PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND OPERATION METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION LINK

• US 20120202423A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tiedemann, Stephen, Dawidowsky, Frank, Roehrle, Klaus, Buscemi, Meik
• Granted Patent: US 9,031,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• 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 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable electronic device (110) with a NFC (near field communication) unit (114) is switchable between an active mode and a passive mode. A motion sensor unit (112) records a motion of the portable electronic device (110), and outputs a motion signal descriptive for the recorded motion. A processing unit (111) analysis the motion signal to detect a first predefined motion pattern including an acceleration and a deceleration phase. The NFC unit (114) is switched into the active mode upon detection of a first predefined motion pattern descriptive for an NFC touch gesture.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a near field communication unit configured to receive a control signal, the near field communication unit being switchable, in response to the control signal, between a first mode in which the near field communication unit generates a radio frequency field and a second mode in which the near field communication unit does not generate a radio frequency field;

a motion sensor unit configured to record a motion of the portable electronic device and to output a motion signal descriptive for the recorded motion; and

a processing unit configured to receive and analyze the motion signal to detect a first predefined motion pattern including a first phase of acceleration and a second phase of deceleration, and to transmit a control signal to switch the near field communication unit in the first mode upon detection of the first predefined motion pattern.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the near field communication unit is configured to communicate with a passive transponder.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the near field communication unit is configured to communicate in accordance with the ISO/IEC 18029 standard, any standard based on the ISO/IEC 18029 standard or any NFC Forum Digital Protocol Specification.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the second phase of the first predefined motion pattern is shorter than the first phase.

5. The portable electronic device of any of claim 1, wherein

the first and second phases are linear movements along a contiguous straight line or along a bowed trajectory of a human hand when stretching the elbow joint at unmoved shoulder joint.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the processing unit is configured to detect a second predefined motion pattern and to control operation of the near field communication unit in response to detection of the second predefined motion pattern.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein

the processing unit is configured to operate the near field communication unit to transmit data identified by the second predefined motion pattern.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein

the near field communication unit is configured to execute at least two different applications and the processing unit is configured to select the application executed by the near field communication unit in response to detection of the second predefined motion pattern and to provide application specific parameters to the near field communication unit before switching the near field communication unit to the first mode.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the processing unit is configured to deactivate the near field communication unit, if after activation no communication link has been established at expiry of a predefined activation period.

10. A near field communication system comprising

the portable electronic device of any of the preceding claims and

a further electronic device operable to establish a communication link with the portable electronic device using the near field communication unit.

11. A method of operating a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

recording a motion of the portable electronic device using a motion sensor unit integrated in the portable electronic device and outputting a motion signal descriptive for the recorded motion;

analyzing the motion signal in a processing unit to detect a first predefined motion pattern including a first phase of acceleration and a second phase of deceleration, and

transmitting a control signal to switch the near field communication unit from a second mode in a first mode in response to detection of the first predefined motion pattern, wherein in the first mode the near field communication unit generates a radio frequency field and in the second mode the near field communication unit does not generate a radio frequency field.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising

controlling operation of the near field communication unit in response to detection of a second predefined motion pattern, wherein

the near field communication unit is operated to transmit data identified by the second predefined motion pattern.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising

controlling operation of the near field communication unit in response to detection of a second predefined motion pattern, wherein

an application executed by the near field communication device is selected in response to detection of the second predefined motion pattern and/or application specific parameters are provided to the near field communication unit before switching the near field communication unit into the first mode.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising

deactivating the near field communication unit, if after activation no communication link has been established at expiry of a predefined activation period.

15. A computer readable storage medium or a computer program comprising program instructions causing a computer to perform the following steps:

recording a motion of the portable electronic device using a motion sensor unit integrated in the portable electronic device and outputting a motion signal descriptive for the recorded motion;

analyzing the motion signal in a processing unit to detect a first predefined motion pattern including a first phase of acceleration and a second phase of deceleration, and

transmitting a control signal to switch the near field communication unit from a second mode in a first mode in response to detection of the first predefined motion pattern, wherein in the first mode the near field communication unit generates a radio frequency field and in the second mode the near field communication unit does not generate a radio frequency field.