METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

• US 20150244428A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: LEE, Moon-Sik, LEE, Seok-jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,906,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for near field communication (NFC) are provided. A reader searches for communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal or a reader searches for communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission. When the reader receives a response signal from communication with another party, the reader performs communication with the other party.

Claims

1. A communication method in a near field communication (NFC) environment, the communication method comprising:

searching for, by a reader, communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal;

searching for, by the reader, communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission; and

performing, when the reader receives a response signal from communication with another party, communication with the other party.

2. The communication method of claim 1, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission is performed after performing the searching for communication with another party according to a first communication method.

3. The communication method of claim 2, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission is performed when a response signal corresponding to the communication request signal is not received from communication with another party even after a first predetermined time has elapsed, after performing the searching for communication with another party according to a first communication method.

4. The communication method of claim 3, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission is performed after terminating the search for communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal, when a response signal corresponding to the communication request signal is not received from communication with another party even after the first predetermined time has elapsed.

5. The communication method of claim 4, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method comprises:

performing wireless power transmission according to the second communication method; and

resuming search for communication with another party according to the first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal when a second predetermined time has elapsed after performing the wireless power transmission.

6. The communication method of claim 5, wherein the resuming of search for communication with another party comprises searching for communication with another party according to the first communication method while performing the wireless power transmission.

7. The communication method of claim 1, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal is performed after performing the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method of performing wireless power transmission.

8. The communication method of claim 7, wherein the search for communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal is performed when a third predetermined time has elapsed after performing the searching for communication with another party according to a second communication method.

9. The communication method of claim 7, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a first communication method comprises searching for communication with another party according to the first communication method while performing the wireless power transmission.

10. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching for communication with another party according to the first communication method when the reader is in a wake-up state by a signal that is input through a user interface device; and

searching for communication with another party according to the second communication method.

11. The communication method of claim 1, wherein the searching for communication with another party according to a first communication method comprises repeatedly transmitting the communication request signal through a microwave band.

12. A communication apparatus that performs communication in a near field communication (NFC) environment, the communication apparatus comprising:

a first transmitting and receiving unit that searches for communication with another party according to a first communication method of transmitting a communication request signal;

a wireless power transmitting unit that performs wireless power transmission; and

a communication controller that performs communication with the other party when a response signal is received from the other party through the first transmitting and receiving unit.

13. The communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein wireless power transmission is performed through the wireless power transmitting unit when a response signal corresponding to the communication request signal from communication with another party is not received even after a first predetermined time has elapsed after a communication request signal is transmitted by the first transmitting and receiving unit.

14. The communication apparatus of claim 13, wherein communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit and wireless power transmission through the wireless power transmitting unit are performed together.

15. The communication apparatus of claim 13, wherein wireless power transmission through the wireless power transmitting unit is performed after communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit is terminated, and communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit is resumed, when a second predetermined time has elapsed, after wireless power transmission is performed, when a response signal corresponding to a communication request signal from communication with another party is not received even after the first predetermined time has elapsed.

16. The communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit is performed when a third predetermined time has elapsed after wireless power transmission is performed through the wireless power transmitting unit.

17. The communication apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a user interface unit,

wherein communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit or wireless power transmission through the wireless power transmitting unit is performed when the communication apparatus is in a wake-up state by a signal that is input through the user interface unit.

18. The communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein only communication request signal transmission by the first transmitting and receiving unit is performed when the communication apparatus is in a wake-up state.

19. The communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein the wireless power transmitting unit comprises a power transfer coil.

20. The communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication apparatus performs communication in an advanced NFC environment.