Near field rf communicators and near field rf communications enabled devices

Abstract

A near field RF communicator () has an inductive coupler () and a first signal provider () to cause the inductive coupler to provide a first signal that when inductively coupled to the inductive coupler of another near field RF communicator in near field range is insufficient to cause initiation of communication with that other near field RF communicator. A sensor () senses a change in an impedance of the inductive coupler () due to inductive coupling of the first signal between the inductive couplers of the said near field RF communicator and a said other near field RF communicator in near field range. A controller () determines whether or not another near field RF communicator is in near field range on the basis of any change in impedance sensed by the sensor and, if another near field RF communicator is determined to be in near field range, causes a second signal to be inductively coupled to the other near field RF communicator to initiate communication between the two near field RF communicators. The sensor may use a phase detector () to enable a change in impedance to be sensed by detecting a change in a current-voltage phase relationship resulting from a change in impedance.