Method for transmitting and receiving signals in proximity network and electronic device thereof

1. An electronic device in a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) cluster, the electronic device comprising:

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication circuitry;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions, which instruct the processor to:

while the electronic device operates as a master of the NAN cluster based on a first master preference, control the Wi-Fi communication circuitry to transmit discovery signals outside of discovery windows (DWs),

while transmitting the discovery signals outside of the DWs, determine to switch a state of the processor from a wake-up state to a sleep state,

based on the determination, change control information for the NAN cluster, wherein the changed control information for the NAN cluster includes data regarding a second master preference that is distinct from the first master preference, and

after providing the changed control information to the Wi-Fi communication circuitry, switch the state of the processor to the sleep state,

wherein the Wi-Fi communication circuitry is configured to:

while the processor is in the sleep state switched from the wake-up state, transmit the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,

wherein the display is in a turn-off state or a low power state while the processor is in the sleep state.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device operates as a non-master of the NAN cluster if at least one device that has a master preference higher than the second master preference exists in the NAN cluster.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to:

receive, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including data regarding a master preference of another electronic device that operates as a non-master in the NAN cluster; and

identify the second master preference based on the data regarding the master preference of the other electronic device in the NAN cluster.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the Wi-Fi communication circuitry is further configured to:

while the processor is in the sleep state, transmit, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second master preferences is usable for determining a master in the NAN cluster, and

wherein each of the discovery signals is usable for notifying a presence of the NAN cluster.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to:

based on the determination, determine to defer transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs instead of changing the control information for the NAN cluster, and

after determining to defer the transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs, switch the state of the processor from the wake-up state to the sleep state, and

wherein the Wi-Fi communication circuitry is further configured to:

defer the transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs while the processor is in the sleep state.

8. A method executed in an electronic device including a processor and a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication circuitry in a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) cluster, the method comprising:

while the electronic device operates as a master of the NAN cluster based on a first master preference, transmitting discovery signals outside of discovery windows (DWs) by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry;

while transmitting the discovery signals outside of the DWs, determining to switch a state of the processor from a wake-up state to a sleep state;

based on the determination, changing control information for the NAN cluster by using the processor that is in the wake-up state, wherein the changed control information for the NAN cluster includes data regarding a second master preference distinct from the first master preference;

after providing the changed control information to the Wi-Fi communication circuitry by using the processor, switching the state of the processor to the sleep state; and

while the processor is in the sleep state switched from the wake-up state, transmitting the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a display of the electronic device is in a turn-off state or a low power state while the processor is in the sleep state.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device operates as a non-master of the NAN cluster if at least one device that has a master preference higher than the second master preference exists in the NAN cluster.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including data regarding a master preference of another electronic device that operates as a non-master in the NAN cluster by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry; and

identifying the second master preference based on the data regarding the master preference of the other electronic device in the NAN cluster.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting the changed control information comprises:

while the processor is in the sleep state, transmitting, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second master preferences is usable for determining a master in the NAN cluster, and

wherein each of the discovery signals is usable for notifying a presence of the NAN cluster.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

based on the determination, determining to defer transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs instead of changing the control information for the NAN cluster by using the processor being in the wake-up state;

after determining to defer the transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs, switching the state of the processor from the wake-up state to the sleep state; and

deferring the transmissions of the discovery signals outside of the DWs by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry while the processor is in the sleep state.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instruction which, when executed by an electronic device with a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication circuitry and a processor, cause the electronic device to:

while the electronic device operates as a master of the NAN cluster based on a first master preference, control the Wi-Fi communication circuitry to transmit discovery signals outside of discovery windows (DWs) by using the processor being in a wake-up state;

while transmitting the discovery signals outside of the DWs, determine to switch a state of the processor from the wake-up state to a sleep state by using the processor being in the wake-up state;

based on the determination, change control information for the NAN cluster by using the processor being in the wake-up state, wherein the changed control information for the NAN cluster includes data regarding a second master preference distinct from the first master preference;

after providing the changed control information to the Wi-Fi communication circuitry, switch the state of the processor to the sleep state; and

while the processor is in the sleep state switched from the wake-up state, transmitting the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein a display of the electronic device is in a turn-off state or a low power state while the processor is in the sleep state.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the electronic device operates as a non-master of the NAN cluster if at least one device that has a master preference higher than the second master preference exists in the NAN cluster.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs comprises instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, further cause the electronic device to:

receive, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including data regarding a master preference of another electronic device that operates as a non-master in the NAN cluster by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry, and

identify the second master preference based on the data regarding the master preference of the other electronic device in the NAN cluster by using the processor being in the wake-up state.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs comprises instructions which, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

while the processor is in the sleep state, transmit, in at least one of the DWs, a synchronization signal including the changed control information that includes the data regarding the second master preference by using the Wi-Fi communication circuitry.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second master preferences is usable for determining a master in the NAN cluster, and

wherein each of the discovery signals is usable for notifying a presence of the NAN cluster.