication device, activating an IP-based wireless communication unit and transmitting a response message responding to the UPnP service start request message to the first wireless communication device; and

at the first wireless communication device, activating an IP-based wireless communication unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-IP-based wireless communication unit is based on ZigBee.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the IP-based wireless communication unit is based on Wi-Fi.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising at the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, initiating the UPnP service by use of the activated IP-based wireless communication unit.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising, at the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, inactivating the IP-based wireless communication unit when the UPnP service is terminated.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the UPnP service start request message includes IP information of the first wireless communication device.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the response message responding to the UPnP service start request message includes IP information of the second wireless communication device.