Electronic device and operating method using bluetooth

• US 9,521,535 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Sung-Geun
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US14/056,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20140113562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/566
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A Bluetooth pairing method in an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a change of a switching state of a switch of the electronic device, selecting a Bluetooth Device (BD) address according to the changed switching state among a plurality of stored BD addresses, and applying the selected BD address to a Bluetooth pairing. The method can facilitate Bluetooth pairing to selectable types of host devices.

Claims

1. A Bluetooth communication method in an electronic device, comprising:

establishing a Bluetooth communication with a first external device by using a Bluetooth address of the first external device;

transmitting a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the first external device via the established Bluetooth communication;

establishing a Bluetooth communication with a second external device by using a Bluetooth address of the second external device, if the second external device is selected by a switching unit;

transmitting a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the second external device via the established Bluetooth communication; and

wherein the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device are stored in the electronic device, and

wherein the electornic device comprises at least one display unit to display a status of the Bluetooth communication with the first or second external device.

2. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 1, further comprising dropping the Bluetooth communication with the first external device, if the second external device is selected by the switching unit.

3. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a body,

wherein the body includes a mark indicating to select at least one of the first external device and second external device,

wherein the mark is printed on at least one region related with the switching unit.

4. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 1,

wherein the switch unit comprises a toggle switch or a slide bar.

5. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 1,

wherein the electronic device comprises a memory,

wherein the memory stores the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device.

6. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 5,

wherein the stored Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device in the memory are maintained when the first external device and the second external device are turned off or the electronic device is out of a range of the Bluetooth communication.

7. The Bluetooth communication method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a keyboard.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a Bluetooth communication unit

a switching unit; and

a host unit to control the Bluetooth communication unit to;

establish a Bluetooth communication with a first external device by using a Bluetooth address of the first external device,

transmit a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the first external device via the established Bluetooth communication;

establish a Bluetooth communication with a second external device by using a BD address of the second external device, if the second external device is sleeted by the switching unit and

transmit a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the second external device via the established Bluetooth communication,

wherein the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device are stored in the electronic device,

wherein the electronic device comprises at least one display unit to display a status of the Bluetooth communication with the first or the second external device.

9. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the Bluetooth communication unit drops the Bluetooth communication with the first external device, if the second external device is selected by the switching unit.

10. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the electronic device comprises a body,

wherein the body includes a mark indicating to select at least one of the first external device and second external device,

wherein the mark is printed on at least one region related with the switching unit.

11. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the switch unit comprises a toggle switch or a slide bar.

12. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the electronic device comprises a memory,

wherein the memory stores the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12,

wherein the stored Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device in the memory are maintained when the first external device and the second external device are turned off or the electronic device is out of a range of the Bluetooth communication.

14. The electronic device of claim 8,

wherein the electronic device comprises a keyboard.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a Bluetooth communication unit

a switching unit; and

a host unit to control the Bluetooth communication unit to;

establish a Bluetooth communication with a first external device by using a Bluetooth address of the first external device,

transmit a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the first external device via the established Bluetooth communication;

establish a Bluetooth communication with a second external device by using a Bluetooth address of the second external device, if the second external device is selected by the switching unit and

transmit a signal which is generated from the electronic device to the second external device via the established Bluetooth communication,

wherein the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device are stored in the electronic device, wherein the switching unit is disposed on an external portion of the electronic device,

wherein the electronic device comprises at least one display unit to display a status of the Bluetooth communication with the first or the second external device.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the Bluetooth communication unit drops the Bluetooth communication with the first external device, if the second external device is selected by the switching unit.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a body, wherein the body includes a mark indicating to select at least one of the first external device and second external device, and wherein the mark is printed on at least one region related with the switching unit.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the switch unit comprises a toggle switch or a slide bar.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a memory, wherein the memory stores the Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the stored Bluetooth addresses of the first external device and the second external device in the electronic device are maintained when the first external device and the second external device are turned off or the electronic device is out of a range of the Bluetooth communication.