METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING ACQUISITION FOR NFC LOAD MODULATION

• US 20140073241A1
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Luong, Le Nguyen, Akhavan, Koorosh, Gopalan, RaviKiran
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/042 Detectors therefor, e.g. correlators, state machines digital correlators in general G06F17/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/10 Arrangements for initial synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to improving acquisition for NFC load modulation. In one example, a communications device is equipped to monitor at least a complex component of load modulation of a carrier signal, detect, using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme, a peak associated with at least the complex component, and determine a presence of a packet beginning pattern based on the detected peak. In an aspect, the packet beginning pattern may be associated with a reception of a packet from a target NFC device.

Claims

1. A method of communications, comprising:

monitoring, by an initiator near field communication (NFC) device, at least a complex component of load modulation of a carrier signal;

detecting, using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme, a peak associated with at least the complex component; and

determining a presence of a packet beginning pattern based on the detected peak, wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with a reception of a packet from a target NFC device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a fraction of a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the N^th future local peak is a first future local peak, wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a fourth future local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is a start of communication (SoC) pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type F, wherein the using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises:

detecting a peak using a binary matched filter associated with a threshold to trigger a matched filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type B, wherein the using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the N^th future local peak is a 15^th local peak, and wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a 16^th local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with transition between TR1 and T_Listen,S1.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-Vicinity, wherein the using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

monitoring, by an initiator near field communication (NFC) device, at least a complex component of load modulation of a carrier signal;

detecting, using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme, a peak associated with at least the complex component; and

determining a presence of a packet beginning pattern based on the detected peak, wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with a reception of a packet from a target NFC device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the code for using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises code for:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a fraction of a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the N^th future local peak is a first future local peak, wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a fourth future local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is a start of communication (SoC) pattern.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the code for using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises code for:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type F, wherein the code for using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises code for:

detecting a peak using a binary matched filter associated with a threshold to trigger a matched filter.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type B, wherein the code for using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises code for:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the N^th future local peak is a 15^th local peak, and wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a 16^th local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with transition between TR1 and T_Listen,S1.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-Vicinity, wherein the code for using the NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme further comprises code for:

detecting a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determining whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

17. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for monitoring, by an initiator near field communication (NFC) device, at least a complex component of load modulation of a carrier signal;

means for detecting, using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme, a peak associated with at least the complex component using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme; and

means for determining a presence of a packet beginning pattern based on the detected peak, wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with a reception of a packet from a target NFC device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the means for detecting is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a fraction of a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the N^th future local peak is a first future local peak, wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a fourth future local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is a start of communication (SoC) pattern.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the means for detecting is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type F, wherein the means for detecting is further configured to:

detect a peak using a binary matched filter associated with a threshold to trigger a matched filter.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type B, wherein the means for detecting is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the N^th future local peak is a 15^th local peak, and wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a 16^th local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with transition between TR1 and T_Listen,S1.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-Vicinity, wherein the means for detecting is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

25. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

an acquisition module coupled to at least the processor and configured to;

monitor at least a complex component of load modulation of a carrier signal;

detect, using a NFC technology type specific peak detection scheme, a peak associated with at least the complex component; and

determine a presence of a packet beginning pattern based on the detected peak, wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with a reception of a packet from a target NFC device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a fraction of a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the N^th future local peak is a first future local peak, wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a fourth future local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is a start of communication (SoC) pattern.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type A, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type F, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to:

detect a peak using a binary matched filter associated with a threshold to trigger a matched filter.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-type B, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a sum of magnitude or magnitude squared of a N^th future local peak and a magnitude or magnitude squared of a (N+K)^th future local peak.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the N^th future local peak is a 15^th local peak, and wherein the (N+K)^th future local peak is a 16^th local peak, and wherein the packet beginning pattern is associated with transition between TR1 and T_Listen,S1.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the initiator NFC device is using NFC-Vicinity, wherein the acquisition module is further configured to:

detect a plurality of local peaks above a threshold magnitude; and

determine whether a peak of the plurality of local peaks has a magnitude or magnitude squared greater than a magnitude or magnitude squared of any of a future set of N local peaks.