Radio-frequency communication device having a near field communication function, and method of operating the same

• US 10,044,413 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Jongpil, Kim, Junesoo, Lee, Youngjoo
• Primary Examiner(s): ALUNKAL, THOMAS D
• Application Number:
  US15/269,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A radio-frequency (RF) communication device having a near field communication (NFC) function includes a first detection mode circuit configured to output an RF input signal received by an antenna as a first RF signal while the first detection mode circuit is enabled, and a second detection mode circuit configured to amplify the RF input signal and output the amplified RF input signal as a second RF signal while the second detection mode circuit is enabled. The first detection mode circuit is enabled during a first time period, and the second detection mode circuit is enabled during a second time period. The second time period is shorter than the first time period. The first and second detection mode circuits are enabled alternately and repeatedly.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency (RF) communication device having a near field communication (NFC) function, the RF communication device comprising:

a first detection mode circuit configured to output an RF input signal received by an antenna as a first RF signal while the first detection mode circuit is enabled, wherein the first detection mode circuit is enabled during a first time period; and

a second detection mode circuit configured to amplify the RF input signal and output the amplified RF input signal as a second RF signal while the second detection mode circuit is enabled, wherein the second detection mode circuit is enabled during a second time period, and the second time period is shorter than the first time period,

wherein the first and second detection mode circuits are enabled alternately and repeatedly.

2. The RF communication device of claim 1, wherein the first detection mode circuit comprises:

a switch turned on or turned off in response to a control signal; and

a capacitor connected to one end of the switch, wherein the capacitor is configured to remove a direct current (DC) element of the RF input signal and output the RF input signal having the removed DC element as the first RF signal.

3. The RF communication device of claim 1, wherein the second detection mode circuit comprises:

a switch turned on or turned off in response to a control signal;

an amplifier connected to the switch and configured to amplify the RF input signal; and

a capacitor connected to the amplifier, wherein the capacitor is configured to remove a direct current (DC) element of the amplified RF input signal and output the amplified RF input signal having the removed DC element as the second RF signal.

4. The RF communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter circuit configured to pass the RF input signal received by the antenna to the first detection mode circuit and the second detection mode circuit only when the RF input signal has a set frequency.

5. The RF communication device of claim 4, wherein the set frequency is about 13.56 MHz.

6. The RF communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

an RF detecting circuit configured to receive the first RF signal or the second RF signal,

wherein the RF detecting circuit detects a voltage level, a voltage variation or a clock signal of the first RF signal or the second RF signal, and outputs a detection signal indicating whether the RF input signal has been detected based on the detected voltage level, the detected voltage variation or the detected clock signal.

7. The RF communication device of claim 6, wherein the RF detecting circuit detects a voltage level envelope of the first RF signal or the second RF outputs an envelope voltage based on the detected voltage level envelope, compares the outputted envelope voltage with a reference voltage, and outputs the detection signal based on comparing the outputted envelope voltage with the reference voltage.

8. The RF communication device of claim 6, wherein the RF detecting circuit comprises a capacitor, the first RF signal or the second RF signal is applied to one end of the capacitor, and the outputted detection signal is based on a charge variation of the capacitor.

9. The RF communication device of claim 6, wherein the RF detecting circuit comprises:

a clock extracting circuit that extracts the clock signal of the first RF signal or the second RF signal;

a clock delay circuit that delays the extracted clock signal of the first RF signal or the second RF signal by a predetermined time; and

a D flip-flop that receives the extracted clock signal of the first RF signal or the second RF signal at a data input, receives the delayed clock signal at a clock input, and outputs the detection signal.

10. The RF communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

an NFC circuit comprising an NFC controller,

wherein the NFC controller is configured to control the NFC circuit to activate an NFC card mode in response to the detection signal.

11. The RF communication device of claim 10, wherein the NFC controller activates the NFC card mode in response to the detection signal indicating that the RF input signal has been detected.

12. The RF communication device of claim 10, wherein the NFC controller activates the NFC card mode in response to the detection signal indicating that the RF input signal has been detected and after a predetermined time has elapsed.

13. A radio-frequency (RF) communication device, comprising:

a passive mode circuit configured to receive an RF signal from an external near field communication (NFC) reader, and output the received RF signal as a first RF signal while the passive mode circuit is enabled, wherein the passive mode circuit is enabled during a first time period;

an amplified mode circuit configured to receive the RF signal from the external NFC reader, amplify the RF signal, and output the amplified RF signal as a second RF signal while the amplified mode circuit is enabled, wherein the amplified mode circuit is enabled during a second time period, and the second time period is shorter than the first time period; and

an RF detecting circuit configured to receive the first RF signal or the second RF signal, detect a voltage level, a voltage variation or a clock signal of the first RF signal or the second RF signal, and output a detection signal indicating whether the RF signal has been detected based on the detected voltage level, the detected voltage variation or the detected clock signal,

wherein the passive mode circuit and the amplified mode circuit are alternately activated.

14. The RF communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

an NFC controller configured to receive the detection signal and activate an NFC card mode of the RF communication device,

wherein the NFC controller activates the NFC card mode at substantially a same time as the detection signal indicating that the RF signal has been detected is received.

15. The RF communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

an NFC controller configured to receive the detection signal and activate an NFC card mode of the RF communication device,

wherein the NFC controller activates the NFC card mode after a predetermined time has elapsed from reception of the detection signal indicating that the RF signal has been detected is received.

16. A method of operating a radio-frequency (RF) communication device, comprising:

outputting, by a first detection mode circuit, an RF input signal received by an antenna as a first RF signal while the first detection mode circuit is enabled, wherein the first detection mode circuit is enabled during a first time period;

amplifying, by a second detection mode circuit, the RF input signal while the second detection mode circuit is enabled;

outputting, by the second detection mode circuit, the amplified RF input signal as a second RF signal while the second detection mode circuit is enabled, wherein the second detection mode circuit is enabled during a second time period, and the second time period is shorter than the first time period,

wherein the first and second detection mode circuits are enabled alternately and repeatedly.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the RF input signal is received by the antenna via near field communication (NFC).

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

removing, by the first detection mode circuit, a direct current (DC) element of the RF input signal before outputting the RF input signal as the first RF signal.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

removing, by the second detection mode circuit, a direct current (DC) element of the amplified RF input signal before outputting the amplified RF input signal as the second RF signal.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the RF input signal received by the antenna is passed to the first detection mode circuit and the second detection mode circuit only when the RF input signal has a set frequency.