COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20160044728A1
• Filed: 07/31/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Woo-Jin, HONG, Moon-Ki, PARK, Min-Ji, YOUN, So-Young
• Granted Patent: US 9,900,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of controlling communication of an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a first peripheral device through a first communication module of the electronic device, which supports a first communication type, acquiring group information on a group of peripheral devices, to which the first peripheral device belongs, based on first identification information of the first peripheral device, and detecting a second peripheral device belonging to the group through a second communication module of the electronic device, which supports a second communication type, based on the group information.

Claims

1. A method of controlling communication of an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting, by a processor of the electronic device, a first peripheral device through a first communication module, of the electronic device, which supports a first communication type;

acquiring group information on a group of peripheral devices, to which the first peripheral device belongs, based on first identification information of the first peripheral device; and

detecting a second peripheral device belonging to the group through a second communication module, of the electronic device, which supports a second communication type, based on the group information.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the group information comprises the first identification information and second identification information of the second peripheral device, and

wherein the detecting of the second peripheral device comprises:

searching for at least one peripheral device through the second communication module, and

identifying, as the second peripheral device, a peripheral device having the second identification information from among the searched at least one peripheral device.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the group information comprises the first identification information, first device type information associated with the first peripheral device, second identification information of the second peripheral device, and second device type information associated with the second peripheral device, and

wherein the detecting of the second peripheral device comprises:

searching for at least one peripheral device through the second communication module, and

identifying, as the second peripheral device, a peripheral device having the second device type information from among the searched at least one peripheral device, when a peripheral device having the second identification information from among the searched at least one peripheral device does not exist.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the second peripheral device comprises:

activating the second communication module, and

searching for at least one peripheral device through the activated second communication module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the second peripheral device comprises:

changing a first search period of the second communication module for searching for peripheral devices to a second search period that is shorter than the first search period, and

searching for at least one peripheral device according to the second search period through the second communication module.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a first communication connection with the first peripheral device through the first communication module, and

establishing a second communication connection with the second peripheral device through the second communication module.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying search states of the peripheral devices in the group,

detecting a selection of at least one of the peripheral devices in the group, and

establishing a communication connection with at least one of the first and second peripheral devices according to the selection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing communication connections with the first and second peripheral devices, and

deactivating a third communication module of the electronic device, which supports a third communication type, based on the group information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a first communication connection with the first peripheral device through the first communication module,

establishing a second communication connection with the second peripheral device through the second communication module,

detecting a release of the first communication connection through the first communication module after the establishing of the first and second communication connections, and

deactivating the second communication module or releasing the second communication connection through the second communication module according to the release of the first communication connection.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first communication module is one of a Bluetooth module, a Wi-Fi module, a Zigbee module and a near field communication (NFC) module, and

wherein the second communication module is another of the Bluetooth module, the Wi-Fi module, the Zigbee module and the NFC module.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the method of claim 1.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication module configured to support a first communication type;

a second communication module configured to support a second communication type; and

a processor configured to;

detect a first peripheral device through the first communication module,

acquire group information on a group of peripheral devices, to which the first peripheral device belongs, based on first identification information of the first peripheral device, and

detect a second peripheral device belonging to the group through the second communication module based on the group information.

13. The electronic device of claim 12,

wherein the group information comprises the first identification information and second identification information of the second peripheral device, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

search for at least one peripheral device through the second communication module, and

identify, as the second peripheral device, a peripheral device having the second identification information from among the searched at least one peripheral device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12,

wherein the group information comprises the first identification information, first device type information associated with the first peripheral device, second identification information of the second peripheral device, and second device type information associated with the second peripheral device, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

search for at least one peripheral device through the second communication module, and

identify, as the second peripheral device, a peripheral device having the second device type information from among the searched at least one peripheral device, when the peripheral device having the second device type information from among the searched at least one peripheral device does not exist.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

activate the second communication module, and

search for at least one peripheral device through the activated second communication module.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

change a first search period of the second communication module for searching for peripheral devices to a second search period that is shorter than the first search period, and

search for at least one peripheral device according to the second search period through the second communication module.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a display,

wherein the processor is further configured to display search states of the peripheral devices in the group through the display.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a display,

wherein the processor is further configured to:

display search states of the peripheral devices in the group through the display,

detect a selection of at least one of the peripheral devices in the group, and

establish a communication connection with at least one of the first and second peripheral devices according to the selection.

19. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish communication connections with the first and second peripheral devices, and

deactivate a third communication module of the electronic device, which supports a third communication type, based on the group information.

20. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish a first communication connection with the first peripheral device through the first communication module,

establish a second communication connection with the second peripheral device through the second communication module,

detect a release of the first communication connection after the establishing of the first and second communication connections, and

deactivate the second communication module or release the second communication connection through the second communication module according to the release of the first communication connection.