Method and apparatus for sharing wireless data service

• US 9,775,192 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Cheol-hoi, Lee, Hun, Choi, Ji-hoon, Bae, Joo-yoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCALLUM, LATRESA A
• Application Number:
  US13/221,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20120057579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,219 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• 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 sharing a wireless data service, including receiving, by a first terminal, a wireless data service share request from a second terminal, checking, by the first terminal, available wireless data service remaining amount information, and transmitting, by the first terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request to the second terminal based on the checked wireless data service remaining amount information. Another such sharing method includes requesting, by a second terminal, wireless data service remaining amount information available by a first terminal from the first terminal, transmitting, by the second terminal, a wireless data service share request to the first terminal based on the wireless data service remaining amount information received from the first terminal, and receiving, by the second terminal, a response to the wireless data service share request from the first terminal.

Claims

1. A method of sharing a wireless data service, the method comprising:

requesting, by a second terminal, available wireless data service remaining amount information from at least one terminal through which a cellular network is accessible, the available wireless data service remaining amount information indicating an amount of remaining data without an additional charge;

determining, by the second terminal, a first terminal to request for sharing the wireless data service based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information;

transmitting, by the second terminal, a wireless data service share request to the first terminal based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information received from the first terminal;

receiving, by the second terminal, data that the first terminal receives through the cellular network; and

when the first terminal completely consumes the available wireless data service remaining amount, transmitting, by the second terminal, the wireless data service share request to a terminal among the at least one terminal excluding the first terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

determining, by the second terminal, a terminal having a greatest available wireless data service remaining amount as the first terminal, among the at least one terminal that transmits the available wireless data service remaining amount information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are connected through a wireless Local Area Network (LAN).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received by the first terminal from the server existing in the cellular network, or is a time available by the first terminal accessible the cellular network.

5. An second terminal for requesting a wireless data service, the second terminal comprising:

a communicator; and

a controller configured to request available wireless data service remaining amount information from at least one terminal through which a cellular network is accessible,

wherein the available wireless data service remaining amount information indicates an amount of remaining data without an additional charge,

wherein the controller determines a first terminal to request sharing of wireless data service based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information,

wherein the communicator is configured to transmit a wireless data service share request to the first terminal based on the available wireless data service remaining amount information received from the first terminal, and the second terminal receives data that the first terminal receives through the cellular network, and

wherein, when the first terminal completely consumes the available wireless data service remaining amount, the communicator transmits the wireless data service share request to a terminal among the at least one terminal excluding the first terminal.

6. The second terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller requests a terminal having a greatest available wireless data service remaining amount among the at least one terminal that transmits the available wireless data service remaining amount information to share the wireless data service.

7. The second terminal of claim 5, wherein the communicator comprises a wireless LAN network adapter, and wherein the wireless LAN network adapter connect the determined first terminal to a wireless LAN.

8. The second terminal of claim 5, wherein the wireless data service remaining amount is a physical data amount received from the server existing in the accessible cellular network is a time accessible the cellular network.