METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING PEER COMMUNICATIONS USING AN ACTIVE COMMUNICATION MODE

• US 20130267167A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hillan, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to enabling specification of different bit rates in each direction for NFC peer communications. In one example, a target NFC device may be configured to receive a parameter selection request including a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to the target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used in the other direction, and to function in either a first or a second target sub-state based on the first bit rate value. In another example, an initiator NFC device may be configured to determine a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used in the other direction, and to transmit the first and second bit rate values in a parameter selection request message.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

receiving, by a target near field communication (NFC) device, a parameter selection request including a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to the target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

functioning in either a first target sub-state or a second target sub-state based on the first bit rate value, wherein the first target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a first NFC radio frequency (RF) technology, and wherein the second target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a second NFC RF technology.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter selection response to the initiator NFC device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first target sub-state and the second target sub-state are each a sub-state from among:

a TARGET_A sub-state or a TARGET_F sub-state, wherein the TARGET_A sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-A RF technology, and wherein the TARGET_F sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-F RF technology.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

6. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

determining, by an initiator NFC device, a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

transmitting the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value to the target NFC device in a parameter selection request message.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a parameter selection response from the target NFC device indicating successful reception of the parameter selection request message.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a first output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to the target NFC device as the first bit rate value and a second output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device as the second bit rate value; and

providing the first and second output parameters for use in a resolution process.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving, by a target near field communication (NFC) device, a parameter selection request including a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to the target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

functioning in either a first target sub-state or a second target sub-state based on the first bit rate value, wherein the first target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a first NFC radio frequency (RF) technology, and wherein the second target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a second NFC RF technology.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting a parameter selection response to the initiator NFC device.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first target sub-state and the second target sub-state are each a sub-state from among:

a TARGET_A sub-state or a TARGET_F sub-state, wherein the TARGET_A sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-A RF technology, and wherein the TARGET_F sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-F RF technology.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

determining, by an initiator NFC device, a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

transmitting the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value to the target NFC device in a parameter selection request message.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a parameter selection response from the target NFC device indicating successful reception of the parameter selection request message.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising code for:

generating a first output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to the target NFC device as the first bit rate value and a second output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device as the second bit rate value; and

providing the first and second output parameters for use in a resolution process.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

21. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for receiving, by a target near field communication (NFC) device, a parameter selection request including a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to the target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

means for functioning in either a first target sub-state or a second target sub-state based on the first bit rate value, wherein the first target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a first NFC radio frequency (RF) technology, and wherein the second target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a second NFC RF technology.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for transmitting a parameter selection response to the initiator NFC device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first target sub-state and the second target sub-state are each a sub-state from among:

a TARGET_A sub-state or a TARGET_F sub-state, wherein the TARGET_A sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-A RF technology, and wherein the TARGET_F sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-F RF technology.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

26. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for determining, by an initiator NFC device, a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

means for transmitting the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value to the target NFC device in a parameter selection request message.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for receiving a parameter selection response from the target NFC device indicating successful reception of the parameter selection request message.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for generating a first output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to the target NFC device as the first bit rate value and a second output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device as the second bit rate value; and

means for providing the first and second output parameters for use in a resolution process.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

31. An apparatus for NFC communications, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

a transceiver configured to receive a parameter selection request including a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

a NFC peer mode communications module coupled to at least one of the memory or the processor and configured to;

function in either a first target sub-state or a second target sub-state based on the first bit rate value, wherein the first target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a first NFC radio frequency (RF) technology, and wherein the second target sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a second NFC RF technology.

32. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 31, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

transmit a parameter selection response to the initiator NFC device.

33. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 31, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

34. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 31, wherein the first target sub-state and the second target sub-state are each a sub-state from among:

a TARGET_A sub-state or a TARGET_F sub-state, wherein the TARGET_A sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-A RF technology, and wherein the TARGET_F sub-state is associated with peer communications based on a NFC-F RF technology.

35. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 31, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.

36. An apparatus for NFC communications, comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory; and

a NFC peer mode communications module coupled to at least one of the memory or the processor and configured to;

determine a first bit rate value to be used for transmissions from an initiator NFC device to a target NFC device and a second bit rate value to be used for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device; and

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value to the target NFC device in a parameter selection request message.

37. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 36, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a parameter selection response from the target NFC device indicating successful reception of the parameter selection request message.

38. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 36, wherein the NFC peer mode communications module is further configured to:

generate a first output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the initiator NFC device to the target NFC device as the first bit rate value and a second output parameter indicating a current bit rate for transmissions from the target NFC device to the initiator NFC device as the second bit rate value; and

provide the first and second output parameters for use in a resolution process.

39. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 36, wherein the first bit rate value and the second bit rate value each include a bit rate value from among:

a value indicating maintenance of a currently set bit rate, a value indicating 106 kbps, a value indicating 212 kbps, or a value indicating 424 kbps.

40. The apparatus for NFC communications of claim 36, wherein the first bit rate value is a data rate send by the initiator (DSI) value, and wherein the second bit rate value is a data rate receive to initiator (DRI) value.