JP2016538792A - Short-range wireless communication control method and apparatus supporting the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device for performing near field communication is provided. When the electronic device is paired and connected to the first communication device via the near field communication module and the near field communication module that transmits and receives a near field communication signal with at least one other communication device, the at least one other device And a control module for controlling on / off of a scanning operation for waiting for reception of a signal of the second communication device.

Description

  The present invention relates to a short-range wireless communication control method and an apparatus that supports the method.

  In recent years, electronic devices support various functions based on the development of hardware and communication technology. In particular, electronic devices are equipped with a communication function to support bidirectional communication connections between electronic devices. For example, electronic devices support various short-range wireless communication technologies in order to implement bidirectional communication with low power consumption and low cost. Among the short-range wireless communication technologies, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication method can be manufactured at a lower cost than other short-range wireless communication, consumes less power, and its range of use is increasing.

  The above information is provided as background information only to assist in understanding the present invention. No determination has been made as to whether any of the above is applicable as prior art to the present disclosure, and no claim is made to do so.

  On the other hand, in order to perform near field communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, an electronic device has to perform a setup process for communication connection. In particular, an electronic device that informs its presence by a peripheral device is operated in a scan mode that periodically wakes up and waits for reception of a communication signal. In this case, since the electronic device is periodically operated in the scan mode in a state where the communication connection schedule is not clear, a situation in which the power of the electronic device is unnecessarily wasted is brought about.

  In particular, the amount of power is limited in the case of an accessory electronic device or a wearable electronic device equipped with a Bluetooth (registered trademark) function. Therefore, there is a need for a method for minimizing the current consumed in communication connection in the accessory electronic device or the wearable electronic device.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. When the electronic device is paired and connected to the first peripheral device via the short-range communication module, and the short-range communication module that transmits / receives a short-range communication signal to / from at least one other communication device, at least one A control module for controlling on / off of a scan operation for waiting for reception of a signal of the second peripheral device, or a cycle of the scan operation.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, a short-range communication connection control method is provided by an electronic device. The method interrupts a scan operation for pairing with the first peripheral device, and a standby operation for receiving a signal from at least one second peripheral device when pairing with the first peripheral device, or a scan operation. For controlling the period of the.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a short-range communication module that transmits and receives a short-range communication signal with at least one other peripheral device, and a peripheral device when paired with the first peripheral device via the short-range communication module. And a control module for controlling on / off of a broadcast operation for broadcasting a signal for inquiring, and for controlling a cycle of the broadcast operation.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, a short-range communication connection control method is provided by an electronic device. The method interrupts an operation of pairing with the first peripheral device and a broadcast operation of broadcasting an inquiry signal for inquiring at least one second peripheral device when paired with the first peripheral device. Controlling the broadcast period.

  According to various embodiments, when an electronic device is paired with another electronic device, a scanning operation for waiting for signal reception by another electronic device in the vicinity or a broadcasting operation for broadcasting a signal is interrupted. Can be controlled. When an electronic device is paired with another electronic device, it controls the period of the scan or broadcast operation, thereby minimizing the current consumed unnecessarily by an inquiry scan or page scan. can do.

  Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description disclosing various embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network environment including electronic devices according to various embodiments. 6 is a block diagram of a communication setting control module according to various embodiments. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a signal flow between devices for communication control according to various embodiments. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a communication control system configuration according to various embodiments. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments. 6 is a diagram illustrating a communication protocol between a plurality of electronic devices according to various embodiments.

  It should be noted that throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

  The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the present invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It contains a variety of specific details to aid its understanding, but these should be considered merely exemplary. Thus, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications to the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Also, descriptions of known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

  The terms and words used in the following description and in the claims are not limited to bibliographic meaning, but are only used by the inventor for a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the present invention is provided for purposes of illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Will.

  Also, a single expression may include a plurality of expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference (reference) to “component outer surface (surface)” includes a reference (reference) to one or more of the component surfaces.

  Expressions such as “include” or “can include” that can be used in various embodiments of the present invention refer to the presence of the disclosed function, operation, component, etc. There is no restriction on one or more functions, operations or components. In various embodiments of the present invention, terms such as “include” or “have” include features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification. Not to pre-exist the existence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, steps, actions, components, parts or combinations thereof, etc. Must be understood.

  In various embodiments of the invention, expressions such as “or” or “at least one of A or / and B” include any and all combinations of words listed together. For example, each of “A 1 or B” or “at least one of A or / and B” can include A, can include B, or can include both A and B.

  Expressions such as “first”, “second”, “first” or “second” used in various embodiments of the invention may modify various components of various embodiments. However, the constituent elements are not limited. For example, the expression does not limit the order and / or importance of the components. The expression can be used to distinguish one component from another component. For example, the first user device and the second user device are both user devices and indicate different user devices. For example, the first component can be named as the second component without departing from the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention, and the second component can be named as the first component as well. Can do.

  When one component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, the one component is directly connected to or connected to the other component. It should be understood that other new components may exist between the one component and the other component. On the other hand, when one component is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component, a new other configuration is established between the one component and the other component. It should be understood that the element does not exist.

  The terms used in the various embodiments of the present invention are merely used to describe particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the various embodiments of the present invention. The singular form includes the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

  The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may be a device including a communication function (for example, a short-range communication function). For example, the electronic device may be a smartphone, a tablet PC, a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop PC, a laptop computer, or a laptop computer book. Computers (netbook computers), PDAs (personal digital assistants), PMPs (portable multimedia players), MP3 players, mobile medical devices, cameras (cameras) or wearable devices (e.g., unleaded electronic glasses) device (HMD), electronic clothing, electronic bracelet, electronic necklaces, electronic Apusesari (appcessory), may include at least one of the electronic carvings, or smart watch (SmartWatch).

According to certain embodiments, the electronic device can be a smart home appliance with a communication function (eg, near field communication function). Smart home appliances include, for example, TVs, DVD (digital video disk) players, audio, refrigerators, air conditioners, cleaning machines, ovens, microwave ovens, washing machines, air cleaners, set-top boxes, TV boxes (eg, Samsung) HomeSync ^™ , Apple TV ^™ , or Google TV ^™ ), a game console, an electronic dictionary, an electronic key, a camcorder, or an electronic frame.

  According to an embodiment, the electronic device may include various medical devices (e.g., MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CT (Computed Tomography), an imaging device, an ultrasound device, etc.), a navigation device, a GPS receiver. (global positioning system receiver), EDR (event data recorder), FDR (flight data recorder), automotive infotainment equipment, marine electronic equipment (for example, marine navigation equipment and gyro compasses) Vehicle head unit, industrial or household lopot, finance It may include at least one of an institutional ATM (automatic teller machine) or a store POS (point of sales). According to an embodiment, the electronic device is a piece of furniture or a building / structure that includes a communication function, an electronic board, an electronic signature input device, a projector, or various measuring devices. At least one of (for example, water, electricity, gas, or radio wave measuring equipment). The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may be a combination of one or more of the various devices described above. In addition, the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may be a flexible device. In addition, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the above-described devices.

  Hereinafter, an electronic device according to various embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The term user as used in various embodiments can refer to a person using an electronic device or a device using an electronic device (eg, an artificial intelligence electronic device).

  According to various embodiments, an electronic device supporting short-range communication may support a master-single slave connection, a master-multi slave connection, and a scatternet connection. it can. The electronic device may be a wearable device or an accessory electronic device, but is not limited thereto, to give an example of a device that is limitedly operated by a master single slave connection.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device 201 may include a bus 110, a processor 120, a memory 130, an input / output interface 140, a display 150, a communication interface 160, and a communication setting control module 170.

  The bus 110 may be a circuit that connects the above-described components to each other and transmits communication (for example, a control message) between the above-described components.

  The processor 120 receives commands from other components (eg, the memory 130, the input / output interface 140, the display 150, the communication interface 160, or the communication setting control module 170) via the bus 110. Can be received. Then, the processor 120 can decode the received command and perform operations and data processing based on the decoded command.

  The memory 130 may be received from the processor 120 or other components (e.g., the input / output interface 140, the display 150, the communication interface 160, or the communication setting control module 170) or the processor 120 or other components. Commands or data generated by the component can be stored. The memory 130 may include a programming module such as a kernel 131, middleware 132, an application programming interface (API) 133, or an application 134. Each of the aforementioned programming modules can be composed of software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of at least two or more thereof.

  The kernel 131 is a system resource (for example, the bus 110, the processor 120, or the memory used for performing an operation or a function embodied in another programming module, for example, the middleware 132, the API 133, or the application 134). 130 etc.) can be controlled or managed. Further, the kernel 131 can provide an interface that can be controlled or managed by the middleware 132, the API 133, or the application 134 by approaching individual components of the electronic device 101.

  The middleware 132 may act as an intermediary so that the API 133 or the application 134 communicates with the kernel 131 to transmit and receive data. In addition, the middleware 132 is connected to a work request received from the application 134, for example, to at least one application among the applications 134, system resources of the electronic device 101 (for example, the bus 110, the processor 120 or the memory 130 can be used to control work requests (eg, scheduling or load balancing) using methods such as assigning priorities.

  The API 133 is an interface for controlling the functions provided by the application 134 in the kernel 131 or the middleware 132. For example, at least one interface or function for file control, window control, image processing, character control, etc. (For example, a command).

  Examples of the application 134 include a home application, a dial application, an SMS / MMS application, an instant message (IM) application, a browser application, a camera application, an alarm application, a contact application, a voice telephone application, an e-mail application, a calendar application, and a media player. Applications, album applications, clock applications and other similar applications can be included.

  The user input module 140 may receive commands or data from a user via, for example, an input / output device (eg, a sensor, a keyboard, or a touch screen). In addition, the user input module 140 may transmit the received command or data to the processor 120 or the memory 130 via the bus 110. The display 150 can display video, images, data and / or the like to the user.

  The display 150 may display various information (for example, multimedia data or text data) received from the above-described components.

  The communication setting control module 170 controls a short-range communication connection with another electronic device. When paired with another electronic device, the communication setting control module 170 performs a scan operation or a signal for waiting for signal reception of other peripheral electronic devices. It can be controlled to interrupt a broadcasting operation for broadcasting. When the communication setting control module 170 is paired with another electronic device, the communication setting control module 170 may control the period of the scan or broadcast operation. Additional information for the communication setting control module 170 is provided through FIG. 2 described later.

  According to various embodiments of the present invention, the electronic device 100 can communicate with other electronic devices using, for example, the communication module 160. For example, the communication module 160 can communicate with other electronic devices 104, servers 164, and / or the like. The communication module 160 can communicate with other electronic devices 104 and the server 165 directly or via the network 162. For example, the communication module can operate to connect the electronic device 100 to the network 162.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication setting control module 170 of an electronic device (eg, electronic device 101), according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the communication setting control module 170 may include a communication operation module 210 and a setting change module 220. The communication setting control module 170 may be included in the processor (120 in FIG. 1). According to various embodiments of the present invention, the processor (120 in FIG. 1) can perform the operation of the communication setting control module 170 described below.

  The communication operation module 210 can control the operation of the short-range communication module. The communication operation module 210 can activate the short-range communication module when a low-power mode-based Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication function activation request input is generated. The communication operation module 210 maintains a short-distance communication module (for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module) in a turn-on state at regular intervals for the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, that is, performs a scanning operation. be able to. During the scanning operation, the electronic device can be in a signal standby state. The communication operation module 210 maintains the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module in an activated state for a predetermined time every fixed period, and when the predetermined time is finished, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication is performed. The module can be kept in a standby state.

  When an inquiry signal is received during the scanning operation, the communication operation module 210 can provide an inquiry response signal to another electronic device that has transmitted the inquiry signal in response thereto. When a page signal is received during the scan operation, the communication operation module 210 can provide PIN code information for connection authentication to another electronic device that has transmitted the page signal in response thereto. When the connection authentication is completed, the communication operation module 210 can support data transmission / reception with another electronic device paired via a communication channel formed based on Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication.

  In various embodiments, the communication operation module 210 may support a peripheral inquiry function when the electronic device 101 is set as a master device. The communication operation module 210 can broadcast an inquiry signal for requesting identification information from another electronic device capable of Bluetooth (registered trademark) connection. The communication operation module 210 can construct an inquiry list based on information of at least one slave device included in an inquiry response signal transmitted by another electronic device. When the inquiry response signal is received from at least one other electronic device, the communication operation module 210 can transmit a page signal to the other electronic device that has transmitted the inquiry response signal. When the page response signal is received, the communication operation module 210 determines whether the PIN code information included in the page response signal is valid. If the PIN code information is valid, the communication operation module 210 transmits the page response signal. It can be paired with other electronic devices.

  When the electronic device is paired with another electronic device, the setting change module 220 can control the on / off of the scanning operation and the scanning cycle. For example, when the electronic device is paired with another electronic device, the setting change module 220 can control the scan function to be interrupted, and set the scan cycle to be longer than a preset cycle. For example, when the electronic device is paired with another electronic device, the setting change module 220 can be controlled not to respond to an inquiry signal of a peripheral electronic device.

  According to various embodiments, the setting change module 220 may determine whether a paired device is a preset dedicated device when the electronic device is connected to another electronic device. When the other paired electronic device is a dedicated device (Private Device), the setting change module 220 can control the on / off of the scan operation and the scan cycle. The setting change module 220 can confirm whether or not to connect the dedicated device by comparing the identification information of the dedicated device set in advance with the identification information of the communication device that is paired. The dedicated device can be set by user selection or set at the time of manufacture. For example, the designer of the electronic device can design the information including identification information of the dedicated device at the time of manufacture.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a signal flow between devices for communication control according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 302, the first peripheral device 304 can broadcast an inquiry signal to find a connectable peripheral device. The electronic device 301 performs a scan operation at a certain period. By doing so, it is possible to confirm whether there is a signal to be transmitted by the peripheral device for a certain time.

  In operation 303, the electronic apparatus 301 can perform a scanning operation that waits for reception of a signal. In this case, the electronic device 301 can receive a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication base inquiry signal.

  In operation 305, when the electronic device 301 receives an inquiry signal transmitted from the first peripheral device 304 during the scan operation, the electronic device 301 can transmit an inquiry response signal to the first peripheral device 304. Here, the inquiry response signal may include an address of the electronic device 301 and clock information. For example, when the inquiry signal is received, the electronic device 301 may transmit the unique information of the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module, for example, the MAC address information and the predefined unique identification information to the first peripheral device. it can. The unique identification information includes the Bluetooth (registered trademark) address information of the electronic device 301, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) MAC address information, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) name (NAME) information of the electronic device 301, and the unique hardware assigned to the electronic device 301. And at least one piece of wear information.

  On the other hand, when the first peripheral device 304 receives the inquiry response signal from the electronic device 301, the first peripheral device 304 can construct and output an inquiry list based on the inquiry response signal.

  In operation 311, the first peripheral device 304 may transmit a connection request signal, for example, a page signal, to the electronic device 301 when the inquiry response signal is transmitted. When a time corresponding to a predetermined period arrives, the electronic device can support a response waiting state for a communication signal by maintaining the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module in an activated state at a certain period. .

  In operation 313, the electronic apparatus 301 can perform a scan operation for receiving a page signal and receive a page signal transmitted from the first peripheral device during the scan operation.

  In operation 315, when a page signal based on Bluetooth (registered trademark) is received from the first peripheral device 304 during the scan operation, the electronic device 301 transmits a page response signal to the first peripheral device 100. be able to. Here, the page response signal may include PIN code information.

  In operation 321, if the PIN code included in the page response signal is the same as the stored PIN code information, the first peripheral device 100 can transmit a response signal indicating that the connection authentication is complete to the electronic device 301. . For example, the first peripheral device 304 can confirm whether the PIN code information transmitted from the electronic device 301 is valid information compared to the PIN code information set in the first peripheral device 304. If the information is not valid, the first peripheral device 304 can guide the information mismatch or interrupt the subsequent process.

  When the time corresponding to a predetermined fixed period arrives, the electronic device 301 can maintain a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module in an activated state at fixed intervals to support a response waiting state for a communication signal. it can.

  In 323 operation, the electronic device 301 can receive the response signal while the scanning operation is performed.

  When the connection authentication is completed in 325 operation, the first peripheral device 304 and the electronic device 301 can be paired.

  In operation 331, the electronic device 301 may receive an inquiry signal from another peripheral second peripheral device 305 in a state of being paired with the first peripheral device 304. When the electronic device 301 is paired with the first peripheral device 304, the electronic device 301 may not receive a response signal in response to the inquiry signal from the second peripheral device 304.

  When the first peripheral device 100 is paired, the electronic device 301 can interrupt the scan operation performed at regular intervals or control the cycle of the scan operation.

  In various embodiments, the electronic device can operate in a form belonging to a specific electronic device, and the peripheral device paired with the electronic device is from a device in which the electronic device is restricted and operated by a master single-slave connection. Can be configured. For example, an electronic device can operate similarly to a wearable device or accessory electronic device.

  In various embodiments, when the pairing connection between the slave device 200 and the first master device, which is a dedicated device, is released, the slave device 200 is controlled to further turn on a scan operation for an inquiry scan. can do.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 410, the electronic device can determine whether a scan time has been reached. Here, the scan (san) means a signal standby state in which reception of a signal is waited.

  If the scan time has not been reached in 410 operation, the electronic device can continue to investigate whether the scan time has been reached.

  If the scan time is reached in 410 operations, the electronic device can perform 420 operations. In operation 420, the electronic device may perform a scan operation and wait for a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication-based inquiry signal or a page signal for a connection request. For example, the electronic device activates a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module for a predetermined time every predetermined period to perform a scanning operation, and when the predefined time ends, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module Can be maintained in a standby state.

  At 430 operation, the electronic device can determine whether an interrogation signal or page signal is received from the peripheral device.

  If the interrogation signal or page signal is not received in 430 operation, the electronic device may perform 410 operation. For example, the electronic device may return to 410 operation if no interrogation signal or page signal is received from the peripheral device.

  If an inquiry signal or page signal is received in 430 operation, the electronic device may perform 440 operation. In operation 440, the electronic device can transmit a response signal to the peripheral device that has transmitted the inquiry signal or the page signal.

  In 450 operations, the electronic device can determine efficient information according to the pairing response signal from the peripheral device and can pair with the peripheral device. For example, in 450 operations, the electronic device can be paired with the peripheral device by confirming valid information by the pairing response signal with the peripheral device.

  The electronic device can interrupt the scanning operation in 460 operation. For example, when the electronic device is paired with any one of the peripheral devices, the scanning operation can be interrupted and the scanning cycle can be controlled. For example, when the electronic device is paired with any one peripheral device, the scan function can be turned off to interrupt the scan operation. The electronic apparatus can set the scan cycle so that the scan operation is performed at a cycle relatively longer than a preset scan cycle.

  In various embodiments, when an electronic device is paired with any one peripheral device, the electronic device can be controlled not to transmit a response signal in response to an inquiry signal of another peripheral device.

  According to various embodiments, when the pairing connection with any one of the peripheral devices is released, the electronic device can be controlled to be further turned on and driven at regular intervals.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic device can be paired with the first peripheral device in 510 operation.

  At 520 operation, the electronic device can determine whether an inquiry signal is received. For example, the electronic device can determine whether an inquiry signal is received from the second peripheral device by performing a scan operation at regular intervals while being paired with the first peripheral device.

  If the interrogation signal is not received from the second peripheral device in 520 operation, the electronic device can return to 510 operation and maintain the pairing connection with the first peripheral device.

  If an inquiry signal is received from the second peripheral device in 520 operation, the 530 operation can be performed. In operation 530, when the electronic device receives an inquiry signal from another peripheral second peripheral device in a state of being paired with the first peripheral device, the paired first peripheral device is a dedicated device that is set in advance. It can be determined by what is.

  If the first peripheral device paired in 530 operation is a dedicated device, the electronic device can perform 540 operations. When the first peripheral device paired in the 540 operation is a preset dedicated device, the electronic device can be controlled not to send an inquiry response signal. For example, if the paired first peripheral device is a dedicated device, the electronic device can be controlled not to send an inquiry response signal in response to the inquiry signal.

  According to various embodiments, when the electronic device is a dedicated device with the paired first peripheral device set, the electronic device interrupts a scanning operation that is performed at regular intervals or controls a cycle of the scanning operation. be able to.

  In 530 operation, if there is no dedicated device preset for the first peripheral device, the electronic device can perform 550 operation. At 550 operation, the electronic device can send an inquiry response signal to the second peripheral device. For example, when there is no dedicated device in which the first peripheral device is installed in advance, the electronic device can transmit an inquiry response signal to the second peripheral device in response to the inquiry signal. The electronic device can then perform 560 operations.

  In operation 560, the electronic device receives a page signal from the second peripheral device that transmitted the inquiry response signal, transmits a page response signal in response to the page signal, and is paired with the second peripheral device by performing an authentication process. be able to.

  When the paired first peripheral device is a preset dedicated device, the electronic device does not transmit an inquiry response signal in response to the inquiry signal transmitted by the first peripheral device, and interrupts the subsequent scanning operation. By controlling the current consumption, current consumption that is unnecessarily wasted for waiting for a connection request can be reduced.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a communication control method according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 6, in operation 610, the electronic device may broadcast an inquiry signal to find a connectable peripheral device.

  In 620 operation, the electronic device may determine whether a response signal is received from the peripheral device in response to the inquiry signal.

  If the response signal is not received in 620 operation, the electronic device can perform the 610 operation to broadcast the inquiry signal.

  If the response signal is received in 620 operation, the electronic device can perform 630 operation. In operation 630, the electronic device can perform pairing connection with the peripheral device that has performed the authentication procedure and transmitted the response signal.

  In operation 640, when the electronic device is paired with any one of the peripheral devices, the operation of broadcasting the inquiry signal can be turned off, or the period of broadcasting the inquiry signal can be controlled. For example, when an electronic device is paired with any one of the peripheral devices, the broadcast operation for inquiring the peripheral device is interrupted, or the period of the broadcast operation is operated with a period longer than a set period. Can be controlled.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a near field communication control system according to various embodiments of the present invention. In the description of FIG. 7, the electronic device is divided into a master device and a slave device, but the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention can perform both functions of the master device and the slave device.

  Referring to FIG. 7, a short-range communication control system according to various embodiments includes electronic devices that perform short-range communication channel formation, for example, a first master device 700, a second master device 710, and a slave device 720. be able to. Although FIG. 1 shows that the slave device 720 has one configuration, it is not limited to this. For example, a larger number of slave devices 200 can be arranged, whereby the first master device 700 and the second master device 710 can be inquired about a plurality of slave devices 720 when inquiring about the communication connection device. .

  According to various embodiments, the first master device 700 and the second master device 710 are inquiry devices for inquiring peripheral devices for communication connection, and the slave device 720 informs the presence of itself and notifies the peripheral devices. It can be a standby device that scans (eg, scans) to receive and respond to signals transmitted from other electronic devices. Here, the slave device 720 may be a wearable electronic device that can be worn or worn on a body such as a smart watch or smart glass, or an accessory electronic device such as an earphone or a wireless keyboard.

  According to various embodiments, the slave device 720 can also inquire about a peripheral device for pairing connection, and as a result of the inquiry, the peripheral device can also request pairing connection.

  In various embodiments, the slave device 720 can activate the scanning operation of the Bluetooth® communication module at regular intervals (eg, 1.28 sec). The slave device 720 maintains the signal standby state for a predetermined time every fixed period, and can enter the standby state when the predetermined time is completed. When the inquiry signal is received, the slave device 720 can transmit an inquiry response signal to the first master device 700 or the second master device 710 in response to the inquiry signal.

  According to various embodiments, the first master device 700 and the second master device 710 may perform a pairing process to receive at least one slave device 200 when receiving an inquiry response signal in response to an inquiry signal. Can be connected. When the slave device 720 is paired with the first master device 700, the slave device 720 interrupts the scan operation or sets the scan operation cycle longer than a preset cycle in order to cut off the connection with the second master device 710. Can do. According to various embodiments, when the slave device 720 is paired with the first master device 700, the slave device 720 may be controlled not to transmit an inquiry response signal in response to an inquiry signal received from the second master device 110. it can.

  According to various implementations, when the paired first master device 100 is a preset dedicated device (private device), the slave device 720 interrupts the scan operation, and the paired first master device 700 However, when there is no dedicated device, it can be controlled so that the scanning operation is performed at regular intervals.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of hardware (electronic device 801) according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 8, hardware, for example, the whole or a part of the electronic device 801 shown in FIG. 1 can be configured.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the electronic device 801 includes at least one application processor (AP) 810, a communication module 820, a SIM (subscriber identification module) card 824, a memory 830, a sensor module 840, an input device 850, a display. 860, interface 870, audio module 880, camera module 891, power management module 895, battery 896, indicator 897, and motor 898.

  The AP 810 may include one or more application processors (AP), or one or more communication processors (CPS) (eg, a processor).

  The AP 810 can drive an OS or an application program to control a number of hardware or software components connected to the AP 810, and can perform various data processing and operations including multimedia data. The AP 810 may be implemented by, for example, SoC (system on chip). According to one embodiment, the AP 810 may further include a GPU (graphic processing unit, not shown).

  The SIM card 814 may embody a subscriber identity module card and may be inserted into a slot formed in a specific part of the electronic device 100. The SIM card 814 may include unique identification information (eg, an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID)) or subscriber information (eg, an international mobile subscriber identification number (IMSI)).

  The communication module 820 can be, for example, the communication module 160 shown in the drawing. The communication module 820 can include a radio frequency (RF) module. The communication module 820 may further include, for example, a cellular module 821, a Wi-Fi module 823, a BT module 825, a GPS module 827, and an NFC module 828. For example, the communication module 820 can provide a wireless communication function using a radio frequency. Additionally or alternatively, the communication module 820 may connect a network interface (e.g., LAN card) and / or hardware 800 to a network (e.g., the Internet, LAN, Wide Area Network (WAN), telecommunication network, cellular network, satellite network). Modulator / demodulator (modem) for connection to Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS).

  The cellular module 821 can include a communication processor (CP). The communication processor (CP) can control transmission and reception of data via the communication module 820. As shown in FIG. 8, the communication processor (CP), the power management module 895, the memory 830, etc. are shown to be separated from the AP 810. However, according to various embodiments of the present invention, the AP 810 can include at least one component (eg, a communications processor (CP)). The communication processor (CP) can manage data lines, and converts a communication protocol by communication between an electronic device having hardware 200 (for example, the electronic device 100) and another electronic device connected via a network. be able to.

  The RF module 829 can be used for transmitting and receiving data, for example, for transmitting RF signals or called electronic signals. Although not shown, the RF module 829 may include, for example, a transmitter, a power amplifier module (PAM), a frequency filter, a low noise amplifier (LNA), and / or the like.

  Further, the RF module 829 can include components for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves in a space used for wireless communication, and can include, for example, conductors and conductors.

  The memory 830 (eg, the memory 130) may include an internal memory 832 or an external memory 834. The internal memory 832 is, for example, a volatile memory (for example, DRAM (dynamic RAM), SRAM (static RAM), SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM), etc.)) or a non-volatile memory (non-volatile programming ROM, for example, OTPROM (onetime programmable ROM). , PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable and programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable ROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, NAND flash memory, NAND flash, etc.

  According to one embodiment, the internal memory 832 may be a solid state drive (SSD). The external memory 834 may be a flash drive, for example, CF (compact flash), SD (secure digital), Micro-SD (micro secure digital), Mini-SD (mini secure digital), xD (extreme digital), or MD. Can be included. The external memory 834 may be functionally connected to the electronic device 801 through various interfaces. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 801 may further include a storage device (or storage medium) such as a hard drive.

  The sensor module 840 can measure a physical quantity or detect an operating state of the electronic device 801 and convert the measured or detected information into an electrical signal. The sensor module 840 includes, for example, a gesture sensor 840A, a gyro sensor 840B, an atmospheric pressure sensor 840C, a magnetic sensor 840D, an acceleration sensor 840E, a grip sensor 840F, a proximity sensor 840G, and a color sensor 840H (for example, RGB (red, green, blue, ) Sensor), biological sensor 840I, temperature / humidity sensor 840J, illuminance sensor 840K, or UV (ultra violet) sensor 840M. Additionally or roughly, the sensor module 840 includes, for example, an olfactory sensor (E-nosense sensor, not shown), an EMG sensor (electrographic sensor, not shown), an EEG sensor (electroencephalogram sensor, not shown), an ECG sensor (electrocardiogram). A sensor (not shown), an IR (infra red) sensor (not shown), an iris sensor (not shown), or a fingerprint sensor (not shown) may be included. The sensor module 840 may further include a control circuit for controlling at least one sensor included therein.

  The input device 850 may include a touch panel 852, a (digital) pensen 854, a key 856, or an ultrasonic input device 858. The touch panel 852 can recognize touch input by at least one of an electrostatic method, a decompression method, an infrared method, and an ultrasonic method, for example. The touch panel 852 may further include a control circuit. In the case of the electrostatic type, physical contact or proximity recognition is possible. The touch panel 852 may further include a tactile layer. In this case, the touch panel 852 can provide a tactile response to the user.

  The (digital) pen sensor 854 may be implemented using, for example, a method that is the same as or similar to receiving a user's touch input, or using a separate recognition sheet. The key 856 can include, for example, a physical button, an optical key, or a keypad. The ultrasonic input device 858 is wirelessly recognized as a device that can check data by detecting sound waves with a microphone (eg, microphone 888) in the electronic device 801 via an input tool that generates an ultrasonic signal. Is possible. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 801 may receive user input from an external device (eg, a computer or server) connected thereto using the communication module 820.

  The display 860 (eg, the display 150) may include a panel 862, a hologram device 864, or a projector 866. The panel 862 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AM-OLED). For example, the panel 862 may be flexibly, transparent, or wearable. The panel 862 may include the touch panel 852 and one module. The hologram device 864 can make a stereoscopic image look empty using light interference. The projector 866 can display an image by transmitting light onto a screen. The screen may be located inside or outside the electronic device 801, for example. According to an exemplary embodiment, the display 860 may further include a control circuit for controlling the panel 862, the hologram device 864, or the projector 866.

  The interface 870 may include, for example, an HDMI (registered trademark) (high-definition multimedia interface) 872, a USB (universal serial bus) 874, an optical interface (optical interface) 876, or a D-sub (D-subminiature) 78. . For example, the interface 870 may be included in the communication interface 160 shown in FIG. Additionally or roughly, the interface 870 may include, for example, an MHL (mobile high-definition link) interface, an SD (secure digital) card / MMC (multi-media card) interface, or an IrDA (infrareddata association) standard interface. it can.

  The audio module 880 can convert sound and electric signal bidirectionally. At least some components of the audio module 880 may be included in the input / output interface 140 shown in FIG. 1, for example. The audio module 880 can process sound information input or output via, for example, a speaker 882, a receiver 884, an earphone 886, or a microphone 888.

  According to one embodiment, the camera module 891 is a device that can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 891 includes one or more image sensors (for example, a full surface sensor or a rear surface sensor), a lens (not shown), an ISP. (image signal processor, not shown) or flash (not shown) (eg, LED or xenon lamp).

  The power management module 895 can manage the power of the electronic device 801. Although not shown, the power management module 895 may include, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a charge integrated circuit (IC), or a battery or fuel gauge (battery or fuel gauge).

  The PMIC can be mounted, for example, in an integrated circuit or a SoC semiconductor. Charging methods can be classified into wired and wireless. The charging IC can charge the battery, and can prevent overvoltage or overcurrent inflow from the charger. According to an embodiment, the charging IC may include a charging IC for at least one of a wired charging method and a wireless charging method. Examples of the wireless charging method include a magnetic resonance method, a self-induction method, and an electronic airwave method, and an additional circuit for wireless charging, such as a coil roof, a resonance circuit, or a rectifier, is added. be able to.

  The battery gauge can measure, for example, the remaining capacity, charging voltage, current, or temperature of the battery 896. The battery 896 can store or generate electricity, and can supply power to the electronic device 801 using the stored or generated electricity. The battery 896 may include, for example, a rechargeable battery or a solar battery.

  The indicator 897 can display a specific state of the electronic device 801 or a part thereof (for example, the AP 810), such as a booting state, a message state, or a charging state. The motor 898 can convert an electrical signal by mechanical vibration. Although not shown, the electronic device 801 may include a processing procedure (eg, GPU) for mobile TV support. The processing device for supporting the mobile TV can process media data according to a standard such as DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting), DVB (digital video broadcasting), or media flow (media flow).

  Each of the aforementioned components of the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may be composed of one or more components, and the names of the components may vary depending on the type of the electronic device. it can. The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may include at least one of the above-described components, and some of the components may be omitted or may include additional other components. be able to. Also, some of the components of the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention are combined to form a single entity, and the functions of the previous components are similarly performed. Can do.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a communication protocol 900 between a plurality of electronic devices (eg, an electronic device 910 and an electronic device 930) according to various embodiments.

  Referring to FIG. 9, for example, the communication protocol 900 includes a device discovery protocol 951, a capability exchange protocol 953, a network protocol 955, and an application protocol 95, such as an application protocol 95. be able to.

  According to one embodiment, the device discovery protocol 951 detects an external electronic device capable of short-range communication with the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 910 or the electronic device 930) and connects to the detected external electronic device. Can be a protocol for. For example, the electronic device 910 (for example, the electronic device 101) uses the device discovery protocol 951 and the electronic device 910 via the electronic device 910 via a short-range communication method (for example, Blue tooth (registered trademark)). The electronic device 930 (for example, the electronic device 104) can be detected by a device that can communicate with the device. The electronic device 910 can acquire and store identification information for the detected electronic device 930 using the device discovery protocol 951 for communication connection with the electronic device 930. The electronic device 910 can establish a communication connection with the electronic device 930 based on at least the identification information, for example.

  According to an embodiment, the device discovery protocol 951 can be a protocol for mutual authentication between a plurality of electronic devices. For example, the electronic device 910 is at least communication information for connection with the electronic device 930 (e.g., based on MAC (media access control) address, UUID (universally unique identifier), SSID (subsystem identity), IP (internet) based on the Internet). Authentication between the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930 can be performed.

  According to one embodiment, the function exchange protocol 953 may be a protocol for exchanging information related to a service function that can be supported by at least one of the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930. For example, the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930 can exchange information related to the function of the service currently provided through the function exchange protocol 953. The exchangeable information may include identification information indicating a specific service among a plurality of services that can be supported by the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930. For example, the electronic device 910 can receive identification information of a specific service provided by the electronic device 930 from the electronic device 930 through the function exchange protocol 953. In this case, the electronic device 910 may determine whether the electronic device 910 can support the specific service based on the received identification information.

  According to one embodiment, the network protocol 955 is provided to link services, for example, between electronic devices (for example, the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930) connected so as to be capable of near field communication. It can be a protocol for controlling the data flow sent and received. For example, at least one of the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930 can perform error control or data quality control using the network protocol 955. Additionally or roughly, the network protocol 955 may determine a transmission format of data transmitted / received between the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930. In addition, at least one of the electronic device 910 and the electronic device 930 can manage at least a session for exchanging data with each other using the network protocol 955 (for example, session connection or session termination).

  According to an exemplary embodiment, the application protocol 957 may be a protocol for providing a procedure or information for exchanging data related to a service provided to an external electronic device. For example, an electronic device 910 (eg, electronic device 101) can provide services with an electronic device 930 (eg, electronic device 104 or server 106) via the application protocol 957.

  According to one embodiment, the communication protocol 900 is a standard communication protocol, a communication protocol specified by an individual or an organization (for example, a communication protocol specified by a communication device manufacturer or a network supplier, etc.) or any of these. Can include unions.

  The term module used in various embodiments of the present invention may mean a unit including one or more combinations of hardware, software, and firmware, for example. . A module may be used interchangeably with terms such as unit, logic, logical block, component, or circuit. The module can be a minimum unit of parts integrally formed or a part thereof. A module can be the smallest unit that performs one or more functions, or a part thereof. The module can be implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, modules according to various embodiments of the present invention may be known or later developed ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) chips, FPGAs (field-programmable arrays) or programmable logic devices (programmable-programmable-programmable-programmable-programmables). ) At least one of.

  According to various embodiments, at least a portion of an apparatus (e.g., module or function thereof) or method (e.g., operation) according to various embodiments of the invention is stored in a computer-readable storage, e.g., in the form of a programming module. The present invention can be implemented with a command stored in a computer-readable storage media. When the command is executed by one or more processors (for example, the processor 122), the one or more processors may perform a function corresponding to the command. The computer-readable storage medium can be the memory 130, for example. At least a portion of the programming module can be implemented (eg, executed) by the processor 210, for example. At least some of the programming modules may include, for example, modules, programs, routines, sets of instructions and / or processes for performing one or more functions.

  The computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic medium (MagneticMedia) such as a hard disk, a floppy (registered trademark) disk and a magnetic tape, and an optical recording medium (OpticalMediaDisc) such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). ), A magneto-optical medium (Magneto-OpticalMedia) such as a floppy disk, and program commands (for example, programming modules) such as a ROM (ReadOnly Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a flash memory. Include hardware devices that are specially configured to remember and do It can be. In addition, the program command can include not only the same machine language code that is created by the compiler but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above can be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of this disclosure, and vice versa.

  The embodiments of the present invention disclosed in this specification and the drawings provide specific examples in order to easily explain the technical contents according to the embodiments of the present invention and to help understand the embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be limited. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and all modifications or variations derived based on the technical idea of the various embodiments of the present invention are included in the present invention. Should be construed as being included within the scope of the various embodiments.

100; first master device 110; second master device 200; slave device 170; communication setting control module 210; communication operation module 220; setting change module

Claims (15)

A near field communication module for transmitting and receiving near field communication signals with at least one other peripheral device;
When paired with the first peripheral device via the short-range communication module, it controls on / off of the scan operation for waiting to receive a signal from at least one second peripheral device, and controls the cycle of the scan operation. A control module to
Including electronic devices. The control module is
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic device is paired with the first peripheral device, the electronic device is controlled so as to interrupt the scanning operation or not to respond to an inquiry signal of the second peripheral device. . The control module is
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic device is paired with the first peripheral device, the electronic device is set to have a period that is relatively longer than a set scanning period. The control module is
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device determines whether the first peripheral device is a dedicated device. The control module is
When the first peripheral device is a dedicated device, it controls on / off of a scan operation or controls the cycle of the scan operation. When the first peripheral device does not have a dedicated device, the first peripheral device is set at a set constant cycle. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the electronic device is controlled to perform a scanning operation. The control module is
When the first peripheral device is a dedicated device, when receiving an inquiry signal from the second peripheral device, the second peripheral device is controlled not to transmit an inquiry response signal, and the second peripheral device does not have a dedicated device. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the second peripheral device is controlled to transmit an inquiry response signal. A short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device,
An operation of pairing connection with the first peripheral device;
When the electronic device is paired with the first peripheral device, an operation of interrupting a scan operation for waiting to receive a signal of at least one second peripheral device or controlling a cycle of the scan operation;
A short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device. The operation for controlling the scanning operation to be interrupted is:
The short-range communication connection control of the electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the second peripheral device is controlled not to transmit an inquiry response signal, or is set to have a period relatively longer than a set scan period. Method. A near field communication module for transmitting and receiving near field communication signals with at least one other peripheral device;
A control module that controls on / off of a broadcast operation for broadcasting a signal for inquiring a peripheral device and controls a cycle of the broadcast operation when paired with the first peripheral device via the short-range communication module When,
Including electronic devices. The control module is
The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the broadcast operation is controlled to be interrupted, or the cycle of the broadcast operation is set to have a cycle longer than a preset week period. The control module is
The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device determines whether the first peripheral device is a dedicated device. The control module is
The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein when the first peripheral device is a dedicated device, on / off of a broadcast operation is controlled and a cycle of the broadcast operation is controlled. A short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device,
An operation of pairing connection with the first peripheral device;
When paired with the first peripheral device, an operation for interrupting a broadcast operation for broadcasting an inquiry signal for inquiring the peripheral device, or an operation for controlling a cycle of the broadcast operation;
A short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device. The operation to control is
14. The short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the electronic device is set so as to have a period relatively longer than a preset broadcast period. The controlling operation is as follows:
14. The short-range communication connection control method for an electronic device according to claim 13, wherein when the first peripheral device is a dedicated device, the broadcast operation is interrupted or the cycle of the broadcast operation is controlled.

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