Wireless communication method and electronic device providing the wireless communication method

Abstract

The present invention may include an electronic device, the electronic device including: a communication module for supporting first short-range wireless communication and second short-range wireless communication; and a processor functionally connected to the communication module, wherein the processor is configured to: establish a connection to a first external device via the communication module on at least one channel in a frequency band using the first short-range wireless communication; while the connection to the first external device is established, identify a request for second short-range wireless communication with a second external device; and in response to the request, connect the second external device to the first external device or an external communication server on the at least one channel in the frequency band using the second short-range wireless communication. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and may include other embodiments.

Description

[0001] Division Explanation

[0002] This application is a divisional application of a patent application for invention with the application date of November 9, 2016, application number 201680067590.7, and invention title "Wireless Communication Method and Electronic Device Providing the Same". Technical Field

[0003] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wireless communication method and an electronic device supporting the wireless communication method, and more particularly, to a method for performing multiple short-range wireless communications and an electronic device supporting the method. Background Art

[0004] Recently, with the development of technology, electronic devices capable of performing various functions have become necessities for modern people. These electronic devices have been transformed into multimedia communication devices that can provide not only inherent voice call services but also various data transmission services and various additional services.

[0005] As a multimedia communication device, an electronic device uses various short-range communication methods to send / receive data with other electronic devices. For example, an electronic device uses technologies for standards such as Wireless LAN (WLAN), BT, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Ultra Wide Band (UWB), Ultra Narrow Band (UNB), Wireless USB, Wireless Gigabit (WiGig), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wireless HD, TransferJet, and Wireless FireWire to send / receive data with other electronic devices. Summary of the Invention

[0006] [Technical Problem]

[0007] Various standard technologies for short-range network communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, BT, and NFC) can be installed in an electronic device. A user of the electronic device can use these standard technologies to wirelessly use various services. For example, a user of the electronic device can simultaneously use multiple Wi-Fi or BT technologies to wirelessly use various services. In the case where the electronic device uses multiple Wi-Fi or BT technologies, interference may occur between frequency bands.

[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure provide a wireless communication method capable of reducing the above problems through channel control of a wireless communication band and an electronic device supporting the method.

[0009] [Solution to the Problem]

[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method in an electronic device supporting a first short-range wireless communication and a second short-range wireless communication includes: connecting to a first external device on at least one channel of a frequency band using the first short-range wireless communication; while connected to the first external device, identifying a request to perform the second short-range wireless communication with a second external device; and in response to the request, using the second short-range wireless communication to connect the second external device to the first external device or an external communication server on the at least one channel of the frequency band. Further, an electronic device supporting such a method is provided.

[0011] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method in an electronic device supporting a first short-range wireless communication and a second short-range wireless communication includes: establishing a first connection from a first external device to a second external device or an external communication device on at least one channel of a first frequency band using the second short-range wireless communication; while the first external device is connected to the second external device or the external communication server, identifying a request to perform a second connection to the second external device using the first short-range wireless communication; in response to the request, comparing a second frequency band associated with the second connection with the first frequency band; and if the second frequency band is equal to the first frequency band, changing the at least one channel used for the first connection based on a channel to be used for the second connection. Further, an electronic device supporting such a method is provided.

[0012] [Advantages of the Invention]

[0013] According to aspects of the present disclosure, for example, when performing multiple short-range wireless communications using a communication module, it is possible to prevent a frequency interference phenomenon from occurring between the respective short-range wireless communications and to prevent an IP conflict from occurring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a network environment according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a programming module according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a communication connection of an electronic device to a first external device and multiple external devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 5It is a diagram showing the connection of an electronic device to a second external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing the connection of an electronic device to a second external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 7 It is a diagram showing the connection of an electronic device to other external devices while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing the connection of an electronic device to other external devices while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 9 It is a diagram showing the disconnection of an electronic device from a second external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 10 It is a diagram showing the IP assignment of an electronic device to a third external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 11 It is a diagram showing a screen of an electronic device related to IP assignment information of external devices according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 12 It is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection between an electronic device and a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 13 It is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection of an electronic device to a second external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 14 It is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection between an electronic device and a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 15 It is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection of an electronic device to a second external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 16is a flowchart according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating a communication connection of an electronic device to a third external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device;

[0030] Figure 17 is a flowchart according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating an IP allocation of the electronic device to a third external device while the electronic device is connected to a first external device and a second external device; and

[0031] Figure 18a and Figure 18b is a diagram showing a WiFi structure and channels of each structure according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although specific embodiments are shown in the drawings and relevant detailed descriptions are discussed in this specification, the present disclosure may have various modifications and several embodiments. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to specific implementation forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure includes all changes and / or equivalents and alternatives included in the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0033] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as "include", "have", "may include", or "may have" may be construed as indicating certain features, numbers, steps, operations, components, components, or combinations thereof, but may not be construed as excluding the presence or possibility of addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, components, or combinations thereof.

[0034] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the expression "or" or "at least one of A or / and B" includes any one or all combinations of the words listed together. For example, the expression "A or B" or "at least A or / and B" may include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.

[0035] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the expressions "1", "2", "first", or "second" may modify various components of the embodiments, but do not limit the corresponding components. For example, the above expressions do not limit the order and / or importance of the components. These expressions may be used to distinguish one component from other components. For example, the first user device and the second user device indicate different user devices, although they are both user devices. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first structural element may be referred to as the second structural element. Similarly, the second structural element may also be referred to as the first structural element.

[0036] When a component is stated to be “(operatively or communicatively) coupled to” or “connected to” another component, the component can be directly coupled or connected to the other component, or a new component can be present between the component and the other component. In contrast, when a component is stated to be “directly coupled to” or “directly connected to” another component, no new component is present between the component and the other component. In the present disclosure, the expression “configured (or set) to” can be exchanged with, for example, “suitable for”, “capable of...”, “designed to”, “adapted to”, “manufactured to”, or “able to be used for”. The expression “configured (or set) to” does not merely mean that something in the form of hardware is “specially designed for”. Instead, the expression “a device is configured to” can indicate that the device is capable of “doing” certain things with other devices or parts. For example, the expression “a processor is configured (set) to perform A, B, and C” can refer to a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) or a general-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or an application processor AP) that can execute one or more software programs stored in a storage device to perform the corresponding functions.

[0037] The terms used in describing the embodiments of the present disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms used herein are also intended to include the plural forms. All terms (including technical terms or scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise defined clearly in the text. Terms defined in a general dictionary should be interpreted as having the same or similar meaning as the context of the related art and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or exaggerated meaning unless they are clearly defined in the present disclosure. In some cases, even terms defined in the present disclosure should not be interpreted as excluding embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may include at least one of the following: for example, a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a workstation, a server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-1 or MPEG-2) Audio Layer 3 (MP3) player, a mobile medical device, a camera, or a wearable device. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a wearable device may include at least one of the following: an accessory-type wearable device (e.g., a watch, a ring, a bracelet, an anklet, a necklace, glasses, contact lenses, or a head-mounted device (HMD)), a clothing or overall apparel-type wearable device (e.g., an electronic garment), a body-mounted wearable device (e.g., a skin patch or a tattoo), or an implantable wearable device (e.g., an implantable circuit).

[0039] The electronic device may be a smart home appliance. The smart home appliance may include at least one of the following: for example, a television (TV), a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, an audio player, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a vacuum cleaner, an oven, a microwave oven, a washing machine, an air purifier, a set-top box, a home automation control panel, a security control panel, a TV box (e.g., Samsung HomeSync TM , Apple TV TM , or Google TV TM ), a game console (e.g., Xbox TM and PlayStation TM ), an electronic dictionary, an electronic key, a portable camera, or an electronic photo frame.

[0040] The electronic device may include at least one of the following: various medical devices (such as, various portable medical measurement devices (e.g., a blood glucose meter, a heart rate monitor, a blood pressure monitor, or a thermometer, etc.), a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) device, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, a computed tomography (CT) device, a scanner, or an ultrasonic device, etc.), a navigation device, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, an event data recorder (EDR), a flight data recorder (FDR), a vehicle infotainment device, marine electronic devices (e.g., a navigation system, a gyrocompass, etc.), avionics, security devices, a vehicle head unit, an industrial or household robot, an automated teller machine (ATM), a point of sale (POS) device, or an Internet of Things (IoT) device (e.g., a light bulb, various sensors, a water meter, an electricity meter, a gas meter, a sprinkler device, a fire alarm, a thermostat, a street lamp, a toaster, a sports equipment, a hot water tank, a heater, a boiler, etc.).

[0041] The electronic device may further include at least one of the following: a part of furniture or a building / structure, an electronic board, an electronic signature receiving device, a projector, or various measuring instruments (e.g., a water meter, an electricity meter, a gas meter, or a wave gauge, etc.). The electronic device may be one or a combination of the above devices. The electronic device may be a flexible electronic device. In addition, the electronic device is not limited to the above devices and may include new types of electronic devices according to the development of new technologies.

[0042] Hereinafter, an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The term "user" used herein may mean a person using the electronic device, or may mean a device using the electronic device (e.g., an artificial intelligence electronic device).

[0043] Figure 1FIG. 100 shows a network environment 100 including an electronic device 101 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device 101 may include a bus 110, a processor 120, a memory 130, an input / output interface 150, a display 160, and a communication interface 170. According to some embodiments, at least one of the above components may be omitted from the electronic device 101, or another component may be further included in the electronic device 101.

[0044] The bus 110 may be a circuit that connects the above components 120, 130, and 150 to 170 and transmits communications (e.g., control messages and / or data) between the above components.

[0045] The processor 120 may include one or more of the following: a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), and a communication processor (CP). The processor 120 may control at least one of the other components of the electronic device 101 and / or process communication-related data and operations.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 120 may control a communication module 170 that supports first short-range wireless communication and second short-range wireless communication. The processor 120 may be functionally connected to the communication module 170. For example, the processor 120 may support Wi-Fi using the first short-range wireless communication through an access radio access device (e.g., an access point (AP)). In addition, the processor 120 may support a second wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) using the second short-range wireless communication through a configured access unit (AP). Wi-Fi may refer to short-range communication that can perform wireless Internet within a predetermined distance from the location where an access point (AP) is installed using radio waves or infrared transmission. A hotspot may refer to a wireless LAN service area that is an area around an access point (AP) where communication is possible.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 120 may use the first short-range wireless communication to connect to a first external device on at least one channel of a frequency band through the communication module 170, and may identify a request to perform second short-range wireless communication with a second external device while connected to the first external device. For example, the processor 120 may connect to Wi-Fi using the first short-range wireless communication on a communication frequency band channel of the first external device (e.g., an access point (AP)). The processor may identify a signal for a hotspot that uses the second short-range wireless communication in a Wi-Fi connection that requests the use of the first short-range wireless communication. For example, the processor 120 may identify the request through an input by a user for requesting the execution of the second short-range wireless communication.

[0048] In the case of using a wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) during a WiFi connection, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether to use the same frequency band based on whether the WiFi AP band is supported and whether the electronic device 101 supports the WiFi band for another device. For example, the processor 120 may control to perform communication using only the 2.4 GHz band during the WiFi connection and the hotspot connection.

[0049] In response to the request, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control to connect a second external device to a first external device or an external communication server on at least one channel of a frequency band using a second short-range wireless communication.

[0050] If the channels of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication are pre-stored, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare the pre-stored channels with at least one channel used during the first short-range wireless communication. The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may adjust the channels of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication based on the comparison result such that the channels are consistent with the channels used during the first short-range wireless communication. For example, in response to a signal for a hotspot using the second short-range wireless communication among WiFi connections for requesting the use of the first short-range wireless communication, the processor 120 may control the channels to change the channels to channels in the frequency band equal to the channels of the WiFi.

[0051] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may configure the frequency bands for the first short-range wireless communication and the second short-range wireless communication as different frequency bands. For example, if the 2.4 GHz band is used for the first short-range wireless communication, the processor 120 may configure the frequency band for the second short-range wireless communication as the 5 GHz band.

[0052] The processor 120 may use the second short-range wireless communication to control other electronic devices to connect to the first external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) or an external communication server through the channels of the changed frequency band.

[0053] When controlling the second external device to connect to the first external device or an external communication server, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare the IP band information assigned to the second external device with the IP band information assigned to the first external device.

[0054] The network that performs communication can be divided into a public network and a virtual network. Here, the public network can be assigned a public IP address (for example, the address is 100.100.100.100). The virtual network corresponds to the space where communication is performed in a predetermined area (for example, the communication area formed between a WiFi AP and a specific terminal), and can be assigned a virtual IP address. For example, if there are access points (APs) for sending and receiving multiple short-range wireless communication (for example, WiFi) signals for one terminal, the access points can be assigned IP addresses accordingly. As another example, the first access point can be assigned IP 192.68.2.1, and the second access point can be assigned IP 192.68.8.2.

[0055] While performing WiFi communication using the first short-range communication through the first external device (for example, a WiFi AP), the processor 120 according to an embodiment can recognize a request for performing a wireless LAN service using the second short-range wireless communication with the second external device (for example, another terminal device). For example, when the IP band information of 192.168.1.2 is assigned to and used for the first external device (for example, a WiFi AP), the processor can compare the IP band information of the wireless LAN service (for example, a hotspot) assigned to the second external device with the IP band information 192.168.1.2 in response to a request from the second external device (for example, another device).

[0056] The processor 120 can determine whether to reassign the IP band information of the second external device based on the comparison result of the IP band information. For example, if the IP band information of the wireless LAN service (for example, a hotspot) assigned to the second external device is equal to the IP 192.168.1.2 assigned to the first external device (for example, a WiFi AP), the processor 120 can control to change the IP band information. As another example, the processor 120 can output notification information related to the change of the IP assignment information.

[0057] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can control the communication module 170 that supports the first short-range wireless communication and the second short-range wireless communication. For example, the processor 120 can control to support wireless fidelity (WiFi) using the first short-range wireless communication and a wireless LAN service (for example, a hotspot) using the second short-range wireless communication.

[0058] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to establish a first connection from a first external device to a second external device or an external communication server on at least one channel of a first frequency band using the second short - range wireless communication. For example, the processor 120 may be controlled to perform communication of a first external device (e.g., other terminal device) based on a hotspot communication connection. In addition, the processor 120 may be controlled to connect a first external device (e.g., other terminal device) to an external communication server (e.g., a base station) based on a hotspot communication connection.

[0059] When the first external device is connected to the second external device or the external communication server, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a request signal for using the first short - range wireless communication to perform a second connection to the second external device. For example, when the first external device is connected to a network using the second short - range wireless communication for a wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot), the processor 120 may identify a request for performing a connection to a second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) to perform wireless fidelity (WiFi) using the first short - range wireless communication. The request may be a signal generated by a user's input (e.g., a touch input event).

[0060] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare a second frequency band related to the second connection with the first frequency band in response to the request. For example, the processor 120 may compare the communication frequency band of the wireless LAN service with the WiFi communication frequency band in response to a WiFi connection request signal during the use of the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot).

[0061] If the second frequency band is equal to the first frequency band, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change at least one channel used for the first connection based on the channel to be used for the second connection. For example, if the channel of the communication frequency band of the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) is equal to the channel of the WiFi communication frequency band, the processor 120 may change the channel used for the connection of the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) based on the channel of the WiFi communication frequency band.

[0062] If the second frequency band is different from the first frequency band, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to perform communication without changing at least one channel used for the first connection. For example, if the communication frequency band of the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) is different from the WiFi communication frequency band, the processor 120 may be controlled to perform communication without changing the channel used for the connection of the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot).

[0063] If the second frequency band is equal to the first frequency band, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control the display module 160 to display a notification item on the screen, the notification item including information related to the possibility of a temporary communication disconnection of the first connection when at least one channel for the first connection is changed based on the channel to be used for the second connection. The processor 120 according to an embodiment may control the communication module 170 not to perform communication with other external devices until at least one channel for the first connection is changed to be consistent with the channel to be used for the second connection. The processor 120 according to an embodiment may control the display module 160 to display a change item including information for requesting a channel change of the first frequency band on the screen.

[0064] When both the first connection and the second connection are established, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a communication performance request signal for a third external device used to replace the second external device and a wireless communication frequency band for performing communication with the third external device. For example, when a connection using a wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot) and a WiFi connection through a second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) are established, the processor 120 may identify a communication performance request for another WiFi AP used to replace the second external device (e.g., the WiFi AP). When performing a connection to another identified WiFi AP, the processor 120 may identify the wireless communication frequency band of the other WiFi AP. As another example, the request may be a signal generated when the processor enters an area where wireless communication of a third external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) can be achieved or a signal generated through an input event for the functional performance of the user.

[0065] If the wireless communication frequency band of the third external device is different from the first frequency band, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may establish a third connection as the wireless communication frequency band of the third external device to replace the second connection. If the communication frequency band of the identified other WiFi AP is different from the communication frequency band using the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot), the processor 120 may re - establish a connection for transmitting / receiving WiFi signals with the other WiFi AP.

[0066] If the wireless communication frequency band of the third external device is equal to the first frequency band, but the channels of each frequency band are different from each other, the processor 120 may determine whether a protocol capable of changing the channel of the first frequency band to the channel of the wireless communication frequency band of the third external device while maintaining the first connection can be executed. If the wireless communication frequency band of another WiFi AP to be re - connected is equal to the communication frequency band for performing the wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot), the processor 120 according to an embodiment may determine whether the channels of each frequency band are equal to each other by comparison.

[0067] If the channels of the respective frequency bands are different from each other, the processor 120 may determine whether a protocol can be executed that can change the channel to a channel of a wireless communication frequency band of another WiFi AP while maintaining the connection using the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot). If a protocol that can change the channel to a channel of a wireless communication frequency band of another WiFi AP can be executed, the processor 120 may use the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot) to change the channel for the client device.

[0068] For example, the processor 120 may control to use the 11v BSSTRANS protocol and the BSSTRANS message to change the communication frequency band channel without disconnecting from the first external device (e.g., other terminal). Here, the 11v BSSTRANS protocol and the BSSTRANS message may be rules included in any one of the communication standards IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac.

[0069] If it is determined that a protocol that can change the channel to a channel of a wireless communication frequency band of another WiFi AP while maintaining the connection using the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot) cannot be executed, the processor 120 may change the communication frequency band channel for the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot). The processor 120 may re-establish the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot) of the client device on the changed channel.

[0070] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may disconnect the existing first connection (e.g., the connection with another terminal device through hotspot communication), and may re-establish the first connection on the communication frequency band channel that is the same as the communication frequency band channel of the third external device (e.g., WiFi AP) in response to a communication performance request signal for the third external device (e.g., WiFi AP).

[0071] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may interrupt the connection with another WiFi AP for a predetermined time in response to a communication performance request signal for the third external device (e.g., WiFi AP). The processor 120 according to an embodiment may control the communication module 170 to send a request signal for changing the channel to the communication frequency band channel of the third external device (e.g., WiFi AP) to the first external device (e.g., other terminal device).

[0072] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change the channel of the first frequency band based on the determined result, and may establish a third connection by replacing the second connection based on the result of the channel change.

[0073] When the first connection and the second connection are established, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a communication performance request signal for a plurality of external devices used to replace the second external device. For example, when a communication connection with another terminal through the hotspot function and a connection through WiFi are established, the processor 120 may identify a communication performance request signal for another WiFi AP used to replace the WiFi AP. As another example, the request signal may be a signal generated in an area where wireless communication of a plurality of external devices can be achieved or a signal generated through user input.

[0074] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, in response to the identified communication performance request signal, identify pre-stored communication bands and channel information of the communication bands of the plurality of external devices. The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, based on the identified communication band information and channel information, determine one of the plurality of external devices as the device used to replace the second external device. For example, if the pre-stored communication bands of the plurality of external devices are different from the communication band of the first external device that supports a wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot), or the bands and the channels of the bands are all consistent with each other, the processor 120 may determine one of the plurality of external devices as the device used to replace the second external device.

[0075] For example, in the memory 130, channel information, channel band information, basic service set identifier (BSSID) / media access control (MAC) address, physical layer (PHY) mode information, signal information, noise information, signal-to-noise ratio (S / N) information, subsystem identifier (SSID) information, and received signal strength indication (RSSI) value information about the plurality of external devices may be pre-stored. If entering the wireless WiFi area of another external device, the processor 120 may control to connect to any one of the other external devices based on at least one piece of the stored information.

[0076] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may establish a third connection by replacing the determined device and the second connection. For example, the processor 120 may determine a third external device that is determined as the AP used to replace the second external device (e.g., WiFi AP).

[0077] If communication with a second external device is interrupted when a first connection and a second connection are established, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control to perform communication using another wireless communication method. For example, if communication with the second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) is interrupted during a WiFi connection by the second external device, the processor 120 may control to perform communication of a first external device (e.g., another terminal) using another wireless communication method (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)).

[0078] The processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare the IP band information assigned to a first external device with the IP band information assigned to a second external device in response to a request signal. The processor 120 may determine whether to reassign the IP band information of the first external device based on the comparison result of the IP band information. For example, if the IP band information assigned for the communication performance of a first external device (e.g., another terminal) is 192.168.3.2, the processor 120 may determine whether the IP band information assigned for the communication performance of the second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) is consistent with the IP band information assigned for the communication performance of the first external device. For example, if the IP band information assigned for the communication performance of the second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) is equal to 192.168.3.2, the processor 120 may change the IP band allocation information of the first external device. If the IP band information assigned for the communication performance of the second external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) is different from 192.168.3.2, the processor 120 may perform WiFi communication of the second external device using the corresponding IP.

[0079] In a case of determining an external device for performing a communication connection from among a plurality of external devices, the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine an external device for performing communication based on at least one of connection frequency information, IP allocation information of a first external device, and IP historical allocation information of a second external device.

[0080] A channel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least one of communication band frequency-related data and Internet Protocol (IP) band-related data.

[0081] The memory 130 can include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The memory 130 can store data or commands related to at least one of the other components of the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the memory 130 can store software and / or programming modules 140. For example, the programming modules 140 can include a kernel 141, middleware 143, an application programming interface (API) 145, an application (or app) 147, etc. At least a part of the kernel 141, middleware 143, or API 145 can be referred to as an operating system (OS).

[0082] The kernel 141 can control or manage system resources (such as the bus 110, the processor 120, the memory 130, etc.) for performing the operations or functions of other programs (such as the middleware 143, the API 145, and the application 147). The kernel 141 provides an interface that can allow the middleware 143, the API 145, and the application 147 to access and control / manage the respective components of the electronic device 101.

[0083] The middleware 143 can mediate between the API 145 or the application 147 and the kernel 141 so that the API 145 or the application 147 can communicate with the kernel 141 and exchange data therewith. The middleware 143 can process one or more task requests received from the application 147 according to priorities. For example, the middleware 143 can assign priorities for using the system resources (such as the bus 110, the processor 120, the memory 130, etc.) of the electronic device 101 to at least one application 147. For example, the middleware 143 processes one or more task requests according to the priorities assigned to at least one application, thereby performing scheduling or load balancing of the task requests.

[0084] The API 145 refers to an interface configured to allow the application 147 to control the functions provided by the kernel 141 or the middleware 143. The API 145 can include at least one interface or function (such as an instruction) for file control, window control, image processing, text control, etc.

[0085] The input / output interface 150 can transfer instructions or data received from a user or an external device to one or more components of the electronic device 101. The input / output interface 150 can output instructions or data received from one or more components of the electronic device 101 to the user or an external device.

[0086] The display 160 can include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flexible display, a transparent display, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) display, an electronic paper display, etc. The display 160 can display various types of content (e.g., text, images, videos, icons, symbols, etc.). The display 160 can also be implemented using a touch screen. In this case, the display 160 can receive touch, gesture, proximity input, or hover input implemented via a stylus or a user's body.

[0087] The communication interface 170 can establish communication between the electronic device 101 and an external device (e.g., the first external device 102, the second external device 104, or the server 106). For example, the communication interface 170 can communicate with an external device (e.g., the second external device 104 or the server 106) connected to the network 162 via wired or wireless communication.

[0088] The wireless communication can use at least one of the following as a cellular communication protocol: Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wireless Broadband (WiBro), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). The wireless communication can also include short-range wireless communication 164. The short-range wireless communication 164 can include at least one of the following: Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth (BT), Near Field Communication (NFC), Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST), and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The GNSS can include at least one of the following: Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (hereinafter referred to as "BeiDou"), Galileo, and European Global Satellite-Based Navigation System, depending on the GNSS usage area, bandwidth, etc. In the present disclosure, "GPS" and "GNSS" can be used interchangeably. The wired communication can include at least one of the following: Universal Serial Bus (USB), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Recommended Standard 232 (RS-232), and Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). The network 162 can include at least one of the following: a telecommunication network (e.g., a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN)), the Internet, and a telephone network.

[0089] In terms of type, the first external electronic device 102 and the second external electronic device 104 may each be the same as or different from the electronic device 101. According to an embodiment, the server 106 can include a group having one or more servers. According to various embodiments, a part or all of the operations performed on the electronic device 101 can be performed on another electronic device or multiple other electronic devices (e.g., the electronic devices 102 and 104, or the server 106). According to an embodiment, when the electronic device needs to automatically or upon request perform a function or service, it does not perform the function or service, but can additionally request at least a part of the function related to the function or service from other electronic devices (e.g., the electronic devices 102 and 104 or the server 106). Another electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 or 104, or the server 106) can perform the function or additional functions requested by the electronic device and send the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 processes the received result or further performs additional processing to provide the requested function or service. To this end, the electronic device 101 can adopt cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing technologies.

[0090] Figure 2 is a detailed block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic device 201 according to various embodiments. For example, the electronic device 201 can include Figure 1 part or all of the components in the electronic device 101 shown. The electronic device 201 can include one or more processors 210 (e.g., an application processor (AP)), a communication module 220, a subscriber identification module (SIM) 224, a memory 230, a sensor module 240, an input device 250, a display 260, an interface 270, an audio module 280, a camera module 291, a power management module 295, a battery 296, an indicator 297, and a motor 298.

[0091] The processor 210 can drive, for example, an operating system or an application program to control a plurality of hardware or software components connected to the processor 210, process various data, and perform operations. For example, the processor 210 can be implemented as a system on a chip (SoC). According to an embodiment, the processor 210 may further include a graphics processing unit (GPU) and / or an image signal processor. The processor 210 may further include Figure 2 at least a part of the components shown (e.g., the cellular module 221). The processor 210 can load commands or data received from at least one of the other components (e.g., the non-volatile memory) onto the volatile memory and process the loaded commands or data. The processor 210 can store various data in the non-volatile memory.

[0092] The communication module 220 may include Figure 1a configuration that is the same as or similar to the communication interface 170 shown in the figure. For example, the communication module 170 can include a cellular module 221, a WiFi module 223, a Bluetooth (BT) module 225, a GNSS module 227 (e.g., a GPS module, a GLONASS module, a Beidou module, or a Galileo module), an NFC module 228, and a radio frequency (RF) module 229.

[0093] For example, the cellular module 221 can provide voice calls, video calls, SMS services, Internet services, etc. through a communication network. According to an embodiment, the cellular module 221 can identify and authenticate the electronic device 201 in the communication network by using a subscriber identity module (SIM) 224 (e.g., a SIM card). According to an embodiment, the cellular module 221 can execute at least a part of the functions provided by the processor 210. According to an embodiment, the cellular module 1721 can also include a communication processor (CP).

[0094] Each of the WiFi module 223, the BT module 225, the GNSS module 227, and the NFC module 228 can include a processor for processing data transmitted or received through the corresponding module. According to an embodiment, at least a part of the modules among the cellular module 221, the WiFi module 223, the BT module 225, the GNSS module 227, and the NFC module 228 (e.g., two or more modules) can be included in one integrated circuit (IC) or one IC package.

[0095] The RF module 229 can transmit / receive communication signals (e.g., RF signals). The RF module 229 can include a transceiver, a power amplification module (PAM), a frequency filter, a low noise amplifier (LNA), an antenna, etc. According to another embodiment, at least one of the cellular module 221, the WiFi module 223, the BT module 225, the GNSS module 227, and the NFC module 228 can transmit / receive RF signals through a separate RF module.

[0096] The SIM module 224 can include a card that includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) and / or an embedded SIM. The SIM module 224 can also contain unique identification information (e.g., an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID)) or user information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)).

[0097] The memory 230 (e.g., Figure 1The illustrated memory 130) can include an embedded memory 232 or an external memory 234. The embedded memory 232 can include at least one of the following: volatile memory (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), etc.); and non-volatile memory (e.g., one-time programmable ROM (OTPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash, NOR flash, etc.), hard disk drive, solid state drive (SSD), etc.).

[0098] The external memory 234 can also include a flash drive, e.g., CompactFlash (CF), Secure Digital (SD), micro Secure Digital (micro-SD), mini Secure Digital (mini-SD), Extreme Digital (xD), Multimedia Card (MMC), Memory Stick, etc. The external memory 234 can be functionally and / or physically connected to the electronic device 201 through various interfaces.

[0099] The sensor module 240 can measure / detect a physical quantity or an operating state of the electronic device 201 and convert the measured or detected information into an electrical signal. The sensor module 240 can include at least one of the following: a gesture sensor 240A, a gyro sensor 240B, a barometric pressure sensor 240C, a magnetic sensor 240D, an acceleration sensor 240E, a grip sensor 240F, a proximity sensor 240G, a color sensor 240H (e.g., a red, green, and blue (RGB) sensor), a biometric sensor 240I, a temperature / humidity sensor 240J, an illuminance sensor 240K, and an ultraviolet (UV) sensor 240M. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor module 240 can also include an electronic nose sensor, an electromyogram (EMG) sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, an iris sensor, and / or a fingerprint sensor. The sensor module 240 can also include a control circuit for controlling one or more sensors included in the sensor module 240. In an embodiment, the electronic device 201 can include a processor for controlling the sensor module 240, and the processor is configured as part of the processor 210 or as a separate component. In this case, when the processor 210 operates in a sleep mode, the processor can control the sensor module 240.

[0100] The input device 250 can include a touch panel 252, a (digital) pen sensor 254, keys 256, and an ultrasonic input unit 258. The touch panel 252 can be implemented using at least one of the following: a capacitive touch system, a resistive touch system, an infrared touch system, and an ultrasonic touch system. The touch panel 252 can also include a control circuit. The touch panel 252 can also include a haptic layer to provide a haptic response to the user.

[0101] (The digital) pen sensor 254 can be implemented using a part of the touch panel or using a separate recognition sheet. The keys 256 can include physical buttons, optical keys, or keypads. The ultrasonic input unit 258 can detect ultrasonic waves generated in an input tool through a microphone 288 and identify data corresponding to the detected ultrasonic waves.

[0102] The display 260 (e.g., Figure 1 the display 160 shown in Figure 1 ) can include a panel 262, a holographic unit 264, or a projector 266. The panel 262 can include a configuration the same as or similar to that of the display 160 shown in

[0103] . The panel 262 can be implemented as flexible, transparent, or wearable. The panel 262 can also be incorporated into a module together with the touch panel 252. The holographic unit 264 can display a stereoscopic image in the air by using the interference of light. The projector 266 can display an image by projecting light onto a screen. The screen can be located inside or outside the electronic device 201. According to an embodiment, the display 260 can also include a control circuit for controlling the panel 262, the holographic unit 264, or the projector 266. Figure 1 The interface 270 can include a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) 272, a universal serial bus (USB) 274, an optical interface 276, or a D-subminiature (D-sub) 278. The interface 270 can be included in the

[0104] communication interface 170 shown in Figure 1 . Additionally or alternatively, the interface 270 can include a Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) interface, a Secure Digital (SD) card / MultiMediaCard (MMC) interface, or an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standard interface.

[0105] The camera module 291 refers to a device capable of capturing both still images and moving images. According to an embodiment, the camera module 291 can include one or more image sensors (e.g., a front image sensor or a rear image sensor), a lens, an image signal processor (ISP), a flash (e.g., an LED or a xenon lamp), etc.

[0106] The power management module 295 can manage the power of the electronic device 201. According to an embodiment, the power management module 295 can include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a charger IC, or a battery gauge or fuel gauge. The PMIC can adopt a wired charging and / or wireless charging method. Examples of the wireless charging method are magnetic resonance charging, magnetic induction charging, and electromagnetic charging. To this end, the PIMC can also include additional circuits for wireless charging, such as a coil loop, a resonance circuit, a rectifier, etc. The battery gauge can measure the remaining capacity, charging voltage, current, or temperature of the battery 296. The battery 296 is in the form of a rechargeable battery or a solar cell.

[0107] The indicator 297 can display a specific state of the electronic device 201 or a part thereof (e.g., the processor 210), such as a boot state, a message state, a charging state, etc. The motor 298 can convert an electrical signal into mechanical vibration, such as a vibration effect, a tactile effect, etc. Although not shown, the electronic device 201 can also include a processing unit (e.g., a GPU) for supporting mobile TV. The processing unit for supporting mobile TV can process media data according to standards such as Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), or mediaFloTM.

[0108] Each component of the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented by one or more components, and the name of the corresponding component can vary according to the type of the electronic device. The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can include at least one of the above components, and can omit some components or can also include additional components. In addition, some components of the components of the electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined to form a single entity, and thus can equivalently execute the functions of the corresponding components before combination.

[0109] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a programming module according to various embodiments. According to an embodiment, the programming module 310 (e.g., Figure 1 the programming module 140 shown in Figure 1The application shown in

[0110] The programming module 310 can include a kernel 320, middleware 330, an application programming interface (API) 360, and / or applications 370. At least a part of the programming module 310 can be pre-loaded onto the electronic device or downloaded from a server (e.g., the electronic devices 102 or 104, the server 106, etc.).

[0111] The kernel 320 (e.g., the kernel 141) can include a system resource manager 321 and / or a device driver 323. The system resource manager 321 can include, for example, a process manager, a memory manager, and a file system manager. The system resource manager 321 can perform system resource control, allocation, and recall. The device driver 323 can include, for example, a display driver, a camera driver, a Bluetooth driver, a shared memory driver, a USB driver, a keypad driver, a WiFi driver, and an audio driver. In addition, according to an embodiment, the device driver 323 can include an inter-process communication (IPC) driver.

[0112] The middleware 330 can provide functions commonly required by the applications 370. In addition, the middleware 330 can provide functions through the API 360 to allow the applications 370 to efficiently use limited system resources within the electronic device. According to an embodiment, the middleware 330 (e.g., the middleware 143) can include at least one of the following: a runtime library 335, an application manager 341, a window manager 342, a multimedia manager 343, a resource manager 344, a power manager 345, a database manager 346, a package manager 347, a connection manager 348, a notification manager 349, a location manager 350, a graphics manager 351, and a security manager 352.

[0113] The runtime library 335 can include, for example, library modules used by a compiler to add new functions through a programming language while executing the application 370. According to an embodiment, the runtime library 335 performs input and output, memory management, functions associated with arithmetic functions, etc.

[0114] The application manager 341 can manage, for example, the lifecycle of at least one of the applications 370. The window manager 342 can manage GUI resources used on the screen. The multimedia manager 343 can detect formats required to reproduce various media files and encode or decode the media files by using codecs suitable for the corresponding formats. The resource manager 344 manages resources such as source code, memory, or storage space of at least one application 370.

[0115] The power manager 345 can operate together with the basic input / output system (BIOS) to manage the battery or power and provide power information required for operation. The database manager 346 can manage the generation, search, and change of a database to be used by at least one application 370. The package manager 347 can manage the installation or update of applications distributed in the form of package files.

[0116] The connection manager 348 can manage, for example, wireless connections (such as WiFi or Bluetooth). The notification manager 349 can display or notify a user of events such as incoming messages, appointments, proximity alerts, etc. in a way that does not disturb the user. The location manager 350 can manage the location information of the electronic device. The graphics manager 351 can manage the graphic effects provided to the user or the user interface related to the graphic effects. The security manager 352 provides general security functions required for system security or user authentication. According to an embodiment, when the electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101) has a call function, the middleware 330 further includes a phone manager for managing the voice or video call function of the electronic device.

[0117] The middleware 330 can include modules that configure various combinations of the functions of the above components. The middleware 330 can provide modules specialized according to the type of the operating system to provide differentiated functions. The middleware 330 can be adaptively configured by removing a part of the existing components or including new components.

[0118] The API 360 (e.g., the API 145) can be a collection of API programming functions and can be set with different configurations according to the operating system. For example, in Android or iOS, a single set of APIs can be provided for each platform. In Tizen, two or more sets of APIs can be provided.

[0119] The application 370 (e.g., the application program 147) can include one or more applications for performing various functions, such as a home page 371, a dialer 372, SMS / MMS 373, instant messaging (IM) 374, a browser 375, a camera 376, an alarm clock 377, contacts 378, voice dialing 379, email 380, a calendar 381, a media player 382, an album 383, a clock 384, a health care application (e.g., an application for measuring the amount of exercise, blood sugar level, etc.), and an environmental information application (e.g., an application for providing air pressure, humidity, temperature, etc.).

[0120] According to an embodiment, the application 370 can include an application for supporting information exchange between an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101) and an external device (e.g., the electronic devices 102 and 104), which is hereinafter referred to as an "information exchange application". The information exchange application can include a notification relay application for relaying specific information to an external device or a device management application for managing an external device.

[0121] For example, the notification relay application can include a function for relaying notification information created in other applications of the electronic device (e.g., an SMS / MMS application, an email application, a healthcare application, or an environmental information application, etc.) to an external device (e.g., the electronic devices 102 and 104). In addition, the notification relay application can receive notification information from an external device to provide the received information to the user.

[0122] The device management application can manage (e.g., install, remove, or update) at least one function of an external device (e.g., the electronic devices 102 and 104) communicating with the electronic device. Examples of functions are functions for turning on / off an external device or a part of an external device, functions for controlling the brightness (or resolution) of a display, applications running on an external device, services provided by an external device, etc. Examples of services are a call service, a messaging service, etc.

[0123] According to an embodiment, the application 370 can include an application for specifying attributes of an external device (e.g., a healthcare application of a mobile medical device, etc.). According to an embodiment, the application 370 can include an application received from an external device (e.g., the server 106, the electronic devices 102 and 104). According to an embodiment, the application 370 can include a pre-loaded application or a third-party application that can be downloaded from a server. It should be understood that components of the programming module 310 can be referred to by different names depending on the type of operating system.

[0124] According to various embodiments, at least a part of the programming module 310 can be implemented using software, firmware, hardware, or any combination of two or more of them. At least a part of the programming module 310 can be implemented (e.g., executed) by a processor (e.g., the processor 210). At least a part of the programming module 310 can include a module, a program, a routine, an instruction set, or a process, etc., to perform one or more functions.

[0125] Figure 4 FIG. is a diagram showing a communication connection of the electronic device 101 to a first external device 400 and a plurality of external devices 410 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0126] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may transmit a communication signal to a first external device (e.g., an access point (AP)) 400 / receive a communication signal from the first external device (e.g., an access point (AP)) 400. For example, the electronic device 101 may operate in a basic WiFi transmission / reception mode and may receive a short-range wireless communication (e.g., wireless fidelity (WiFi)) signal from the first external device 400. If a user input for requesting to transmit a WiFi signal to a WiFi AP / receive a WiFi signal from a WiFi AP is made, the WiFi transmission / reception mode may be a mode in which the electronic device 101 attempts to connect to a neighboring WiFi AP of the electronic device 101.

[0127] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to connect to communications for a plurality of external devices 410 through a WiFi signal received from the first external device 400. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may control network sharing (tethering) of the plurality of external devices 410 based on a WiFi signal received from the first external device 400. Network sharing may be an Internet sharing method that enables Internet use by connecting a device (e.g., a terminal capable of using the Internet) to other external devices.

[0128] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to perform a communication connection with a plurality of external devices 410 through a mobile hotspot (MHS) operation using a WiFi signal received from the first external device 400. The hotspot operation may be an operation for causing a mobile terminal to operate as an AP and enabling neighboring terminals to communicate within a short distance.

[0129] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may support dual WiFi that enables the use of two frequency bands (e.g., 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz). The dual WiFi may be a technology in which the electronic device 101 may support corresponding communications for performing separate operations using two frequency bands divided into a WiFi frame and a WiFi / MHS frame. For example, the electronic device 101 may perform WiFi communication with a first external device using a 5 GHz frequency band and may perform a hotspot operation with a plurality of external devices 410 using a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

[0130] Figure 5 FIG. is a diagram illustrating a connection of the electronic device 101 to a second external device 510 while the electronic device 101 is connected to a first external device 500 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0131] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may transmit a communication signal to a first external device (e.g., an access point (AP)) 500 or receive a communication signal from the first external device (e.g., an access point (AP)) 400. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may perform network operations by receiving a WiFi signal from the first external device 500.

[0132] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a request signal for connecting to a mobile hotspot (MHS) of another external device 510 when connected to the first external device 500.

[0133] In response to the request signal, the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare the communication band of the first external device 500 with the communication band of another external device 510. If the communication band of the first external device 500 is different from the communication band of another external device 510, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may perform a mobile hotspot connection with another external device 510. If the mobile hotspot is connected, another external device 510 may perform a network connection using the WiFi signal of the first external device 500 or using a communication signal from an external communication server (e.g., a base station).

[0134] If the communication band of the first external device 500 is the same as the communication band of another external device 510, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may compare the communication band channels for the first external device 500 with the communication band channels for the external device 510. If the respective channels are the same as each other, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may perform a mobile hotspot connection with another external device 510. If the respective channels are not the same as each other, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may control to change the mobile hotspot channel for another external device 510 to the communication band channel for the first external device 500. The electronic device may perform a mobile hotspot connection with another external device 510 on the changed communication band channel.

[0135] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may configure the communication band of another external device based on the communication band used for communicating with the first external device 500. For example, if the communication band used for the first external device 500 is 2.4 GHz, the electronic device may configure the communication band for connecting to another external device to 5 GHz.

[0136] If a request for communicating with another external device is input while the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment is communicating with the first external device 500, the electronic device 101 may perform communication with another external device without canceling the connection with the first external device 500.

[0137] Figure 6 FIG. is a diagram showing the connection of the electronic device 101 to the second external device 610 while the electronic device 101 is connected to the first external device 600 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0138] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may recognize a request from another external device 610 during a mobile hotspot (MHS) connection with the first external device 600. For example, when the electronic device 101 and the first external device 600 are in a mobile hotspot connection state, the electronic device 101 may enter an area where a WiFi access point (AP) can be accessed.

[0139] When the electronic device 101 and the first external device 600 are in a hotspot connection state using one communication standard (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)), if the electronic device 101 enters an area where a WiFi wireless network connection of another external device 610 can be achieved, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may change its function to perform a hotspot function by accessing the other external device 610.

[0140] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may recognize a WiFi communication band and a channel after being WiFi-connected to another external device 610. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may compare the recognized WiFi communication band and channel with the communication band and channel that have established a mobile hotspot connection with the first external device 600. For example, if the respective communication bands are different, the electronic device 101 may provide communication using the mobile hotspot to the first external device 600 through the respective communication bands, and may perform WiFi communication with the second external device 610.

[0141] If the recognized WiFi communication band is consistent with the communication band for performing the mobile hotspot of the first external device 600, the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare the channels of the respective communication bands with each other. If the channels of the respective communication bands are consistent with each other, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may perform control to perform each communication on the channels of the same communication band. If the channels of the respective communication bands are not consistent with each other, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may change the channel of the communication band for performing the mobile hotspot of the first external device 600 to be consistent with the channel of the recognized WiFi communication band.

[0142] If the channel of the communication band for executing the mobile hotspot is changed, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may display notification information on the screen of the electronic device 101, notifying that the communication with the first external device 600 may be temporarily interrupted, or may be in a standby state without attempting to access a separate device (e.g., an access point (AP)). If the channel of the communication band for executing the mobile hotspot is pre-stored or fixed, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may display an image item for requesting a change in the channel of the communication band on the screen.

[0143] Figure 7 FIG. is a diagram showing the connection of the electronic device 101 with other external devices 712 and 713 while the electronic device 101 is connected to the first external device 700 and the second external device 711 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0144] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a mobile hotspot connection with the first external device 700 and may perform a WiFi connection with the second external device 711. For example, the electronic device 101 may be controlled to perform the connection in a state where the communication bands of the mobile hotspots executed with the first external device 700 and the second external device respectively coincide with the channels of the respective communication bands.

[0145] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may move to enter the wireless WiFi areas of other external devices 712 and 713. For example, the electronic device 101 may enter the wireless WiFi area of the second external device 712 among other external devices 712 and 713. If it enters the wireless WiFi area of the second external device 712, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may be controlled to disconnect the existing WiFi connection with the second external device 711 and perform a WiFi connection with the third external device 712.

[0146] If it enters the wireless WiFi area of the third external device 712, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled not to attempt to connect to another external device 713 for a predetermined time.

[0147] If it enters the wireless WiFi area of the third external device 712 while performing a WiFi connection with the second external device 711, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 coincides with the communication band for performing the mobile hotspot function with the first external device 700. If the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 does not coincide with the communication band for performing the mobile hotspot function with the first external device 700, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may perform WiFi communication through the communication band of the third external device 712.

[0148] If the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 coincides with the communication band for performing the mobile hotspot function with the first external device 700, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the channel of the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 coincides with the channel of the communication band of the first external device 700. If the channel of the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 coincides with the channel of the communication band of the first external device 700, the electronic device 101 according to the embodiment may perform WiFi communication through the channel of the communication band of the third external device 712.

[0149] If, while performing a WiFi connection with the second external device 711, the wireless WiFi area of the third external device 712 is entered, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a search process to find a connectable wireless WiFi. In this case, the frequency search band may be divided into a plurality of groups to perform the search process. For example, the frequency search band may be divided into a plurality of regions as follows: channels 1 to 10 of 2.4 GHz are divided into group A, channels 11 to 14 of 2.4 GHz are divided into group B, and channels 36 to 64 of 5 GHz are divided into group C, and depending on the situation, the selected group may be searched first. If a suitable external device (WiFi AP) for connection is found during the search operation, the search of the remaining groups may not be performed. In this case, the group division may be performed in consideration of the channels connected to the existing mobile hotspot. Through this operation, a new frequency may be searched during the connection to the existing external device (MHS).

[0150] If the channel of the wireless WiFi band of the third external device 712 does not coincide with the channel of the communication band of the first external device 700, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify whether the channel of the communication band can be changed without disconnecting from the first external device 700 connected through the mobile hotspot. For example, the electronic device 101 may perform control to change the channel of the communication band using the 11v BSSTRANS protocol and the BSSTRANS message without disconnecting from the first external device 700. Here, the 11v BSSTRANS protocol and the BSSTRANS message may be rules included in any one of the communication standards IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac.

[0151] If there is no protocol that can change the communication frequency band of the channel without disconnecting from the first external device 700, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to change the communication frequency band channel of the mobile hotspot of the first external device 700. The electronic device 101 may re - establish a connection with the first external device 700 through the changed communication frequency band channel of the mobile hotspot of the first external device 700.

[0152] Figure 8 FIG. is a diagram showing the connection of the electronic device 101 with other external devices 820 and 830 while the electronic device 101 is connected to the first external device 800 and the second external device 810 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0153] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a connection to the mobile hotspot of the first external device 800, and may perform a WiFi connection to the second external device 810.

[0154] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may move to enter the wireless WiFi areas of other external devices 820 and 830. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may pre - store therein channel information, channel frequency band information, basic service set identifier (BSSID) / media access control (MAC) address, physical layer (PHY) mode information, signal information, noise information, signal - to - noise ratio (S / N) information, subsystem identifier (SSID) information, and received signal strength indication (RSSI) value information related to a plurality of external devices 810.

[0155] If it enters the wireless WiFi areas of other external devices 820 and 830, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to connect to any one of the other external devices 820 and 830 based on at least one stored piece of information. For example, the electronic device 101 may preferably select the fourth external device 830 only using the WiFi strength of the other external devices 820 and 830, may preferably select the fourth external device 830 that uses the same frequency band channel as the frequency band channel of the first external device 800, or may preferably select the fourth external device 830 based on the received signal strength value information.

[0156] Figure 9 FIG. is a diagram showing the disconnection of the electronic device 101 from the second external device 910 while the electronic device 101 is connected to the first external device 900 and the second external device 910 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0157] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a mobile hotspot connection with a first external device 900 and may perform a WiFi connection with a second external device 7910. For example, the electronic device 101 may be controlled to connect the first external device 900 to the second external device 910 or to an external communication server (e.g., a base station) via a WiFi signal received from the second external device 910.

[0158] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may disconnect from the second external device 910 when it is connected to the first external device 900 and the second external device 910. If the electronic device 101 according to the embodiment disconnects from the second external device 910 while performing the mobile hotspot function of the first external device 900 via the WiFi signal of the second external device 910, the electronic device 101 may be controlled to perform network connection using a separate network device. For example, the electronic device 101 may support communication of the first external device 900 via a long-term evolution (LTE) network through an external communication server (e.g., a base station).

[0159] As another example, if the electronic device 101 disconnects from the second external device 910, the electronic device 101 may identify whether it is possible to receive a WiFi signal from other external devices 920 and 930. The electronic device 101 may determine any one of the other external devices 920 and 930 based on a pre-stored WiFi received signal strength, etc., and may perform WiFi communication. The electronic device 101 may support restoring the hotspot function performed with the first external device 900 based on the determined external device.

[0160] Figure 10 FIG. is a diagram showing IP allocation of a third external device 1020 by an electronic device 101 while the electronic device 101 is connected to a first external device 1000 and a second external device 1010 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0161] An electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a connection with a first external device 1000 using a mobile hotspot function and may perform a WiFi connection with a second external device 1010. For example, the electronic device 101 may support the first external device 1000 to perform communication using a long-term evolution (LTE) communication device or via a WiFi signal received from the second external device 1010.

[0162] A network for performing communication can be divided into a public network and a virtual network. Here, the public network can be assigned a public IP address (e.g., the address is 100.100.100.100). Here, the virtual network corresponds to a space where communication is performed in a predetermined area (e.g., a communication area formed between a WiFi AP and a specific terminal), and can be assigned a virtual IP address. For example, if there are access points (APs) for sending and receiving multiple short-range wireless communication (e.g., WiFi) signals for a terminal, the access points can be assigned IP addresses accordingly. As another example, the first access point can be assigned IP 192.68.2.9, and the second access point can be assigned IP 192.68.8.4.

[0163] When performing short-range wireless communication with a first external device 1000 and a second external device 1010, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is assigned an IP. For example, the electronic device 101 can be assigned 192.168.3.9 during short-range wireless communication with the first external device 1000, and can be assigned 192.168.8.4 during short-range wireless communication with the second external device 1010.

[0164] When the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure performs short-range wireless communication with a first external device 1000 and a second external device 1010, due to the movement of the electronic device 101, the electronic device 101 can be located in the short-range wireless communication area of a third external device 1020. The electronic device 101 can identify the IP assigned to the third external device 1020. The electronic device 101 can identify whether the frequency band used by the identified IP is the same as the frequency band of the IP assigned to the first external device 1000. If the identified IP uses the same frequency band, the electronic device 101 can control to change the IP assigned to the first external device 1000.

[0165] Figure 11 It is a diagram showing a screen related to IP assignment information of an external device of the electronic device 101 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0166] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can store IP information of multiple external devices therein. Figure 11 It shows an example of displaying information of multiple external devices stored in the electronic device 101 on a screen 1100.

[0167] A screen 1100 of the electronic device 101 can include an indicator area 1110, a WiFi selection area 1120, and a WiFi information area 1130. The WiFi information area 1130 can include an AP 1131 and IP information 1133 corresponding to the AP.

[0168] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine an IP to be assigned when accessing another external device based on IP information corresponding to a pre-stored AP. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may determine IP assignment of a device connected to a client during short-range wireless communication (e.g., mobile hotspot) operation based on an IP corresponding to a pre-stored AP. For example, the electronic device 101 may support assigning an IP to a client performing short-range wireless communication to avoid IP information corresponding to an AP that is frequently used during IP assignment of the client. As another example, the electronic device 101 may support assigning an IP band that is not frequently used in a client device performing a hotspot function to a WiFi AP.

[0169] For example, the electronic device 101 may identify the IP information 192.168.3.2 of "Ureadymobile" in the pre-stored APs, and may control to preferably connect to "Ureadymobile" when determining that the identified IP information has a low IP conflict with other devices.

[0170] Figure 12 It is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection between the electronic device 101 and the first external device 1200 and the second external device 1210 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0171] At operation 1201, the electronic device 101 may establish a connection using a first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a first short-range wireless communication with the first external device 1200. For example, the electronic device 101 may establish a WiFi connection with the first external device 1200 that is a WiFi AP.

[0172] At operation 1203, the electronic device 101 may identify a request for performing a second short-range wireless communication with the second external device 1210. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a signal for requesting a wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot).

[0173] At operation 1205, the electronic device 101 may connect to the first external device or an external communication server using the second short-range wireless communication on a channel of a frequency band during the first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, in response to the request signal, connect to the first external device 1200 or an external communication server using the second short-range wireless communication (e.g., hotspot communication) on a channel of a frequency band during the first short-range wireless communication (e.g., WiFi).

[0174] When performing control to connect a second external device 1210 to a first external device 1200 or the external communication server, an electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may compare IP band information assigned to the second external device 1210 with IP band information assigned to a first external device 1200 connected to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may determine whether to reassign the IP band information of the second external device 1210 based on the comparison result of the IP band information.

[0175] Figure 13 It is a flowchart illustrating a communication connection from the electronic device 101 to a second external device while the electronic device 101 is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0176] At operation 1301, the electronic device 101 may connect to a first external device using first short-range wireless communication on at least one channel of a band. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may connect to a first external device (e.g., a WiFi AP) using first short-range wireless communication on a channel of a WiFi communication band.

[0177] At operation 1303, the electronic device 101 may identify a request for second short-range wireless communication with a second external device while connected to the first external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may request second short-range wireless communication (e.g., a hotspot) with a second external device (e.g., another terminal device) while connected to a first external device (e.g., a WiFi AP).

[0178] At operation 1305, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is consistent with the band used during the first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the hotspot communication band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is consistent with the WiFi communication band used during the first short-range wireless communication. If the channel of the band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication at operation 1305 is inconsistent with the band used during the first short-range wireless communication, at operation 1311, the electronic device 101 may connect the second external device to the first external device or the external communication server using the second short-range wireless communication.

[0179] At operation 1307, if the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is the same as the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is the same as the channel of the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is the same as the channel of the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication (e.g., WiFi). If, at operation 1307, the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is not the same as the channel of the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication, then at operation 1311, the electronic device 101 may connect the second external device to the first external device or an external communication server using the second short-range wireless communication.

[0180] At operation 1309, if the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is not the same as the channel of the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication, the electronic device 101 may adjust the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication to be the same as the channel used during the first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may adjust the channel of the frequency band to be used during hotspot communication to be the same as the channel used during WiFi communication.

[0181] At operation 1311, the electronic device 101 may connect the second external device to the first external device or an external communication server using the second short-range wireless communication. If, at operation 1305, the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is not the same as the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication, or if, at operation 1307, the channel of the frequency band to be used during the second short-range wireless communication is the same as the channel of the frequency band used during the first short-range wireless communication, then the electronic device 101 may perform operation 1311. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may control a WiFi AP or an external base station to connect to other terminal devices based on the changed hotspot channel.

[0182] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating the communication connection between the electronic device 101 and the first external device 1400 and the second external device 1410 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0183] At operation 1401, the electronic device 101 may establish a first connection from a first external device to a second external device or an external communication server on at least one channel of a first frequency band using a second short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may connect other devices to a WiFi AP or an external base station on a communication frequency band of a wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot).

[0184] At operation 1403, the electronic device 101 may identify a request to perform a second connection to a second external device using a first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a request to perform a connection to a second external device 1410 using WiFi communication.

[0185] At operation 1405, if a second frequency band associated with the second connection is equal to the first frequency band, the electronic device 101 may change at least one channel used for the first connection based on a channel to be used for the second connection. If a frequency band associated with a WiFi connection is equal to a communication frequency band of a hotspot, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change at least one channel used for the hotspot connection based on a channel to be used for the WiFi connection.

[0186] The electronic device 101 re-establishes the first connection on the changed channel. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may re-establish a hotspot connection of a first external device 1400 on the changed channel.

[0187] At operation 1409, the electronic device 101 may establish a second connection to a second external device 1410.

[0188] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing a communication connection from an electronic device 101 to a second external device while the electronic device 101 is connected to a first external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0189] At operation 1501, the electronic device 101 may establish a first connection from a first external device to a second external device or an external communication server on at least one channel of a first frequency band using a second short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may connect other external terminals to a WiFi AP or an external base station on at least one channel of a frequency band using a wireless LAN service (e.g., a hotspot).

[0190] At operation 1503, the electronic device 101 may identify a request to perform a second connection with a second external device using a first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a request signal to perform a connection with a WiFi AP using WiFi communication.

[0191] At operation 1505, the electronic device 101 may determine whether a first frequency band is consistent with a second frequency band associated with a second connection. An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether a WiFi communication frequency band is consistent with a hotspot communication frequency band. If the first frequency band and the second frequency band associated with the second connection are inconsistent with each other at operation 1505, then at operation 1511, the electronic device 101 may maintain the first connection and the second connection.

[0192] If the channels of the first frequency band and the second frequency band are consistent, then at operation 1507, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the channel of the first frequency band is consistent with the channel of the second frequency band. If the WiFi communication frequency band is consistent with the hotspot communication frequency band, then the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the channel of the WiFi frequency band is consistent with the channel of the hotspot communication frequency band. If the channel of the first frequency band and the channel of the second frequency band are consistent at operation 1507, then at operation 1511, the electronic device 101 may maintain the first connection and the second connection.

[0193] If the channel of the first frequency band and the channel of the second frequency band are inconsistent, then at operation 1509, the electronic device 101 may change at least one channel used for the first connection based on the channel associated with the second connection. If the channel of the WiFi communication frequency band and the channel of the hotspot communication frequency band are inconsistent, then the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change the channel used for the hotspot communication connection based on the channel associated with the WiFi communication connection.

[0194] If the second frequency band is different from the first frequency band, the electronic device 101 may perform control to perform communication without changing at least one channel used for the first connection.

[0195] If the second frequency band is equal to the first frequency band, then the processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform control to perform at least one of the following operations: display a notification item on the screen, the notification item including information related to the possibility of a temporary communication disconnection of the first connection when at least one channel used for the first connection is changed based on the channel to be used for the second connection; not perform communication with another external device until at least one channel used for the first connection is changed to be consistent with the channel to be used for the second connection; and, display a change item on the screen, the change item including information for requesting a change in the channel of the first frequency band.

[0196] At operation 1511, the electronic device 101 may maintain the first connection and the second connection. If the first frequency band and the second frequency band associated with the second connection are inconsistent with each other at operation 1505, or if the channel of the first frequency band and the channel of the second frequency band are consistent with each other at operation 1507, then the electronic device 101 may perform operation 1511.

[0197] When the first connection and the second connection are established, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may recognize communication performance requests for a plurality of external devices used to replace the second external device.

[0198] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may recognize pre-stored communication bands of a plurality of external devices and channel information of the communication bands.

[0199] The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine, based on the recognized communication band information and channel information, one of the plurality of external devices as a device to replace the second external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may establish a third connection to the determined device to replace the second connection.

[0200] If communication with the second external device is interrupted while the first connection and the second connection are established, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform communication using another wireless communication method (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)).

[0201] Figure 16 is a flowchart illustrating a communication connection of the electronic device 101 to a third external device while the electronic device 101 is connected to a first external device and a second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0202] At operation 1601, the electronic device 101 may establish a first connection using a first short-range wireless communication and establish a second connection using a second short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may establish a first connection using a wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot) and establish a second connection using WiFi communication.

[0203] At operation 1603, the electronic device 101 may recognize a communication performance request signal for a third external device and a wireless communication band for communicating with the third external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may recognize a communication performance request signal for another WiFi AP and a wireless communication band for communicating with the WiFi AP.

[0204] At operation 1605, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the wireless communication band of the third external device is consistent with the first band used during the first short-range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP is consistent with the band used during hotspot communication.

[0205] At operation 1607, if the wireless communication band of the third external device is the same as the first band used during the first short-range wireless communication, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device is the same as the channel of the first band. If the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP is the same as the band used during the hotspot communication, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the channel of the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP is the same as the channel of the hotspot communication band.

[0206] At operation 1609, if the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device is the same as the channel of the first band, the electronic device 101 may establish a connection to the third external device. If the channel of the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP is the same as the channel of the hotspot communication band, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may establish another WiFi AP connection.

[0207] At operation 1611, if the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device 101 is not the same as the channel of the first band, the electronic device 101 may determine whether there is a protocol capable of changing the channel of the first band to the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device while maintaining the first connection. If the channel of the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP is not the same as the channel of the hotspot band, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may determine whether there is a protocol capable of changing the channel of the first band to the channel of the wireless communication band of another WiFi AP while maintaining the first connection. The protocol may be the 11v BSSTRANS protocol and may be a rule included in any one of the communication standards IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac.

[0208] At operation 1613, if there is a protocol capable of changing the channel of the first band to the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device while maintaining the first connection, the electronic device 101 may change the channel of the first band through a protocol message. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be controlled to use a BSSTRANS message to change the channel of the communication band without disconnecting from the first external device (e.g., other terminal). Here, the BSSTRANS message may be a rule included in any one of the communication standards IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac.

[0209] At operation 1615, if there is no protocol capable of changing the channel of the first band to the channel of the wireless communication band of the third external device while maintaining the first connection, the electronic device 101 may change the channel of the first short-range wireless communication band. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change the communication band channel of the hotspot.

[0210] At operation 1617, the electronic device 101 may re - establish a connection to the first external device on the changed channel. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may re - establish a hotspot communication connection with other devices on the changed channel.

[0211] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating the IP allocation of the electronic device 101 to the third external device while the electronic device 101 is connected to the first external device and the second external device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0212] At operation 1701, the electronic device 101 may establish a first connection to the first external device using a first short - range wireless communication and establish a second connection using a second short - range wireless communication. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may establish a first connection with other terminals using a wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot), and may establish the connection using WiFi communication.

[0213] At operation 1703, the electronic device 101 may identify a communication performance request signal for the third external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify a communication performance request signal for another WiFi AP.

[0214] At operation 1705, the electronic device 101 may identify the IP band information assigned to the third external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may identify the IP band information assigned to a WiFi AP. Here, the IP band information may refer to the addresses of individual devices on the Internet used to distinguish them from other devices. For example, the IP band information may be version 4 (IPv4) and may consist of up to 12 digits.

[0215] At operation 1707, the electronic device 101 may determine whether the IP band information assigned to the first external device is consistent with the IP band information assigned to the third external device. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether the IP band information assigned to another terminal device is consistent with the IP band information assigned to another WiFi AP.

[0216] At operation 1709, if the IP band information assigned to the first external device is consistent with the IP band information assigned to the third external device, the electronic device 101 may change the IP band information of the first external device. If the IP band information assigned to the wireless LAN service (e.g., hotspot) is consistent with the IP band information assigned to the WiFi AP, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may change the IP band information of another device.

[0217] At operation 1711, if the IP band information assigned to the first external device is inconsistent with the IP band information assigned to the third external device, the electronic device 101 may establish a connection to the third external device. If the IP band information assigned to the first external device (e.g., another terminal device) is inconsistent with the IP band information assigned to another WiFi AP, the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may maintain the establishment of the connection to the other WiFi AP. The electronic device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, after changing the IP band information used during communication with the first external (e.g., another device), maintain the hotspot communication performance of the first external device (e.g., another device) based on the changed IP band information.

[0218] In a case of determining an external device for performing a communication connection from among a plurality of external devices, the processor 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine an external device for performing communication based on at least one of connection frequency information, IP allocation information of the first external device, and IP historical allocation information of the second external device.

[0219] Figure 18a and Figure 18b is a diagram showing a WiFi structure and channels of respective structures according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 18a Shows the structure of dual WiFi. The WiFi framework of WiFi and the WiFi / MHS framework capable of using the MHS UI are configured separately, and corresponding modules are composed of layers of wlan0 / mlan0 to separately perform operations of the corresponding modules. The corresponding modules may be connected to the respective basebands through drivers to operate at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively. Through the corresponding configuration, two bands can be used simultaneously. In the corresponding diagram, "wpa_supplicant" and "softap" are modules responsible for WiFi connection authentication in a client terminal and a mobile hotspot terminal. "wlan0" is an interface that connects the driver to wpa_supplicant or softap to enable communication between them. In related art that does not support dual WiFi, it is not possible to simultaneously turn on WiFi and a mobile hotspot, and the wlan0 interface is shared by wpa_supplicant or softap. However, since dual WiFi is supported, respective interfaces are required, so that multiple bands can be used simultaneously in such a way that the interface for wpa_supplicant is used for the existing wlan0 and the interface for softap is used for mlan0.

[0220] Reference Figure 18b, showing an image related to 2.4 GHz channels and 5 GHz channels. The 5 GHz band may include more channels than the channels in the 2.4 GHz band. In addition, compared with the overlap between adjacent channels in the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band may have a narrower overlap.

[0221] The channels according to the present disclosure may include at least one of communication band frequency-related data and Internet Protocol (IP) band-related data.

[0222] The term "module" according to an embodiment of the present disclosure means, but is not limited to, a unit of one or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The term "module" may be used interchangeably with the terms "unit", "logic circuit", "logic block", "component", or "circuit". The term "module" may represent the smallest unit of a component or a part thereof. The term "module" may be the smallest unit for performing at least one function or a part thereof. A module may be implemented mechanically or electrically. For example, a module may include at least one of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and a programmable logic device known or developed for a specific operation.

[0223] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a device (e.g., a module or its function) or a method may be implemented by computer program instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. In the case where the instructions are executed by at least one processor (e.g., processor 120), the at least one processor may execute a function corresponding to the instructions. The computer-readable storage medium may be the memory 130. At least a part of the programming module may be implemented (e.g., executed) by the processor 120. At least a part of the programming module may include a module, a program, a routine, an instruction set, and a process for performing at least one function.

[0224] The computer-readable storage medium includes magnetic media such as floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media including compact disc read-only memory (CD) ROMs and digital versatile disc read-only memories (DVD ROMs), magneto-optical media such as magneto-optical floppy disks, and hardware devices designed to store and execute program commands (e.g., ROM, RAM, and flash memory). The program commands include language codes executable by a computer using a compiler and machine language codes generated by a compiler. One or more software modules may be used to implement the foregoing hardware devices to perform the operations of various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0225] In a computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program may include instructions executable by a processor to perform the following operations: establishing, using a second short-range wireless communication, a first connection from a first external device to a second external device or an external communication server on at least one channel of a first frequency band; while the first external device is connected to the second external device or the external communication server, identifying a request for performing a second connection to the second external device using a first short-range wireless communication; in response to the request, comparing a second frequency band associated with the second connection with the first frequency band; and, if the second frequency band is equal to the first frequency band, changing at least one channel used for the first connection based on a channel to be used for the second connection.

[0226] In a computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program may include instructions executable by a processor to perform the following operations: connecting, using a first short-range wireless communication through a communication module, to a first external device on at least one channel of a frequency band; while connected to the first external device, identifying a request for performing a second short-range wireless communication with a second external device; and, in response to the request, connecting the second external device to the first external device or the external communication server on at least one channel of the frequency band using the second short-range wireless communication.

[0227] A module or a programming module of the present disclosure may include at least one of the above components with some components omitted or other components added. Operations of the module, the programming module, or other components may be executed serially, in parallel, recursively, or heuristically. In addition, some operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or may be extended to have other operations.

Claims

1. An electronic device (101), comprising: A communication module (170); And A processor (120), functionally connected to the communication module (170) and configured to: Establish a Wi-Fi connection with a first external device (400) through the communication module (170) using a first channel of a first frequency band, While establishing the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) through the communication module (170), identify a signal requesting a mobile hotspot connection from a second external device (410), and In response to the request signal, perform the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) and the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) through the communication module (170), Wherein, to perform the Wi-Fi connection and the mobile hotspot connection, the electronic device (101) is configured to: Determine whether a second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band; When the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is different from the first frequency band: Perform the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the second frequency band different from the first frequency band used for the Wi-Fi connection; When the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band: Determine whether a second channel of the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first channel of the first frequency band; When the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band and the second channel of the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is different from the first channel of the first frequency band: Change from the second channel of the second frequency band to the first channel of the first frequency band for the mobile hotspot connection; and Perform the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) using the first channel of the first frequency band and perform the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the first channel of the second frequency band.

2. The electronic device (101) according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to: While establishing the Wi-Fi connection and the mobile hotspot connection, identify communication performance request signals for a plurality of external devices to replace the first external device (400), Identify pre-stored communication frequency bands for each of the plurality of external devices to be used for communication with each of the plurality of external devices, and channel information of the pre-stored communication frequency bands, Determine a device among the plurality of external devices to replace the first external device (400) based on the identified communication frequency band information and channel information, and Establish a communication connection hotspot with the determined device.

3. The electronic device (101) according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to: when identifying a signal requesting the mobile hotspot connection from the second external device (410), assign an IP different from the IP of the electronic device to the second external device (410).

4. The electronic device (101) according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to: when the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band, and the second channel of the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first channel of the first frequency band, perform a Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) using the first channel of the first frequency band, and perform a mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the second channel of the second frequency band.

5. The electronic device (101) according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured to: perform a mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using a pre-stored channel associated with the second external device (410).

6. The electronic device (101) according to claim 1, wherein, The first external device (400) includes a radio access device.

7. A method for supporting wireless communication using an electronic device (101) including a communication module, the method comprising: establishing (1301), via the communication module, a Wi-Fi connection with a first external device (400) using a first channel of a first frequency band, while establishing the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) via the communication module (170), identifying (1303), via the communication module, a signal for requesting a mobile hotspot connection from a second external device (410), and in response to the request signal, performing, via the communication module (170), the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) and the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410), wherein performing the Wi-Fi connection and the mobile hotspot connection includes: determining whether a second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band; when the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is different from the first frequency band: performing the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using a second frequency band different from the first frequency band used for the Wi-Fi connection; when the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band: determining whether a second channel of the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first channel of the first frequency band; when the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first frequency band, and the second channel of the second frequency band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is different from the first channel of the first frequency band: changing from the second channel of the second frequency band to the first channel of the first frequency band for the mobile hotspot connection; and performing the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) using the first channel of the first frequency band, and performing the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the first channel of the second frequency band.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: While establishing the Wi-Fi connection and the mobile hotspot connection, identify communication performance request signals for a plurality of external devices to replace the first external device (400). Identify, for each of the plurality of external devices, a pre-stored communication band to be used for communicating with each of the plurality of external devices, and channel information of the pre-stored communication band. Determine, based on the identified communication band information and channel information, a device among the plurality of external devices to replace the first external device (400), and Establish a communication connection hotspot with the determined device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein Performing the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) includes: when a signal requesting the mobile hotspot connection from the second external device (410) is identified, allocating an IP different from the IP of the electronic device to the second external device (410).

10. The method according to claim 7 further comprises: When the second band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first band, and the second channel of the second band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first channel of the first band, perform the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) using the first channel of the first band, and perform the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the second channel of the second band.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Performing the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) includes: performing the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using a pre-stored channel associated with the second external device (410).

12. An electronic device (101) includes: A communication module (170); And A processor (120) functionally connected to the communication module (170) and configured to: Establish a Wi-Fi connection with a first external device (400) using a first channel of a first band through the communication module (170), While establishing the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) through the communication module (170), identify, using the communication module (170), a signal requesting a mobile hotspot connection from a second external device (410), and In response to the request signal, perform, through the communication module (170), the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) and the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410), Wherein, to perform the Wi-Fi connection and the mobile hotspot connection, the electronic device (101) is configured to: Determine whether a second band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first band; When the second band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is different from the first band: Perform the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using a second band different from the first band used for the Wi-Fi connection; When the second band to be used for the mobile hotspot connection is the same as the first band: Perform the Wi-Fi connection with the first external device (400) using the first channel of the first frequency band, and perform the mobile hotspot connection with the second external device (410) using the first channel of the second frequency band.

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