Nxp B.v.

Infineon Technologies Ag

Intel Mobile Communications Gmbh

Gernot Hueber

Ian Thomas Macnamara

Jingfeng Ding

Johannes Bruckbauer

Erich Merlin

Stefan Mendel

Helmut Kranabenter

Hubert Watzinger

Ghiath Al-kadi

Christian Mayer

Burkhard Neurauter

Andreas Mayer

Ulrich Neffe

Leonhard Kormann

Hermann Hofer

Guenther Haberpeuntner

Pravin Pandurang Manerker

Herwig Dietl

Christian Lederer

Josef Zipper

A near field communication (NFC) device capable of operating by being powered by the field includes an NFC module for generating an electromagnetic carrier signal and modulating the carrier signal according to data to be transmitted, and an antenna circuit coupled to and driven by said NFC module with the modulated carrier signal. The device includes an RF front end coupled between said NFC module and said antenna circuit. The RF front end includes a balanced to unbalanced (Balun) transformer and a tuning capacitor to provide a function of an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filter. A powered by the field circuit of the NFC device is adapted to harvest energy from an external field to power said NFC device. The power by the field circuit is coupled to said Balun transformer via one or more impedance elements.

EMC inductor-free RF front-end method and topology with power by field function for an inductively coupled communication system

This specification discloses methods and devices to enable high resolution configuration of a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector), which in turn is implemented allowing for very coarse threshold detection (i.e., the detectable threshold levels are widely spaced apart from each other) due to power consumption and design reasons. Based on this invention, the detection resolution can be enhanced from 10 mV steps to &#x3c;1 mV steps. This makes the detection configuration more accurate, which allows for improved calibration, and reduces false wake-ups by smartly controlling hardware at no additional cost in power consumption. In some embodiments, the invention to enable high resolution configuration of a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector) can be implemented by using a wake-up threshold control to control both a low-power wake-up detector (LP Detector) and an attenuator belonging to a receiver.

System and method for configurable low-power wake-up detection

Embodiments of methods and systems for operating a communications device are described. In an embodiment, a method for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves adjusting a phase configuration of the communications device in response to at least one system or environmental parameter, modulating a carrier signal with the adjusted phase configuration using active load modulation (ALM), and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the communications device for inductive coupling.

Method and system for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling

This specification discloses methods and systems for implementing a chip integrated scope (i.e., chip scope (CS)), which is a feature that allows a user to scope RF signals (internally and externally to the DUT (device under test)), by using the RF receive path (including amplifier, filter, ADC, DSP) to capture and store signal traces. In some embodiments, this specification discloses methods and systems to enhance the resolution and accuracy of these signal traces by using raw and correction data for gain/phase compensation of gain/phase impairments introduced in the Rx (receiver) path. In some embodiments, the correction data is generated from one or more of the following: simulation data, characterization data, production test data.

Method and system to enhance accuracy and resolution of system integrated scope using calibration data

Embodiments of methods and systems for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling are described. In an embodiment, a method for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves adjusting a configuration of the communications device in response to a clock signal that is synchronized to a received clock signal, obtaining information that corresponds to transmission current or power generated in response to the adjusted configuration, and quantifying a detuning condition in response to the obtained information. Other embodiments are also described.

Embodiments of methods and systems for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling are described. In an embodiment, a method for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves obtaining at least one system or environmental parameter related to the communications device and adjusting a communications configuration of the communications device in response to the at least one system or environmental parameter. Other embodiments are also described.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to auto-sweeping impedance-matching circuitry that matches an impedance of an RF antenna. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, a transmitter that is configured and arranged to transmit signals to remote devices via the RF antenna, is used to communicate a plurality of test signals to the impedance-matching circuitry, with each test signal having a designated frequency and/or test signal pattern that is different than the designated frequency and/or test signal pattern of the other test signals. A characteristic of each of the test signals as passed through the impedance-matching circuitry is detected. For each of the test signals generated for the auto-sweep, the detected characteristic is compared to an expected characteristic for the test signal, and an output indicative of compliance of the impedance-matching circuitry with a design specification is generated and transmitted in response to the comparison.

Methods and apparatuses for testing inductive coupling circuitry

This specification discloses methods and systems providing reader-mode performance enhancement for operating a device that communicates via inductive coupling. In reader-mode, Tx (transmitter) power of a reader device is maximized even though for some tags, the communication distance is limited by Rx (receiver) sensitivity. Therefore, power is wasted. Even worse, a too highly boosted Tx power demands a high Rx dynamic range and consequently a low Rx sensitivity. In turn, the communication distance may even be degraded by a too highly boosted Tx power. Therefore, in some embodiments, reader-mode performance enhancement is based on backing off Tx (transmitter) power when not needed (energy distance&#x3e;communication distance) to save power and/or to relax reader-mode Rx (receiver) sensitivity requirements. In some embodiments, the backing off of Tx (transmitter) is also based on a sensor determining a geometric position/location of a reader device relative to a tag-mode device.

Reader-mode performance enhancement for inductively coupled communication systems

Embodiments of methods and systems for attenuator phase compensation are described. In an embodiment, a method for attenuator phase compensation involves determining a phase compensation value for an attenuator based on an attenuation configuration of the attenuator and performing phase compensation according to the phase compensation value to maintain a constant phase response.

Method and system for attenuator phase compensation

This specification discloses methods and systems for controlling a NFC (near field communication) transmitter output with enhanced accuracy. This is achieved by first doing a device and/or system level calibration of the Tx (transmitter) by testing at the device and/or system level. Then using the testing results to generate a set of Tx calibration data, which will be used by a Tx control unit to control the Tx outputs (such as Tx output power, Tx output voltage, Tx output current, etc.) with enhanced accuracy. In some embodiments, the Tx control unit controls the Tx output with enhanced accuracy by using the Tx calibration data to tune one or more of the following: (i) Tx supply, (ii) Tx driver, (iii) matching network.

Transmitter calibration for NFC (near field communication) device

This specification discloses methods and devices for emulating a tag device that communicates via inductive coupling, such as a NFC (Near Field Communication) tag device. In some embodiments, this specification discloses methods and devices to use this tag device 'emulation' for testing, validating, calibrating, and characterizing a reader device. In some embodiments, a tag emulation device can emulate movement of the tag emulation device relative to the reader device by changing configuration parameters of the tag emulation device and by not actually moving the tag emulation device relative to the reader device. In some embodiments, these configuration parameters changes include: changing a Tx (transmitter) voltage, changing a Tx driver impedance, changing a HF (high frequency) attenuator resistance, changing a Tx output modulation, changing a matching network tuning, changing a phase of a Tx signal versus a carrier signal from the reader device, enabling one or two Tx drivers.

System and method to test and calibrate card-detection using active tag emulation

Embodiments of methods and systems for operating a communications device are described. In one embodiment, a method for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves adjusting a phase configuration of the communications device in response to at least one system or environmental parameter, modulating a carrier signal with the adjusted phase configuration using active load modulation (ALM), and transmitting the modulated carrier signal from the communications device for inductive coupling. In some embodiments, the at least one system or environmental parameter is selected from one or more of the following: a distance information, a geometric information, a system code, a technology code, a transmitter current and/or a transmitter power, a detuning condition, a quality factor and a resonant frequency of a resonant system.

System to calibrate phase using system information

A device for inductively coupled communications includes an NFC module for generating an electromagnetic carrier signal and modulating the carrier signal according to data to be transmitted, and a single ended antenna coupled to and driven by said NFC module with the modulated carrier signal. The device includes an RF front end coupled between said NFC module and said antenna. The RF front end includes an inductor coupled to a first terminal of a differential transmitter of said NFC module in the first transmitting path, and a capacitor coupled to a second terminal of said differential transmitter in the second transmitting path. The RF front end further includes a receiving path coupled to an input terminal of a single ended receiver of said NFC module. The RF front end does not use a balanced to unbalanced (Balun) transformer.

RF front end module and near field communication device

A near field communication (NFC) reader is disclosed. The NFC reader includes an antenna front-end that includes a low pass filter, a matching circuit and an antenna coil. The NFC reader also includes a NFC controller. The NFC controller includes an oscillator coupled to the antenna front-end and the NFC controller is configured to detect a presence of an object in proximity of the antenna front-end using one or more changes in an output of the oscillator. The antenna front-end creates a tank circuit for the oscillator.

Device detection in contactless communication systems

Embodiments of methods and systems for automatic power control (APC) in a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling are described. In an embodiment, a method for APC in a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling involves obtaining multiple system parameters, determining an APC configuration of the communications device from the system parameters, and controlling a transmission configuration of the communications device based on the APC configuration. Other embodiments are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Linz, Austria

Gernot Hueber