Apparatus and method for selecting wireless connectivity in a wireless communication terminal

• US 8,117,352 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun-Soo, Kim, Jae-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Chun-Kuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Modo, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/621,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20100125680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 710/11, 710/17
• US Class Current: 710/11
• 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

An apparatus and a method for providing an interworking service with a peripheral device in a Mobile Station (MS) supporting one or more wireless connectivity protocols are provided. Information on an execution environment of an application program for the interworking service is checked when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is executed. A wireless connectivity protocol is selected from among the one or more wireless connectivity protocols for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device using the information on the execution environment of the application program.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interworking service with a peripheral device in a Mobile Station (MS) supporting one or more wireless connectivity protocols, the method comprising the steps of:

checking information regarding an execution environment of an I application program for the interworking service, when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is executed; and

selecting a wireless connectivity protocol from among the one or more wireless connectivity protocols for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device using the information on the execution environment of the application program,

wherein selecting the wireless connectivity protocol includes;

determining an order of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols for each piece of information in the information regarding the execution environment of the application program;

calculating a numerical value for each of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols using a weight allocated to each determined wireless connectivity protocol order; and

selecting the wireless connectivity protocol for providing the interworking service with the peripheral device based on the numerical values,

wherein the information regarding the execution environment of the application program comprises at least one of state information of contents required for providing the interworking service with the peripheral device, internal state information of the MS, and quality information of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the state information of the contents comprises at least one of a capacity of the contents for providing the interworking service with the peripheral device and an attribute of the contents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal state information of the MS comprises battery state information of the MS.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before determining the order of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols,

searching wireless connectivity protocols available at the MS,

wherein determining the order of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols comprises determining the order of wireless connectivity protocols available at the MS for each piece of information in the information regarding the execution environment of the application program.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after calculating the numerical values for each of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols,

displaying the numerical values of the one or more wireless connectivity protocols on a display unit;

and

checking the wireless connectivity protocol selected by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after selecting the wireless connectivity protocol,

providing the interworking service with the peripheral device using the selected wireless connectivity protocol.

7. An apparatus for providing an interworking service with a peripheral device in a Mobile Station (MS) supporting one or more wireless connectivity protocols, the apparatus comprising:

an application program driver for driving an application program;

a content detection middleware for selecting a wireless connectivity protocol for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device using information regarding an execution environment of the application program for the interworking service, when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is driven in the application program driver;

a file manager for storing and managing at least one content of at least one application program driven in the application program driver and, according to a request of the content detection middleware, transmitting content state information of the application program driven in the application program driver to the content detection middleware; and

a hardware device for, transmitting at least one of internal state information of the MS and quality information on the one or more wireless connectivity protocols to the content detection middleware according to a request of the contents detection middleware and exchanging signals with the peripheral device, when the application program for performing the interworking service with the peripheral device is driven in the application program driver,

wherein the content detection middleware determines an order of wireless connectivity protocols for each piece of information in the information regarding the execution environment of the application program, and selects the wireless connectivity protocol for providing tile interworking service with the peripheral device based on a numerical value that is determined using a weight allocated to each order of wireless connectivity protocols,

wherein the information regarding the execution environment comprises at least one of state information on contents required for providing the interworkinq service, internal state information of the MS, and quality information on the one or more wireless connectivity protocols.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the file manager checks and transmits at least one of a capacity of contents for providing the interworking service with the peripheral device and an attribute of the contents to the content detection middleware according to the request of the content detection middleware.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the hardware device checks and transmits battery state information of the MS to the content detection middleware according to the request of the content detection middleware.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the hardware device enables at least one wireless connectivity protocol supported by the MS, searches wireless connectivity protocols installed in the peripheral device, and determines quality information of the wireless connectivity protocols installed in the peripheral device, according to the request of the content detection middleware.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the content detection middleware determines an order of wireless connectivity protocols for each piece of information in the information regarding the execution environment of the application program, and transmits to the application program driver a numerical value for each wireless connectivity protocol that is determined using a weight allocated to each order of wireless connectivity protocols.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the application program driver receives from the content detection middleware the numerical values of the wireless connectivity protocols supportable by the MS, and controls display of the received numerical values of the wireless connectivity protocols on a display unit, and checks the wireless connectivity protocol selected by a user.