NEAR-FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC) SYSTEM PROVIDING LOW POWER PEER-TO-PEER RECOGNITION MODE AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20120040608A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: WALKER, DAVID RYAN, Moosavi, Vahid, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Fyke, Steven Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/13.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A near-field communication (NFC) system may include a plurality of NFC devices each including an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, and a processor coupled to the NFC circuit. The processor may be configured to synchronize an internal timing signal to an external timing signal, cycle power to the NFC circuit to periodically switch the NFC circuit between a peer-to-peer recognition state and a low power state based upon the synchronized internal timing signal, and initiate peer-to-peer NFC communications with another one of the plurality of NFC devices when in range thereof and upon being switched to the peer-to-peer recognition state therewith.

Claims

1. A near-field communication (NFC) system comprising:

a plurality of NFC devices each comprising

an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, and

a processor coupled to said NFC circuit and the processor being configured to;

synchronize an internal timing signal to an external timing signal,

cycle power to said NFC circuit to periodically switch the NFC circuit between a peer-to-peer recognition state and a low power state based upon the synchronized internal timing signal, and

initiate peer-to-peer NFC communications with another one of said plurality of NFC devices when in range thereof and upon being switched to the peer-to-peer recognition state therewith.

2. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein each NFC device further comprises a cellular receiver coupled to said processor;

wherein the cellular receiver is configured to receive a cellular network timing signal; and

wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to the cellular network timing signal as the external timing signal.

3. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein each NFC device further comprises a satellite positioning receiver coupled to said processor for receiving a satellite positioning system timing signal;

and wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to the satellite positioning system timing signal as the external timing signal.

4. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to a common external system timing signal via said NFC circuit.

5. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to operate said NFC circuit in an active communication mode in the peer-to-peer recognition state.

6. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to cycle power to said NFC circuit at not greater than an approximately one-second interval.

7. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein each NFC device further comprises a portable housing carrying said power source, said NFC circuit, and said processor;

and further comprising a battery carried by said portable housing and coupled to said processor and said NFC circuit.

8. A near-field communication (NFC) device comprising:

an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol; and

a processor coupled to said NFC circuit the processor being configured to

synchronize an internal timing signal to an external timing signal,

cycle power to said NFC circuit to periodically switch the NFC circuit between a peer-to-peer recognition state and a low power state based upon the synchronized internal timing signal, and

initiate peer-to-peer NFC communications with another NFC device when in range thereof and upon being switched to the peer-to-peer recognition state therewith.

9. The NFC device of claim 8 further comprising a cellular transceiver coupled to said processor for receiving a cellular network timing signal;

and wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to the cellular network timing signal as the external timing signal.

10. The NFC device of claim 8 further comprising a satellite positioning receiver coupled to said processor for receiving a satellite positioning system timing signal;

and wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to the satellite positioning system timing signal as the external timing signal.

11. The NFC device of claim 8 wherein said processor is configured to synchronize the internal timing signal to a common external system timing signal via said NFC circuit.

12. A near-field communication (NFC) method for an NFC device comprising an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, the method comprising:

synchronizing an internal timing signal of the NFC device to an external timing signal;

cycling power to the NFC circuit to periodically switch the NFC circuit between a peer-to-peer recognition state and a low power state based upon the synchronized internal timing signal; and

initiating peer-to-peer NFC communications with another NFC device when in range thereof and upon being switched to the peer-to-peer recognition state therewith.

13. The method of claim 13 wherein the NFC device further comprises a cellular transceiver;

and the method further comprising receiving a cellular network timing signal via the cellular transceiver, and synchronizing the internal timing signal to the cellular network timing signal as the external timing signal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the NFC device further comprises a satellite positioning receiver;

and the method further comprising receiving a satellite positioning system timing signal via the satellite positioning receiver, and synchronizing the internal timing signal to the satellite positioning system timing signal as the external timing signal.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising synchronizing the internal timing signal to a common external system timing signal via the NFC circuit.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a near-field communication (NFC) device comprising a and an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol to perform steps comprising:

synchronizing an internal timing signal of the NFC device to an external timing signal;

cycling power to the NFC circuit to periodically switch the NFC circuit between a peer-to-peer recognition state and a low power state based upon the synchronized internal timing signal; and

initiating peer-to-peer NFC communications with another NFC device when in range thereof and upon being switched to the peer-to-peer recognition state therewith.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the NFC device further comprises a cellular transceiver;

and the computer-readable medium further having computer-executable instructions for causing the NFC device to perform steps comprising receiving a cellular network timing signal via the cellular transceiver, and synchronizing the internal timing signal to the cellular network timing signal as the external timing signal.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the NFC device further comprises a satellite positioning receiver;

and the computer-readable medium further having computer-executable instructions for causing the NFC device to perform steps comprising receiving a satellite positioning system timing signal via the satellite positioning receiver, and synchronizing the internal timing signal to the satellite positioning system timing signal as the external timing signal.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further having computer-executable instructions for causing the NFC device to perform a step of synchronizing the internal timing signal to a common external system timing signal via the NFC circuit.