Terminal having transfer mode and network connection method

• US 8,606,284 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIPCO LLC (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pantech Corporation (Ideahub, Inc.)
• Inventors: LEE, In Youl
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US13/195,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/411, 455/421, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/453, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A terminal and a network connection method to automatically connect devices to a network and transfer data to the devices using the received signal strength indication (RSSI) levels of signals respectively received from the devices. The terminal may transfer different data to devices based on the RSSI level of the signals received from the devices and/or the locations of the devices.

Claims

1. A terminal, comprising:

an antenna unit to transmit signals and to receive signals from devices;

a received signal strength indication (RSSI) detecting unit to detect RSSI level information from the signals received by the antenna unit, the RSSI level information indicating an RSSI level; and

a control unit to determine candidate devices from the devices based on the RSSI level detected by the RSSI detecting unit,

wherein the control unit determines candidate devices based on the device having an RSSI level among the N-highest RSSI levels detected by the RSSI detecting unit and the control unit connects the determined candidate devices to a network.

2. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a location information detecting unit to detect location information of the devices based on the signals received by the antenna unit,

wherein the control unit receives the location information, determines if the candidate device is located in a specific area based on the location information, and then connects the candidate device to the network.

3. The terminal of claim 2, wherein the control unit transfers data differently to the candidate device according to the specific area in which the candidate device is located.

4. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit transfers data differently to the candidate device according to the RSSI level of the candidate device.

5. The terminal of claim 4, wherein the control unit transfers the data differently according to amounts or storage locations of the data.

6. The terminal of claim 3, wherein the control unit transfers the data differently according to amounts or storage locations of the data.

7. The terminal of claim 6, wherein the control unit transfers data differently to the candidate device according to the specific area in which the candidate device is located.

8. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the control unit transfers data differently to the candidate device according to the RSSI level of the candidate device.

9. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit transfers the data differently according to amounts or storage locations of the data.

10. The terminal of claim 7, wherein the control unit transfers the data differently according to amounts or storage locations of the data.

11. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) sensor module to receive GPS signals; and

a GPS location information detecting unit to detect location information of the devices based on the GPS signals received by the GPS sensor module,

wherein the control unit receives the location information, determines if the candidate device is located in a specific area based on the location information, and then connects the candidate device to the network.

12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit transfers data differently to the candidate devices according to the RSSI levels based on the RSSI level information of the candidate devices.

13. The terminal of claim 12, wherein the control unit transfers the data differently according to amounts or storage locations of the data.

14. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit transfers a network connection response request signal to the candidate device, and connects the candidate device to the network if a network connection permission signal is received from the candidate device.

15. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the network is any one of Bluetooth®

, Zigbee®

, infrared data association (IrDA®

), Wi-Max®

, and wireless broadband (Wibro).

16. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a candidate device based on the RSSI level being within a range.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the range is greater than a critical value.

18. A network connection method of a terminal, the method comprising:

searching for devices;

detecting a received signal strength indication (RSSI) level information of the searched devices, the RSSI level information indicating an RSSI level;

determining candidate devices to receive data using the RSSI level; and

connecting the determined candidate devices to a network,

wherein the determining of the candidate devices is based on the candidate devices having an RSSI level among the N-highest RSSI levels detected.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting location information of the devices; and

determining the devices as candidate devices if the devices are located in a specific area based on the location information of the devices.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring data differently to the candidate device according to a specific area in which the candidate device is located.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising transferring data differently to the candidate device according to the RSSI level of the candidate device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transferring data differently comprises transferring different amounts of data or transferring data from different storage locations.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the transferring data differently comprises transferring different amounts of data or transferring data from different storage locations.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising transferring data differently to the candidate devices according to the RSSI levels based on the RSSI level information of the candidate devices.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the transferring data differently comprises transferring different amounts of data or transferring data from different storage locations.

26. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transferring a network connection response request signal to the candidate devices; and

connecting the candidate devices to the network if a network connection permission signal is received from the candidate devices.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the network is any one of Bluetooth®

, Zigbee®

, infrared data association (IrDA®

), Wi-Max® and

wireless broadband (Wibro).

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining of the candidate devices is based on the RSSI level being within a range.

29. The terminal of claim 28, wherein the range is greater than a critical value.