CONTACTLESS DATA TRANSFER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130217336A1
• Filed: 03/22/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
• Inventors: McCormack, Gary D., Isaac, Roger D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,960,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/00 Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field H04B10/00, H04B15/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/085 involving hierarchical organized mobility servers, e.g. hierarchical mobile IP [HMIP]

Abstract

Data may be transferred from a communication subsystem of a first device to a communication subsystem of a second device contactlessly, at high speed, and without intervention by host processors of either device. Devices may be programmed or personalized at the factory or warehouse, and may personalized at a warehouse or at a point of sale while in the box. Various modes of operation and use scenarios are described. Portions of the devices themselves, or a transmission path between the devices may be shielded against snooping by a material which degrades an EHF signal passing therethrough.

Claims

1. Method of transferring data between electronic devices comprising:

providing a first device with a first communication subsystem capable of communicating contactlessly over an extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless link with a second device having a second communication subsystem capable of communicating over the contactless link; and

sending data from the first device to the second device;

characterized by;

receiving the data at the second device into an exchange storage associated with the second communication subsystem, without requiring intervention from a host processor in the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the exchange storage separate from a primary storage in the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transferring the received data from the exchange storage to the primary storage.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the host processor upon completion of the data transfer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in the communication subsystem or at the host processor, validating the data transfer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the data being transferred is selected from the group consisting of a media file, DRM protected content, an OS update, customer specific code, OEM specific code, retail specific code, a firmware image for the second device, user data, static data, encryption/decryption keys, and electronic funds transfer (EFT) data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second device is enclosed inside of packaging.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the contactless communication between the first and second devices occurs through the packaging.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a dielectric coupler in the packaging to facilitate the contactless link between the first and second devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a dielectric coupler extending from at least one of the first and second devices to facilitate the contactless link between the first and second devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the first device, pausing transmission of the data stream at periodic intervals; and

during the intervals, from the second device transmitting data to the first device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

covering at least one of portions of the devices or a transmission path between the devices with a material selected for its ability to degrade an EHF signal passing through the material.

13. A method of transferring data contactlessly over an extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless link between a first device and a second device, comprising one or more of:

factory programming the second device, by at least one of transferring data comprising an operating system or firmware to the second device, and performing a quality assurance check on the second device;

warehouse programming the second device, by at least one of transferring data comprising an operating system or firmware to the second device, performing a quality assurance check on the second device and personalizing the second device for a point of sale (POS);

point of sale programming the second device, by at least one of transferring data comprising an operating system or firmware to the second device, performing a quality assurance check on the second device, personalizing the second device for a point of sale (POS), and personalizing the second device for a given customer; and

kiosk transferring data to the second device, wherein data selected by a user or associated with an event is transferred into the second device.

14. A method of transferring data contactlessly over an extremely high frequency (EHF) contactless link between a first device and a second device, comprising one or more of:

communicating permissions and preferences between a user and a shared system; and

sharing data, including interactively, between two devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein transferring data further comprises:

at the first device, identifying data to be transferred;

at the first device, transmitting a beacon to discover the second device;

at the second device, detecting and optionally responding to the beacon;

setting up and commencing the data transfer;

initiating the data transfer automatically or on request; and

optionally notifying the first device upon successful transfer of the data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first device broadcasts the data to be transferred.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

indexing and transmitting a data stream for the data being transferred.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

at the second device, commencing receiving the data stream at an intermediate point.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

from the first device, restarting transmission of the data stream after it has finished.

20. A system for transferring data between a first device and a second device, through an EHF carrier, through at least one dielectric medium, between communication subsystems that operate independently of host controllers within each device.

21. A method of protecting against snooping of data being transferred contactles sly between two electronic devices comprising one or more of:

shielding at least a transmission path between the two electronic devices; and

shielding at least a transceiver of at least one of the electronic devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein shielding comprises:

covering at least a portion of the transmission path or the transceiver with a material selected for its ability to degrade an extremely high frequency (EHF) signal passing through the material.