WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS CIRCUIT

• US 20130176069A1
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Jan Van Sinderen
• Inventors: van Sinderen, Jan, Leong, Frank, Redman-White, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,082,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/517
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0038 whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00587 by battery
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0096 Electronic keys comprising a non-biometric sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In accordance with one or more example embodiments, wireless communications are facilitated based on user-motion. A portable motion-sensing circuit, carried by a user, indicates that motion is sensed in response to detecting whether the user has been moving for a predetermined period of time. A communication circuit operates in active mode and inactive modes respectively consuming higher and lower power, permits or inhibits access authentication communications in the active and inactive modes, and operates in the active mode in response to the motion being sensed at the motion-sensing circuit.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a portable motion-sensing circuit configured and arranged to be carried by a user and to indicate that motion is sensed in response to detecting whether the user has been moving for a predetermined period of time; and

a communication circuit communicatively coupled to the motion-sensing circuit and configured and arranged to operate in an active mode and an inactive mode in which the communication circuit is consuming less power relative to power consumed by the communication circuit in the active mode, and in which wireless access authentication communications with the communication circuit are respectively permitted and inhibited in the active and inactive modes, wherein the communication circuit is configured and arranged to operate in the active mode in response to the motion being sensed at the motion-sensing circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is remote from the portable motion-sensing circuit and communicatively coupled to the motion-sensing circuit via a wireless communication channel, further including a controller configured and arranged to

in the inactive mode, control the communication circuit in a low-power state in which wireless access authentication communications with a remote transponder are inhibited, and

in the active mode, control the communication circuit in a high-power state in which the access authentication communications are facilitated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit includes a low-frequency communication circuit and a high-frequency communication circuit, the communication circuit being configured and arranged to

enter the active mode by powering the high-frequency communication circuit to send a wake-up signal to activate a circuit in a remote base station, in response to motion detected at the motion-sensing circuit,

communicate wirelessly between the base station and a remote transponder by using the low-frequency circuit to detect a response from the base station to the wake-up signal, identify the base station based upon the detected response, and communicate access authentication communication to the base station based on the identification.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is configured and arranged to enter the active mode in response to motion sensed at the motion-sensing circuit by entering the active mode based upon a spectral characteristic of motion sensed by the motion-sensing circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is integrated with the portable motion-sensing circuit and includes a low-frequency communication circuit, the communication circuit being configured and arranged to

enter the active mode by powering the low-frequency communication circuit in response to motion detected at the motion-sensing circuit,

use the low-frequency communication circuit to detect a polling signal from a remote base station, and

identify the remote base station based upon the polling signal, and communicate and access authentication communication to the base station based on the identification.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit includes a low-frequency circuit in a transponder that also includes the motion-sensing circuit, and is configured and arranged to receive radio-frequency (RF) power from a base station and to use the RF power to power the transponder for wirelessly communicating the authentication communications with the base station.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing circuit and the communication circuit are in a transponder including a power source, the transponder being configured and arranged to

operate in the inactive mode for powering the motion-sensing circuit, and

operate in the active mode for powering the transponder to communicate authentication communications with a remote base station.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is configured and arranged to, in the active mode, wirelessly communicate the access authentication communication to a remote base station in response to an authentication message from the base station.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is configured and arranged to

respond to an authentication message from a base station by processing the authentication message to identify the base station, and

provide the access authentication communications at the base station by wirelessly communicating the access authentication communications to the base station based upon the identification of the base station.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is configured and arranged to enter the inactive mode in response to a motion condition indicating a lack of motion for a predefined time period and a state of communications between the communication circuit and a remote base station.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion-sensing circuit is configured and arranged to generate a signal indicative of the sensed motion using power generated via the signal, and the communication circuit is configured to operate in one of the active and inactive modes in response to the generated signal.

12. A communications apparatus comprising:

a base station configured and arranged to operate in an active mode and in an inactive mode in which the base station inhibits authentication communications and consumes less power relative to power consumed by the base station in the active mode; and

a transponder circuit configured and arranged to be carried by a user, the transponder circuit including a communication circuit and a motion-sensing circuit configured and arranged to sense motion indicative of movement of the user, the communication circuit being configured and arranged to communicate wirelessly with the base station to

in response to the sensed motion, provide a wake-up signal to the base station, the base station being responsive to the wake-up signal by operating in the active mode, and

provide an access authentication communication to the base station for authenticating the remote transponder.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein

the base station includes a high-frequency communication circuit and is configured and arranged operate in the inactive mode by operating the high-frequency communication circuit to poll for a high-frequency signal,

the transponder is configured and arranged to communicate a high-frequency wake-up signal to the base station in response to the sensed motion,

the base station includes a low-frequency communication circuit and is configured and arranged to, in response to receiving the high-frequency wake-up signal, operate in the active mode by powering the low-frequency circuit, and

the base station and transponder are configured and arranged to wirelessly communicate authentication data between one another via the low-frequency circuit for authenticating the transponder to the base station.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the base station is configured and arranged to communicate over a vehicle communication circuit in a vehicle, in response to the authentication data, to provide user access to the vehicle for at least one of entry to the vehicle and engagement of a drive system in the vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transponder circuit is configured and arranged to switch from a low-power mode to high-power mode in which more power is consumed than in the low-power mode, to provide the wake-up signal and the access authentication communication in the high-power mode, and to inhibit the wake-up signal and access authentication communication in the low-power mode.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the transponder circuit is configured and arranged to provide the wake-up signal based upon a spectral characteristic of motion sensed by the motion-sensing circuit.

17. A method for communicating, the method comprising:

in a portable motion-sensing device, providing an indication that motion is sensed in response to detecting whether a user has been moving for a predetermined period of time;

in response to the sensed motion, operating a wireless communication circuit in an active mode in which access authentication communications with the communication circuit are permitted; and

operating the communication circuit in inactive mode in which the communication circuit is consuming less power relative to power consumed by the communication circuit in the active mode, and in which access authentication communications with the communication circuit are inhibited.

18. The method of claim 17, further including communicating a wake-up signal in response to the sensed motion, and operating the wireless communication circuit in an active mode in response to the wake-up signal.

19. The method of claim 17,

wherein operating the communication circuit in the inactive mode includes powering a high-frequency circuit at a base station for polling for a high-frequency signal,

further including communicating a high-frequency wake-up signal from a remote transponder to the base station in response to the sensed motion,

further including, in response to the high-frequency wake-up signal, operating the base station in the active mode by wirelessly communicating authentication data between the base station and the transponder via a low-frequency circuit for authenticating the transponder to the base station.

20. The method of claim 19, further including, at the base station, communicating over a vehicle communication circuit in a vehicle, in response to the authentication data, to provide user access to the vehicle for at least one of entry to the vehicle and engagement of a drive system in the vehicle.