METHOD FOR DETERMINING A GROUP OWNER IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20120106375A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: WOO, Jooin
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A method for a device to determine a group owner that functions as an access point in a wireless network is provided. In the method, a first device acquires first intention information indicating the first device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner and receives, from a second device, second intention information indicating the second device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner, and compares the first intention information and the second intention information to determine that one of the first and second devices is a group owner. This method enables smooth communication between devices in a wireless network since a device which has more available power or can operate for a longer time can become a group owner.

Claims

1. A method for determining a group owner that functions as an access point in a wireless network that allows direct communication between devices, the method comprising:

a first device acquiring first intention information indicating the first device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner;

receiving, from a second device, second intention information indicating the second device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner, and

comparing the first intention information and the second intention information and determining that one of the first and second devices is a group owner.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first intention information is information set by a user or provider of the first device or information regarding power supply status of the first device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first intention information is the information set by the user or provider of the first device when the set information has been stored and is the information regarding the power supply status of the first device when the set information is not present.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the information regarding the power supply status is at least one of information indicating whether or not power is supplied from an external power source and information regarding battery charge status.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the group owner is one of the first and second devices which receives power from an external power source.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the group owner is determined based on information regarding battery charge status.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the group owner is one of the first and second devices which has a larger remaining battery power.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the group owner is one of the first and second devices which has a larger ratio of remaining battery power to battery capacity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second intention information is included in a frame, requesting determination of a group owner, received from the second device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting, upon determining that one of the first and second devices is a group owner, intention information of the device determined to be the group owner to the second device.

11. A device for determining a group owner that functions as an access point in a wireless network that allows direct communication between devices, the device comprising:

a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with another device; and

a controller for acquiring first intention information indicating the device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner, receiving, from the other device, second intention information indicating the other device'"'"'s intention to become a group owner through the wireless communication unit, and comparing the first intention information and the second intention information to determine that one of the deice and the other device is a group owner.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first intention information is information set by a user or provider of the device or information regarding power supply status of the device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the first intention information is the information set by the user or provider of the device when the set information has been stored and is the information regarding the power supply status of the device when the set information is not present

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the information regarding the power supply status is at least one of information indicating whether or not power is supplied from an external power source and information regarding battery charge status.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein the controller determines that one of the device and the other device which receives power from an external power source is the group owner.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the controller determines the group owner based on information regarding battery charge status.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the controller determines that one of the device and the other device which has a larger remaining battery power is the group owner.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the controller determines that one of the device and the other device which has a larger ratio of remaining battery power to battery capacity is the group owner.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second intention information is included in a frame, requesting determination of a group owner, received from the other device.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the controller transmits, upon determining that one of the device and the other device is a group owner, intention information of the device determined to be the group owner to the other device.