POWER MANAGEMENT OF A NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

• US 20100178866A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jalkanen, Janne
• Application Number:
  US12/516,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20100178866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for managing power of an apparatus having near field communication capability is described. The apparatus is provided with at least one power saving mode. A near field communication tag reader is used to detect the proximity of a near field communication tag (41). In response to detecting the proximity of the near field communication tag, a conclusion that the apparatus is not in use is made (42, 43). The apparatus is caused to enter said at least one power saving mode in response to making said conclusion (44).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting with a near field communication tag reader the proximity of a near field communication tag;

making a conclusion that the an apparatus is not in use, in response to detecting the proximity of the near field communication tag; and

causing the apparatus to enter said at least one power saving mode in response to making said conclusion.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein causing the apparatus to enter said power saving mode comprises causing a near field communication module, comprised by said apparatus, to lower a near field communication polling frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein causing the apparatus to enter said power saving mode comprises causing the apparatus to enter a key-lock state.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a display and wherein causing the apparatus to enter said power saving mode comprises turning off the display.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a portable handset.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a multipart device comprising a main communication module and said near field communication tag reader which is separate from said main communication module, and wherein the main communication module and the separate near field communication tag reader are configured to communicate with each other wirelessly.

4-21. -21. (canceled)

25. An apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to control at least one power saving mode;

a near field communication tag reader configured to detect the proximity of a near field communication tag, wherein

the apparatus is configured to make a conclusion that the apparatus is not in use, in response to detecting the proximity of the near field communication tag, and wherein

the apparatus is configured to enter said at least one power saving mode in response to making said conclusion.

34. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code stored in a computer readable medium, comprising:

code for providing an apparatus with at least one power saving mode;

code for detecting with a near field communication tag reader the proximity of a near field communication tag;

code for making a conclusion that the apparatus is not in use, in response to detecting the proximity of the near field communication tag; and

code for causing the apparatus to enter said at least one power saving mode in response to making said conclusion.