METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING NFC RF DISCOVERY BASED ON DETECTION OF OTHER RF ACTIVITY

• US 20130324036A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hillan, John, Linsky, Joel Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to improving NFC RF discovery through monitoring RF activity associated with one or more RATs. In one example, a first NFC device may be configured to use both a first RAT and NFC. The first NFC device may monitor RF activity on a first RAT to determine whether there is at least a greater probability that a second NFC device is within a threshold. The NFC device may be also configured to modify at least an interval between polling modes in a NFC RF discovery loop based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of communications, comprising:

monitoring radio frequency (RF) activity of a first radio access technology (RAT) used by a first near field communication (NFC) device, wherein the first RAT is different than a NFC RF technology used by the first NFC device;

determining at least a greater probability that a second NFC device is within a threshold range based on the monitored RF activity of the first RAT; and

modifying at least an interval between polling modes in a NFC RF discovery loop based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring further comprises monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time;

and

wherein the determining further comprises determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is greater than the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the first time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining further comprises determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is above a power threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring further comprises detecting a signal including a parameter indicating a presence of the second NFC device;

and

wherein the determining further comprises determining that the second NFC device is within the threshold range based on the presence of the parameter in the signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying further comprises modifying occurrence of polling for each NFC RF technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring further comprises monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT;

and

wherein the modifying further comprises decreasing the interval between polling modes based on the monitored signal strength.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the monitoring further comprises monitoring the signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time;

and

wherein the modifying further comprises decreasing the interval between polling modes proportionally with respect to a change in the signal strength value between the first time and the second time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying further comprises modifying the interval between polling modes in a manner to improve power consumption efficiency for the first NFC device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT includes a RAT supporting a wireless communication system based on one of a group consisting of:

FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second NFC device is one of a group consisting of:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a tag, and a card.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

monitoring radio frequency (RF) activity of a first radio access technology (RAT) used by a first near field communication (NFC) device, wherein the first RAT is different than a NFC RF technology used by the first NFC device;

determining at least a greater probability that a second NFC device is within a threshold range based on the monitored RF activity of the first RAT; and

modifying at least an interval between polling modes in a NFC RF discovery loop based on the determination.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for:

monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time; and

determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is greater than the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the first time.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is above a power threshold.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for:

detecting a signal including a parameter indicating a presence of the second NFC device; and

determining that the second NFC device is within the threshold range based on the presence of the parameter in the signal.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for modifying occurrence of polling for each NFC RF technology.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for:

monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT; and

decreasing the interval between polling modes based on the monitored signal strength.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for:

monitoring the signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time; and

decreasing the interval between polling modes proportionally with respect to a change in the signal strength value between the first time and the second time.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for modifying the interval between polling modes in a manner to improve power consumption efficiency for the first NFC device.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first RAT includes a RAT supporting a wireless communication system based on one of a group consisting of:

FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the second NFC device is one of a group consisting of:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a tag, and a card.

21. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for monitoring radio frequency (RF) activity of a first radio access technology (RAT) used by a first near field communication (NFC) device, wherein the first RAT is different than a NFC RF technology used by the first NFC device;

means for determining at least a greater probability that a second NFC device is within a threshold range based on the monitored RF activity of the first RAT; and

means for modifying at least an interval between polling modes in a NFC RF discovery loop based on the determination.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time;

and

wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is greater than the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the first time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is above a power threshold.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for detecting a signal including a parameter indicating a presence of the second NFC device;

and

wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining that the second NFC device is within the threshold range based on the presence of the parameter in the signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for modifying further comprises means for modifying occurrence of polling for each NFC RF technology.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for monitoring a signal strength value of the first RAT;

and

wherein the means for modifying further comprises means for decreasing the interval between polling modes based on the monitored signal strength.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for monitoring further comprises means for monitoring the signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time;

and

wherein the means for modifying further comprises means for decreasing the interval between polling modes proportionally with respect to a change in the signal strength value between the first time and the second time.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for modifying further comprises means for modifying the interval between polling modes in a manner to improve power consumption efficiency for the first NFC device.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first RAT includes a RAT supporting a wireless communication system based on one of a group consisting of:

FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second NFC device is one of a group consisting of:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a tag, and a card.

31. An NFC device for communications, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory; and

a radio frequency (RF) activity module coupled to at least one of the memory or the processor, and configured to;

monitor RF activity of a first radio access technology (RAT) used by a first near field communication (NFC) device, wherein the first RAT is different than a NFC RF technology used by the first NFC device;

determine at least a greater probability that a second NFC device is within a threshold range based on the monitored RF activity of the first RAT; and

modify at least an interval between polling modes in a NFC RF discovery loop based on the determination.

32. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to:

monitor a signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time; and

determining that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is greater than the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the first time.

33. The NFC device of claim 32, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to determine that the signal strength value of the first RAT monitored at the second time is above a power threshold.

34. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to:

detect a signal including a parameter indicating a presence of the second NFC device; and

determine that the second NFC device is within the threshold range based on the presence of the parameter in the signal.

35. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to modify occurrence of polling for each NFC RF technology.

36. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to:

monitor a signal strength value of the first RAT; and

decrease the interval between polling modes based on the monitored signal strength.

37. The NFC device of claim 36, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to:

monitor the signal strength value of the first RAT at a first time and a second time after the first time; and

decrease the interval between polling modes proportionally with respect to a change in the signal strength value between the first time and the second time.

38. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the RF activity module is further configured to modify the interval between polling modes in a manner to improve power consumption efficiency for the first NFC device.

39. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the first RAT includes a RAT supporting a wireless communication system based on one of a group consisting of:

FlashLinQ, WiMedia, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

40. The NFC device of claim 31, wherein the second NFC device is one of a group consisting of:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a tag, and a card.