Apparatus and method for providing access point function in portable communication system

• US 9,699,831 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Keum-Youn, Choi, Jong-Mu
• Primary Examiner(s): LI, GUANG W
• Application Number:
  US12/903,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,456 Days
• Field of Search: 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing an Access Point (AP) function of a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes an AP function unit for performing the AP function by using the portable terminal in an environment where an AP is not present, and a controller for, if there is a terminal to be connected to the AP, performing connection to the terminal directly without having to perform a process of inputting password information of the AP.

Claims

1. A portable terminal for performing voice call and data communication, the portable terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store information for an access point (AP) function is pre-stored in the portable terminal, the information being used when the AP function is performed;

a first communication unit configured to perform a packet service through a first network;

a second communication unit configured to establish a communication between the portable terminal and a peripheral device through a second network; and

a processor configured to, in response to providing the AP function;

periodically broadcast a beacon message including service set identifier (SSID) information of the portable terminal,

in response to receiving a connection request from the peripheral device through the second network, display a message for indicating that the portable terminal is in a state to connect to the peripheral device for responding to the connection request from the peripheral device,

in response to receiving an input for selecting a connection to the peripheral device from the message, establish the second network between the portable terminal and the peripheral device without requiring receipt of password information from the peripheral device,

allocate an internet protocol (IP) address of the peripheral device, and

receive and transmit data from and to the peripheral device using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal,

wherein the receive and transmit of data from and to the peripheral device using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal comprises;

in response to receiving data from the first network, transmit the received data to the second network using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal, and

in response to receiving data from the second network using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal, transmit the received data to the first network.

2. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the beacon message includes pre-stored information used for the AP function.

3. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein upon not receiving the input for selecting the connection to the peripheral device from the message within a predetermined time period, the processor is further configured to determine that the connection between the peripheral device and the portable terminal will not be established.

4. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises a Wi-Fi terminal.

5. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the second network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

6. The portable terminal of claim 1, wherein the first network comprises a universal mobile telecommunications service (UMTS) network.

7. A method of a portable terminal for performing voice call and data communication, the method comprising:

establishing a first network;

periodically broadcast a beacon message including service set identifier (SSID) information of the portable terminal;

in response to receiving a connection request from a peripheral device, displaying a message for indicating that the portable terminal is in a state to connect to the peripheral device for responding to the connection request from the peripheral device;

in response to receiving an input for selecting a connection to the peripheral device, establishing a second network between the peripheral device and the portable terminal without requiring receipt of password information from the peripheral device;

allocating an internet protocol (IP) address of the peripheral device; and

receiving and transmitting data from and to the peripheral device using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal,

wherein the receiving and transmitting of data from and to the peripheral device using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal comprises;

in response to receiving data from the first network, transmitting the received data to the second network using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal, and

in response to receiving data from the second network using the IP address allocated by the portable terminal, transmitting the received data to the first network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the beacon message includes pre-stored information used for an access point (AP) function.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, upon not receiving the input for selecting the connection to the peripheral device within a predetermined time period, determining that the connection between the peripheral device and the portable terminal will not be established.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the terminal comprises a Wi-Fi terminal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first network comprises a universal mobile telecommunications service (UMTS) network.

13. A portable terminal providing an access point (AP) function, the portable terminal comprising:

a processor configured to;

provide the AP function by periodically broadcasting a beacon message including service set identifier (SSID) information of the portable terminal,

in response to receiving a connection request from a neighboring terminal, display a message for responding to a connection request from the neighboring terminal,

allocate an internet protocol (IP) address for the neighboring terminal intending to access the AP function of the portable terminal, and

in response to receiving an input for selecting to establish the connection between the neighboring terminal and the portable terminal, control to establish an authenticated connection to the neighboring terminal intending to access the AP function of the portable terminal without requiring receipt of password information from the neighboring terminal, and

receive and transmit data from and to the neighboring terminal using the allocated IP address.

14. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the beacon message includes pre-stored information used for the AP function.

15. The portable terminal of claim 14, wherein the connection request from the neighboring terminal is received in response to the beacon message.

16. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein upon not receiving the input for selecting to establish the connection between the neighboring terminal and the portable terminal within a predetermined time period, the processor is further configured to determine that the connection to the neighboring terminal will not be established.

17. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the neighboring terminal comprises a Wi-Fi terminal.

18. The portable terminal of claim 13, wherein the portable terminal provides the neighboring terminal with an Internet service through a universal mobile telecommunications service (UMTS) network.

19. A method of providing an Access Point function in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

performing the access point (AP) function of the portable terminal in an environment where an AP is not present by

periodically broadcasting a beacon message including service set identifier (SSID) information of the portable terminal;

upon a terminal attempting to connect to the AP, displaying a message to authenticate the terminal attempting the connection without requiring receipt of password information from the terminal;

allocating an internet protocol (IP) address for the terminal attempting to connect to the AP;

receiving data from the terminal using the allocated IP address; and

in response to receiving an input for selecting to establish the connection between the terminal attempting to connect to the AP and the portable terminal, providing an Internet service to the terminal using the received data,

wherein the providing of the Internet service to the terminal comprises transmitting data to the terminal using the allocated IP address.