MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE TO AUTHENTICATE A REMOVABLE POWER SOURCE VIA NFC COMMUNICATIONS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20120322369A1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: KHAN, GABRIEL D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,824,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing carrying a wireless transceiver and a removable power source. The removable power source includes a first Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit. A second NFC circuit is carried by the housing and is configured to authenticate the removable power source based upon communications the said first NFC circuit.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing;

a removable power source capable of being carried by said housing, said removable power source comprising a first Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit; and

a second NFC circuit carried by said housing, said second NFC circuit being configured to authenticate said removable power source based upon communication with said first NFC circuit.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC circuit, said processor being configured to switch from a locked state to an unlocked state based upon a successful authentication of said removable power source.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC circuit, said processor being configured to switch from an unlocked state to a locked state based upon an unsuccessful authentication of said removable power source.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC circuit, said processor being configured to cooperate with said wireless transceiver to place an emergency call when said processor that is carried by said housing is switched to a locked state.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display carried by said housing; and

a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC circuit, said processor being configured to cooperate with said display to display an error message when switched to a locked state.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein said mobile wireless communications device further comprises a processor coupled to said second NFC circuit and carried by said housing;

and wherein said processor is configured to exchange handshake communications with said removable power source.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 6, wherein the handshake communications comprise a security code.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first processor coupled to said first NFC circuit;

a second processor coupled to said second NFC circuit; and

an electrical conduction communication path between said first processor and second said processor for additional authentication of said removable power source.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a cavity capable of receiving the removable power source;

and wherein said removable power source is removably positioned within the cavity.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1, wherein said removable power source further comprises:

a sealed battery casing containing said first NFC circuit; and

at least one rechargeable battery cell carried by said sealed battery casing.

11. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing defining a cavity capable of receiving a removable power source;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing;

a removable power source removably positioned within the cavity and comprising a first Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit;

a second NFC circuit carried by said housing and configured to authenticate said removable power source based upon communications with said first NFC circuit; and

a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC circuit;

said processor being configured to switch from a locked state to an unlocked state based upon a successful authentication of said removable power source.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein said processor is configured to switch from the unlocked state to the locked state based upon an unsuccessful authentication of said removable power source.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein said processor, when in the locked state, is configured to cooperate with said wireless transceiver to place an emergency call.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11, further comprising a display carried by said housing;

and wherein said processor is configured to cooperate with said display to display an error message when switched to the locked state.

15. A removable power source capable of powering a mobile wireless communications device and comprising:

a first Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit configured to authenticate said mobile wireless communications device based upon communication with a second NFC circuit thereof.

16. The removable power source of claim 15, wherein the removable power source comprises a battery.

17. The removable power source of claim 15, wherein the removable power source comprises a fuel cell.

18. A method on a mobile wireless communications device having a housing carrying a wireless transceiver and a removable power source, the removable power source comprising a first Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit, the method comprising:

authenticating the removable power source based upon communications between a second NFC circuit carried by the housing and the first NFC circuit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the second NFC circuit;

and wherein the method further comprises switching the processor from a locked state to an unlocked state based upon a successful authentication of the removable power source.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the second NFC circuit;

and wherein the method further comprises switching the processor from an unlocked state to a locked state based upon an unsuccessful authentication of the removable power source.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the second NFC circuit;

and wherein the method further comprises placing an emergency call via the wireless transceiver when the processor carried by the housing is in a locked state.

22. The method claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a display, and a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the second NFC circuit and the display;

and wherein the method further comprises displaying an error message on the display when the processor is in a locked state.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the second NFC circuit;

and wherein the method further comprises exchanging handshake communications with the removable power source using the processor of the mobile wireless communications device.