IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,603,717
Granted Patent B2
US 12,603,717 · App. 18/224,854 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Electronic device for establishing communication connection to external electronic device and operation method thereof

Inventors: Junwan Cho (Suwon-si, KR); Doosuk Kang (Suwon-si, KR); Sangchul Yun (Suwon-si, KR); Gyujin Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jubyung Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Wonkyoung Jang (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H04H60/375H04H60/32H04H60/70H04H2201/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,603,717
App. No.
18/224,854
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including a communication module, a processor and a memory that stores instructions. The instructions, when executed, cause the processor to receive a first signal from a first external electronic device through the communication module while a communication connection to at least one second external electronic device is being established, select a specified number of third external electronic devices or less from among the first external electronic device and the at least one second external electronic device based on the first signal, and transmit data to or receive data from the selected third external electronic devices through established communication connections to the selected third external electronic devices. The third external electronic devices are selected in order of having a weak signal intensity or a greater distance from the electronic device from among the first external electronic device and the at least one second external electronic device.

Claims (42)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a communication module;

a processor operatively connected to the communication module; and

a memory operatively connected to the processor to store instructions,

wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

receive a first signal from a first external electronic device through the communication module while a communication connection with at least one second external electronic device is established;

select a specified number or less of third external electronic devices from among the first external electronic device and the at least one second external electronic device based on the first signal; and

transmit and receive data with the selected third external electronic devices through established communication connections with the selected third external electronic devices,

wherein the third external electronic devices are selected in order of weaker signal strength or greater distance from the electronic device.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the specified number based on available communication resources and to identify the available communication resources based on a second communication connection through a second radio access technology (RAT) using a second frequency band of which at least a portion overlaps a first frequency band of a first radio access technology (RAT) used for the communication connection with the at least one second external electronic device.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the specified number based on available communication resources and to identify the available communication resources based on another communication connection through a first radio access technology (RAT).

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to disconnect a communication connection with one of the at least one second external electronic device that is not selected as the third external electronic devices and further cause the processor to:

identify a signal strength of an advertisement signal received from the one of the at least one second external electronic device;

identify a distance to the one of the at least one second external electronic device based on the signal strength of the advertisement signal; and

determine whether to establish a communication connection with the one of the at least one second external electronic device based on the identified distance.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to identify the distance using an ultra-wideband (UWB) based positioning technique.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the specified number according to whether a location of the electronic device corresponds to a specified location.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the specified number according to whether a current time corresponds to a specified time.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the specified number based on a quality of a second communication connection through a second radio access technology (RAT) using a second frequency band of which at least a portion overlaps a first frequency band of a first RAT used for the communication connection with the at least one second external electronic device.

9 . A method for operating an electronic device comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first external electronic device through a communication module while a communication connection with at least one second external electronic device is established;

selecting a specified number or less of third external electronic devices from among the first external electronic device and the at least one second external electronic device based on the first signal; and

transmitting and receiving data with the selected third external electronic devices through established communication connections with the selected third external electronic devices,

wherein the third external electronic devices are selected in order of weaker signal strength or greater distance from the electronic device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the specified number based on available communication resources,

wherein the determining of the specified number includes identifying the available communication resources based on a second communication connection through a second radio access technology (RAT) using a second frequency band of which at least a portion overlaps a first frequency band of a first RAT used for the communication connection with the at least one second external electronic device.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the specified number based on available communication resources,

wherein the determining of the specified number includes identifying the available communication resources based on another communication connection through a first radio access technology (RAT).

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

disconnecting a communication connection with one of the at least one second external electronic device that is not selected as the third external electronic devices;

identifying a signal strength of an advertisement signal received from the one of the at least one second external electronic device;

identifying a distance to the one of the at least one second external electronic device based on the signal strength of the advertisement signal; and

determining whether to establish a communication connection with the one of the at least one second external electronic device based on the identified distance.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the distance is identified using an ultra-wideband (UWB) based positioning technique.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the specified number according to whether a location of the electronic device corresponds to a specified location.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the specified number according to whether a current time corresponds to a specified time.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the specified number based on a quality of a second communication connection through a second radio access technology (RAT) using a second frequency band of which at least a portion overlaps a first frequency band of a first RAT used for the communication connection with the at least one second external electronic device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2023
From: CHO, JUNWAN; KANG, DOOSUK; YUN, SANGCHUL; LEE, GYUJIN; LEE, JUBYUNG; JANG, WONKYOUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064428/0971 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0009536 · Jan 22, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022000207 · Jan 6, 2022
Related Publication 20230361899A1 · Nov 9, 2023
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