Broadcom Corporation

Nxp Usa, Inc.

David Grant Cox

Philip Stewart Royston

Andrew Pienkowski

A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Communications device for intelligently routing information among multiple user interfaces

To promote ease of use, as well as a reduction in bit error rates during extended data exchange between a coupled NFC tag/reader pair, signal strength is measured from a plurality of NFC tag antennas each positioned differently with respect to a common reader field, and differences in signal strength are used to determine an optimum positioning of the tag, or tag emulator, with respect to the reader. Alternative embodiments may include signal time of flight for determining orientation of the NFC antennas within the reader field. Information is generated by the tag, or tag emulator, and output by the tag, or tag emulator, such that a user may direct the positioning of the tag, or tag emulator, for improved communication with the reader.

Positioning guidance for increasing reliability of near-field communications

An NFC-enabled device including tag emulation circuitry and reader emulation circuitry operates so as to provide a signal strength meter function. The signal strength meter function, in tag emulation mode, measures and reports on how well the tag is coupled to a third party reader field. In reader emulation mode, the signal strength meter function measures and reports how well the reader of the NFC-enabled device couples to a tag that is being read. One exemplary method includes detecting an NFC reader field, operating reader receiver circuitry at the NFC-enabled device so as to at least determine the strength of a signal received from the reader field, generating information representative of the determined strength of the signal received from the reader field at a first time, and performing one or more predetermined actions based at least in part on the one or more signals representative of the determined strength. Predetermined actions may include generating visual, audio, and/or other indications of the received signal strength.

Measurement and reporting of received signal strength in NFC enabled devices

A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that interacts with other NFC devices to exchange information and/or the data. An operator may touch, or be sufficiently proximate to, an antenna module of the NFC device to operate and/or control the NFC device. The antenna module includes antenna components that are characterized by a corresponding characteristic impedance. The touch, or sufficient proximity, of the operator changes the corresponding characteristic impedance of antenna components. The NFC device may determine a location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator based upon this change. The NFC device may interpret the location of the touch, or proximity, of the operator as information from the operator to operate and/or control the NFC device.

Growing community of inventors

Dorset, United Kingdom

David Grant Cox