Apparatus and method for connecting to device in wireless terminal

• US 9,118,355 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Jong-Mu, Kim, Chang-Soon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan H
• Application Number:
  US13/688,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/411, 455/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• 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 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for connecting to a device in a wireless terminal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for more conveniently connecting to a desired device in a communication mode of a wireless terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a near distance communication module for exchanging device information for a communication connection through a contact with a specific device, and a controller for controlling the near distance communication module to connect communication to the specific device based on the exchanged device information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for connecting to a device in a wireless terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a near distance communication module configured to exchange device information for a communication connection through a contact with a specific device;

a wireless communication module configured to communicate with the specific device upon the communication connection with the specific device; and

a controller configured to receive device identification information of the specific device through the near distance communication module in a communication connection mode, to perform a device search operation using the wireless communication module, and to control the wireless communication module to connect communication to the specific device if the controller determines that a result of the device search operation comprises a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication connection corresponds to Wi-Fi Peer to Peer (Wi-Fi P2P) or Wi-Fi Direct.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the near distance communication module is a Near Field Communication (NFC) module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller automatically switches to the communication connection mode, if the specific device is contacted through the near distance communication module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the controller determines that the result of the device search operation comprises a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device, then the controller controls to connect communication to the specific device using a Wi-Fi Peer to Peer (Wi-Fi P2P) protocol or Wi-Fi Direct protocol, and

if the controller determines that the result of the device search operation does not comprise a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device, then the controller controls to connect communication to the specific device after the device information for the specific device is exchanged through the near distance communication module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller controls the wireless communication module to connect communication to the specific device after performing a role determining process and an authentication information exchanging process with the specific device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the wireless communication module to connect communication to the specific device based on the device identification information and device information exchanged through the near distance communication module.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller controls the wireless communication module to connect communication to the specific device without a process of determining roles with the specific device, and a process of exchanging authentication information with the specific device.

9. A method of connecting to a device in a wireless terminal, the method comprising:

if a specific device is contacted,

receiving device identification information from the specific device through near distance communication,

performing a device search operation according to a wireless communication while receiving the device identification information from the specific device through the near distance communication,

determining whether a result of the device search operation comprises a device having device identification information corresponding to the device identification information of the specific device, and

if the result of the device search operation comprises a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device, connecting communication to the specific device based on device information received from the specific device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication connection corresponds to Wi-Fi Peer to Peer (Wi-Fi P2P) or Wi-Fi Direct.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the near distance communication connection corresponds to Near Field Communication (NFC).

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising switching to a communication connection mode, if the near distance communication is performed with the specific device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the result of the device search operation comprises a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device, then connecting communication to the specific device using a Wi-Fi Peer to Peer (Wi-Fi P2P) protocol or Wi-Fi Direct protocol; and

if the result of the device search operation does not comprise a device having device identification information that corresponds to the device identification information of the specific device, then exchanging device information for a communication connection with the specific device through the near distance communication and then connecting communication to the specific device after the device information for the specific device is exchanged through the near distance communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication with the specific device is connected, after a role determining process and an authentication information exchanging process are performed with the specific device.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

connecting communication to the specific device based on the device identification information and the device information that have been received from the specific device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication is connected to the specific device without a process of determining roles with the specific device, and a process of exchanging authentication information with the specific device.

17. A method of connecting a wireless terminal to a device through a near distance communication connection, the method comprising:

determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to a specific device via the near distance communication connection;

exchanging, if the wireless terminal is connected to the specific device via the near distance communication connection, device information between the wireless terminal and the specific device over the near distance communication connection;

performing a device search operation over a wireless protocol other than the near distance communication connection;

determining whether results of the device search include the specific device based at least on some of the exchanged device information; and

if the results of the device search include the specific device, establishing a second connection between the wireless terminal and the specific device based on the exchanged device information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second connection corresponds to a Wi-Fi Peer to Peer (P2P) connection or a Wi-Fi Direct connection.