Method of performing pairing between coordinator and device in network, method of performing pairing between devices, method of pairing between coordinators and network system including the coordinators and the devices

• US 9,635,693 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Ho-dong, Jun, Hae-young, Kwon, Hyuk-choon, Jung, Soo-yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): SHINGLES, KRISTIE D
• Application Number:
  US13/102,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 709217, 709220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Provided are methods and apparatuses for performing pairing. A method of performing pairing between a coordinator and a peer device includes: if a second coordinator of a second network relays first pairing information indicating that a first coordinator of a first network is a device to perform pairing, from the first coordinator to a peer device of the second network, disassociating, by the peer device, from the second network, associating with the first network, and then transmitting, to the first coordinator, the first pairing information and second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing.

Claims

1. A method of performing pairing between a first device of a first network and a peer device of a second network, the method being performed by the peer device, the method comprising:

receiving first pairing information indicating that the first device is a coordinator of the first network, from the first device through a coordinator of the second network;

determining the first device as the coordinator of the first network based on the first pairing information;

disassociating from the second network;

associating with the first network; and

broadcasting second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing, to the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the disassociating from the second network comprises:

transmitting, to the coordinator, a disassociation request to disassociate from the second network; and

receiving a disassociation response that approves the disassociation request from the coordinator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating with the first network comprises:

transmitting, to the first device, an association request to associate with the first network; and

receiving an association response that approves the association request from the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first pairing information comprises at least one of first Push Button Configuration (PBC) information indicating that a button for instructing to perform pairing has been pushed in the first device, and a media access control (MAC) address of the first device; and

the second pairing information comprises at least one of second PBC information indicating that a button for instructing to perform pairing has been pushed in the peer device, and an MAC address of the peer device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first pairing information further comprises at least one of an identifier of the first network and coordinator role information indicating that the first device is a coordinator of the first network.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 1.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pairing information is broadcasted with the first pairing information to the first device.

8. A method of performing pairing between a first device of a first network and a peer device of a second network, the method being performed by a coordinator of the second network, the method comprising:

relaying, from the first device to the peer device, first pairing information indicating that the first device is a device to perform pairing;

receiving a disassociation request from the peer device; and

transmitting a disassociation response to the peer device,

wherein the peer device is disassociated from the second network and associated with the first network and

wherein the first device is determined as the coordinator of the first network, by the peer device, based on the first pairing information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

relaying the first pairing information and second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing from the peer device to the first device.

10. A method of performing pairing between a first device of a first network and a peer device of a second network, the method being performed by the first device, the method comprising:

broadcasting first pairing information indicating that the first device is a coordinator to perform pairing; and

receiving second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing,

wherein the first pairing information is relayed from the first device to the peer device through a coordinator of the second network, and

wherein the peer device is disassociated from the second network and associated with the first network and

wherein the first device is determined as the coordinator of the first network, by the peer device, based on the first pairing information.

11. The method of claim 10, the method further comprises:

receiving a failure message from the coordinator when the first paring information is not received by the peer device within a predetermined amount of time,

wherein the failure message is relayed from the peer device to the first device via the coordinator.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second pairing information is received with the first pairing information to the first device.

13. A method of performing pairing between a first device of a first network and a peer device of a second network, the method being performed by the first device, the method comprising:

broadcasting first pairing information indicating that the first device is a coordinator of the first network to perform pairing;

receiving the first pairing information, and second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing, from a coordinator of the second network;

transmitting, to the coordinator, an association request to associate with the second network;

receiving an association response that approves the association request from the coordinator; and

associating with the second network,

wherein the first device is determined as the coordinator of the first network, by the peer device, based on the first pairing information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting to a device that belongs to the first network, a handover request to hand over a coordinator role of the first network;

receiving a handover response that approves the handover request from a device that receives the handover request; and

disassociating from the first network.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting to a device that belongs to the first network, a movement request to move to the second network; and

receiving a movement response that approves the movement request from a device of the first network that receives the movement request,

wherein the device that receives the movement request is associated with the second network.

16. A peer device of a second network configured to perform pairing, the peer device comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one program; and

a processor,

wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the peer device is configured to;

receive first pairing information indicating that a first device is a coordinator of the first network, from the first device through a coordinator of a second network, the peer device being associated with the second network;

determining the first device as the coordinator of the first network based on the first pairing information;

disassociate from the second network;

associate with the first network; and

broadcast second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing to the first device.

17. The peer device of claim 16, wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the peer device is further configured to:

disassociate from the second network when the peer device transmits, to the coordinator, a disassociation request to disassociate from the second network and receives, from the coordinator, a disassociation response that approves the disassociation request.

18. The peer device of claim 16, wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the peer device is further configured to:

disassociate from the second network by;

transmitting, to the coordinator, a disassociation request to disassociate from the second network; and

receiving a disassociation response that approves the disassociation request from the coordinator.

19. The peer device of claim 16, wherein:

the first pairing information comprises at least one of first Push Button Configuration (PBC) information indicating that a button for instructing to perform pairing has been pushed in the first device, and a media access control (MAC) address of the first device; and

the second pairing information comprises at least one of second PBC information indicating that a button for instructing to perform pairing has been pushed in the peer device, and an MAC address of the peer device.

20. A coordinator of a second network configured to perform pairing, the coordinator comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one program; and

a processor,

wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the coordinator is configured to;

relay first pairing information indicating that a first device of a first network is a device to perform pairing, from a first device of a first network to a peer device of the second network;

receive a disassociation request from the peer device; and

transmit a disassociation response to the peer device,

wherein the peer device is disassociated from the second network and associated with the first network and

wherein the first device is determined as the coordinator of the first network, by the peer device, based on the first pairing information.

21. The coordinator of claim 20, wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the coordinator is further configured to:

relay first pairing information and the second pairing information indicating that the peer device is a peer device to perform pairing from the peer device to the first device.

22. A first device of a first network configured to perform pairing, the first device comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one program; and

a processor,

wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the first device is configured to;

broadcast first pairing information indicating that the first device is a device to perform pairing; and

receive second pairing information indicating that a peer device is the peer device to perform pairing, the peer device being associated with a second network,

wherein the first pairing information is relayed from the first device to the peer device through a coordinator of the second network,

wherein the peer device is disassociated from the second network and associated with the first network and

wherein the first device is determined as the coordinator of the first network, by the peer device, based on the first pairing information.

23. The first device of claim 22,

wherein, when the at least one program is executed by the processor, the first device is further configured to receive a failure message from the coordinator when the first paring information is not received by the peer device within a predetermined amount of time,

wherein the failure message is relayed from the peer device to the first device via the coordinator.