Method and apparatus for friend discovery

1. A nearby friend discovery method comprising:

displaying a first screen of contact list comprising a first contact entry and an indication of nearby friend discovery;

receiving an input selecting the indication of nearby friend discovery;

generating, by an electronic device, in response to the received input, an access point (AP) list identifying one or more access points (APs), the AP list being generated based on a strength of signals received from the access points;

transmitting the AP list from the electronic device to a server;

receiving, by the electronic device from the server, a user list, the user list including an indication of one or more users of an external device having another AP list including at least one AP among the APs included in the AP list and who have previously exchanged one or more communications with a user of the electronic device;

displaying, after receiving the user list from the server, a second screen of the contact list comprising a second contact entry and the indication of nearby friend discovery followed by a nearby friend list;

in response to user selection of at least one user in the second screen, displaying a third screen to select, by a user of the electronic device, one of communication networks, wherein the communication networks include an AP existing in both the AP list and an AP list corresponding to the selected user and cellular communication service; and

transmit data to the external device corresponding to the selected user based on the selected cellular communication service,

wherein the nearby friend list comprises a contact entry matched with both the first contact entry and the user list.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the AP list comprises including in the AP list only identifiers of access points having a signal strength that is greater than a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user list is generated based on a relationship database (DB) including a plurality of user profiles;

each user profile comprises static field information and dynamic field information;

the static field information comprises at least one of Social Network Service (SNS) address book, phonebook, and email address book; and

the dynamic field information comprises the AP list.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the relationship DB includes a profile for the user of the electronic device; and

the static field information in the profile for the user of the electronic device is generated based on at least one of a phonebook, a social networking service (SNS) address book, and an email address book that is stored in the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more users in the user list include users who are identified in the at least one of the phonebook, the SNS address book, and the email address book that is stored in the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising modifying, by the electronic device, the relationship DB.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

a touch screen;

a communication unit; and

a controller configured to:

control the touch screen to display a first screen of contact list comprising a first contact entry and an indication of nearby friend discovery,

control the touch screen to receive an input selecting the indication of nearby friend discovery,

generate, in response to the received input, an access point (AP) list identifying one or more access points (APs), the AP list being generated based on a strength of signals received from the access points,

control the communication unit to transmit the AP list from the mobile terminal to a server,

control the communication unit to receive a user list from the server, the user list including an indication of one or more users of an external device having another AP list including at least one AP among the APs included in the AP list and who have previously exchanged one or more communications with a user of the mobile terminal,

control, after receiving the user list from the server, the touch screen to display a second screen of the contact list comprising a second contact entry and the indication of nearby friend discovery followed by a nearby friend list,

control, in response to user selection of at least one user in the second screen, the touch screen to display a third screen to select one of communication networks, wherein the communication networks include an AP existing in both the AP list and an AP list corresponding to the selected user and cellular communication service, and

control the communication unit to transmit data to the external device corresponding to the selected user based on the selected cellular communication service,

wherein the nearby friend list comprises a contact entry matched with both the first contact entry and the user list.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the AP list including only identifiers of access points having a signal strength that is greater than a threshold.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7 , wherein:

the user list is generated based on a relationship database (DB) including a plurality of user profiles;

each user profile comprises static field information and dynamic field information;

the static field information comprises at least one of Social Network Service (SNS) address book, phonebook, and email address book; and

the dynamic field information comprises the AP list.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein:

the relationship DB includes a profile for the user of the mobile terminal; and

the static field information in the profile for the user of the mobile terminal is generated based on at least one of a phonebook, a social networking service (SNS) address book, and an email address book that is stored in the mobile terminal.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the one or more users in the user list include users who are identified in the at least one of the phonebook, the SNS address book, and the email address book that is stored in the mobile terminal.