Wireless network connection establishment method and terminal device

• US 9,769,732 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Feilong, Fan, Cunzhi
• Primary Examiner(s): EBRAHIM, ANEZ C
• Application Number:
  US14/493,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• 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 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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 wireless network connection establishment method and a terminal device are provided. In the embodiments of the present invention, a first terminal device obtains wireless network information that is used to join a wireless network on which the first terminal device is located, and sends the wireless network information to a second terminal device in a near field communication (NFC) manner, so that the first terminal device can receive a first request message that is sent by the second terminal device according to the wireless network information, and establish a wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message. With NFC characteristics, such as convenient communication, a short communication distance, and high reliability, a problem in the prior art that a configuration operation is complex and error-prone is avoided, thereby improving configuration efficiency and reliability.

Claims

1. A wireless network connection establishment method, comprising:

obtaining, by a first terminal device, wireless network information, wherein the wireless network information is used to join a wireless network on which the first terminal device is located, and wherein an access point of the wireless network on which the first terminal device is located is the first terminal device;

sending, by the first terminal device, the wireless network information to a second terminal device in a near field communication (NFC) manner, wherein the NFC manner is established at least in part by an activation indication that is sent between the first terminal device and the second terminal device when a distance between the first terminal device and the second terminal device falls within an NFC range;

receiving, by the first terminal device, a first request message that is sent by the second terminal device according to the wireless network information; and

establishing a wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message,

wherein before sending, by the first terminal device, the wireless network information to the second terminal device in the NFC manner, the method further comprises one of the following methods;

enabling, by the first terminal device, an application function option of NFC, and when the distance between the first terminal device and the second terminal device falls within the NFC range, sending, by the first terminal device, a first activation indication to the second terminal device such that the second terminal device enables an application function option of NFC according to the first activation indication;

or

when the distance between the first terminal device and the second terminal device falls within the NFC range, receiving, by the first terminal device, a second activation indication sent by the second terminal device, wherein the second terminal device is a terminal device for which an application function option of NFC is enabled, and enabling, by the first terminal device, an application function option of NFC according to the second activation indication.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein before receiving, by the first terminal device, the first request message that is sent by the second terminal device according to the wireless network information, the method further comprises:

receiving, by the first terminal device, identifier information of the second terminal device that is sent by the second terminal device in the NFC manner; and

adding the identifier information of the second terminal device to a whitelist,

wherein the first request message further comprises the identifier information of the second terminal device, and

wherein establishing the wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message specifically comprises performing matching, by the first terminal device, in the whitelist according to the identifier information of the second terminal device, and when the matching succeeds, establishing the wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after sending, by the first terminal device, the wireless network information to the second terminal device in the NFC manner, the method further comprises:

receiving, by the first terminal device, a second request message that is sent by a third terminal device according to wireless network information; and

establishing a wireless network connection to the third terminal device according to the second request message, wherein the wireless network information is obtained by the third terminal device from the second terminal device in the NFC manner.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the first terminal device, a network capability collection instruction to one or more other terminal devices on the wireless network on which the first terminal device is located;

receiving, by the first terminal device, respective wireless network capability information that s sent by the one or more other terminal devices according to the network capability collection instruction;

determining, by the first terminal device according to the received wireless network capability information, that one terminal device serves as a new first terminal device, wherein the new first terminal device serves as a new access point; and

sending, by the first terminal device, indication information to the one or more other terminal devices, wherein the indication information is used to instruct the one or more other terminal devices to establish a wireless network connection to the new first terminal device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining, by the first terminal device, the wireless network information specifically comprises one of the following methods:

obtaining, by the first terminal device, wireless network information that is generated by the first terminal device in real time; and

obtaining, by the first terminal device, wireless network information that is stored on the first terminal device, wherein the wireless network information is stored after being generated by the first terminal device.

6. A wireless network connection establishment method, comprising:

receiving, by a second terminal device, wireless network information that is sent by a first terminal device in a near field communication (NFC) manner, wherein the NFC manner is established at least in part by an activation indication that is sent between the first terminal device and the second terminal device when a distance between the first terminal device and the second terminal device fails within an NFC range, wherein the wireless network information is used to join a wireless network on which the first terminal device is located, and wherein an access point of the wireless network on which the first terminal device is located is the first terminal device; and

sending, by the second terminal device, a first request message to the first terminal device according to the wireless network information such that the first terminal device establishes a wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the wireless network information,

wherein before receiving, by the second terminal device, the wireless network information that is sent by the first terminal device in the NFC manner, the method further comprises one of the following methods;

when the distance between the second terminal device and the first terminal device falls within the NFC range, receiving, by the second terminal device, a first activation indication sent by the first terminal device, wherein the first terminal device is a terminal device for which an application function option of NFC is enabled, and enabling, by the activation indication;

or

enabling, by the second terminal device, an application function option of NFC, and when the distance between the second terminal device and the first terminal device falls within the NFC range, sending, by the second terminal device, a second activation indication to the first terminal device such that the first terminal device enables an application function option of the NFC according to the second activation indication.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein before sending, by the second terminal device, the first request message to the first terminal device according to the wireless network information, the method further comprises:

sending, by the second terminal device, identifier information of the second terminal device to the first terminal device in the NFC manner such that the first terminal device adds the identifier information of the second terminal device to a whitelist, wherein the first request message further comprises the identifier information of the second terminal device; and

performing matching, by the first terminal device, in the whitelist according to the identifier information of the second terminal device, and when the matching succeeds, establishing the wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein after receiving, by the second terminal device, the wireless network information that is sent by the first terminal device in the NFC manner, the method further comprises sending, by the second terminal device, the wireless network information to a third terminal device in the NFC manner such that the first terminal device receives a second request message that is sent by the third terminal device according to the wireless network information, and establishes a wireless network connection to the third terminal device according to the second request message.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the second terminal device, a network capability collection instruction sent by the first terminal device;

sending, by the second terminal device, wireless network capability information to the first terminal device according to the network capability collection instruction;

receiving, by the second terminal device, an indication information sent by the first terminal device;

establishing, by the second terminal device, a wireless network connection to one or more other terminal devices on the wireless network according to the indication information when the second terminal is a new access point; and

establishing, by the second terminal device according to the indication information, a wireless network connection to the terminal device that is determined as the new access point when the one or more other terminal devices except the second terminal device is the new access point.

10. A terminal device, comprising:

a first processor;

a first near field communication (NFC) communicator; and

a first radio frequency device,

wherein the first processor is configured to;

obtain wireless network information, wherein the wireless network information is used to join a wireless network on which the terminal device is located, and wherein an access point of the wireless network on which the terminal device is located is the terminal device; and

establish a wireless network connection between the first radio frequency device and a second terminal device according to a first request message sent by the second terminal device,

wherein the first NFC communicator is configured to send the wireless network information to the second terminal device in an NFC manner,

wherein the NFC manner is established at least in part by an activation indication that is sent, between the terminal device and the second terminal device when a distance between the terminal device and the second terminal device falls within an NFC range,

wherein the first radio frequency device is configured to receive the first request message that is sent by the second terminal device according to the wireless network information, and

wherein before the first NFC communicator sends the wireless network information to the second terminal device in the NFC manner, the first processor is further configured to;

enable, by the terminal device, an application function option of NFC, and when the distance between the terminal device and the second terminal device falls within the NFC range, send, by the terminal device, a first activation indication to the second terminal device such that the second terminal device enables an application function option of NFC according to the first activation indication;

or

when the distance between the terminal device and the second terminal device falls within the NFC range, receive, by the terminal device, a second activation indication sent by the second terminal device, wherein the second terminal device is a terminal device for

an application function option of NFC according to the second activation indication.

11. The terminal device according to claim 10, wherein the first NFC communicator is further configured to receive identifier information of the second terminal device that is sent by the second terminal device in the NFC manner, wherein the first processor is further configured to add the identifier information of the second terminal device to a whitelist, wherein the first request message further comprises the identifier information of the second terminal device, and wherein the first processor is specifically configured to perforin matching in the whitelist according to the identifier information of the second terminal device, and when the matching succeeds, establish a wireless network connection to the second terminal device according to the first request message.

12. The terminal device according to claim 10, wherein the first radio frequency device is further configured to receive a second request message that is sent by a third terminal device according to wireless network information, wherein the wireless network information is obtained by the third terminal device from the second terminal device in the NFC manner, and wherein the first processor is further configured to establish a wireless network connection to the third terminal device according to the second request message.

13. The terminal device according to claim 10, wherein the first radio frequency device is further configured to send a network capability collection instruction to one or more other terminal devices on the wireless network on which the first radio frequency device is located, receive respective wireless network capability information that is sent by the one or more other terminal devices according to the network capability collection instruction, and send indication information generated by the processor to the one or more other terminal devices, and wherein the first processor is further configured to determine, according to the wireless network capability information, that one terminal device serves as a new terminal device and the new terminal device serves as a new access point, and generate the indication information, wherein the indication information is used to instruct the one or more other terminal devices to establish a wireless network connection to the new terminal device.

14. The terminal device according to claim 10, wherein the first processor is specifically configured to:

obtain wireless network information that is generated by the terminal device in real time;

or

obtain wireless network information that is stored on the terminal device, wherein the wireless network information is stored after being generated by the terminal device.

15. A terminal device, comprising:

a second processor;

a second near field communication (NFC) communicator; and

a second radio frequency device,

wherein the second NFC communicator is configured to receive wireless network information that is sent by a first terminal device in an NFC manner,

wherein the NFC manner is established at least in part by an activation indication that is sent between the terminal device and the first terminal device when a distance between the terminal device and the first terminal device falls within an NFC range,

wherein the wireless network information is used to join a wireless network on which the first terminal device is located,

wherein an access point of the wireless network on which the first terminal device is boated is the first terminal device,

wherein the second processor is configured to generate a first request message according to the wireless network information,

wherein the second radio frequency device is configured to send the first request message to the first terminal device such that the first terminal device establishes a wireless network connection between the second radio frequency device and the first terminal device according to the wireless network information

and wherein before the second NFC communicator receives the wireless network information that is sent by the first terminal device in the NFC manner, the second processor is further when the distance between the terminal device and the first terminal device falls within the NFC range, receive, by the terminal device, a first activation indication sent by the first terminal device, wherein the first terminal device is a terminal device for which an application function option of NFC is enabled, or enable, by the terminal device, an enable, by the terminal device, an application function option of NFC, and when the distance between the terminal device and the first terminal device falls within the NFC range, send, by the terminal device, a second activation indication to the first terminal device such that the first terminal device enables an application function option of the NFC according to the second activation indication.

16. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the second NFC communicator is further configured to send identifier information of the terminal device to the first terminal device in the NFC manner such that the first terminal device adds the identifier information of the terminal device to a whitelist, wherein the first request message further comprises the identifier information of the terminal device, and wherein the first terminal device is further configured to perform matching in the whitelist according to the identifier information of the terminal device, and when the matching succeeds, establishing a wireless network connection to the terminal device according to the first request message.

17. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the second NFC communicator is further configured to send the wireless network information to a third terminal device in the NFC manner such that the first terminal device receives a second request message that is sent by the third terminal device according to the wireless network information, and establishes a wireless network connection to the third terminal device according to the second request message.

18. The terminal device according to claim 15, wherein the second radio frequency device is further configured to receive a network capability collection instruction sent by the first terminal device, send wireless network capability information obtained by the second processor to the first terminal device, and receive indication information sent by the first terminal device, wherein the indication information is sent after the first terminal device determines, according to the received wireless network capability information, that one terminal device serves as a new first terminal device, and the new first terminal device serves as a new access point, and wherein the second processor is further configured to obtain wireless network capability information of the terminal device according to the network capability collection instruction, establish a wireless network connection to one or more other terminal devices on the wireless network according to the indication information when the terminal device is the new access point, and establish, according to the indication information, a wireless network connection to the terminal device that is determined as the new access point when the one or more other terminal devices except the terminal device is the new access point.