METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EXTERNAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR PROCESSING SAME

• US 20170006149A1
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: AHN, Jeongho, KIM, Chulkwi, SAGONG, Jin, NAMGOONG, Bo-Ram
• Granted Patent: US 10,136,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for controlling an external electronic device connected to the electronic device through wireless communication are provided herein. A first electronic device includes a communication module configured to communicate with a second electronic device; and a processor configured to, in response to an entry event of a communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function of the first electronic device is deactivated, provide entry information of the communication restriction mode and release information of the communication restriction mode to the second electronic device, and control performance of the communication restriction mode using the entry information and the release information.

Claims

1. A first electronic device comprising:

a communication module configured to communicate with a second electronic device; and

a processor configured to, in response to an entry event of a communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function of the first electronic device is deactivated, provide entry information of the communication restriction mode and release information of the communication restriction mode to the second electronic device, and control performance of the communication restriction mode using the entry information and the release information.

2. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the entry information and the release information comprise at least one of location information and time information associated with an entry into the communication restriction mode and a release of the communication restriction mode, and

wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to a communication restriction mode event in which all communication functions are deactivated, control entry into and release of the communication restriction mode based on the time information.

3. The first electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to a communication restriction mode event in which at least one communication function is activated, control the entry into and the release of the communication restriction mode based on the location information and the time information.

4. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, when entering to the communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function is activated, provide a release command to the second electronic device by using at least one activated communication function, and release the communication restriction mode, in response to detecting a predefined release condition before releasing the communication restriction mode.

5. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect the entry event based on at least one of sensor information acquired through a sensor, a button input, and notification information transmitted from an external electronic device.

6. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to configure the entry information and the release information based on schedule information that is stored in advance or received, and

wherein the schedule information comprises at least one of memo information and ticket information.

7. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to configure the entry information and the release information based on an input with respect to a configuration screen of the communication restriction mode.

8. A second electronic device comprising:

a communication module configured to communicate with a first electronic device; and

a processor configured to receive, from the first electronic device that enters to a communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function is deactivated, entry information of the communication restriction mode and release information of the communication restriction mode, and control a communication restriction mode of the second electronic device based on the received entry information and the received release information.

9. The second electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to receiving a release command from the first electronic device while performing the communication restriction mode in which the at least one communication function is activated, release the communication restriction mode.

10. The second electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a predefined release condition while performing the communication restriction mode in which the at least one communication function is activated, and provide the predefined release condition to the first electronic device.

11. The second electronic device of claim 8, wherein the entry information of the communication restriction mode and the release information of the communication restriction mode comprise at least one of location information and time information associated with an entry into the communication restriction mode and a release of the communication restriction mode, and

wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to receiving time information associated with an entry into and release of a communication restriction mode in which all communication functions are deactivated, control the entry into and the release of the communication restriction mode based on the time information.

12. The second electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to receiving the location information and the time information associated with an entry into and release of the communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function is activated, control the entry into and the release of the communication restriction mode based on at least one of the location information and time information.

13. A method for operating a first electronic device, the method comprising:

identifying an entry event of a communication restriction mode in which at least one communication function of the first electronic device is deactivated;

providing entry information of the communication restriction mode and release information of the communication restriction mode to a second electronic device, in response to the identified entry event; and

controlling the communication restriction mode using the entry information and the release information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the entry information and the release information comprise at least one of location information and time information associated with an entry into the communication restriction mode and a release of the communication restriction mode, and

wherein controlling the communication restriction mode comprises controlling an entry into and release of the communication restriction mode based on the time information, in response to a communication restriction mode event in which all communication functions are deactivated.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the communication restriction mode comprises controlling the entry into and the release of the communication restriction mode based on at least one of the location information and the time information, in response to a communication restriction mode event in which at least one communication function is activated.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when entering to a communication restriction mode in which one or more communication functions are activated, providing a release command to the second electronic device by using at least one activated communication function in response to detecting a predefined release condition before releasing the communication restriction mode; and

releasing the communication restriction mode in response to providing the release command to the second electronic device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the entry event occurs based on at least one of sensor information, a button input, and notification information transmitted from an external electronic device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the entry information and the release information are configured based on schedule information which is stored in advance or received, and

wherein the schedule information comprises at least one of memo information and ticket information.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the entry information and the release information are configured based on an input with respect to a configuration screen of the communication restriction mode.