Method of call forwarding between devices

• US 9,571,658 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Yong Ju, Koh, Yoo Kyung, Ko, Yun Jeong, Kim, Seul A, Lee, Ji Ho, Yoo, Sung Sik, Lee, Myung Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US14/663,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20150271340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

An electronic device and method are disclosed, including a first communication module configured to perform a cellular communication, a second communication module configured to perform a communication to connect the electronic device to an external electronic device, and at least one processor electrically connected to the first and second communication modules, executing the method, which includes activating the first communication module in response to detecting a preset condition, and transmitting a signal requesting call forwarding via the first communication module.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication module configured to perform cellular communication with a communication carrier;

a second communication module configured to communicatively connect the electronic device to an external electronic device; and

at least one processor electrically connected to the first and second communication modules and configured to;

activate the first communication module in response to detecting a preset condition, and

transmit, via the first communication module, a signal to the communication carrier, the signal including a request that the communication carrier establish call forwarding for the external electronic device to the electronic device, wherein the preset condition includes a release of pairing between the electronic device and the external electronic device, such that the signal is transmitted to the communication carrier while the electronic device and the external electronic device are unpaired.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second communication module uses short range communication including at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi direct, ZigBee, Near Field communication (NFC), and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein detecting the preset condition comprises at least one of:

detecting disconnection of the external electronic device with the electronic device;

detecting communicative connection to an electronic device management server through the first communication module; and

detecting an input requesting call forwarding received through a call forwarding user interface (UI), the processor further configured to;

in response to detecting the preset condition, displaying the call forwarding UI.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the first communication module is further configured to perform at least one of data communication and WiFi communication using an access point (AP), and access the electronic device management server by using the at least one of the data communication and the WiFi communication.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the first communication module comprises a circuit switching module and a packet switching module, and

the circuit switching module is activated when the first communication module is activated.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein when the electronic device is connected to the electronic device management server via at least one of the packet switching module or the second communication module, the processor is further configured to activate the circuit switching module from a deactivated state.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is further configured to access an electronic device management server using the first communication module when a connection with the external electronic device is disconnected;

transmit the signal for requesting the call forwarding to the external electronic device directly or through the accessed electronic device management server; and

wherein the signal requesting call forwarding is transmitted to the communication carrier by the external electronic device.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to detecting at least one of:

connection to the external electronic device, disconnection of the electronic device from an electronic device management server, and a user input generating a signal requesting a release of the call forwarding received through a call forwarding UI,

the processor is further configured to transmit the signal requesting the release using the first communication module.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the signal requesting call forwarding or the signal requesting the release has a format including at least one of a voice message, a text message, a multimedia message, a Mobile Application Part (MAP) message, and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein operations further including receive a message indicating a communication-disabled state of the external electronic device from an electronic device management server.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when a communication state of the electronic device is restored from a communication disabled state, the first communication module is further configured to receive information for a missed voice call or missed message received during the communication disabled state from at least one of an electronic device management server, the external electronic device, and the communication carrier.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the information for the missed voice call or missed message is displayed in a summarized list format on a screen of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a wearable electronic device and the external electronic device is a smartphone.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a human body, wherein the signal requesting call forwarding is transmitted in response to detecting that a human body by the sensor.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit, the at least one processor further configured to:

display a call forwarding indicator on the display unit indicating that the requested call forwarding with the external electronic device is established,

wherein the first communication module is further configured to notify a communication state of the electronic device to an electronic device management server utilizing a network ping.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication module configured to perform cellular communication with a communication carrier;

a second communication module configured to communicatively connect the electronic device to an external electronic device; and

at least one processor electrically connected to the first and second communication modules, and configured to;

if the electronic device is communicatively connected to the external electronic device, receive, via the first communication module, a voice call signal or message for the electronic device from the communication carrier, and

if the electronic device is communicatively disconnected from the external electronic device, the voice call signal or the message for the electronic device is transmitted to the external electronic device from the communication carrier.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, further comprising a display unit, wherein processor is further configured to:

in response to receiving a signal requesting call forwarding from the external electronic device, transmit the signal requesting call forwarding to the communication carrier to establish call forwarding to the external electronic device,

wherein a call forwarding indicator is displayed on the display unit to indicate that the requested call forwarding to the external electronic device is established.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to receiving a notification indicating that the external electronic device is disconnected from an electronic device management server, transmit a signal requesting release of call forwarding to the communication carrier.

19. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device is a smartphone and the external electronic device is a wearable electronic device.

20. A call forwarding method for an electronic device, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a preset condition including at least one of;

disconnection of the electronic device with an external electronic device, and

connection between the electronic device with an electronic management server; and

in response to detecting the preset condition, transmitting a signal via cellular communication to a communication carrier including a requesting that the communication carrier establish call forwarding for the external electronic device to the electronic device, wherein the preset condition includes a release of pairing between the electronic device and the external electronic device, such that the signal is transmitted to the communication carrier while the electronic device and the external electronic device are unpaired.