MANAGEMENT OF NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS USING LOW POWER MODES OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150044964A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Linde, Joakim, Khan, Ahmer A., Hakim, Joseph, Rosen, Zachary A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,603,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing near field communications during a low power management mode of an electronic device are provided that may make credentials of a near field communication (“NFC”) component appropriately secure and appropriately accessible white also limiting the power consumption of the NFC component and of other components of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

detecting a low power mode initiation event; and

in response to the detecting;

disabling an active element of the electronic device, wherein the active element comprises at least one of a communications component and an output component;

closing at least one active application that was running on the electronic device prior to the detecting; and

running a low power mode application on the electronic device, wherein the running the low power mode application comprises;

receiving authentication information from an input component of the electronic device; and

enabling a near field communication component of the electronic device based on the received authentication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the running the low power mode application further comprises providing a visual user interface on a display output component of the electronic device prior to the receiving; and

the receiving comprises receiving the authentication information based on the provided visual interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing comprises at least one of:

requesting user authorization of the near field communication component; and

requesting user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the near field communication component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling comprises powering a portion of the near field communication component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the low power mode initiation event comprises one of:

receiving a user input on an input component of the electronic device; and

detecting that a power level of a power supply of the electronic device is below a particular threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling comprises activating an applet of a credential that is provisioned on the near field communication component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling comprises placing the near field communication component in one of a passive state and an active state.

8. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

detecting a low power mode initiation event; and

in response to the detecting;

disabling an element of the electronic device;

identifying an authentication initiation event; and

in response to the identifying, providing on an output component of the electronic device an output that requests user interaction for the enablement of a near field communication component of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the output requests the user interaction for the enablement by at least one of:

requesting user authorization of the near field communication component; and

requesting user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the near field communication component.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving authentication information on an input component of the electronic device in response to the requesting; and

enabling the near field communication component based on the received authentication information.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the element comprises the output component; and

the method further comprises reactivating the output component prior to the providing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the output component is a display output component.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying the authentication initiation event comprises one of:

receiving a user input on an input component of the electronic device; and

detecting a near field communication terminal with the electronic device.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a near field communication component;

an output component; and

a processor configured to;

detect a low power mode initiation event;

ensure that at least one function of the near field communication component is disabled in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event;

identify an authentication initiation event once it is ensured that the at least one function of the near field communication component is disabled; and

in response to the identification of the authentication initiation event, provide on the output component an output that requests user interaction with the electronic device for the enablement of the at least one function of the near field communication component.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the detection of the low power mode initiation event comprises one of:

detection of a power level of a power supply of the electronic device below a particular threshold; and

receipt of a user input on an input component of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises one of:

detection of a near field communication terminal with the electronic device; and

receipt of a user input on an input component of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the output requests the user interaction for the enablement by at least one of:

requesting user authorization of the at least one function of the near field communication component; and

requesting user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the near field communication component.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising an input component, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive authentication information on the input component in response to the provision of the output that requests the user interaction; and

enable the at least one function of the near field communication component based on the received authentication information.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein:

the processor is configured to enable the at least one function of the near field communication component by powering an antenna of the electronic device; and

the at least one function is communication of a credential from the near field communication component via the antenna.

20. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to close at least one active application in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

detecting a low power mode initiation event on an electronic device; and

in response to the detecting;

disabling an element of the electronic device;

identifying an authentication initiation event on the electronic device; and

in response to the identifying, providing on an output component of the electronic device an output that requests the enablement of a near field communication component of the electronic device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

the element comprises the output component; and

the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for reactivating the output component prior to the providing.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the identifying the authentication initiation event comprises one of:

receiving a user input on an input component of the electronic device; and

detecting a near field communication terminal with the electronic device.

24. A method for operating an electronic device comprising:

receiving authentication information using an input component of the electronic device; and

powering at least a first portion of a near field communication component of the electronic device based on the received authentication information.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first portion comprises an antenna of the near field communication module.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first portion comprises a booster circuit of the near field communication module that is associated with an antenna of the electronic device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the powering comprises powering the at least the first portion of the near field communication module for only a first duration of time after the authentication information is received.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising, providing a visual user interface on an output component of the electronic device prior to the receiving, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the authentication information based on the provided visual user interface.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the input component comprises at least one of a mechanical button, a virtual button, and a biometric authentication component.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the powering comprises placing the near field communication component in one of a passive state and an active state.