MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE FOR NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC)OPERATIONS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20130079026A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: HAGEDORN, J. DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a satellite position determining device, and a near-field communication (NFC) device being switchable between a first NFC mode and a second NFC mode, wherein the second NFC mode provides a lower power consumption by the NFC device compared to the first NFC mode. A controller may also be coupled with the satellite position determining device and the NFC device. The controller may be configured to switch the NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon a determination of movement of the mobile wireless communications device at the rate faster than a threshold rate

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a satellite position determining device;

a near-field communication (NFC) device, said NFC device being switchable between a first NFC mode and a second NFC mode, the second NFC mode providing a lower power consumption by said NFC device compared to the first NFC mode;

and a controller and coupled with said satellite position determining device and said NFC circuit, said controller being configured to switch said NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon a determination of movement of the mobile wireless communications device at a rate faster than a threshold rate based upon said satellite position determining device.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to determine a change in movement to a rate below the threshold rate based upon said satellite position determining device, and switch said NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon the change in movement to the rate below the threshold rate.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said NFC device is configured to perform NFC polling at a first rate in the first NFC mode, and to perform NFC polling at a second rate in the second NFC mode, wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the first NFC mode comprises an active NFC mode.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the second NFC mode comprises a passive NFC mode.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a display carried by said housing and coupled to said controller;

wherein said display is switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode; and

wherein said controller is further configured to switch said NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon said display switching to the second display mode, and to switch said NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon said display switching to the first mode.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 6 wherein the first display mode comprises an illuminated mode, and wherein the second display mode comprises a non-illuminated mode.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to switch said NFC device between the first NFC mode and the second NFC mode based upon a time of day.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to switch said NFC device between the first NFC mode and the second NFC mode based upon a location of the mobile wireless communications device.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a wireless transceiver carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller.

11. A method for operating a mobile wireless communications device comprising a satellite position determining device and a near-field communication (NFC) device being switchable between a first NFC mode and a second NFC mode, the second NFC mode providing a lower power consumption by the NFC device compared to the first NFC mode, the method comprising:

switching the NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon a determination of movement of the mobile wireless communications device at a rate faster than a threshold rate based upon the satellite position determining device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a change in movement to a rate below the threshold rate based upon the satellite position determining device; and

switching the NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon the change in movement to the rate below the threshold rate.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the NFC device is configured to perform NFC polling at a first rate in the first NFC mode, and to perform NFC polling at a second rate in the second mode, wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first NFC mode comprises an active NFC mode;

and wherein the second NFC mode comprises a passive NFC mode.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a display switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode;

and further comprising switching the NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon the display switching to the second display mode, and switching the NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon the display switching to the first display mode.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising switching the NFC device between the first NFC mode and the second NFC mode based upon a time of day.

17. A computer-readable medium for a mobile wireless communications device comprising a satellite position determining device and a near-field communication (NFC) device being switchable between a first NFC mode and a second NFC mode, the second NFC mode providing a lower power consumption by the NFC device compared to the first NFC mode, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform steps comprising:

switching the NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon a determination of movement of the mobile wireless communications device at a rate faster than a threshold rate based upon the satellite position determining device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform steps comprising:

determining a change in movement to a rate below the threshold rate based upon the satellite position determining device; and

switching the NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon the change in movement to the rate below the threshold rate.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the NFC device is configured to perform NFC polling at a first rate in the first NFC mode, and to perform NFC polling at a second rate in the second mode, wherein the second rate is lower than the first rate.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the first NFC mode comprises an active NFC mode;

and wherein the second NFC mode comprises a passive NFC mode.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a display switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode;

and further having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform steps comprising switching the NFC device from the first NFC mode to the second NFC mode based upon the display switching to the second display mode, and switching the NFC device from the second NFC mode to the first NFC mode based upon the display switching to the first display mode.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 further having computer-executable instructions for causing the mobile wireless communications device to perform steps comprising switching the NFC device between the first NFC mode and the second NFC based upon a time of day.