IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,107,143
Granted Patent B2
US 9,107,143 · App. 13/301,522 · Granted Aug 11, 2015

Apparatus and method for connecting access point in portable terminal

Inventors: Jong-Seok Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Hyung-Jun Jeon (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
H04W48/16H04L63/104H04W12/08H04W48/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,107,143
App. No.
13/301,522
Granted
Aug 11, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus and method connect an Access Point (AP) in a portable terminal. More particularly, an apparatus and method designate a group of searched peripheral APs, and attempt an access to an AP corresponding to a group selected by a user in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes a group set unit and an AP search unit. The group set unit sets items of peripheral APs to a group according to user's selection. After searching the peripheral APs at the time of AP connection, the AP search unit classifies an AP belonging to a selected item and connects to the classified AP.

Claims (46)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to:

classify Access Points (APs) to at least two AP groups according to a user selection;

determine a security level of an application when the application is executed;

determine an AP group of the at least two AP groups corresponding to the determined security level of the application;

after searching the APs, select one of the APs associated with the determined AP group among the searched APs;

connect to the selected AP;

determine whether another executed application uses a WiFi connection;

control a display unit to display a list of preset security levels;

receive a selection of any one preset security level among the list of preset security levels;

determine whether the selected AP corresponds to the selected security level; and

responsive to the other executed application corresponding to the selected security level and the selected AP not corresponding to the selected security level, terminate the connection to the selected AP and connect to another of the APs corresponding to the selected security level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, after classifying APs to at least two AP groups according to the user selection, the controller is further configured to:

responsive to the determination of the AP group, search the APs before selecting the AP associated with the determined AP group among the searched APs and connecting to the selected AP.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set APs of high security among the searched APs as one of the at least two AP groups.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to connect to the APs belonging to the one AP group according to a priority.

5. A method, comprising:

classifying Access Points (APs) to at least two AP groups according to a user selection;

determining a security level of an application when the application is executed;

determining an AP group of the at least two AP groups corresponding to the determined security level of the application;

after searching the APs, selecting an AP associated with the determined AP group among the searched APs;

connecting to the selected AP

determining whether another executed application uses a WiFi connection;

displaying a list of preset security levels;

receiving a selection of any one preset security level among the list of preset security levels;

determining whether the selected AP corresponds to the selected security level; and

responsive to the other executed application corresponding to the selected security level and the selected AP not corresponding to the selected security level, terminating the connection to the selected AP and connecting to another of the APs corresponding to the selected security level.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

after classifying APs to the at least two AP groups according to the user selection, responsive to detecting determination of the AP group, searching the APs before selecting the AP associated with the determined AP group among the searched APs and connecting to the selected AP.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising setting APs of high security among the searched APs as of the at least two AP groups.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising connecting to the APs belonging to the one AP group according to a priority.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

an input unit configured to enable user selection of a group into which to assign Access Points (APs) for purposes of classifying the APs into at least two AP groups;

a display unit configured to output a list of the at least two AP groups;

an AP management unit configured to, after setting the APs to a group according to a user selection, determine an AP group of the at least two AP groups corresponding to a security level of an application, search the APs associated with the determined AP group, and select an AP associated with the determined AP group; and

a controller configured to;

control the input unit, the display unit, and the AP management unit; and

control connection with the APs, wherein the AP management unit comprises a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) module configured to receive a signal of one of the APs,

determine whether another executed application uses a WiFi connection;

control the display unit to display a list of preset security levels,

receive a selection of any one preset security level among the list of preset security levels,

determine whether the selected AP corresponds to the selected security level, and

responsive to the other executed application corresponding to the selected security level and the selected AP not corresponding to the selected security level, terminate the connection with the selected AP and connect with another AP corresponding to the selected security level.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the AP management unit is further configured to search the APs of the AP group corresponding, among the preset security levels, to a security level of the application in response to execution of the application being detected.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the AP management unit is further configured to set APs of high security as one of the at least two AP groups.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to connect to the APs belonging to the one AP group according to priority.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2011
From: KIM, JONG-SEOK; JEON, HYUNG-JUN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 027263/0897 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2010-0116329 · Nov 22, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120127925A1 · May 24, 2012