Communication method, electronic device, and storage medium

• US 9,591,433 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyu-Hyun, Lee, Sang-Cheol, Cha, Soon-Hyun, Bae, Sang-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzales, April G
• Application Number:
  US14/625,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20150245166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/575.6, 455/566, 455/567
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of performing communication by a first electronic device is provided. The method includes receiving an input for communication with a third electronic device, determining at least one of a first communication module of the first electronic device and a second communication module of a second electronic device for the communication with the third electronic device, and controlling the first or second communication module for the communication with the third electronic device in response to the input.

Claims

1. A first electronic device comprising:

a storage configured to store instructions therein;

a first communication module configured to communicate data or a message; and

a processor,

wherein, upon execution of the instructions, the processor is configured to;

receive an input for communication with a third electronic device,

determine, for communication with the third electronic device, at least one of the first communication module and a second communication module of a second electronic device; and

control the first or second communication module for the communication with the third electronic device in response to the input.

2. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine which one of the first and second communication modules will be used for transmitting a message based on communication related information.

3. The first electronic device of claim 2, wherein the communication related information includes at least one of setting information of the first electronic device, a type of a communication signal, a location or a type of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), a connection state with an external electronic device, a user input, a power state, a charging state, a network state, and a phone plan.

4. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a contact number of the third electronic device to the second electronic device,

make a connection with the second electronic device, and

make a connection with the third electronic device.

5. The first electronic device of claim 4, wherein the connection with the second electronic device is released in a state where the connection with the third electronic device is made.

6. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a screen part for selecting at least one of the first and second communication modules, and

receive an input using the screen part, the input selecting at least one of the first and second communication modules.

7. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a first screen part for receiving the input for the communication with the third electronic device, and

display a second screen part for selecting at least one of the first and second communication modules.

8. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a second screen part for selecting at least one of the first and second communication modules, and

store information on the selection of the at least one of the first and second communication modules in the storage.

9. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a first message to the first communication module, and

communicate with the third electronic device through the first communication module by using at least some of information included in the first message.

10. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a first message to the first communication module and transmit the first message to the second electronic device by using the first communication module.

11. The first electronic device of claim 10,

wherein the processor is further configured to re-configure the first message to a configuration which can be analyzed by the second communication module, and

wherein the re-configured first message is transmitted to the second communication module.

12. The first electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first message is included in a second message transmitted to the second electronic device.

13. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an input for displaying a communication record, and

display together a first communication record related to communication between the first communication module and the third electronic device and a second communication record related to communication between the second communication module and the third electronic device in response to the input for displaying the communication record.

14. The first electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to hide or inactivate the second communication record when the connection between the first electronic device and the second electronic device is released.

15. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a first item corresponding to the first electronic device and a second item corresponding to the second electronic device,

in response to an input for selecting the first item, control the first communication module to communicate with the third electronic device, and

in response to an input for selecting the second item, control the second communication module to communicate with the third electronic device.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing a program to execute a method for performing communication by a first electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving an input for communication with a third electronic device;

determining at least one of a first communication module of the first electronic device and a second communication module of a second electronic device for the communication with the third electronic device; and

controlling the first or second communication module for the communication with the third electronic device in response to the input.

17. A second electronic device comprising:

a storage configured to store instructions therein;

a second communication module configured to communicate data or a message; and

a processor,

wherein, upon execution of the instructions, the processor is configured to;

receive a first message for communication with a third electronic device from a first communication module of a first electronic device,

transmit the first message to the second communication module, and

communicate with the third electronic device by using at least some of information included in the first message.

18. The second electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a second message related to the first message from the first electronic device, and

obtain the first message by using at least some of information included in the second message.

19. The second electronic device of claim 17,

wherein the processor is further configured to re-configure the first message to have a configuration which can be analyzed by the second communication module, and

wherein the re-configured first message is transmitted to the second communication module.

20. The second electronic device of claim 17,

wherein the first message includes a contact number of the third electronic device, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

make a first connection between the second electronic device and the first electronic device,

make a second connection between the second electronic device and the third electronic devices, and

release each of the first and second connections in a state where the first and third electronic devices are connected to each other.