Transceiver with far field and near field operation and methods for use therewith

• US 20090009295A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Application Number:
  US12/210,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009295A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A transceiver includes a far field transceiver section, when engaged, transceives first data with a remote device via far field signaling. A near field transceiver section, when engaged, transceives second data with the remote device via near field signaling. A communication control module selectively engages the far field transceiver section and the near-field transceiver section.

Claims

1. A transceiver comprising:

a far field transceiver section that, when engaged, transceives first data with a remote device via far field signaling;

a near field transceiver section that, when engaged, transceives second data with the remote device via near field signaling; and

a communication control module, coupled to the far field transceiver section and the near-field transceiver section, to selectively engage the far field transceiver section and the near-field transceiver section.

2. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the communication control module, in a first mode of operation, engages the far field transceiver section;

wherein the communication control module, in a second mode of operation engages the near-field communication section; and

wherein the communication control module, in a third mode of operation, contemporaneously engages the far field transceiver section and the near-field communication section.

3. The transceiver of claim 2 wherein the communication control module, in the first mode of operation, provides the second data that includes security data;

and

wherein the far field transceiver section, in the second mode of operation, uses the security data to establish secure communication between the far field transceiver section and the remote device via the far field signaling.

4. The transceiver of claim 3 wherein the secure data includes an encryption key.

5. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the first data is transceived at a first data rate and the second data is transceived at a second data rate;

and

wherein the second data rate is lower than the first data rate.

6. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the communication control module receives source data and selectively allocates the source data for one of:

formatting as the first data in accordance with a first communication protocol and formatting as the second data in accordance with a second communication protocol.

7. The transceiver of claim 6 wherein the communication control module allocates a first portion of the source data as the first data and a second portion of the source data as the second data.

8. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the communication control module generates receive data selectively from the first data in accordance with a first communication protocol and from the second data in accordance with a second communication protocol.

9. The transceiver of claim 8 wherein the communication control module generates a first portion of the receive data from the first data and a second portion of the receive data from the second data.

10. The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising:

a dual band antenna structure, coupled to the far field transceiver section and the near-field communication section, that includes at least one millimeter wave element for facilitating the far field signaling, and at least one near-field coil, for facilitating the near field signaling.

11. A method comprising:

selectively engaging a far field transceiver section of a transceiver that, when engaged, transceives first data with a remote device via far field signaling;

selectively engaging a near field transceiver section of the transceiver that, when engaged, transceives second data with the remote device via near field signaling.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein,

in a first mode of operation, engaging the far field transceiver section;

in a second mode of operation, engaging the near-field communication section; and

in a third mode of operation, contemporaneously engaging the far field transceiver section and the near-field communication section.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first mode of operation includes receiving the second data that includes security data;

and

wherein the second mode of operation includes establishing secure communication between the far field transceiver section and the remote device via the far field signaling, based on the security data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the secure data includes an encryption key.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein transceiving the first data includes transceiving at a first data rate;

wherein transceiving the second data includes transceiving at second data rate; and

wherein the second data rate is lower than the first data rate

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving source data; and

selectively formatting the source data as the first data in accordance with a first communication protocol and as the second data in accordance with a second communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein selectively formatting the source data includes:

formatting a first portion of the source data as the first data; and

formatting a second portion of the source data as the second data.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising

generating receive data selectively from the first data in accordance with a first communication protocol and from the second data in accordance with a second communication protocol.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein generating the receive data includes:

generating a first portion of the receive data from the first data; and

generating a second portion of the receive data from the second data.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

facilitating the far field signaling and the near field signaling via a dual band antenna structure.