Electronic device for controlling onboarding, and operation method thereof

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device may comprise: a communication circuit; a processor; and a memory (130 in figure 1; and 206 in figure 2). The memory may store instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to: search for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search; determine whether the external electronic device belongs to the same user as the electronic device or is an in-house device; on the basis of a determination result, display a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to a cloud; identify the connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input on the pop-up display; and determine location information of the external electronic device according to the connection type of the external electronic device.

Description

Electronic device for controlling onboarding and method of operation thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device for controlling onboarding of an external electronic device and a method of operating the same.

[0002] The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a technology that connects various objects to the Internet by embedding sensors and communication functions into them.

[0003] The Internet of Things (IoT) is an artificial intelligence technology that enables Internet-connected objects to exchange data, analyze it, learn from it, and provide users with the resulting information, or allow users to remotely control it. These objects can include various embedded systems, such as home appliances, mobile devices, or wearables. IoT-connected objects must have a unique IP address that identifies them and be connected to the Internet. They can also incorporate sensors to acquire data from the external environment.

[0004] IoT is also highly useful for controlling various electronic devices within the home. Within the IoT environment within the home, users can control electronic devices such as TVs, washing machines, and air conditioners to perform specialized services, and easily share information about these devices.

[0005] According to one embodiment, an electronic device may include a communication circuit; a processor; and a memory. The memory may store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to search for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search, determine whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device, display a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to a cloud based on a result of the determination, confirm a connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display, and determine location information of the external electronic device based on the connection type of the external electronic device.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method for operating an electronic device may include searching for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search, and determining whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device. The method for operating the electronic device may include displaying a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to a cloud based on a result of the determination. The method for operating the electronic device may include confirming a connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display. The method for operating the electronic device may include determining location information of the external electronic device based on the connection type of the external electronic device.

[0007] According to one embodiment, in a non-transitory storage medium storing commands, the commands may be configured to cause the electronic device to perform at least one operation when executed by at least one processor of the electronic device. The at least one operation may include searching for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search and determining whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device. The at least one operation may include displaying a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud based on a result of the determination. The at least one operation may include confirming a connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display. The at least one operation may include determining location information of the external electronic device based on the connection type of the external electronic device.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device within a network environment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 illustrates examples of displaying a device connection UI on an electronic device.

[0011] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining the process of onboarding an external electronic device in an electronic device.

[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a system including an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a system architecture for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 7 illustrates a configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are flowcharts illustrating a process for setting location information by an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of utilizing information on onboarding failure history according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a UI of a location-specific device search pop-up according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a UI of a recommendation card according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In addition, when describing various embodiments of the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, such detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the terms described below are terms defined in consideration of the functions in the various embodiments of the present disclosure, and these may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

[0021] It should be noted that the technical terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Alternatively, unless specifically defined otherwise herein, the technical terms used in this specification should be interpreted as having a meaning generally understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, and should not be interpreted in an excessively broad or narrow sense. Alternatively, if a technical term used in this specification is an incorrect technical term that does not accurately express the spirit of the present disclosure, it should be replaced with a technical term that can be correctly understood by a person skilled in the art. Alternatively, general terms used in the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be interpreted as defined in the dictionary or according to the context, and should not be interpreted in an excessively narrow sense.

[0022] Alternatively, the singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "consist of" or "comprises" should not be construed to necessarily include all of the various components or various operations described in the specification, and should be construed to mean that some of the components or some of the operations may not be included, or that additional components or operations may be included.

[0023] Alternatively, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., used herein may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a "first component."

[0024] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but there may also be other components intervening. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components intervening.

[0025] Hereinafter, various embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numbers and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. Alternatively, when describing various embodiments of the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Alternatively, it should be noted that the attached drawings are only intended to facilitate easy understanding of the spirit of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the spirit of the present disclosure by the attached drawings. The spirit of the present disclosure should be construed to extend to all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes other than the attached drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an electronic device (101) within a network environment (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1, in a network environment (100), an electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) via a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) via the server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), a memory (130), an input module (150), an audio output module (155), a display module (160), an audio module (170), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), a connection terminal (178), a haptic module (179), a camera module (180), a power management module (188), a battery (189), a communication module (190), a subscriber identification module (196), or an antenna module (197). According to one embodiment, in the electronic device (101), at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (178)) may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., the sensor module (176), the camera module (180), or the antenna module (197)) may be integrated into one component (e.g., the display module (160)).

[0028] The processor (120) may control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing, for example, software (e.g., a program (140)), and may perform various data processing or calculations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or calculation, the processor (120) may store a command or data received from another component (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in a volatile memory (132), process the command or data stored in the volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in a non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or a secondary processor (123) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together therewith. For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and a secondary processor (123), the secondary processor (123) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a specified function. The secondary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as a part thereof.

[0029] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least a part of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (160), a sensor module (176), or a communication module (190)) of the electronic device (101), for example, on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (180) or a communication module (190)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., a neural network processing device) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0030] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)) of the electronic device (101). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., program (140)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (130) can include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0031] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0032] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a processor (120)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The input module (150) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0033] The audio output module (155) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (101). The audio output module (155) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0034] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling the device. In one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0035] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150), output sound through the sound output module (155), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (101).

[0036] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (101) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0037] The interface (177) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (101) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102)). In one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0038] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0039] A haptic module (179) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) can include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0040] The camera module (180) can capture still images and videos. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0041] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0042] A battery (189) may power at least one component of the electronic device (101). In one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0043] The communication module (190) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may operate independently from the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with an external electronic device (104) via a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules can be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can verify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) by using subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0044] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (192) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in a high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (104)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0045] The antenna module (197) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (198) or the second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by the communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device via the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (197).

[0046] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high-frequency band.

[0047] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0048] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) via a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102 or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (101) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, when the electronic device (101) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (101) may provide an ultra-low latency service by using distributed computing or mobile edge computing, for example. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included in the second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0049] Electronic devices according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may take various forms. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0050] The various embodiments of this document and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0051] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0052] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (140)) including one or more commands stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (136) or an external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., an electronic device (101)) may call at least one command among the one or more commands stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one command called. The one or more commands may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the method according to one embodiment disclosed in the present document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between sellers and buyers as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or may be available through an application store (e.g., Play Store). TM ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones), online distribution (e.g., downloading or uploading). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0054] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0055] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device (101) may include a communication circuit (202) (e.g., the communication module (190) of FIG. 1) that transmits and receives signals using one or more antennas (201) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (102 or 104) of FIG. 1), for example, a peer device.

[0057] The electronic device (101) may include a processor (204) (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1) that may be implemented as one or more single-core processors or one or more multi-core processors, and a memory (206) (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1) that stores instructions for the operation of the electronic device (101).

[0058] The electronic device (101) may include an interface module (208) (e.g., the interface (177) of FIG. 1) that provides a wired and / or wireless interface for communicating with components outside the network. At least a portion of one or more antennas (201), the communication circuit (202), or the interface module (208) may be implemented as, for example, at least a portion of the communication module (190) and the antenna module (198) of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, one or more antennas (201) are illustrated as being disposed outside the electronic device (101), but this is for convenience of explanation, and those skilled in the art will readily understand that the one or more antennas (201) may be located inside a housing forming the exterior of the electronic device (101) and / or at least a portion of the housing, and this may also be applied to other drawings.

[0059] Figure 3 illustrates examples of displaying a device connection UI on an electronic device.

[0060] In FIG. 3(a), the electronic device may display a device connection popup (310) to allow an external electronic device to be connected (or onboarded) to the cloud. According to one embodiment, the electronic device may display the external electronic device and location information within the device connection popup. According to one embodiment, the device connection popup may include input buttons (e.g., Don't add, Later, and / or Add now) for determining whether to directly connect (or onboard) the external electronic device to the cloud.

[0061] In (b) of Fig. 3, the electronic device is a third party (3) for an external electronic device. rd A UI (320) recommending a party) connection can be displayed. In (c) of Fig. 3, the electronic device can display a UI (330) automatically recommending a connectable device at the top of the screen so that the user can easily find it when a device needs to be connected.

[0062] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining the process of onboarding an external electronic device in an electronic device.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 4, in operation S410, the electronic device may search for and / or select an external electronic device to be onboarded to the cloud in response to a user input. In operation S420, the electronic device may select a location (e.g., a place or a room) for onboarding in response to a user input. In operation S430, the electronic device may verify whether the external electronic device to be onboarded is a device of the same user as the electronic device, and may perform a device authentication procedure in response to a user input. In operation S440, the electronic device may select Wi-Fi in response to a user input. In operation S450, the electronic device may complete a device registration procedure for the external electronic device.

[0064] In FIG. 4, the electronic device can perform location selection (e.g., location or room) and device authentication procedures based on multiple user inputs during device onboarding for an external electronic device. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device can automatically perform location selection (e.g., location or room) and device authentication procedures during device onboarding for an external electronic device, thereby improving the user journey (or user experience) for device onboarding.

[0065] FIG. 5 illustrates a system including an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 5, the system (500) may include at least one of a first server (510), a second server (512), an access point (AP) (520), an onboarding helper device (530), a hub (540), a hub-connected device (550), a relay device (560), a soft-AP device (570), a cloud connected device (580), and a cloud to cloud device (590).

[0067] The first server (510) may be a server implemented within the first cloud, and the second server (512) may be a server implemented within the second cloud. In one embodiment, the first server (510) and the second server (512) may be implemented within the same cloud. The first server (510) or the second server (512) may be implemented as the server (108) of FIG. 1.

[0068] The onboarding helper device (530) can control the onboarding of external electronic devices to the cloud associated with the first server (510) and / or the second server (512) using an IoT application (e.g., the SmartThings app) installed and / or executed within the device. According to one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) can be a device that searches for devices to be onboarded in the vicinity through BLE (Bluetooth low energy), Soft-AP (software enabled access point), and / or On IP network scan and helps automatically onboard the discovered peripheral devices. For example, the onboarding helper device (530) can be implemented as a mobile device, a family hub (FHUB), or a TV. The onboarding helper device (530) can be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2.

[0069] In one embodiment, an IoT application (e.g., a SmartThings app) may be a client application that registers an external electronic device with a cloud associated with the first server (510) and / or the second server (512) and can remotely control the registered external electronic device.

[0070] At least one of the hub-connected device (550), the cloud-connected device (580), and the cloud-to-cloud device (590) may be connected to a cloud associated with the first server (510) and / or the second server (512). Each of the hub-connected device (550), the cloud-connected device (580), and the cloud-to-cloud device (590) may be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2.

[0071] The hub-connected device (550) may be a device connected to the first server (510) via the hub (540) and the AP (520) via a communication function such as ZigBee, Zwave, or LAN. The cloud-connected device (580) may be a device that is directly connected to the AP (520) and then connected to the first server (510). The cloud-to-cloud device (590) may be a device registered to a third-party cloud and connected cloud to cloud via an application programming interface (API).

[0072] The relay device (560) can relay communication of a soft-AP device (570) that does not have BLE and only has soft-AP. In one embodiment, when the onboarding helper device (530) searches for devices only with BLE, the relay device (560) can scan the Soft-AP and convert it back into a BLE signal to advertise so that the soft-AP device (570) that does not have BLE and only has soft-AP can also be searched. In one embodiment, the relay device (560) and the onboarding helper device (530) can each be implemented as independent devices. In one embodiment, the relay device (560) can be the same device as the onboarding helper device (530). For example, the relay device (560) can be a TV or a SmartThings Station. The relay device (560) can be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2.

[0073] The onboarding helper device (530) can determine whether a device discovered through peripheral device discovery (BLE, Soft-AP, and / or On IP network) is a device owned by the user and / or whether the discovered device is a home device. The onboarding helper device (530) can determine whether to display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the discovered device to the cloud based on whether the discovered device is a device owned by the user and / or whether the discovered device is a home device.

[0074] In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the discovered device to the cloud. In one embodiment, if the discovered device is a home device, the onboarding helper device (530) may display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the discovered device to the cloud. In one embodiment, if the discovered device is a user-owned device and a home device, the onboarding helper device (530) may display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the discovered device to the cloud.

[0075] In response to a user input (or input to initiate onboarding) for a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) a discovered device to the cloud, the onboarding helper device (530) may determine the connection type of the discovered device. The connection type may indicate whether the discovered device is a hub-connected device (550) or a cloud-connected device (580).

[0076] According to one embodiment, if the discovered device is a hub-connected device (550), the onboarding helper device (530) may determine location information (e.g., location and / or room information) of the discovered device using location information of the registered hub (540), automatically select optimal Wi-Fi information based on the location information of the discovered device, and perform an onboarding procedure for the discovered device.

[0077] According to one embodiment, if the searched device is a cloud-connected device (580), the onboarding helper device (530) may determine location information (e.g., location and / or room information) of the searched device using AP information and / or geographic (GEO) information received through a surrounding scan, automatically select optimal Wi-Fi information based on the location information of the searched device, and perform an onboarding procedure for the searched device.

[0078] In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the searched device to the cloud based on surrounding AP information and / or geographic (GEO) information when searching for a device based on user input values ​​for setting information of a location-specific device search pop-up. In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may display a pop-up display for onboarding (or registering) the searched device to the cloud based on location and / or location information based on the device type of the searched device.

[0079] In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may register information regarding the cause of failure with the first server (510) when onboarding fails, and use the information regarding the cause of failure in the next onboarding attempt. In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may use information (e.g., authentication key, location information, room information, and / or Wi-Fi information) used in the previous onboarding attempt in the next onboarding attempt.

[0080] In one embodiment, the onboarding helper device (530) may automatically determine and / or recommend Wi-Fi for the scanning device based on the received Wi-Fi signal strength and / or the specifications (e.g., auth type and / or band) supported by the scanning device.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the onboarding procedure proposed in this disclosure may be performed through the following operations (1) to (7). According to one embodiment, the order of the following operations (1) to (7) for onboarding may be varied and combined in various ways depending on design specifications.

[0082] (1) The onboarding helper device (530) can determine whether a device discovered through peripheral device discovery (BLE, Soft-AP, and / or On IP network) is a device owned by the user or a home device, and determine whether to provide a device connection pop-up.

[0083] (2) The onboarding helper device (530) can utilize previous onboarding information if there is a history of onboarding failure.

[0084] (3) When it is decided to connect the searched device to the cloud based on user input (e.g., Add now) in the device connection pop-up, the onboarding helper device (530) can automatically select a place / room or display a recommended place / room depending on the type of the searched device.

[0085] (4) The onboarding helper device (530) can create a secure channel after connecting the searched device with D2D (BLE, Soft-AP, On IP network).

[0086] (5) After creating a secure channel, the onboarding helper device (530) can perform device authentication to determine whether the searched device is owned by the user.

[0087] (6) The onboarding helper device (530) can automatically select Wi-Fi information that the searched device can connect to and then transmit the Wi-Fi information to the device.

[0088] (7) The device can register to the cloud using the received Wi-Fi information.

[0089] (8) Once device registration to the cloud is complete, the onboarding helper device (530) or device can register Wi-Fi information and essential information (Serial number, Mac address) to the cloud.

[0090] FIG. 6 illustrates a system architecture for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 6, the system (600) may include a cloud (610), an onboarding helper device (620), and an external electronic device (630). The onboarding helper device (620) may be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and the external electronic device (630) may be implemented as the electronic device (102 and / or 104) of FIG. 1.

[0092] The cloud (610) may be a cloud for IoT (e.g., SmartThings cloud). The cloud (610) may include a first server (611), a second server (612), and a third server (613). According to one embodiment, the first server (611) may provide purchase / genuine registration and / or peripheral device search information for the onboarding helper device (620) and / or the external electronic device (630). For example, the first server (611) may manage and / or provide at least one of account information, location information (e.g., location / room), AP information (e.g., Home AP), BSSID (Basic Service Set IDentifier), model code, and serial number (SN). In one embodiment, the second server (612) may determine whether the onboarding helper device (620) and / or the external electronic device (630) is onboarded based on the account and / or serial number (SN) of the device. In one embodiment, the third server (613) may perform a Wi-Fi locker function and manage and / or provide a Wi-Fi AP Service Set Identifier (SSID) and / or password.

[0093] In operation S601, the onboarding helper device (620) can check and / or obtain Home AP information provided by a third server (613) within the cloud (610). In operation S602, the first server (611) within the cloud (610) can check and / or perform ownership and / or discovery for a customer and a product (e.g., the onboarding helper device (620) or an external electronic device (630)). In operation S603, the second server (612) within the cloud (610) can check whether the onboarding helper device (620) is onboarded. In operation S604, the first server (611) within the cloud (610) can transmit and / or receive data with the onboarding helper device (620).

[0094] In operation S605, the onboarding helper device (620) may perform detection and / or recommendation for Calm Connecting. In operation S606, the onboarding helper device (620) may perform auto-detection for the external electronic device (630), and in operation S607, the onboarding helper device (620) may transmit network information to the external electronic device (630) so that the external electronic device (630) may onboard to the cloud (610). In operation S608, the external electronic device (630) may complete the onboarding procedure to the cloud (610) based on the network information received from the onboarding helper device (620). In operation S609, the second server (612) within the cloud (610) may confirm and / or update that the external electronic device (630) has been onboarded to the cloud (610).

[0095] Figure 7 illustrates a configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] Referring to FIG. 7, the electronic device (700) may include a connection pop-up provision module (710), a location information selection module (720), and a Wi-Fi selection module (730). The electronic device (700) may be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2, the onboarding helper device (530) of FIG. 5, or the onboarding helper device (620) of FIG. 6.

[0097] The connection pop-up provision module (710) can determine whether the searched device is a device owned by the user or a home device, and provide a connection pop-up based on the determination result.

[0098] According to one embodiment, a device (e.g., a TV, a Family Hub) used in a fixed location may search for nearby devices and share at least one of the searched location, device type, and device ID information to the cloud. According to one embodiment, all electronic devices of the same account may provide a UI in the form of a recommended device list without providing a device-specific pop-up. According to one embodiment, onboarding history information (e.g., a user's Don't Add / Later / Add now input history for an external electronic device) and onboarding result information (e.g., onboarding success / failure history) performed on a specific electronic device are stored in the cloud, and a connection pop-up provision module (710) may utilize the onboarding history information and / or the onboarding result information when performing a new onboarding procedure to improve frequent occurrence of connection pop-ups.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up provision module (710) may determine whether the external electronic device is the user's own device using purchase / genuine registration information provided by a server (e.g., the first server (611) of FIG. 6). According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up provision module (710) may determine whether the external electronic device is onboarded using the account and SN information of the Inception server (e.g., the second server (612) of FIG. 6).

[0100] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may determine that the SoftAP device is the user's own device if the SSID of the SoftAP device is included in the purchase / genuine registration information within a server (e.g., the first server (611) of FIG. 6). According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may determine that the BLE device is the user's own device if the SN information within a BLE packet is included in the purchase / genuine registration information within a server (e.g., the first server (611) of FIG. 6).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may obtain purchase / genuine information from a server (e.g., the first server (611) of FIG. 6) and determine whether the search device is owned by the user based on the obtained information. For example, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may determine whether the search device is owned by the user based on a serial number. According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may obtain account and / or SN information from a server (e.g., the second server (612) of FIG. 6) and determine whether the search device is onboarded based on the obtained information.

[0102] The location information selection module (720) can determine the location (or location information) for registering a search device. In one embodiment, whether to display a device connection pop-up for a location where a search pop-up is specified can be checked. In one embodiment, a connection pop-up can be displayed depending on whether a pop-up is displayed on the server. In one embodiment, the user's input in the connection pop-up can select "Don't Add," "Later," or "Add Now." If the user selects "Add Now," onboarding can begin and the server can be updated to determine whether to display a pop-up. If the user selects "Don't Add" or "Later," a connection pop-up may not be provided for the same account. In one embodiment, if the user selects "Later," the connection pop-up provision module (710) can provide a connection pop-up after a specific time period. For example, the specific time period can be set and / or selected by the user, or a default time period (e.g., 24 hours) can be set.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up provision module (710) may provide a connection pop-up based on a mobile location-based condition or whether to provide a location-specific device search pop-up.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up providing module (710) may provide a device search pop-up for an electronic device when 1) the electronic device (700) is located within a set radius (e.g., within a radius of 150 m) of a preset location (e.g., SmartThings location), 2) location information is set for all locations, and 3) the electronic device (700) is fixed and used at a specific location.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the connection pop-up provision module (710) may provide a device search pop-up only for a location where the user has designated a device search pop-up. According to one embodiment, a setting input for providing a device search pop-up for each location may be provided to the user on a specific menu. According to one embodiment, when a nearby device is searched, the electronic device (700) may estimate the current location using the surrounding AP information and available geographic information, and may determine whether a pop-up is supported based on the estimated location. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (700) may check whether an AP has already been used for registration of another device among the AP information scanned in the surroundings. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (700) may use geographic information confirmed by the electronic device (700) itself and / or geographic information obtained through the IP address of the surrounding AP to determine whether the electronic device (700) is located within a location area (e.g., Geo Fence) set by the user.

[0106] The location information selection module (720) can automatically select a location and / or room. In one embodiment, if the searched device is a cloud-connected device, the location information selection module (720) can automatically set the location information using AP information and / or Geo information. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) can compare AP information acquired by scanning the surroundings with AP information previously used for device registration. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) can compare at least two of Geo information acquired through GPS and network information, Geo information acquired by utilizing IP information of APs in the surroundings, and Geo information set by the user for the location.

[0107] In one embodiment, when the discovered device is a hub-connected device, selection of a hub that actually supports the corresponding protocol may be more important than selecting a logical location distinguished in the application. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may select a hub that supports the protocol of the IoT things (e.g., zigbee, z-wave, or matter) and is currently active. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may first select a location and then select a hub that supports the protocol of the thing at the location and is currently active.

[0108] In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may select a hub if the account supports the "things" protocol and has only one active hub. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may select a location based on AP information and determine whether the location supports the "things" protocol and has an active hub. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may select a location based on Geo information and determine whether the location supports the "things" protocol and has an active hub. In one embodiment, the location information selection module (720) may select a hub if the account supports the "things" protocol and has only one active hub, and the location / room of the "things" may be set to correspond to the location / room of the selected hub. In one embodiment, if there are two or more hubs that meet the conditions, the location information selection module (720) may select a hub to which more "things" are connected.

[0109] The Wi-Fi selection module (730) can automatically select Wi-Fi. According to one embodiment, the Wi-Fi selection module (730) can automatically select an AP to use when the signal strength of the AP to be automatically connected to the device is above a certain signal strength to ensure stability of connection with the device and meets the specifications (auth type / band) supported by the device.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the Wi-Fi selection module (730) can automatically select an AP to use based on the following priorities.

[0111] 1. AP used by electronic devices (700) that support device registration through Wi-Fi automatic selection

[0112] 2. The most recently updated AP information among the AP information used by the device in the cloud

[0113] 3. AP with the strongest signal strength among AP information that can be collected from electronic devices (700) or the cloud.

[0114] FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are flowcharts illustrating a process for setting location information by an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] The electronic device performing the logic described in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C may be implemented as the onboarding helper device (530) of FIG. 5 or the onboarding helper device (620) of FIG. 6. The electronic device may set location information for performing onboarding for an external electronic device based on information received from a server (e.g., the first server (510) of FIG. 5, the second server (512) of FIG. 5, the first server (611) of FIG. 6, the second server (612) of FIG. 6, and / or the third server (613) of FIG. 6).

[0116] Referring to FIG. 8A, in operation 800, the electronic device may initiate a location selection procedure. In operation 801, the electronic device may determine whether a location (e.g., home or office) set by a user in an application is a single location. If, in operation 801, the location set by the user in the application is a single location (801-YES), in operation 803, the electronic device may set the single location as location information. If, in operation 801, the location set by the user in the application is not a single location (801-NO), in operation 805, the electronic device may acquire (or scan) AP information around the electronic device. In operation 807, the electronic device may compare the scanned AP information with AP information acquired from a server (e.g., the third server (613) of FIG. 6).

[0117] In operation 809, the electronic device can determine whether there is no location where the AP information matches based on the comparison result of operation 807. If there is a location where the AP information matches based on the determination result of operation 809, the electronic device can determine whether there is a single location where the AP information matches among the locations set by the user in the application in operation 811. If there is not a single location where the AP information matches based on the determination result of operation 811, the electronic device can obtain geolocation information of the electronic device in operation 813. If the electronic device successfully obtains geolocation information in operation 815, the electronic device can compare the geolocation information obtained by the electronic device with geolocation information registered on or received from a server in operation 817. If the electronic device determines in operation 819 that there is no location matching the geographic location information, in operation 821, the electronic device may set the location last checked or selected by the user in the application as the location information, or may set the first location among the location information provided from the server as the location information.

[0118] If, as a result of the determination in operation 811, there is a single location among the locations set by the user in the application that matches the AP information, the electronic device can set the single location as location information in operation 823. If, in operation 815, the electronic device does not successfully acquire geo-location information, in operation 825, the electronic device can acquire geo-location information based on the IP address of the surrounding AP. If, in operation 827, the electronic device successfully acquires geo-location information based on the IP address of the surrounding AP, in operation 817, the electronic device can compare the geo-location information acquired by the electronic device with geo-location information registered in or received from the server. If, in operation 827, the electronic device does not successfully acquire geo-location information based on the IP address of the surrounding AP, in operation 829, the electronic device can set the location that the user last checked or selected in the application as location information, or set the first location among the location information provided from the server as location information.

[0119] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B , if it is determined in operation 809 that there is no location matching the AP information, the electronic device may obtain geo-location information of the electronic device in operation 831. If the electronic device fails to successfully obtain geo-location information in operation 833, the electronic device may obtain geo-location information based on an IP address of a surrounding AP in operation 835. If the electronic device successfully obtains geo-location information based on an IP address of a surrounding AP in operation 837, the electronic device may compare geo-location information registered in or received from a server with the geo-location information obtained by the electronic device in operation 841. If in operation 837 the electronic device fails to successfully obtain geo-location information based on the IP address of the surrounding AP, in operation 839 the electronic device may set the location last checked or selected by the user in the application as the location information, or may set the first location among the location information provided from the server as the location information.

[0120] If the electronic device successfully acquires geo-location information in operation 833, the electronic device can compare the geo-location information acquired by the electronic device with the geo-location information registered on or received from the server in operation 841. If the electronic device determines that there is no location matching the geo-location information in operation 843, the electronic device can set the location last checked or selected by the user in the application as the location information, or set the first location among the location information provided from the server as the location information.

[0121] If the electronic device determines in operation 843 that there is a location matching the geographic location information, then in operation 845, the electronic device can determine whether the location matching the geographic location information is a single location among the locations set by the user in the application. If in operation 845, the location matching the geographic location information is not a single location among the locations set by the user in the application, then in operation 847, the electronic device can set the nearest location as the location information. If in operation 845, the location matching the geographic location information is a single location among the locations set by the user in the application, then in operation 851, the electronic device can set the single location as the location information.

[0122] Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8C , if the electronic device determines in operation 819 that there is a location matching the geographic location information, in operation 853, the electronic device can check the intersection between the geographic location information based on the location and the information obtained from the server (the third server (613) of FIG. 6 ). If the electronic device determines in operation 855 that there is an intersection between the geographic location information based on the location and the information obtained from the server (the third server (613) of FIG. 6), in operation 857, the electronic device can determine whether the location having the intersection is a single location among the locations set by the user on the application. If, as a result of the determination in operation 857, the location having the intersection is not a single location among the locations set by the user on the application, in operation 859, the electronic device can set the closest location as the location information. If, as a result of the determination in operation 857, there is a single location among the locations set by the user on the application that has the intersection point, the electronic device can set the single location as location information in operation 863. If, in operation 855, the electronic device determines that there is no intersection point between the location-based geographic location information and the information obtained from the server (the third server (613) of FIG. 6), the electronic device can set the location that the user last checked or selected on the application as location information, or set the first location among the location information provided from the server as location information in operation 861.

[0123] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of utilizing information on onboarding failure history according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0124] Referring to FIG. 9, the system (900) includes a cloud (910) in which a server (911) is implemented, a first electronic device (920), a second electronic device (930), and a third electronic device (940).

[0125] In operation S901, the first electronic device (920) may complete authentication after device search for the second electronic device (930). The first electronic device (920) may support the second electronic device (930) to onboard to the cloud (910). In operation S902, the second electronic device (930) may fail to register with the server (911) within the cloud (910). In operation S903, the first electronic device (920) may register device information for the second electronic device (930) that failed to register with the server (911). In operation S904, if the third electronic device (940) supports the cloud (910) onboarding retry of the second electronic device (930), the third electronic device (940) and the second electronic device (930) can be automatically connected using failure information (or device information) about the second electronic device (930) registered with the server (911) (automatic connection based on registration information). In one embodiment, the second electronic device (930) can simplify the onboarding procedure using failure information (or device information) about the second electronic device (930) registered with the server (911).

[0126] In one embodiment, after completing authentication between a first electronic device (920) and a second electronic device (930) during the device registration process, the first electronic device (920) can obtain a unique device value of the second electronic device (930) and use this to simplify the next onboarding procedure. Since the second electronic device (930) can know the failure history of the previous onboarding, this can improve the onboarding success rate.

[0127] In one embodiment, since device authentication between the first electronic device (920) and the second electronic device (930) has already been performed once, key information that can automatically perform the authentication procedure in the next attempt can be obtained, thereby simplifying the authentication procedure in the next onboarding attempt. In one embodiment, since information about the second electronic device (930) that previously performed onboarding can be known, location / position information of the second electronic device (930) can be obtained (utilized for automatic location setting). In one embodiment, the reason for failure when the second electronic device (930) previously performed onboarding can be stored in the server (911), and can be used to guide the user to take action, or can be utilized in the next onboarding attempt.

[0128] In one embodiment, if a specific AP fails during onboarding, the AP may be excluded from the automatic AP selection logic. In one embodiment, if a specific AP fails during onboarding due to a password error or an abnormal condition of the AP, the reason for the error may be displayed to the user (via a device with an output function) to prompt action.

[0129] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a UI of a location-specific device search pop-up according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 10, an electronic device may display a location-specific device search pop-up (1010). According to one embodiment, the electronic device may display the location-specific device search pop-up (1010) when the electronic device is located within a set radius (e.g., within a radius of 150 m) of a preset area (1020). According to one embodiment, if the location-specific device search pop-up is allowed, the electronic device may search for a device and provide a connection pop-up.

[0131] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a UI of a recommendation card according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0132] Referring to FIG. 11, an electronic device may display a screen (1110) including a recommendation card (1120) indicating that a device is capable of connecting to the cloud. In response to a user input requesting detailed information about the recommendation card (1120) (e.g., clicking "view detail"), the electronic device may display a screen (1130) providing a list of multiple recommended devices. In one embodiment, the electronic device may display the recommendation card and / or the list of recommended devices if the electronic device is the user's own device but does not allow location-specific device search pop-ups. In one embodiment, the electronic device may display the recommendation card and / or the list of recommended devices after providing the user with a connection pop-up.

[0133] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] In FIG. 12, the electronic device may be implemented as the electronic device (101) of FIG. 1, the electronic device (101) of FIG. 2, the onboarding helper device (530) of FIG. 5, the onboarding helper device (620) of FIG. 6, or the electronic device (700) of FIG. 7.

[0135] Referring to FIG. 12, in operation S1210, the electronic device may search for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search and determine whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device. In operation S1220, the electronic device may display a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud based on the determination result. In operation S1230, the electronic device may confirm the connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display. In operation S1240, the electronic device may determine location information of the external electronic device based on the connection type of the external electronic device. In operation S1250, the electronic device may select Wi-Fi information connectable to the external electronic device based on the location information, and control the external electronic device to be onboarded to the cloud using the Wi-Fi information.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may include an operation of selecting Wi-Fi information connectable to the external electronic device based on the location information. According to one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may include an operation of controlling the external electronic device to be registered in the cloud using the Wi-Fi information.

[0137] According to one embodiment, depending on the connection type of the external electronic device, the external electronic device may be a hub-connected device or a cloud-connected device. According to one embodiment, the operating method of the electronic device may further include an operation of searching for a peripheral device based on BLE (Bluetooth low energy), Soft-AP (software enabled access point), or on an IP network.

[0138] In one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may include an operation of displaying the pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud if the external electronic device is determined to be owned by the same user as the electronic device. In one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may include an operation of displaying the pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud if the external electronic device is determined to be an in-home device.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the operating method of the electronic device may further include, if the external electronic device is the hub-connected device, determining the location information of the external electronic device using location information of a hub connected to the external electronic device. According to one embodiment, the operating method of the electronic device may further include, if the external electronic device is the cloud-connected device, determining the location information of the external electronic device using at least one of AP information and geographic information acquired through a surrounding scan.

[0140] According to one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may further include registering information regarding an onboarding failure with a server within the cloud. According to one embodiment, the method of operating an electronic device may further include determining a Wi-Fi to be connected to the external electronic device based on the received Wi-Fi reception strength and the supported specifications of the external electronic device.

[0141] According to one embodiment, in a non-transitory storage medium storing commands, the commands may be configured to cause the electronic device to perform at least one operation when executed by at least one processor of the electronic device. The at least one operation may include searching for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search and determining whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device. The at least one operation may include displaying a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud based on a result of the determination. The at least one operation may include confirming a connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display. The at least one operation may include determining location information of the external electronic device based on the connection type of the external electronic device.

Claims

1. In an electronic device (101 of FIG. 1; 101 of FIG. 2; 530 of FIG. 5; 620 of FIG. 6; 700 of FIG. 7), Communication circuit (190 in Fig. 1; 202 in Fig. 2;); Processor (120 in Fig. 1; 204 in Fig. 2); and A memory (130 of FIG. 1; 206 of FIG. 2;) is included, and the memory (130 of FIG. 1; 206 of FIG. 2;) is, when executed by the processor (120 of FIG. 1; 204 of FIG. 2;), the electronic device (101 of FIG. 1; 101 of FIG. 2; 530 of FIG. 5; 620 of FIG. 6; 700 of FIG. 7), Search for external electronic devices through peripheral device search, and determine whether the external electronic devices are owned by the same user as the electronic devices or are home devices; Based on the above judgment result, display a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud, In response to user input for the above pop-up display, determine the connection type of the external electronic device, An electronic device storing commands for determining location information of the external electronic device according to the connection type of the external electronic device.

2. In the first paragraph, the electronic device, Select Wi-Fi information that can be connected to the external electronic device based on the above location information, An electronic device that controls the external electronic device to be registered in the cloud using the above Wi-Fi information.

3. In any one of paragraphs 1 and 2, An electronic device, wherein the external electronic device is a hub-connected device or a cloud connected device, depending on the connection type of the external electronic device.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, the electronic device, An electronic device that searches for nearby devices based on BLE (Bluetooth low energy), Soft-AP (software enabled access point), or on an IP network.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, the electronic device, If the external electronic device is determined to be owned by the same user as the electronic device, the pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud is displayed, or An electronic device configured to display a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud when the external electronic device is determined to be an in-home device.

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, the electronic device, An electronic device that determines the location information of the external electronic device by using the location information of the hub connected to the external electronic device, if the external electronic device is the hub-connected device.

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, the electronic device, An electronic device that determines the location information of the external electronic device by using at least one of AP information and geographic information acquired through a surrounding scan, if the external electronic device is the cloud-connected device.

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, the electronic device, An electronic device that registers information about the onboarding failure to a server within the cloud when the external electronic device fails to onboard to the cloud.

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, the electronic device, An electronic device that determines the Wi-Fi to be connected to the external electronic device based on the received Wi-Fi reception strength and the supported specifications of the external electronic device.

10. In the operating method of an electronic device (101 of FIG. 1; 101 of FIG. 2; 530 of FIG. 5; 620 of FIG. 6; 700 of FIG. 7), An action of searching for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search and determining whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device; An action of displaying a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud based on the above judgment result; An action to determine the connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display; and A method comprising an operation of determining location information of the external electronic device according to the connection type of the external electronic device.

11. In paragraph 10, An operation of selecting Wi-Fi information connectable to the external electronic device based on the location information; and A method further comprising an action of controlling the external electronic device to be registered in the cloud using the Wi-Fi information.

12. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 11, A method wherein, depending on the connection type of the external electronic device, the external electronic device is a hub-connected device or a cloud connected device.

13. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 12, A method further comprising an operation of searching for a peripheral device based on BLE (Bluetooth low energy), Soft-AP (software enabled access point), or on IP network.

14. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 13, An action of displaying the pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud when the external electronic device is determined to be owned by the same user as the electronic device; or A method further comprising an action to display the pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud when the external electronic device is determined to be the in-home device.

15. In a non-transitory storage medium storing commands, the commands are configured to cause the electronic device to perform at least one operation when executed by at least one processor of the electronic device, wherein the at least one operation is: An action of searching for an external electronic device through a peripheral device search and determining whether the external electronic device is owned by the same user as the electronic device or is an in-home device; An action of displaying a pop-up display for onboarding the external electronic device to the cloud based on the above judgment result; An action to determine the connection type of the external electronic device in response to a user input for the pop-up display; and A non-transitory storage medium comprising an operation for determining location information of the external electronic device according to the connection type of the external electronic device.

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