MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE HAVING TOUCH ACTIVATED NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS (NFC) CIRCUIT

• US 20130109311A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: MOOSAVI, Vahid
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and a circuit board carried by the housing and including Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other. A Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit is positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with the NFC communication protocol. A touch activated sensor is supported by the housing and operative for enabling operation of the NFC circuit when touched to establish NFC communications from the communications device.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A mobile wireless communications device comprising;

a housing;

a processor carried by the housing;

a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit carried by the housing, coupled to the processor, and configured to communicate in accordance with an NFC communications protocol; and

a touch activated sensor exposed on the housing and configured to turn on the NFC circuit when the touch activated sensor is touched.

27. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, further comprising a circuit board supporting the NFC circuit.

28. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, further comprising a circuit board supporting the processor.

29. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, wherein the touch activated sensor is positioned to be touched by at least one finger when the housing is manually grasped and placed near another NFC enabled device.

30. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

31. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter and circuitry associated therewith.

32. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, wherein the NFC circuit comprises an NFC integrated circuit (IC) chip.

33. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 26, further comprising a power circuit configured to supply power to the NFC circuit, and a switch coupled between the power circuit and the NFC circuit and coupled to the touch activated sensor and operable to switch power on for the NFC circuit only when the touch activated sensor is touched.

34. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

radio frequency (RF) circuitry carried by the housing;

a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit carried by the housing;

a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the RF circuitry and NFC circuit; and

a touch activated sensor carried by the housing and configured to enable the NFC circuit when the touch activated sensor is touched.

35. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, further comprising a circuit board supporting the RF circuitry, the NFC circuit, and the processor.

36. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein the touch activated sensor is positioned to be touched by at least one finger when the housing is manually grasped and placed near another NFC enabled device.

37. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

38. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter and circuitry associated therewith.

39. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein the NFC circuit comprises an NFC integrated circuit (IC) chip.

40. A method for Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit within a mobile wireless communications device including a touch activated sensor, comprising:

touching the touch activated sensor to enable the NFC circuit; and

manually positioning the mobile wireless communications device adjacent another NFC device to establish NFC communications therebetween.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the touch activated sensor comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter and circuitry associated therewith.

43. The method according to claim 40, further comprising switching power to the NFC circuit based upon the touch activated sensor.