Devices and methods for telephone call sharing using a direct wireless connection

A method using a host electronic device compliant with Wi-Fi Direct, the method comprising:

• connecting a telephone call between the host electronic device and an outside device including receiving incoming call data from the outside device, wherein the incoming call data is based on audio and video captured at the outside device;
• before establishing a Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection, operating the host electronic device in a discovery mode comprising searching for available participant electronic devices, in response to effecting a throw command at the host electronic device;
• establishing the Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection between the host electronic device and a participant electronic device that is in a Wi-Fi Direct network with the host electronic device;
• processing and presenting the incoming call data through a speaker and a display device at the host electronic device;
• forwarding the incoming call data to the participant electronic device using the Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection for presentation of the incoming call data through a speaker and a display device at the participant electronic device;
• receiving participant call data from the participant electronic device using the Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection, wherein the participant call data is based on audio and video captured at the participant electronic device;
• processing and presenting the participant call data at the host electronic device through the speaker and the display device at the host electronic device;
• forwarding the participant call data to the outside device;
• capturing audio and video at the host electronic device;
• and
• forwarding host call data to the participant electronic device using the Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection for presentation of the host call data through the speaker and the display device at the participant electronic device, wherein the host call data is based on the audio and video captured at the host electronic device.

A system comprising:

• a host electronic device in a Wi-Fi Direct network, the host electronic device configured to connect with an outside device for a telephone call including incoming call data;
• at least one participant electronic device in the Wi-Fi Direct network;
• wherein the host electronic device is configured to:
• operate in a discovery mode;
• display a throw interface on a display device of the host electronic device;
• display a list of available participant electronic devices on the display device responsive to user actuation of the throw interface;
• and
• responsive to user input selecting one of the available participant electronic devices from the list, establish a Wi-Fi Direct wireless connection with the selected participant electronic device, wherein the at least one participant electronic device comprises the selected participant electronic device;
• automatically process and present the incoming call data through a speaker and/or the display device;
• and
• substantially concurrently forward over the Wi-Fi Direct connection the incoming call data to the at least one participant electronic device;
• wherein the at least one participant electronic device is configured to:
• automatically process and present the incoming call data received from the host electronic device through a speaker and/or a display device substantially concurrently with the presentation of the incoming call data through the speaker and/or the display device at the host electronic device;
• automatically forward participant call data to the host electronic device over the Wi-Fi Direct connection, wherein the participant call data is based on audio and/or video captured at the at least one participant electronic device;
• wherein at least one of the host electronic device and the at least one participant electronic device is configured to:
• store network credentials to subsequently reinstate the Wi-Fi Direct connection;
• and
• automatically reinstate the Wi-Fi Direct connection using the network credentials that are stored.