CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Phase Entry of PCT International Application No. PCT/KR2019/001803, which was filed on Feb. 14, 2019, and claims a priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0022081, which was filed on Feb. 23, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to an electronic device and a method for reducing current consumption of an electronic device by using the same in near field wireless communication.

BACKGROUND ART

Recently, as the number and types of electronic devices possessed by individuals increase, the use of a mobile hotspot function via Wi-Fi increases. The mobile hotspot function is intended to support effective network mobility, and based on an access point (AP) technology of Wi-Fi, an electronic device may function as a wireless router such as a Wi-Fi hotspot to allow external electronic devices, whose accesses are allowed, to use the wireless internet.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

When an electronic device operates as a mobile hotspot, since the electronic device operates only by means of a battery, the current consumption due to the use of the battery may be greater than that of a Wi-Fi wireless router (AP) connected to a power source. For example, when the electronic device operates as a mobile hotspot, a reception module of Wi-Fi may be maintained to be on, so as to always receive a data packet, a search packet, and a connection packet from an external electronic device connected to the electronic device. Accordingly, since the electronic device allows the reception module to be maintained to be on even when there is no packet transmitting/receiving between the electronic device and the external electronic device, the current consumption thereof may be high.

When an electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure operates as a wireless router (for example, a mobile hotspot), the electronic device may monitor a state of the electronic device and whether an external electronic device is connected thereto, and, when the external electronic device is not connected to the electronic device for a predetermined time, perform control such that a wireless communication module enters a power saving mode.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure may monitor a packet transmitting/receiving state with external electronic devices connected thereto through a wireless router (for example, a mobile hotspot) and thus adjust a time for which a sleep state lasts in a power saving mode.

Solution to Problem

According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device includes a near field communication module, a memory, and a processor electrically connected to the near field communication module and the memory, wherein the processor may: monitor a state of the electronic device and a connection state between the electronic device and at least one external electronic device when the electronic device operates as a wireless router by means of the near field communication module; configure the near field communication module to enter one operation state among a plurality of predefined operation states, based on at least a part of a result of the monitoring; and configure the near field communication module to enter a power saving mode when, in the one configured operation state, connection or disconnection of the at least one external electronic device is not detected for a predefined time.

According to various embodiments of the disclosure, a method for reducing current consumption of an electronic device in near field wireless communication may include: monitoring a state of the electronic device and a connection state between the electronic device and at least one external electronic device when the electronic device operates as a wireless router by means of a near field communication module; configuring the near field communication module to enter one operation state among a plurality of predefined operation states, based on at least a part of a result of the monitoring; and configuring the near field communication module to enter a power saving mode when, in the one configured operation state, connection or disconnection of the at least one external electronic device is not detected for a predefined time.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure may monitor a state of the electronic device and whether an external electronic device is connected thereto, when the electronic device operates in a wireless router mode, and, based on a result of the monitoring, configure a reception module (RX module) of Wi-Fi to enter a power saving mode in which the reception module is controlled to be off. As the reception module enters the power saving mode, the current consumed due to the use of a battery may be reduced.

According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic device, which operates in a wireless router mode by using an existing chip-set, may enter a sleep section in a power saving mode even without any new change related to a communication chip-set. Accordingly, the compatibility with a previously released model may be maintained.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure may monitor packet transmitting/receiving states with external electronic devices connected thereto through a mobile hotspot, in a power saving mode which the electronic device enters while performing a mobile hotspot function, and thus adjust an interval of a sleep section. As the interval of the sleep section is adjusted based on a result of the monitoring of the packet transmitting/receiving states, not only the current consumption of the electronic device can be prevented, but also the performance degradation of the mobile hotspot can be prevented.

