COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE USING ELECTROMAGNET AND ACTIVATED COMMUNICATIONS CIRCUIT

• US 20110070837A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven H., Griffin, Jason T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A communications device includes a processor and Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry that includes a communications module. An electromagnet is connected to the communications module and the processor. The electromagnet is configured to couple magnetically to a second communications device having a magnetic sensor and to transmit from the electromagnet to the magnetic sensor electromagnet pulses containing data regarding a wireless communications protocol. The processor and communications module are configured to establish a wireless communications connection with the second communications device.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a first communications device having a processor and Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry comprising a communications module, and an electromagnet connected to the communications module and the processor; and

a second communications device comprising a magnetic sensor, a processor connected to the magnetic sensor and RF circuitry comprising a second communications module,

wherein said first and second communications devices are engaged to couple magnetically the first communications device through its electromagnet to the magnetic sensor of the second communications device and to transmit from the electromagnet to the magnetic sensor electromagnetic pulses containing data regarding a wireless communications protocol, wherein said processors and communications modules are configured to establish a wireless communications connection between the first and second communications devices in accordance with the wireless communications protocol.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each communications module comprises a Bluetooth module and wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a Bluetooth communications protocol to establish a wireless communications connection using the Bluetooth communications protocol.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a security key and personal identification number.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding an IP address of the first communications device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each communications module comprises a WiFi module and wherein said electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a WiFi communications protocol to establish a WiFi communications connection.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second communications device further comprises a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit, wherein said magnetic sensor is configured to generate a signal to the NFC circuit responsive to received electromagnetic pulses to activate the NFC circuit.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first communications device comprises a tag.

8. A method of communicating, comprising:

providing a first communications device having a processor and Radio Frequency circuitry comprising a communications module, and an electromagnet connected to the communications module and the processor;

magnetically sensing the electromagnet using a magnetic sensor at a second communications device having a processor coupled to the magnetic sensor and RF circuitry comprising a second communications module;

transmitting from the electromagnet to the magnetic sensor electromagnetic pulses containing data regarding a wireless communications protocol; and

establishing a wireless communications connection between the first and second communications devices in accordance with the wireless communications protocol.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming each communications module as a Bluetooth module and transmitting within the electromagnetic pulses data regarding a Bluetooth communications protocol to establish a wireless communications connection using the Bluetooth communications protocol.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting within the electromagnetic pulses data regarding a security key and personal identification number.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting within the electromagnetic pulses data regarding an IP address of the first communications device.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming each communications module as a WiFi module and transmitting within the electromagnetic pulses data regarding a WiFi communications protocol to establish a WiFi communications.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit within the second communications device and activating the NFC circuit based on the received electromagnetic pulses.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising forming the first communications device as a tag.

15. A communications device comprising:

a processor;

Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry comprising a communications module;

an electromagnet connected to the communications module and the processor;

wherein said electromagnet is configured to couple magnetically to a second communications device having a magnetic sensor and to transmit from the electromagnet to the magnetic sensor electromagnetic pulses containing data regarding a wireless communications protocol, wherein said processor and communications module are configured to establish a wireless communications connection with the second communications device.

16. The communications device according to claim 15, wherein said communications module comprises a Bluetooth module and wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a Bluetooth communications protocol to establish a wireless communications connection using the Bluetooth communications protocol.

17. The communications device according to claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a security key and personal identification number.

18. The communications device according to claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding an IP address of the first communications device.

19. The communications device according to claim 15, wherein each communications module comprises a WiFi module and wherein said electromagnetic pulses comprise data regarding a WiFi communications protocol to establish a WiFi communications connection.

20. The communications device according to claim 15, wherein said communications device comprises a tag.