METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHARING WIRELESS DATA SERVICE

• US 20120057579A1
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hun, KIM, Cheol-hoi, Choi, Ji-hoon, Bae, Joo-yoon
• Granted Patent: US 9,775,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• 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 method of sharing a wireless data service, including receiving, by a first terminal, a wireless data service share request from a second terminal, checking, by the first terminal, available wireless data service remaining amount information, and transmitting, by the first terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request to the second terminal based on the checked wireless data service remaining amount information. Another such sharing method includes requesting, by a second terminal, wireless data service remaining amount information available by a first terminal from the first terminal, transmitting, by the second terminal, a wireless data service share request to the first terminal based on the wireless data service remaining amount information received from the first terminal, and receiving, by the second terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request from the first terminal.

Claims

1. A method of sharing a wireless data service, the method including:

receiving, by a first terminal, a wireless data service share request from a second terminal;

checking, by the first terminal, available wireless data service remaining amount information; and

transmitting, by the first terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request to the second terminal based on the checked wireless data service remaining amount information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the checking includes:

requesting, by the first terminal, for the available wireless data service remaining amount information to a server existing in an accessible cellular network; and

receiving, by the first terminal, the available wireless data service remaining amount information from the server.

3. The method of claim 2, further including connecting the first terminal and the second terminal through a wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

receiving, by the first terminal, a data request from the second terminal;

receiving, by the first terminal, the requested data within the available wireless data service remaining amount from the server through the cellular network; and

transmitting, by the first terminal, the received data to the second terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received by the first terminal from the server existing in the cellular network accessible through the first terminal, or is a time available by the first terminal accessible the cellular network.

6. A method of sharing a wireless data service, the method including:

requesting, by a second terminal, wireless data service remaining amount information available by a first terminal from the first terminal;

transmitting, by the second terminal, a wireless data service share request to the first terminal based on the wireless data service remaining amount information received from the first terminal; and

receiving, by the second terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request from the first terminal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the requesting includes:

searching, by the second terminal, for at least one terminal through which a cellular network is accessible;

requesting, by the second terminal, the available wireless data service remaining amount information from the at least one terminal; and

determining, by the second terminal, the first terminal to request for sharing the wireless data service based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining includes:

determining, by the second terminal, a terminal having a greatest available wireless data service remaining amount as the first terminal, among the at least one terminal that transmits the available wireless data service remaining amount information.

9. The method of claim 8, further including:

requesting, by the second terminal, data from the first terminal; and

receiving, by the second terminal, data that is received by the first terminal through the cellular network from the first terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, further including, when the first terminal completely consumes the available wireless data service remaining amount, transmitting, by the second terminal, the wireless data service share request to a terminal having the greatest available wireless data service remaining amount among the at least one terminal excluding the first terminal.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are connected through a wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received by the first terminal from the server existing in the cellular network, or is a time available by the first terminal accessible the cellular network.

13. An apparatus for sharing a wireless data service, the apparatus including:

a controller for receiving a wireless data service share request from an external terminal; and

a wireless modem for checking available wireless data service remaining amount information,

wherein the controller transmits a response to the wireless data service share request to the external terminal based on the checked wireless data service remaining amount information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the wireless modem requests for the available wireless data service remaining amount information to a server existing in an accessible cellular network, and receives the available wireless data service remaining amount information from the server.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) network adapter for connecting the first terminal and the second terminal through a wireless LAN.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, when the wireless modem receives a data request from the external terminal, the wireless modem receives the requested data within the available wireless data service remaining amount from the server through the cellular network, and

the wireless LAN network adapter transmits the received data to the external terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the available wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received from the server existing in the accessible cellular network, or is a time accessible the cellular network.

18. An apparatus for sharing a wireless data service, the apparatus including a controller for requesting wireless data service remaining amount information available by an external terminal from the external terminal, transmitting a wireless data service share request to the external terminal based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information received from the external terminal, and receiving a response to the wireless data service share request from the external terminal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller further searches for at least one terminal accessible a cellular network, requests for the available wireless data service remaining amount information from the at least one terminal, and determines the external terminal to request for sharing the wireless data service based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller requests a terminal having a greatest available wireless data service remaining amount among the at least one terminal that transmits the available wireless data service remaining amount information to share the wireless data service.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further including a wireless LAN network adapter for connecting the determined external terminal to a wireless LAN.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the wireless LAN network adapter requests for data from the external terminal, and receives data that is received by the external terminal through the cellular network from the first terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, when the external terminal completely consumes the available wireless data service remaining amount, the controller transmits the wireless data service share request to a terminal having a greatest available wireless data service remaining amount among the at least one terminal excluding the external terminal.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the available wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received from the server existing in the accessible cellular network or is a time accessible the cellular network.