Electronic device and communication connecting method thereof

• US 10,021,510 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Ji-Seon, Chilakanti, Veerabhadrappa, Kwon, Jun-Sik, Lee, Joo-Hyung, Han, Eui-Bum
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming-Hall, Erica
• Application Number:
  US14/916,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• 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 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first local area communication part configured to perform a first local area communication, a second local area communication part configured to perform a second local area communication at a lower power than the first local area communication part, and a control part configured to connect the first local area communication to other electronic devices by using the second local area communication part, wherein the second local area communication part may be configured to try a second local area communication with the other electronic devices after the connected first local area communication is disconnected.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first short-range communication unit configured to perform a first short-range communication;

a second short-range communication unit configured to perform a second short-range communication with a lower power than that of the first short-range communication unit; and

a controller configured to make a link of the first short-range communication with another electronic device by using the second short-range communication unit,

wherein the second short-range communication unit is configured to attempt the second short-range communication with the other electronic device after the link of the first short-range communication is lost, and

wherein the controller is further configured to attempt a re-link with the other electronic device through the first short-range communication unit at least partially based on the second short-range communication between the second short-range communication unit and the other electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the controller is further configured to enter one of a sleep mode or a standby mode after the link of the first short-range communication is lost, and

wherein the second short-range communication unit is further configured to attempt the second short-range communication with the other electronic device while the controller has entered one of the sleep mode or the standby mode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first short-range communication unit is further configured to use a Bluetooth protocol, and

wherein the second short-range communication unit is further configured to use a Bluetooth low energy protocol.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first short-range communication unit is further configured to:

transmit link loss state information to the controller when a link loss occurs in a state where the link for the first short-range communication is established with the other electronic device, and

attempt the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device when receiving a first short-range communication link command from the controller.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when a scan command is received from the controller along with address information of the other electronic device, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

perform a scan operation, and

transmit, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for during the scan operation and the address information of the second electronic device exists in the advertising packet, a message that informs of detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein, when receiving a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device from the controller after transmitting the message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

detect the RSSI value by using an advertising packet including the address information of the other electronic device, and

transmit the detected RSSI value to the controller.

7. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein, when a background link command is received from the controller along with address information of the other electronic device, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to perform a scan operation, and

wherein, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for during the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the advertising packet, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

make the link of the second short-range communication with the other electronic device, and

transmit a message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein, when a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device is received from the controller after transmitting the message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

detect the RSSI value of the other electronic device having the link of the second short-range communication, and

transmit the detected RSSI value to the controller.

9. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein, when a scan command is received from the controller along with address information of the other electronic device and a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to perform a scan operation, and,

wherein, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for during the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the advertising packet, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

detect the RSSI value by using the advertising packet including the address information of the other electronic device, and

transmit the detected RSSI value to the controller.

10. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein, when a background link command is received from the controller along with address information of the other electronic device and a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to perform a scan operation, and

wherein, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for during the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the advertising packet, the second short-range communication unit is further configured to:

make the link of the second short-range communication with the other electronic device,

detect the RSSI value of the other electronic device having the like of the second short-range communication, and

transmit the detected RSSI value to the controller.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when receiving link loss state information that informs of the occurrence of a link loss in a state where the link is established with the other electronic device from the first short-range communication unit, the controller is further configured to:

transmit a scan command to the second short-range communication unit along with address information of the other electronic device, and

transmit, when receiving a message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein, when receiving first short-range communication link failure information from the first short-range communication unit after transmitting a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit, the controller is further configured to:

make a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device to the second short-range communication unit, and

transmit, when the RSSI value received from the second short-range communication unit is larger than or equal to a preset reference RSSI value, the first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when a link loss occurs in a state where the link is established between the electronic device and the other electronic device through the first short-range communication unit, the electronic device is further configured to perform a scan operation of the second short-range communication.

14. A method of making a communication link by an electronic device, the method comprising:

performing first short-range communication with another electronic device by an electronic device;

after a link for the first short-range communication is lost, attempting second short-range communication with the other electronic device by the electronic device, and

attempting a re-link for the first short-range communication with the other electronic device at least partially based on a result of the second short-range communication.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the attempting the second short-range communication with the other electronic device after the link of the first short-range communication is lost comprises attempting the second short-range communication instead of the first short-range communication after the link of the first short-range communication is lost.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first short-range communication is configured to use a Bluetooth protocol, and the second short-range communication is configured to use a Bluetooth low energy protocol.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising, when the link of the second short-range communication with the other electronic device becomes possible through the second short-range communication unit after the first short-range communication is lost, attempting a link with the other electronic device through the first short-range communication unit.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the attempting of the link comprises:

transmitting, when a link loss occurs in a state where the link for the first short-range communication is established with the other electronic device, link loss state information that informs of the occurrence of the link loss in the state where the link for the first short-range communication is established to the controller by the first short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the link loss state information, a scan command to the second short-range communication unit along with address information of the other electronic device by the controller;

performing, when receiving the scan command along with the address information of the other electronic device, a scan operation by the second short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the scanned advertising packet, a message that informs of detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

making, when receiving first short-range communication link failure information through the first short-range communication unit after transmitting a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit, a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device to the second short-range communication unit, unit;

detecting, when receiving the request for the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the controller, the RSSI value of the other electronic device by using an advertising packet including the address information of the other electronic device;

transmitting, when receiving the request for the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the controller, the detected RSSI value to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

comparing, when receiving the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, the received RSSI value with a preset reference RSSI value by the controller;

transmitting, when the received RSSI value is larger than or equal to the reference RSSI value, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the attempting of the link comprises:

transmitting, when a link loss occurs in a state where the link for the first short-range communication is established with the other electronic device, link loss state information that informs of the occurrence of the link loss in the state where the link for the first short-range communication is established to the controller by the first short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the link loss state information, a scan command to the second short-range communication unit along with address information of the other electronic device and a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device by the controller;

performing, when receiving the scan command along with the address information of the other electronic device and the RSSI value of the other electronic device, a scan operation by the second short-range communication unit;

detecting, when the advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the advertising packet, the RSSI value of the other electronic device by using the scanned advertising packet;

transmitting, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the advertising packet, the detected RSSI value to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

comparing when receiving the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, the received RSSI value with a preset reference RSSI value by the controller;

transmitting, when the received RSSI value is larger than or equal to the reference RSSI value, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the attempting of the link comprises:

transmitting, when a link loss occurs in a state where the link for the first short-range communication is established with the other electronic device, link loss state information that informs of the occurrence of the link loss in the state where the link for the first short-range communication is established to the controller by the first short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the link loss state information, a background link command to the second short-range communication unit along with address information of the other electronic device by the controller;

performing, when receiving the scan command along with the address information of the other electronic device, a scan operation by the second short-range communication unit;

making, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the scanned advertising packet, the link of the second short-range communication with the other electronic device;

transmitting, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the scanned advertising packet, a message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the message that informs of the detection of the address information of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

making, when receiving first short-range communication link failure information through the first short-range communication unit after transmitting a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit, a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device to the second short-range communication unit by the controller;

detecting, when receiving the request for the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the controller, the RSSI value of the other electronic device having the link of the second short-range communication;

transmitting, when receiving the request for the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the controller, the RSSI value of the other electronic device having the link of the second short-range communication, the detected RSSI value to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

comparing, when receiving the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, the received RSSI value with a preset reference RSSI value by the controller;

transmitting, when the received RSSI value is larger than or equal to the reference RSSI value, a first short-range communication link command to the first short-range communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the attempting of the link comprises:

transmitting, when a link loss occurs in a state where the link for the first short-range communication is established with the other electronic device, link loss state information that informs of the occurrence of the link loss in the state where the link for the first short-range communication is established to the controller by the first short-range communication unit;

transmitting, when receiving the link loss state information, a background link command to the second short-range communication unit along with address information of the other electronic device and a request for a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value of the other electronic device by the controller;

performing, when receiving the scan command along with the address information of the other electronic device and the request for the RSSI value of the other electronic device, a scan operation by the second short-range communication unit;

making, when an advertising packet broadcasted by the other electronic device is scanned for through the scan operation and the address information of the other electronic device exists in the scanned advertising packet, the link of the second short-range communication with the other electronic device by the second short-range communication unit;

detecting the RSSI value of the other electronic device having the link of the second short-range communication;

transmitting the detected RSSI value to the controller by the second short-range communication unit;

comparing, when receiving the RSSI value of the other electronic device from the second short-range communication unit, the received RSSI value with a preset reference RSSI value by the controller;

transmitting, when the received RSSI value is larger than or equal to the reference RSSI value, a first short-range communication link command to the first short range-communication unit by the controller; and

attempting, when receiving the first short-range communication link command, the link of the first short-range communication with the other electronic device by the first short-range communication unit.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising broadcasting, when a link loss occurs in a state where the other electronic device has a link of the first short-range communication with the electronic device through a first short-range communication unit of the other electronic device, an advertising packet including address information of the other electronic device through a second short-range communication unit of the other electronic device.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein, when a link loss occurs in a state where a link is established between the electronic device and the other electronic device through the first short-range communication unit, the electronic device performs a scan operation of second short-range communication.

26. A non-transitory processor-readable recording medium having a program recorded therein, the program executed by at least one processor to perform the method of claim 14.

27. An electronic device comprising:

a first communication unit configured to perform communication by using a first communication protocol;

a second communication unit configured to perform communication by using a second communication protocol with a lower power than that of the first communication unit; and

a controller configured to make a first communication link by using the first communication unit,

wherein the second communication unit is configured to attempt a second communication link after the first communication link stops, and

wherein the controller is further configured to attempt a re-link with the other electronic device through the first short-range communication unit at least partially based on the second short-range communication between the second short-range communication unit and the other electronic device.