WO2021100913A1

WO2021100913A1 - Electronic device for communicating with base station and set of other electronic devices, and communication method therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2021100913A1
Application number: PCT/KR2019/016020
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김은기; 천지영; 권종훈; 박재완; 한준희; 김선민
Original assignee: 엘지전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2019-11-21
Filing date: 2019-11-21
Publication date: 2021-05-27

Abstract

A communication method for an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present specification, comprises the steps of: identifying a set of other electronic devices communicating with the electronic device; identifying status information of at least one other electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices; and transmitting, to a first electronic device determined on the basis of the status information, information corresponding to first identification information associated with communication with a base station, wherein, on the basis of the information corresponding to the first identification information, a signal may be transmitted from the first electronic device to the base station.

Description

Electronic device communicating with a set of base stations and other electronic devices, and communication method thereof

The present invention relates to an electronic device that communicates with a base station and a set of other electronic devices, and provides information related to communication with a base station to a first electronic device included in another electronic device set, and a control method thereof.

With the development of electronic technology, a concept called the Internet of Things (IoT) emerged. IoT refers to a technology or environment that shares information by connecting objects, that is, electronic devices through a network, in various fields such as home appliances and electronic devices, as well as healthcare, remote meter reading, smart home, and smart car.

In order to implement an IoT environment, a network for communication with a base station and communication between each electronic device is required. As a network related to the IoT environment, for example, there may be a cellular network provided through a communication company or a wireless local area network (AP) based on an access point (AP).

In the case of a cellular network, it may be a network that communicates with a base station on the condition that a certain cost is paid to the communication company. Accordingly, when the number of electronic devices included in the IoT environment increases, the cost may increase correspondingly. In the case of a wireless LAN, the number of electronic devices connected to the AP is not limited, but the degree of freedom for the location of the electronic device may be limited because it must be located within a certain distance from the AP.

Accordingly, in relation to communication (eg, IoT) between a plurality of electronic devices, there is a need for a more efficient communication technology that shares the advantages of a cellular network and a wireless LAN, but compensates for the shortcomings.

The problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present specification is to reflect the state related to communication by transmitting identification information related to communication with the base station of the electronic device to another electronic device based on the state information of the electronic device or other electronic device. It is to provide an electronic device and a communication method to enable communication to occur.

However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments of the present specification are not limited immediately as mentioned above, and are not mentioned, but the purpose that can be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description It may include.

A communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification includes: identifying a set of other electronic devices that communicate with the electronic device; Checking status information of at least one other electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices; And transmitting information corresponding to first identification information related to communication with a base station to a first electronic device determined based on the state information, and the first electronic device based on information corresponding to the first identification information A signal may be transmitted from the device to the base station.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification includes a transceiver and a processor, wherein the processor identifies a set of other electronic devices communicating with the electronic device, and Check the status information of the electronic device, information corresponding to the first identification information, transmit information corresponding to the first identification information related to communication with the base station to the first electronic device determined based on the status information, and the first identification A signal may be transmitted from the first electronic device to the base station based on information corresponding to the information.

An electronic device and a communication method thereof according to an embodiment of the present specification are provided by transmitting identification information related to communication with a base station of the electronic device to another electronic device based on state information of the electronic device or other electronic device. By enabling base station communication, it is possible to provide more efficient communication in which state information is reflected.

However, the effects obtainable in the embodiments of the present specification are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs from the following description. It will be understandable.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device related to the present specification.

2A and 2B are a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of an electronic device related to the present specification.

3 is a conceptual diagram of a communication environment of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

4A and 4B are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example of a communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

5 is a functional block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of each step of a communication method of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present specification.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed flow of one step in a communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

8 is a signal flow diagram between electronic devices and a base station according to an embodiment of the present specification.

9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another example of a communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.

10 is a diagram illustrating an example to which an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification is applied.

Advantages and features of the embodiments of the present specification, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described later in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present specification is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms, and only these embodiments make the disclosure of the present specification complete, and those skilled in the art to which the present specification pertains. It is provided to completely inform the scope of the specification to the person, and the scope of the specification is only defined by the claims.

In describing the embodiments of the present specification, detailed descriptions of known functions or configurations will be omitted except when actually necessary in describing the embodiments of the present specification. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the embodiments of the present specification and may vary according to the intention or custom of users or operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout the present specification.

In the present specification, various changes may be made and various embodiments may be included, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present specification to a specific embodiment, and should be understood as including all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present specification.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second may be used to describe various elements, but the corresponding elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

When an element is referred to as being'connected' or'connected' to another element, it is understood that it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, but other elements may exist in the middle. It should be. In the present application, terms such as "comprises" or "have" are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features. It is to be understood that the presence or addition of elements or numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof does not preclude in advance.

Electronic devices described herein include mobile phones, smart phones, laptop computers, digital broadcasting terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), navigation systems, and slate PCs. , Tablet PC, ultrabook, wearable device, for example, smartwatch, smart glass, head mounted display (HMD), etc. have.

However, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the configuration according to the embodiment described in the present specification may also be applied to a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, and a digital signage.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 100 related to the present specification.

The electronic device 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, an input unit 120, a sensing unit 140, an output unit 150, an interface unit 160, a memory 170, a control unit 180, and a power supply unit 190. And the like. The components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential for implementing a mobile terminal, and thus, a mobile terminal described in the present specification may have more or fewer components than those listed above. Meanwhile, the electronic device 100 may be implemented as a mobile terminal according to an embodiment.

More specifically, among the components, the wireless communication unit 110 includes a wireless communication unit between the electronic device 100 and a wireless communication system, between the electronic device 100 and other electronic devices, or between the electronic device 100 and an external server. It may include one or more modules that enable communication. In addition, the wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules that connect the electronic device 100 to one or more networks.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include at least one of a broadcast reception module 111, a mobile communication module 112, a wireless Internet module 113, a short-range communication module 114, and a location information module 115. .

The input unit 120 includes a camera 121 or an image input unit for inputting an image signal, a microphone 122 for inputting an audio signal, or an audio input unit, and a user input unit 123 for receiving information from a user, for example, , A touch key, a mechanical key, etc.). The voice data or image data collected by the input unit 120 may be analyzed and processed as a user's control command.

The sensing unit 140 may include one or more sensors for sensing at least one of information in the mobile terminal, information on surrounding environments surrounding the mobile terminal, and user information. For example, the sensing unit 140 includes a proximity sensor 141, an illumination sensor 142, a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, and gravity. Sensor (G-sensor), gyroscope sensor (gyroscope sensor), motion sensor (motion sensor), RGB sensor, infrared sensor (IR sensor: infrared sensor), fingerprint sensor (finger scan sensor), ultrasonic sensor (ultrasonic sensor) , Optical sensor (for example, camera (see 121)), microphone (microphone, see 122), battery gauge, environmental sensor (for example, barometer, hygrometer, thermometer, radiation detection sensor, It may include at least one of a heat sensor, a gas sensor, etc.), and a chemical sensor (eg, an electronic nose, a healthcare sensor, a biometric sensor, etc.). Meanwhile, the mobile terminal disclosed in the present specification may combine and utilize information sensed by at least two or more of these sensors.

The output unit 150 is for generating an output related to visual, auditory or tactile sense, and includes at least one of a display unit 151, an audio output unit 152, a hap tip module 153, and a light output unit 154. can do. The display unit 151 of the electronic device 100 corresponds to the first display described in FIGS. 1 to 3. The display unit 151 may implement a touch screen by forming a layer structure or integrally with the touch sensor. Such a touch screen may function as a user input unit 123 that provides an input interface between the electronic device 100 and a user, and may provide an output interface between the electronic device 100 and a user.

The interface unit 160 serves as a passage for various types of external devices connected to the electronic device 100. The interface unit 160 is a wired/wireless headset port, a charging port, a wired/wireless data port, a memory card port, a port for connecting a device equipped with an identification module. (port), an audio input/output (I/O) port, a video input/output (I/O) port, and an earphone port. The electronic device 100 may perform appropriate control related to the connected external device in response to the connection of the external device to the interface unit 160.

In addition, the memory 170 stores data supporting various functions of the electronic device 100. The memory 170 may store a plurality of application programs or applications driven by the electronic device 100, data for operation of the electronic device 100, and commands. At least some of these application programs may be downloaded from an external server through wireless communication. In addition, at least some of these application programs may exist on the electronic device 100 from the time of shipment for basic functions of the electronic device 100 (eg, incoming calls, outgoing functions, message reception, and outgoing functions). Meanwhile, the application program may be stored in the memory 170, installed on the electronic device 100, and driven by the controller 180 to perform an operation (or function) of the electronic device 100.

In addition to the operation related to the application program, the controller 180 generally controls the overall operation of the electronic device 100. The controller 180 may provide or process appropriate information or functions to a user by processing signals, data, information, etc. input or output through the above-described components or by driving an application program stored in the memory 170.

Also, in order to drive an application program stored in the memory 170, the controller 180 may control at least some of the components discussed with reference to FIG. 1. Furthermore, in order to drive the application program, the controller 180 may operate by combining at least two or more of the components included in the electronic device 100 with each other.

Also, the controller 180 may be referred to as a processor according to an embodiment.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power or internal power under the control of the controller 180 and supplies power to each of the components included in the electronic device 100. The power supply unit 190 includes a battery, and the battery may be a built-in battery or a replaceable battery.

In addition, the power supply unit 190 may include a charging port, and the charging port may be configured as an example of an interface 160 to which an external charger supplying power for charging a battery is electrically connected.

At least some of the respective components may operate in cooperation with each other to implement an operation, control, or control method of an electronic device according to various embodiments described below. In addition, the operation, control, or control method of the electronic device may be implemented on the electronic device by driving at least one application program stored in the memory 170.

2A and 2B are a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of the electronic device 100 related to the present specification.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the disclosed electronic device 100 includes a bar-shaped terminal body. However, the present specification is not limited thereto and may be applied to various structures such as a watch type, a clip type, a glass type, or a folder type in which two or more bodies are relatively movably coupled, a flip type, a slide type, a swing type, and a swivel type. . Although it will relate to a specific type of electronic device, a description of a specific type of electronic device may be generally applied to other types of electronic devices.

Here, the terminal body may be understood as a concept referring to the electronic device 100 as at least one aggregate.

The electronic device 100 includes a case (for example, a frame, a housing, a cover, etc.) forming an exterior. As shown, the electronic device 100 may include a front case 101 and a rear case 102. Various electronic components are disposed in an inner space formed by the combination of the front case 101 and the rear case 102. At least one middle case may be additionally disposed between the front case 101 and the rear case 102.

A display unit 151 is disposed on the front of the terminal body to output information. As illustrated, the window 151a of the display unit 151 may be mounted on the front case 101 to form the front surface of the terminal body together with the front case 101.

In some cases, electronic components may be mounted on the rear case 102 as well. Electronic components that can be mounted on the rear case 102 include a detachable battery, an identification module, and a memory card. In this case, a rear cover 103 for covering the mounted electronic component may be detachably coupled to the rear case 102. Accordingly, when the rear cover 103 is separated from the rear case 102, the electronic components mounted on the rear case 102 are exposed to the outside.

As shown, when the rear cover 103 is coupled to the rear case 102, a part of the side of the rear case 102 may be exposed. In some cases, when the rear case 102 is combined, the rear case 102 may be completely covered by the rear cover 103. Meanwhile, the rear cover 103 may be provided with an opening for exposing the camera 121b or the sound output unit 152b to the outside.

These

cases

101, 102, 103 may be formed by injection of synthetic resin or may be formed of a metal such as stainless steel (STS), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), or the like.

Unlike the above example in which a plurality of cases provide an inner space for accommodating various electronic components, the electronic device 100 may be configured such that one case provides the inner space. In this case, a unibody electronic device 100 in which synthetic resin or metal is connected from the side to the rear may be implemented.

Meanwhile, the electronic device 100 may include a waterproof unit (not shown) that prevents water from permeating into the terminal body. For example, the waterproof unit is provided between the window 151a and the front case 101, between the front case 101 and the rear case 102, or between the rear case 102 and the rear cover 103, and the combination thereof It may include a waterproof member that seals the inner space of the city.

The electronic device 100 includes a display unit 151, first and second

sound output units

152a and 152b, a proximity sensor 141, an illuminance sensor 142, a light output unit 154, and first and second sound output units. Cameras 121a and 121b, first and

second operation units

123a and 123b, microphone 122, interface unit 160, and the like may be provided.

Hereinafter, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a display unit 151, a first sound output unit 152a, a proximity sensor 141, an illuminance sensor 142, and a light output unit ( 154), a first camera 121a and a first operation unit 123a are disposed, a second operation unit 123b, a microphone 122 and an interface unit 160 are disposed on the side of the terminal body, and the terminal body The electronic device 100 in which the second sound output unit 152b and the second camera 121b are disposed on the rear surface of will be described as an example.

However, these configurations are not limited to this arrangement. These configurations may be excluded or replaced as necessary, or may be disposed on different sides. For example, the first manipulation unit 123a may not be provided on the front surface of the terminal body, and the second sound output unit 152b may be provided on the side of the terminal body rather than on the rear surface of the terminal body.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the electronic device 100. For example, the display unit 151 may display execution screen information of an application program driven by the electronic device 100, or UI (User Interface) and GUI (Graphic User Interface) information according to such execution screen information. .

The display unit 151 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and a flexible display. display), a 3D display, and an e-ink display.

In addition, two or more display units 151 may exist according to the implementation form of the electronic device 100. In this case, in the electronic device 100, a plurality of display units may be spaced apart or integrally disposed on one surface, or may be disposed on different surfaces, respectively.

The display unit 151 may include a touch sensor that senses a touch on the display unit 151 so as to receive a control command by a touch method. By using this, when a touch is made to the display unit 151, the touch sensor detects the touch, and the controller 180 may be configured to generate a control command corresponding to the touch based on this. The content input by the touch method may be letters or numbers, or menu items that can be indicated or designated in various modes.

Meanwhile, the touch sensor is formed in a film form having a touch pattern and is disposed between the window 151a and a display (not shown) on the rear surface of the window 151a, or is a metal wire patterned directly on the rear surface of the window 151a. May be. Alternatively, the touch sensor may be integrally formed with the display. For example, the touch sensor may be disposed on a substrate of the display or may be provided inside the display.

As such, the display unit 151 may form a touch screen together with a touch sensor, and in this case, the touch screen may function as a user input unit 123 (see FIG. 1 ). In some cases, the touch screen may replace at least some functions of the first manipulation unit 123a.

The first sound output unit 152a may be implemented as a receiver that transmits a call sound to the user's ear, and the second sound output unit 152b is a loud speaker that outputs various alarm sounds or multimedia playback sounds. It can be implemented in the form of ).

A sound hole for emitting sound generated from the first sound output unit 152a may be formed in the window 151a of the display unit 151. However, the present specification is not limited thereto, and the sound may be configured to be emitted along an assembly gap between structures (eg, a gap between the window 151a and the front case 101). In this case, the external appearance of the electronic device 100 may be made simpler because the hole independently formed for sound output is not visible or hidden.

The light output unit 154 is configured to output light for notifying when an event occurs. Examples of the event include message reception, call signal reception, missed call, alarm, schedule notification, e-mail reception, and information reception through an application. When the user's event confirmation is detected, the controller 180 may control the light output unit 154 to terminate the output of light.

The first camera 121a processes an image frame of a still image or a moving picture obtained by an image sensor in a photographing mode or a video call mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151 and may be stored in the memory 170.

The first and

second manipulation units

123a and 123b are an example of a user input unit 123 that is manipulated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the electronic device 100, and may also be collectively referred to as a manipulating portion. have. The first and

second manipulation units

123a and 123b may be employed in any manner as long as the user operates while receiving a tactile feeling, such as touch, push, and scroll. In addition, the first and

second manipulation units

123a and 123b may also be employed in a manner in which the first and

second manipulation units

123a and 123b are manipulated without a user's tactile feeling through proximity touch, hovering touch, or the like.

In this drawing, the first manipulation unit 123a is illustrated as being a touch key, but the present specification is not limited thereto. For example, the first manipulation unit 123a may be a push key (mechanical key) or may be configured as a combination of a touch key and a push key.

Contents input by the first and

second manipulation units

123a and 123b may be set in various ways. For example, the first operation unit 123a receives commands such as menu, home key, cancel, search, etc., and the second operation unit 123b is output from the first or second

sound output units

152a, 152b. Commands such as adjusting the volume of sound and switching to the touch recognition mode of the display unit 151 may be input.

Meanwhile, as another example of the user input unit 123, a rear input unit (not shown) may be provided on the rear surface of the terminal body. The rear input unit is manipulated to receive a command for controlling the operation of the electronic device 100, and input contents may be variously set. For example, commands such as power on/off, start, end, scroll, etc., control the volume of sound output from the first and second

sound output units

152a and 152b, and touch recognition mode of the display unit 151 You can receive commands such as conversion of. The rear input unit may be implemented in a form capable of inputting by a touch input, a push input, or a combination thereof.

The rear input unit may be disposed to overlap the front display unit 151 in the thickness direction of the terminal body. For example, when the user holds the terminal body with one hand, the rear input unit may be disposed on the rear upper end of the terminal body so that the user can easily manipulate the terminal body using the index finger. However, the present specification is not necessarily limited thereto, and the position of the rear input unit may be changed.

When the rear input unit is provided on the rear side of the terminal body, a new type of user interface can be implemented using the rear input unit. In addition, when the touch screen or the rear input unit described above replaces at least some functions of the first manipulation unit 123a provided on the front of the terminal body, and the first manipulation unit 123a is not disposed on the front of the terminal body, The display unit 151 may be configured with a larger screen.

Meanwhile, the electronic device 100 may be provided with a fingerprint recognition sensor for recognizing a user's fingerprint, and the controller 180 may use the fingerprint information sensed through the fingerprint recognition sensor as an authentication means. The fingerprint recognition sensor may be embedded in the display unit 151 or the user input unit 123.

The microphone 122 is configured to receive a user's voice and other sounds. The microphone 122 may be provided at a plurality of locations and configured to receive stereo sound.

The interface unit 160 becomes a path through which the electronic device 100 can be connected to an external device. For example, the interface unit 160 is a connection terminal for connection with another device (eg, earphone, external speaker), a port for short-range communication (eg, an infrared port (IrDA Port), a Bluetooth port (Bluetooth)). Port), a wireless LAN port, etc.], or at least one of a power supply terminal for supplying power to the electronic device 100. The interface unit 160 may be implemented in the form of a socket for accommodating an external card such as a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) or a User Identity Module (UIM), or a memory card for storing information.

A second camera 121b may be disposed on the rear surface of the terminal body. In this case, the second camera 121b has a photographing direction substantially opposite to the first camera 121a.

The second camera 121b may include a plurality of lenses arranged along at least one line. The plurality of lenses may be arranged in a matrix format. Such a camera may be referred to as an'array camera'. When the second camera 121b is configured as an array camera, an image may be photographed in various ways using a plurality of lenses, and an image of better quality may be obtained.

The flash 124 may be disposed adjacent to the second camera 121b. The flash 124 illuminates light toward the subject when photographing the subject with the second camera 121b.

A second sound output unit 152b may be additionally disposed on the terminal body. The second sound output unit 152b may implement a stereo function together with the first sound output unit 152a, and may be used to implement a speakerphone mode during a call.

At least one antenna for wireless communication may be provided in the terminal body. The antenna may be embedded in the terminal body or may be formed in a case. For example, an antenna that forms a part of the broadcast reception module 111 (refer to FIG. 1) may be configured to be retractable from the terminal body. Alternatively, the antenna may be formed in a film type and attached to the inner surface of the rear cover 103, or a case including a conductive material may be configured to function as an antenna.

The terminal body is provided with a power supply unit 190 (see FIG. 1) for supplying power to the electronic device 100. The power supply unit 190 may include a battery 191 that is built into the terminal body or configured to be detachable from the outside of the terminal body.

The battery 191 may be configured to receive power through a power cable connected to the interface unit 160. In addition, the battery 191 may be configured to enable wireless charging through a wireless charger. The wireless charging may be implemented by a magnetic induction method or a resonance method (magnetic resonance method).

On the other hand, in this drawing, the rear cover 103 is coupled to the rear case 102 to cover the battery 191 to limit the separation of the battery 191 and protect the battery 191 from external shocks and foreign substances. It is exemplifying. When the battery 191 is configured to be detachably attached to the terminal body, the rear cover 103 may be detachably coupled to the rear case 102.

An accessory that protects the appearance of the electronic device 100 or assists or expands the function of the electronic device 100 may be added to the electronic device 100. An example of such an accessory may be a cover or a pouch that covers or accommodates at least one surface of the electronic device 100. The cover or pouch may be configured to interlock with the display unit 151 to expand functions of the electronic device 100. Another example of an accessory may be a touch pen for assisting or extending a touch input to a touch screen.

Referring to FIG. 3, the electronic device 321 may be connected to a base station 310 and an access point (AP) 320. The electronic device 321 may be connected to a cellular network through the base station 310 and may be connected to a wireless local area network (LAN) through the AP 320.

The electronic device 321 may communicate with various devices in the vicinity, including other devices 323. Communication with the other device 323 may be performed through wireless communication between devices, and may be performed through the AP 320 or the base station 310. In this way, an internet of things (IoT) environment may be established through the connection between devices.

The devices constituting the IoT environment may be various types of electronic devices such as refrigerators, air conditioners, computers, washing machines, etc., and may also include meter reading devices that regularly check usage. As an example, the devices constituting the IoT environment may be a plurality of sensors and a gas detection device for detecting gas, and an example thereof may be referred to FIG. 10. However, this is only an example and is not limited thereto, and various electronic devices that can be connected to a network through wireless communication may establish an IoT environment.

The electronic device 321 may be provided with identification information for communication with the base station 310. The identification information is information for identifying the electronic device 321 in the cellular network, and communication may be performed within the network based on the identification information.

Meanwhile, in an embodiment, the electronic device 321 may communicate with the base station 310 based on the identification information, and other electronic devices may communicate with the base station through the electronic device 321. In this case, the other electronic device 323 transmits a message including its own identification information and identification information of the message receiving target to the electronic device 321 for communication with the base station 310, and the electronic device 321 Another electronic device 323 may communicate with the base station 310 by transmitting at least some of the received information to the base station 310 based on the received information.

That is, when the electronic device 321 has identification information for communication with the base station 310 in an IoT environment, other electronic devices can communicate with the base station 310 through the electronic device 321. As a result, all devices in the IoT environment can communicate with the base station 310.

However, depending on the communication environment and device conditions of the electronic device 321 in some cases, a case in which communication with the base station 310 does not proceed smoothly may occur. In this case, the electronic device 321 connects the identification information for communication with the base station 310 to another electronic device nearby, in particular, another device (eg, another device) that establishes an IoT environment on the basis of connection. Identification information can be transmitted to (323).

In this case, another device that has received the identification information may perform communication with the base station 310. In response to this, the electronic device 321 may no longer perform direct communication with the base station 310. However, similar to the case where the electronic device 321 has identification information for communication with the base station 310, the electronic device 321 may communicate with the base station 310 through another device having the identification information.

For a more detailed description related to transmission of identification information and change of a communication method through the transmission of identification information, refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B to be described later.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the electronic device 421 may communicate with the base station 410. Specifically, the electronic device 421 may include information on identification information registered for communication with the base station 410. The electronic device 421 may verify that the electronic device 421 is a device permitted to communicate with the base station 410 on the basis of the identification information, and perform communication through the base station 410 provided by a communication service provider.

Here, the identification information allocated to the electronic device 421 for communication with the base station 410 may be set by an operator, and related information may be stored in a storage device included in the electronic device 421. I can. The storage device may include, for example, a universal subscriber identification module (USIM) or eSIM. The identification information may include information for identifying the electronic device 421 in communication with the base station 410 and may include, for example, a permanent-international mobile subscriber identity (p-IMSI).

The electronic device 421 may be a device included in the IoT environment, and the electronic device 421 may perform wired or wireless communication with other devices included in the IoT environment. The electronic device 421 can transmit and receive information with various devices (eg, the first device 422, the second device 423, and the third device 424) included in the same IoT environment. Transmission and reception may be performed through a cellular network and a wireless LAN.

According to FIG. 4A, the electronic device 421 may communicate with the first device 422 and the second device 423, and communicate with the third device 424 through the second device 423. can do. However, this is only an example and is not limited thereto, and communication with the first device 422, the second device 423, and the third device 424 may be performed.

In addition, in some cases, the electronic device 421, the first device 422, the second device 423, and the third device 424 may configure a mesh network. A specific example of the connection according to the mesh network may be described with reference to FIG. 9.

In an embodiment, the electronic device 421 and the base station 410 may perform communication, and each of the first device 422, the second device 423, and the third device 424 communicates with the base station 410. If this is necessary, communication with the base station 410 may be performed through the electronic device 421. In an embodiment, the electronic device 421 may perform communication using information for identifying the electronic device 421 in the cellular network for communication with the base station 410, and the first to third devices 422, The 423 and 424 may communicate with the base station 410 through the electronic device 421. Identification information corresponding to each electronic device may be allocated to each of the first to

third devices

422, 423, and 424 in order to identify each electronic device in communication with the base station 410 or in communication between electronic devices. . Detailed information about this will be described in the following examples.

In an embodiment, the third device 424 may communicate with the electronic device 421 and the base station 410 through the second device 423, and at this time, information transmitted and received by the third device 424 is 3 Information for identifying the device 424 may be included.

In addition, in an embodiment, when the third device 424 communicates with the base station 410, the third device 424 identifies the third device 424 in a message transmitted and received with the second device 423. Information and an identifier that the corresponding message is transmitted to the base station 410, and the second device 423 transmits at least some of the information included in the received message to the electronic device 421 based on the identifier. I can.

In addition, the message transmitted to the electronic device 421 may include at least one of information for identifying the third device 424 and information indicating that the corresponding message is relayed by the second device 423. The device 421 may transmit the corresponding information to the base station 410 based on at least some of the information received from the second device 423. In addition, a response message to the above message may also be transmitted to the third device 424 through a relay process, and the base station 410 provides information for identifying that the message is for the third device 424 when transmitting the message. May be included, and the electronic device relaying it may also transmit at least some of the information included in the corresponding message to the third device 424 based on the corresponding information. In the case of a device that is not directly connected to the base station 410 through such a relay process, communication with the base station is possible.

In an embodiment, communication with the electronic device 421 and the base station 410 may be restricted according to the state of the electronic device 421 or a communication environment. For example, the quality of a signal received from the base station 410 to the electronic device 421 may be degraded according to the location of the electronic device 421. In this case, the electronic device 421 transmits information for communication with the base station 410 to another electronic device capable of communicating with itself, and the other electronic device directly communicates with the base station 410 based on the received information. I can.

In an embodiment, when direct communication with the base station 410 is restricted by the device state or communication environment, the electronic device 421 provides information identifying itself in the cellular network to communicate with the base station 410 to other electronic devices. The other electronic device may directly communicate with the base station 410 based on the identification information. In this case, the electronic device 421 previously relayed communication with the base station 410, but other electronic devices that have received such identification information can relay that electronic devices capable of communicating with each other communicate with the base station. have.

In an embodiment, the electronic device 421 may directly transmit self-identifying information to other electronic devices, or the electronic device ( 421) may operate in a manner that provides information instructing the use of the corresponding identification information to other electronic devices.

In an embodiment, each of the devices in the IoT environment (eg, electronic device 421, first device 422, second device 423, third device 424) is identified for communication with the base station 410 Information, including information, can be stored. However, identification information of an electronic device other than the electronic device 421 (for example, the first device 422) may not be allowed to communicate in a cellular network by a communication service provider, and the identification information of the electronic device 421 may be Communication may be allowed.

In this case, if communication between the electronic device 421 and the base station 410 is unstable, the electronic device 421 may allow another electronic device (eg, the first device 422) to communicate with the cellular network. In addition, identification information of the electronic device 421 or information allowing the use of the identification information is transmitted to another device, so that the other electronic device can communicate with the base station 410.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that the condition for the electronic device 421 to transmit information related to communication with the base station 410 to another electronic device is not limited to the above-described example. Specific examples related to this will be described later in the description of the accompanying drawings.

When communication with the base station 410 through the first device 422 is made, as shown in FIG. 4B, devices in the IoT environment including the electronic device 421 are transmitted to the base station 410 through the first device 422. ) And communication.

Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic device 500 may include a transceiver 510, a battery 520, a memory 530, and a processor 540. Each element of the electronic device 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 refers to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. For example, the transceiver 510 may be implemented by an operating device including a microprocessor, which is the same for the battery 520, the memory 530, and the processor 540.

The transceiver 510 may include a first transceiver 511 and a second transceiver 513. The first transceiver 511 may be a configuration for communication with a base station, and the second transceiver 513 may be a configuration for wireless LAN-based communication.

Specifically, the first transceiver 511 may transmit information to or receive information from the base station. The transmission and reception of information with the base station may be referred to as cellular communication, and may include, for example, 3rd generation (3G), 4th generation (4G), or 5th generation (5G)-based communication, but is not limited thereto. May include devices capable of communicating over a commercial cellular network. Since such a communication method is easy for a person skilled in the art, a detailed description will be omitted.

The second transceiver 513 may transmit information to or receive information from another device through a wireless LAN (or local area network). The second transceiver 513 may perform communication with other devices through a relay of an AP for wireless LAN-based information transmission and reception, or directly communicate with other electronic devices using a frequency allocated in connection with the wireless LAN. have. This is easy for a person skilled in the art, so a detailed description will be omitted.

The battery 520 may supply power for the operation of the electronic device 500.

The memory 530 may store at least some of various commands related to the operation of the electronic device 500, information related to the operation, and information transmitted and received through the transceiver 510. For example, the memory 530 may store identification information related to communication with a base station, and the memory 530 may include a plurality of storage media.

The memory 530 may include, for example, USIM or eSIM. Here, the eSIM is a digital SIM mounted inside the electronic device 500 and may be installed inside the device by encrypting identification information.

The processor 540 may generally control the operation of the electronic device 500, and operations related to the electronic device 500 described in the embodiments of the present specification may be performed through the control of the processor 540. In some cases, the processor 540 may be implemented with at least one processor, and embodiments of the present specification are not limited thereto.

The processor 540 may identify a set of other electronic devices that communicate with the electronic device 500. Specifically, the processor 540 may check a set of other electronic devices that communicate with the electronic device 500 based on the wireless LAN. Here, the set of other electronic devices may include at least some of at least one other electronic device included in the IoT environment together with the electronic device 500. Devices included in the IoT environment may be various types of electronic devices such as refrigerators, air conditioners, computers, and washing machines, and may also include meter reading devices that regularly check usage, but are not limited thereto and wireless communication Various electronic devices that can be connected to a network through a network may be included.

For example, if the IoT environment is composed of a smartphone, a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, a refrigerator, and a door lock, and the electronic device 500 corresponds to a smartphone, the set of other electronic devices may include a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, a refrigerator, and a door lock. have.

The processor 540 may check state information of at least one other electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices. Specifically, the processor 540 may check state information of at least one of electronic devices included in a set of other electronic devices. The status information includes, for example, the location of another electronic device, signal power between the electronic device 500 and another electronic device, a communication record between the electronic device 500 and another electronic device, and a communication state between the other electronic device and the base station , It may include information on at least one of the battery charge amount.

In some cases, some of the electronic devices included in the set of other electronic devices may not include a transceiver (eg, the first transceiver 511) that enables communication with the base station. For example, some electronic devices include a transceiver (eg, a second transceiver 513) for wireless LAN-based communication, but do not include a transceiver (eg, a first transceiver 511) for communication with a base station. May not.

In preparation for such a case, the processor 540 may check whether a transceiver for enabling communication with a base station is included in each electronic device (hereinafter, referred to as another electronic device) included in the set of other electronic devices. For example, the processor 540 may request information on whether a transceiver enabling communication with the base station is included from another electronic device, and a transceiver that enables communication with the base station based on the information obtained in response thereto. You can check whether is included.

Accordingly, the processor 540 may check state information of another electronic device including a transceiver that enables communication with the base station.

In an embodiment, the processor 540 may transmit a request message to at least one other electronic device. The processor 540 may check status information of each of at least one other electronic device based on a response message corresponding to the request message.

The processor 540 may determine a first electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices based on the checked state information.

For example, the processor 540 may check the strength of a reference signal received from the base station to each electronic device for each electronic device included in another electronic device set. The processor 540 may determine an electronic device having the largest reference signal strength among electronic devices included in another electronic device set as the first electronic device.

For another example, the processor 540 may check the battery charge amount of each electronic device included in another electronic device set. The processor 540 may determine, as the first electronic device, an electronic device having the largest battery charge amount among electronic devices included in another electronic device set.

For another example, the processor 540 may identify an electronic device having the closest distance to the electronic device 500 among electronic devices included in another electronic device set. The processor 540 may determine an electronic device whose distance is determined to be the closest to the first electronic device.

For another example, the processor 540 may check a communication record with the electronic device 500 for each electronic device included in another electronic device set. The processor 540 may determine as the first electronic device an electronic device that has most recently communicated with the electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices.

For another example, the processor 540 may check information related to power of a signal received from each electronic device included in another electronic device set to the electronic device 500. The processor 540 may determine as the first electronic device an electronic device having the largest confirmed signal power among a set of other electronic devices.

The processor 540 may transmit information corresponding to the first identification information related to communication with the base station to the first electronic device determined based on the checked state information.

In an embodiment, the information corresponding to the first identification information may be, for example, identification information for communication with the base station itself, that is, first identification information. In this case, the first electronic device may communicate with the base station based on the received first identification information.

For example, the electronic device 500 may include p-IMSI, and other electronic devices (eg, the first electronic device) may include t-IMSI. Here, p-IMSI is a storage space including the first identification information, and t-IMSI may mean a storage space that does not include the first identification information. The processor 540 may transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device. Based on this, the electronic device 500 does not include the first identification information and thus has the t-IMSI, and the other electronic device includes the first identification information and thus has the p-IMSI. In this case, the first electronic device may communicate with the base station based on the first identification information.

In another embodiment, the information corresponding to the first identification information may be information instructing to perform communication with the base station using p-IMSI of the electronic device 500. In this case, each of the electronic device 500 and a set of other electronic devices may have previously acquired information on p-IMSI. Meanwhile, in an embodiment, at least one of the electronic device 500 and the base station may determine which device uses p-IMSI to communicate with the base station, and some of the electronic devices capable of communicating with each other may use p-IMSI. Can be used to communicate directly with the base station.

Specifically, for example, each of the electronic device 500 and another electronic device may include information (eg, first identification information) on p-IMSI. In this case, the electronic device 500 may further include information for communication with the base station, and through this, may perform communication with the base station based on the first identification information. Each set of other electronic devices may perform communication with the base station based on the first identification information in response to receiving information for communication.

The processor 540 may determine whether to transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device based on at least one of information related to the reference signal and information related to the battery 520 received by the electronic device 500 from the base station. have.

In an embodiment, when the reference signal received from the base station corresponds to the first condition, the processor 540 may transmit information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device. Here, the first condition may include a case where the strength of the reference signal received from the base station is less than or equal to the first value. That is, the first condition may mean a case where the communication state of the electronic device 500 with the base station is unstable. Here, the first value may be a predetermined value.

In an embodiment, the processor 540 may check the state of the battery 520 of the electronic device 500. When the battery state of the electronic device 500 corresponds to the second condition, the processor 540 may transmit information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device. Here, the second condition may include a case where the amount of charge of the battery 520 is less than or equal to the second value. Here, the second value may be a predetermined value.

According to an embodiment, the processor 540 may transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device based on a local area network. The local area network may be a network using a communication method including Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but is not limited thereto.

The processor 540 may transmit at least some of information related to a set of other electronic devices to the first electronic device. The processor 540 may transmit information on an electronic device included in a set of other electronic devices that have communicated with the electronic device 500 to the first electronic device. Through this, the first electronic device may check information on a set of other electronic devices that have previously communicated with the electronic device 500.

The processor 540 may transmit information related to the first electronic device to at least one other electronic device other than the first electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices. The processor 540 may provide information indicating that the first identification information has been transmitted to the first electronic device to other electronic devices other than the first electronic device among a set of other electronic devices. In this case, another electronic device receiving information indicating that the first identification information has been transmitted to the first electronic device may perform communication with the base station through the first electronic device.

The processor 540 may transmit a message to the first electronic device based on the second identification information. Specifically, when communication with the base station is required, the processor 540 may transmit a message including information to be communicated with the base station to the first electronic device. Here, the second identification information may be information indicating the electronic device 500, and through this, the electronic device 500 as a target to which the message is transmitted may be identified by the first electronic device.

At least some of the information included in the message may be delivered to the base station based on at least one of the first identification information and the second identification information. Information included in the message transmitted to the first electronic device may be transmitted to the base station using the first identification information, and it may be indicated that the message originates from the electronic device 500 by using the second identification information.

In some cases, the electronic device 500 may have first identification information. In this case, the electronic device 500 may communicate with the base station based on the identification information, and other electronic devices may communicate with the base station through the electronic device 500. Specifically, the other electronic device transmits a message including its own identification information (eg, third identification information) and identification information of the message receiving target to the electronic device 500 for communication with the base station, and the electronic device 321 ) Transmits at least some of the received information to the base station based on the received information so that the other electronic device 323 communicates with the base station.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of each step of a communication method of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present specification. Each step of FIG. 6 may be performed in a different order or regardless of the order depending on the case. In addition, in the following, content overlapping with the already described content may be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 6, the electronic device may identify a set of other electronic devices that communicate with the electronic device (610 ). The set of other electronic devices may mean at least one other electronic device that is connected with the electronic device based on a wireless LAN.

The electronic device may check state information of at least one other electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices (620). The electronic device may check status information of at least one of other electronic devices included in the set of other electronic devices. The status information includes, for example, the location of another electronic device, signal power between the electronic device 500 and another electronic device, a communication record between the electronic device 500 and another electronic device, a communication state between the other electronic device and the base station, It may include information on at least one of the amount of charge of the battery.

The electronic device may determine the first electronic device from among a set of other electronic devices based on the state information. The electronic device may determine a first electronic device from a set of other electronic devices based on whether the checked state information satisfies a specified criterion.

For example, the electronic device has the greatest strength of a reference signal received from the base station to each of the other electronic devices among the set of other electronic devices, the battery charge is the maximum, or the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 500 of FIG. 5) A device having the largest signal power with or most recently communicated with the electronic device (eg, the electronic device 500 of FIG. 5) may be determined as the first electronic device.

The electronic device may transmit information related to the first identification information related to communication with the base station to the first electronic device determined based on the state information (630 ). Here, the first identification information may be identification information enabling communication with the base station. Here, the information related to the first identification information may be information corresponding to the first identification information.

In an embodiment, the electronic device may include a permanent IMSI (p-IMSI) which is an IMSI having the first identification information, and each of the other electronic devices included in the set of other electronic devices is an IMSI that does not have the first identification information. It may include temporary IMSI (t-IMSI). The electronic device may transmit the first identification information to a first electronic device among a set of other electronic devices. Accordingly, p-IMSI of the electronic device may be t-IMSI and t-IMSI of the first electronic device may be p-IMSI.

In an embodiment, each set of the electronic device and the other electronic device has identification information that enables communication with the base station, but only the electronic device may be directly allowed to communicate with the base station. That is, the electronic device may include additional information for communication with the base station in addition to the first identification information, and the other electronic device may have the first identification information. In this case, the other electronic device may perform communication with the base station upon receiving additional information for communication with the base station.

In an embodiment, the electronic device may determine whether to transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device based on the state of the electronic device. For example, when the strength of a reference signal between the electronic device and the base station is less than or equal to a first value, the electronic device may determine to transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device. For another example, when the battery of the electronic device is less than or equal to the second value, the electronic device may determine to transmit the first identification information to the first electronic device.

The electronic device may transmit a message to the first electronic device (640 ). Specifically, the electronic device may transmit a message to the first electronic device based on the second identification information. Here, the second identification information may be information indicating an electronic device. Based on this, when communication with the base station is required, the electronic device may transmit a message including information requiring communication with the base station to the first electronic device, and at this time, may add and transmit the second identification information together. .

7 is a flowchart illustrating a detailed flow of one step in a communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification. Specifically, FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating step 620 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 7, the electronic device may transmit a request message to at least one other electronic device (710 ). Here, the request message may be a message requesting status information of another electronic device.

Although not shown, the electronic device may receive a response message from another electronic device in response to transmission of the request message. The response message may include state information of another electronic device. The status information is based on at least one of the location of the other electronic device, the signal power between the electronic device and the other electronic device, the communication record between the electronic device and the other electronic device, the communication status of the other electronic device and the base station, and the battery charge amount. May include information about.

The electronic device may check status information of another electronic device based on a response message corresponding to the request message (720). When the response message is received, the electronic device may check the response message to check status information of another electronic device.

Referring to FIG. 8, a connection may be established between the first electronic device 802, the second electronic device 803, and the third electronic device 804 (811 ). Specifically, the first electronic device 802, the second electronic device 803, and the third electronic device 804 may be connected based on a wireless LAN (or a local area network). Each of the first electronic device 802, the second electronic device 803, and the third electronic device 804 may be directly connected to each other (both connected to each other), or one device (eg, the third electronic device 804) may be connected to each other. )) may be connected to each other through another device (eg, the second electronic device 803).

Although not shown, the first electronic device 802 may be an electronic device (eg, the electronic device 500 of FIG. 5) including identification information capable of communicating with a base station. Based on this, the first electronic device 802 may communicate with the base station 801. The second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 804 may not include identification information capable of communicating with the base station. Based on this, according to embodiments, the first electronic device 802 may be referred to as an electronic device, and the second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 804 may be referred to as a set of other electronic devices.

The first electronic device 802 may check state information of the second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 804 (813 ). For example, the state information may include information on at least one of a location, signal power transmitted/received to and from the first electronic device 801, a communication record with the first electronic device 801, a communication state with a base station, and a battery charge amount. I can.

The first electronic device 802 compares the state information of the second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 804 according to the state of the first electronic device 802 or the communication environment of the first electronic device 802 Thus, one of them (for example, the second electronic device 803) may be determined as a transmission target of information related to the first identification information (or information corresponding to the first identification information) (815 ). Here, the first identification information may include information for identifying itself in the cellular network for communication with the base station 801.

In an embodiment, when direct communication with the base station 801 is restricted by a device state (eg, battery charge) or a communication environment, the first electronic device 802 transmits the first identification information (eg, the first electronic device). The second electronic device 803 or the third electronic device 804 may be determined.

For example, in the first electronic device 802, the quality of a signal received from the base station 801 to the first electronic device 802 may be degraded according to the location of the first electronic device 802. In this case, the first electronic device 802 compares the state information of another electronic device capable of communicating with itself (for example, the second electronic device 803 or the third electronic device 804), and converts one of them to the first identification information. It can be determined as a transmission target of information related to

In an embodiment, the first electronic device 802 may include a battery charge amount as state information for determining one of the other electronic devices. Information that the battery charge amount of the second electronic device 803 is 80%, and that the battery charge amount of the third electronic device 804 is 10% may be included. In this case, the first electronic device 802 may determine a second electronic device 803 having a battery charge of 30% or less among the second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 804 as a transmission target device. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the state information for determining one of the other electronic devices may include a signal strength between the first electronic device 802 and another electronic device or a record of past use.

Hereinafter, a case in which the second electronic device 803 is determined as a transmission target of information related to the first identification information will be described as an example, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. That is, the following description may be similarly applied even if the third electronic device 804 is determined as a transmission target of the first identification information.

The first electronic device 802 may transmit information related to the first identification information to the second electronic device 803 based on the determination of the second electronic device 803 as a transmission target of the information related to the first identification information. (817). Accordingly, the second electronic device 803 may enable communication with the base station 801.

In an embodiment, the first electronic device 802 may directly transmit the first identification information to the second electronic device 803, or electronic devices capable of communicating with each other (eg, the second electronic device 803 and the third electronic device 803) In a state in which the first identification information is being shared between the devices 804, the first electronic device 802 may operate in a manner in which the first electronic device 802 provides information instructing the use of the identification information to the second electronic device 803. .

The second electronic device 803 may directly communicate with the base station 801 based on the first identification information. In this case, the first electronic device 802 previously relayed communication with the base station 801, but the second electronic device 803, which has received such identification information, can communicate with each other (e.g. : Communication between the first and third

electronic devices

802 and 804 with the base station 801 may be relayed.

When communication with the base station is requested, the first electronic device 802 may transmit a message including information to be communicated with the base station to the second electronic device 803 (819 ). In this case, the first electronic device 802 may transmit the second identification information as identification information indicating the first electronic device 802 to the second electronic device 803 together.

The second electronic device 803 may transmit the message received from the first electronic device 802 to the base station 801 (821).

Meanwhile, in some cases, when the state of the third electronic device 804 satisfies the condition, information related to the first identification information may be transmitted to the third electronic device 804. In this case, a message may be transmitted to the base station through the third electronic device 804.

In an embodiment, when the communication state with the base station 801 falls below the first value or the battery charge falls below the second value, the second electronic device 803 The first identification information may be transmitted to the third electronic device 804 or the first electronic device 802 based on the state information of the device 802.

In addition, in some cases, the third electronic device 804 may be omitted. In this case, the first identification information may be moved between the first electronic device 802 and the second electronic device 803 according to the state of each device. have.

9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another example of a communication method of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification. Specifically, FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a case where an electronic device and another electronic device are configured as a mesh network.

Referring to FIG. 9, the electronic device 921 may include first identification information related to communication with a base station. The electronic device 921 may communicate with the base station 910 based on the first identification information. The electronic device 921 may be connected to a set of other electronic devices including the first electronic device 922, the second electronic device 923, and the third electronic device 924.

The connection between the electronic device 921 and another set of electronic devices may be a wireless LAN-based connection. The electronic device 921 may be directly and indirectly connected to each electronic device included in another electronic device set, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Indirect connection may refer to a form in which, for example, other electronic devices are interposed therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 10, the electronic device 1001 may be connected to a set of other electronic devices. The electronic device 1001 may be, for example, a device that provides information on gas leakage to a user (eg, the first electronic device 1002, the second electronic device 1003), and is included in a set of other electronic devices. Each electronic device may be a device that detects gas leakage.

The electronic device 1001 may connect different sets of electronic devices to each other based on a wireless LAN to transmit and receive information. In this case, the electronic device 1001 may communicate with the base station.

If the battery of the electronic device 1001 falls below the first value, the electronic device 1001 may transmit identification information for communication with the base station to one of a set of other electronic devices. In this case, even if the battery of the electronic device 1001 is turned off, communication with the base station may be performed through a set of other electronic devices.

In an embodiment, when the first electronic device 1002 receives the identification information from the electronic device 1001, the first electronic device 1002 is also Identification information may be transmitted to one of the sets (eg, the second electronic device 1003 ).

Through this, the battery value is equally adjusted between the electronic devices connected to each other, so that only one electronic device is discharged to prevent a malfunction that occurs when an operation of a corresponding part is not performed. In addition, it is possible to continuously and efficiently maintain communication with the base station.

An electronic device and a communication method thereof according to an embodiment of the present specification allow communication with a base station to be shared with other electronic devices, and by transmitting information for communication with the base station to other devices according to the state of the electronic device, Efficient communication can be made.

An electronic device and a communication method thereof according to an embodiment of the present specification use a combination of communication with a base station and wireless LAN communication, so that communication between various electronic devices is more effective and efficient based on the advantages of each communication method. You can make it happen.

Combinations of each block of the block diagram attached to the present specification and each step of the flowchart may be performed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions can be mounted on the processor of a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment are displayed in each block or flowchart of the block diagram. Each step creates a means to perform the functions described. These computer program instructions can also be stored in computer-usable or computer-readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement a function in a particular way, so that the computer-usable or computer-readable memory It is also possible to produce an article of manufacture in which the instructions stored in the block diagram contain instruction means for performing the functions described in each block of the block diagram or each step of the flowchart. Since computer program instructions can also be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, a series of operating steps are performed on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-executable process to create a computer or other programmable data processing equipment. It is also possible for the instructions to perform the processing equipment to provide steps for executing the functions described in each block of the block diagram and each step of the flowchart.

In addition, each block or each step may represent a module, segment, or part of code that contains one or more executable instructions for executing the specified logical function(s). In addition, it should be noted that in some alternative embodiments, functions mentioned in blocks or steps may occur out of order. For example, two blocks or steps shown in succession may in fact be performed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks or steps may sometimes be performed in the reverse order depending on the corresponding function.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present specification, and those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present specification pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential quality of the present specification. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present specification, but to describe, and the scope of the technical idea of the present specification is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. The scope of protection of the present specification should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present specification.

Claims

In the communication method of an electronic device,

Identifying a set of other electronic devices in communication with the electronic device;

Checking status information of at least one other electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices; And

And transmitting information corresponding to first identification information related to communication with a base station to a first electronic device determined based on the state information,

A communication method in which a signal is transmitted from the first electronic device to the base station based on information corresponding to the first identification information.
The method of claim 1,

Transmitting information corresponding to the first identification information,

And transmitting information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device when the reference signal received from the base station corresponds to the first condition.
The method of claim 1,

Transmitting information corresponding to the first identification information,

And transmitting information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device when the battery state of the electronic device corresponds to a second condition.
The method of claim 1,

The first electronic device,

The communication method that the first electronic device is determined based on at least one of information related to a reference signal received from the base station and information related to a battery of the first electronic device.
The method of claim 1

And transmitting at least some of the information related to the set of other electronic devices to the first electronic device.
The method of claim 1,

And transmitting information related to the first electronic device to at least one other electronic device other than the first electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices.
The method of claim 1,

Further comprising the step of transmitting a message to the first electronic device based on the second identification information,

At least some of the information included in the message is transmitted from the first electronic device to the base station based on at least one of the first identification information and the second identification information.
The method of claim 1,

Checking the status information

Transmitting a request message to the at least one other electronic device; And

And checking status information of the other electronic device based on a response message corresponding to the request message.
The method of claim 1,

Communication with the base station and communication with the first electronic device are performed by different transceivers, respectively.
The method of claim 1,

The first electronic device is an electronic device that has recently performed communication with the electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices.
The method of claim 1,

The status information,

A communication method including information related to signal power received from the at least one other electronic device.
In the electronic device,

With the transceiver,

Including a processor,

The processor,

Identify a set of other electronic devices that communicate with the electronic device,

Checking status information of at least one other electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices,

Information corresponding to first identification information Transmitting information corresponding to first identification information related to communication with a base station to a first electronic device determined based on the state information,

An electronic device that transmits a signal from the first electronic device to the base station based on information corresponding to the first identification information.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

When the reference signal received from the base station corresponds to a first condition, the electronic device transmits information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

When the battery state of the electronic device corresponds to a second condition, the electronic device transmits information corresponding to the first identification information to the first electronic device.
The method of claim 12,

The first electronic device,

The electronic device is determined based on at least one of information related to a reference signal received from the base station by the first electronic device and information related to a battery of the first electronic device.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

An electronic device that transmits at least some of information related to the set of other electronic devices to the first electronic device.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

An electronic device that transmits information related to the first electronic device to at least one other electronic device other than the first electronic device from among the set of other electronic devices.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

Transmitting a message to the first electronic device based on the second identification information,

At least some of the information included in the message is transmitted from the first electronic device to the base station based on at least one of the first identification information and the second identification information.
The method of claim 12,

The processor,

Transmitting a request message to the at least one other electronic device,

An electronic device that checks status information of the other electronic device based on a response message corresponding to the request message.
The method of claim 12,

Communication with the base station and communication with the first electronic device are performed by different transceivers, respectively.