# US 12,191,992 B2 · Terminal control apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,992 B2 - Document ID: US12191992B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/707,095 - Filed: 2022-03-29 - Published: 2022-07-14 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-30 - Assignees: SK Telecom Co., Ltd. - Applicants: SK Telecom Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Dong Jin Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191992B2 ## CPC - H04L 1/0025: {Transmission of mode-switching indication} - H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition - H04W 8/24: Transfer of terminal data - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04W 8/20: Transfer of user or subscriber data - H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} - H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties - H04W 88/18: Service support devices; Network management devices - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A terminal control apparatus comprise: a transceiver that obtains information on a first terminal and a second terminal; and a processor that makes a predetermined determination in relation to each terminal's user based on the information obtained on the first terminal and the second terminal, that provides a result of the determination to the first terminal, and that, upon receiving role information including information on a role to be performed by the first terminal and information on a role to be performed by the second terminal, sets operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal based on the received role information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A terminal control apparatus comprising: a transceiver that obtains information on a first terminal and a second terminal; and a processor that makes a predetermined determination in relation to each terminal's user based on the information obtained on the first terminal and the second terminal, that provides a result of the determination to the first terminal, and that, upon receiving role information including information on a role to be performed by the first terminal and information on a role to be performed by the second terminal, sets operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal based on the received role information, wherein the processor determines whether or not a subscriber of the first terminal and a subscriber of the second terminal are same based on the obtained information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The terminal control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor provides terminal information of the second terminal to the first terminal by using the transceiver, in addition to the result of the determination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The terminal control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor provides to the first terminal an indication that the first terminal performs a main role and the second terminal performs a sub role by using the transceiver, in addition to the result of the determination. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The terminal control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor receives ratio information including information on a ratio of resources to be distributed when the first terminal and the second terminal perform roles, by using the transceiver along with role information including information on the role to be performed by the first terminal and information on the role to be performed by the second terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The terminal control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor sets the operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal so that the second terminal communicates with the terminal control apparatus through the first terminal, based on the received role information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The terminal control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the obtained information comprises at least one of terminal location, Application ID, slice ID (SST, SD), IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), SUPI (Subscription Permanent Identifier), GPSI (Generic Public Subscription Identifier), MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number), PDU session information, radio capability information, RAT (Radio Access Technology) information, Single/Dual-Registration operation mode, DRX information, and communication interface information. ### Claim 7 A terminal control apparatus comprising: a transceiver that obtains information on a first terminal and a second terminal; and a processor that makes a predetermined determination in relation to each terminal's user based on the information obtained on the first terminal and the second terminal, that provides a result of the determination to the first terminal, and that, upon receiving role information including information on a role to be performed by the first terminal and information on a role to be performed by the second terminal, sets operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal based on the received role information, wherein the processor changes the operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal, based on connection status information received from the first terminal, indicating that a connection status between the first terminal and the second terminal is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor determines whether or not a subscriber of the first terminal and a subscriber of the second terminal are same based on the obtained information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the connection status information is periodically received from the first terminal, and the processor periodically monitors the connection status between the first terminal and the second terminal based on the periodically received connection status information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the changed operation mode of the second terminal comprises an operation mode in which the second terminal communicates with the terminal control apparatus without the medium of the first terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the changed operation mode of the second terminal comprises an operation mode in which the second terminal communicates with the terminal control apparatus via a different network from the network the first terminal uses to communicate with the terminal control apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor re-changes the operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal, when the connection status between the first terminal and the second terminal is changed from below the predetermined level to the predetermined level or above. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The terminal control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the changed operation mode of the first terminal and the changed operation mode of the second terminal are determined based on a value from a motion sensor comprised in the first terminal or the second terminal. ### Claim 14 A terminal control method performed by a terminal control apparatus, the terminal control method comprising: making a predetermined determination in relation to each terminal's user based on information obtained on a first terminal and a second terminal; providing a result of the determination to the first terminal; and upon receiving role information including information on a role to be performed by the first terminal and information on a role to be performed by the second terminal, setting operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal based on the received role information, wherein the terminal control apparatus determines whether or not a subscriber of the first terminal and a subscriber of the second terminal are same based on the obtained information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The terminal control method of claim 14, wherein terminal information of the second terminal is provided to the first terminal, in addition to the result of the determination. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The terminal control method of claim 14, wherein the operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal are set so that the second terminal communicates with the terminal control apparatus through the first terminal, based on the received role information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The terminal control method of claim 14, wherein the operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal are changed, based on connection status information received from the first terminal, indicating that a connection status between the first terminal and the second terminal is below a predetermined level. ### Claim 18 A terminal control method performed by a terminal control apparatus, the terminal control method comprising: making a predetermined determination in relation to each terminal's user based on information obtained on a first terminal and a second terminal; providing a result of the determination to the first terminal; and upon receiving role information including information on a role to be performed by the first terminal and information on a role to be performed by the second terminal, setting operation modes of the first terminal and the second terminal based on the received role information, wherein an indication that the first terminal performs a main role and the second terminal performs a sub role is provided to the first terminal, in addition to the result of the determination. ### Claim 19 The terminal control method of 18, wherein the terminal control apparatus determines whether or not a subscriber of the first terminal and a subscriber of the second terminal are same based on the obtained information.