Method and system for providing an antenna that is optimized for near-field-communication (NFC) and reduces the effect of far-field- communication (FFC)

• US 10,516,444 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Ling, Curtis, Chominski, Paul P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US15/815,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20180167106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for aligning devices separated by physical barriers. A first electronic device may be paired with a second electronic device, with the first electronic device and the second electronic device being on opposite sides of a physical barrier. Wireless communication of signals between the first electronic device and the second electronic device may then be configured to nullify or reduce signals in areas other than a region within the barrier between a signal transmission component of the first electronic device and a signal reception component of the second electronic device. Feedback for enabling aligning the first electronic device with the second electronic device may be provided, such as to user of one or both of the first electronic device and the second electronic device. Providing the feedback may include generating visual and/or audio cues to enable the aligning.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more communication circuits;

one or more alignment circuits; and

a signal transmission component

wherein;

the one or more communication circuits;

pair the system with a peer system, wherein the system and the peer system are on opposite sides of a barrier; and

configure wireless communication of signals between the system and the peer system to nullify or reduce signals in areas other than a region within the barrier between the signal transmission component and a signal reception component of the peer system; and

the one or more alignment circuits enable aligning the system with the peer system, wherein the aligning comprises providing feedback to enable the aligning of the system with the peer system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication circuits configure the pairing using one or more broadband near-field communication (BNC) protocols.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal transmission component comprises one or more antennas or coils.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication circuits configure the signal transmission component to nullify or reduce the signals in the areas other than the region within the barrier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication circuits configure the signal transmission component to:

optimize electromagnetic field in the region within the barrier; and

nullify electromagnetic field in other regions.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more communication circuits configure the optimization of the electromagnetic field to reinforce an electronic field associated with the signal reception component of the peer system to create a near field effect.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more communication circuits configure the signal transmission component to make near field stored energy larger in relation to radiated energy.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more alignment circuits generate alignment related signals to enable the aligning of the system with the peer system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the alignment related signals comprises test signals, preambles and pilot tones.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more alignment circuits generate signal quality indicators to enable the aligning of the system with the peer system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more signal quality indicators comprises error rates, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference plus noise ratio, carrier to noise ratio, carrier to interference noise ratio, error vector magnitude, and signal strength indicator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more alignment circuits generate visual and/or audio cues to enable the aligning of the system with the peer system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication circuits:

detect usable channels within a frequency spectrum band designated for use by the system and the peer system; and

configure the wireless communication of the signals to utilize one or more of the detected usable channels.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication circuits:

aggregate a plurality of the detected usable channels; and

configure the wireless communication of the signals to utilize at least a portion of the aggregated plurality of the detected usable channels.

15. A method, comprising:

pairing a first electronic device with a second electronic device, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are on opposite sides of a barrier;

configuring wireless communication of signals between the first electronic device and the second electronic device to nullify or reduce signals in areas other than a region within the barrier between a signal transmission component of the first electronic device and a signal reception component of the second electronic device; and

providing feedback to enable aligning the first electronic device with the second electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising pairing the first electronic device with the second electronic device using one or more broadband near-field communication (BNC) protocols.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the signal transmission component of the first electronic device and the signal reception component of the second electronic device comprise one or more antennas or coils.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising configuring one or both of the signal transmission component of the first electronic device and the signal reception component of the second electronic device to nullify or reduce the signals in the areas other than the region within the barrier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein configuring one or both of the signal transmission component of the first electronic device and the signal reception component of the second electronic device comprises:

optimizing electromagnetic field in the region; and

nullifying electromagnetic field in other regions.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising configuring or applying optimization of electromagnetic fields of each of the signal transmission component of the first electronic device and the signal reception component of the second electronic device to reinforce each other to create a near field effect.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising configuring one or both of the signal transmission component of the first electronic device and the signal reception component of the second electronic device to make near field stored energy larger in relation to radiated energy.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the feedback comprises generating alignment related signals to enable the aligning of the first electronic device with the second electronic device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the alignment related signals comprises test signals, preambles and pilot tones.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the feedback comprises generating signal quality indicators to enable the aligning of the first electronic device with the second electronic device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more signal quality indicators comprises error rates, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference plus noise ratio, carrier to noise ratio, carrier to interference noise ratio, error vector magnitude, and signal strength indicator.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the feedback comprises generating visual and/or audio cues to enable the aligning of the first electronic device with the second electronic device.

27. The method of claim 15, comprising detecting usable channels within a frequency spectrum band designated for use by the first electronic device and the second electronic device, wherein the wireless communication of the signals of the signals utilizes one or more of the detected usable channels.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising aggregating a plurality of the detected usable channels, wherein the wirelessly communicating of the signals utilizes at least a portion of the aggregated plurality of the detected usable channels.