Method and apparatus for transmitting data using relay device

• US 9,473,233 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Xie, Yongxing, Yan, Qichao, Park, Jae-sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan H
• Application Number:
  US14/743,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/456.1, 455/11.1, 455/561, 455/569, 455/553.1, 455/411, 455/7, 455/39, 370/338, 370/310, 370/280, 320/103, 726/6, 726/4, 726/5, 381/57, 340/10.1, 704/246, 709/204, 345/156, 702/158, 348/734
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A relay device is provided, which includes a short distance wireless communicator configured to establish a short distance wireless communication connection between the relay device and a first communication device; and a processor configured to transmit to the first communication device information regarding at least one device connectable to the relay device, receive from the first communication device a data relay request requesting a transmission of data to a second communication device selected by a user of the first communication device from the at least one device connectable to the relay device, and control the short distance wireless communicator to transmit the data from the first communication device to the second communication device in response to the data relay request.

Claims

1. A relay device comprising:

a short distance wireless communicator configured to establish a short distance wireless communication connection between the relay device and a first communication device; and

a processor configured to transmit to the first communication device information regarding at least one device connectable to the relay device, receive from the first communication device a data relay request requesting a transmission of data to a second communication device selected by a user of the first communication device from the at least one device connectable to the relay device, and control the short distance wireless communicator to transmit the data from the first communication device to the second communication device in response to the data relay request,

wherein upon receiving the data relay request, the processor is configured to transmit to the second communication device an acknowledge request requesting the second communication device to acknowledge whether to receive the data, to receive from the second communication device a response to the acknowledge request, to transmit the response to the first communication device and to transmit the data to the second communication device based on the response.

2. The relay device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the at least one device comprises:

at least one of a name of the at least one device, BLUETOOTH profile information, and information indicating whether a wireless communication connection is established between the relay device and the at least one device.

3. The relay device of claim 1, wherein the at least one device connectable to the relay device comprises a communication device that is paired with the relay device and connection information of the at least one device is stored in the relay device.

4. The relay device of claim 3, wherein the connection information of the at least one device comprises at least one of a BLUETOOTH address and a link key.

5. The relay device of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage configured to store the data received from the first communication device,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and the short distance wireless communicator upon receiving the data relay request from the first communication device, and, if the short distance wireless communication connection is not established between the second communication device and the short distance wireless control, the processor is further configured to control the storage unit to store the data received from the first communication device in the relay device.

6. The relay device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to store the data received from the first communication device, and then, if the short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and the short distance wireless communication unit, transmit the stored data to the second communication device.

7. The relay device of claim 6, further comprising:

a display configured to display identification information of the data stored in the relay device if the short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and the short distance wireless communication unit.

8. A data relay method comprising:

establishing a short distance wireless communication connection between a relay device and a first communication device;

transmitting information regarding at least one device connectable to the relay device to the first communication device;

receiving, from the first communication device, a data relay request requesting a transmission of data to a second communication device selected by a user of the first communication device from the at least one device; and

transmitting the data to the second communication device in response to the data relay request,

wherein the transmitting of the data to the second communication device in response to the data relay request comprises;

upon receiving the data relay request from the first communication device, transmitting to the second communication device an acknowledge request requesting the second communication device to acknowledge whether to receive the data;

receiving from the second communication device a response to the acknowledge request;

transmitting, the response to the first Communication device; and

transmitting the data to the second communication device based on the response.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information regarding the at least one device includes:

at least one of a name of the at least one device, BLUETOOTH profile information, and information indicating whether a wireless communication connection is established between the relay device and the at least one device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one device connectable to the relay device includes a communication device that is paired with the relay device and connection information of the at least one device is stored in the relay device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the connection information of the at least one device includes at least one of a BLUETOOTH address and a link key.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting of the data to the second communication device in response to the data relay request comprises:

determining whether a short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and relay device upon receiving a data relay request from the first communication device; and

if the short distance wireless communication connection is not established between the second communication device and the relay device, storing the data from the first communication device in the relay device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting of the data to the second communication device in response to the data relay request comprises:

storing the data, and then, if the short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and the relay device, transmitting the stored data to the second communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying identification information of the stored data if the short distance wireless communication connection is established between the second communication device and the relay device.

15. A first communication device comprising:

a short distance wireless communicator configured to establish a short distance wireless communication connection between the first communication device and a relay device; and

a processor configured to receive from the relay device information regarding at least one device connectable to the relay device, transmit to the relay device a data relay request requesting a transmission of data to a second communication device selected by a user of the first communication device from the at least one device connectable to the relay device, receive from the relay device a response which is received from the second communication device to the relay device, and to control the short distance wireless communicator to transmit the data to the relay device.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the information regarding the at least one device comprises:

at least one of a name of the at least one device, BLUETOOTH profile information, and information indicating whether a wireless communication connection is established between the relay device and the at least one device.

17. A data relay method comprising:

establishing a short distance wireless communication connection between a relay device and a first communication device;

receiving from the relay device information regarding at least one device connectable to the relay device;

selecting a second communication device from the at least device based on the information regarding the at least one device;

transmitting a data relay request to the relay device from the first communication device, the data relay request requesting a transmission of data to the second communication device;

transmitting the data to the relay device; and

transmitting the data to the second communication device in response to the data relay request,

wherein transmitting of the data to the second communication device comprises;

upon receiving the data relay request from the first communication device, transmitting to the second communication device an acknowledge request requesting the second communication device to acknowledge whether to receive the data;

receiving from the second communication device a response to the acknowledge request; and

transmitting the data to the second communication device based on the response.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information regarding the at least one device includes:

at least one of a name of the at least one device, BLUETOOTH profile information, and information indicating whether a wireless communication connection is established between the relay device and the at least one device.