REMOVABLE CONDUCTIVE LAYER THAT SHIELDS AND/OR SHORTS NODES OF AN NFC CIRCUIT TO CONTROL TRANSMISSIONS THEREFROM

• US 20150245385A1
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: NAMBORD, Magnus, HANSSON, Emil
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance

Abstract

An apparatus includes an NFC circuit and an electrically conductive layer. The NFC circuit includes an antenna configured to inductively couple to signals emitted by another NFC circuit, a charging circuit configured to output power provided by the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit, and a transceiver circuit configured to be powered by the charging circuit to transmit data for receipt by the other NFC circuit. The electrically conductive layer is removable from being on the NFC circuit, and while the electrically conductive layer is on the NFC circuit the transceiver circuit is prevented from transmitting. The electrically conductive layer can include a removable conductive sticker that electrically connects to one or more locations on the antenna, to a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or to another circuit node of the NFC circuit to prevent the transceiver circuit from transmitting.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) circuit comprising;

an antenna configured to inductively couple to signals emitted by another NFC circuit;

a charging circuit configured to output power provided by the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit; and

a transceiver circuit configured to be powered by the charging circuit to transmit data for receipt by the other NFC circuit; and

an electrically conductive layer that is removable from being on the NFC circuit, and while the electrically conductive layer is on the NFC circuit the electrically conductive layer prevents the transceiver circuit from transmitting.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a removable conductive sticker that electrically connects to one or more locations on the antenna, to a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or to another circuit node of the NFC circuit to prevent the transceiver circuit from transmitting.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects to two spaced apart locations on the antenna to short-circuit the antenna between the two spaced apart locations and render the antenna inoperable for receiving sufficient power from the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the antenna is covered by a protective layer that is electrically non-conductive and has at least one via hole that exposes at least one contact at one or more locations on the antenna, a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or another circuit node of the NFC circuit; and

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the at least one via hole to the exposed at least one contact.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the protective layer has a pair of spaced apart via holes that expose a pair of contacts at spaced apart locations on the antenna; and

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the pair of spaced apart via holes to the pair of contacts to short-circuit the antenna extending between the pair of contacts and render the antenna inoperable for receiving sufficient power from the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker electrically shorts an output of the charging circuit to ground to prevent power from the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit from operationally powering the transceiver circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker comprises metal mesh wiring, a metal layer, or a metal line.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a removable conductive sticker having metal mesh wiring or a metal layer, the electrically conductive layer is removably attachable to cover at least the antenna of the NFC circuit to shield the antenna from signals emitted by another NFC circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the NFC circuit comprises a protective layer that is electrically non-conductive has a via hole that exposes contact on a ground plane of the NFC circuit; and

the metal mesh wiring or the metal layer of the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the via hole to the exposed contact on the ground plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a portion of a switch that is actuated by a user to selectively electrically interconnect two or more nodes in the antenna, a ground plane of the NFC circuit, a charging circuit, and/or a transceiver circuit of the NFC circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a conductive bag in which the NFC circuit can be removably placed, the conductive bag comprising metal mesh wiring and/or a metal layer that shields the antenna from signals emitted by another NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.

12. An accessory for a user equipment, the accessory comprising:

a housing that is connectable to the user equipment; and

a near field communication (NFC) circuit attached to the housing, the NFC circuit comprising;

an antenna configured to inductively couple to signals emitted by another NFC circuit;

a charging circuit configured to output power provided by the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit; and

a transceiver circuit configured to be powered by the charging circuit to transmit data for receipt by the other NFC circuit; and

an electrically conductive layer that is removable from being on the NFC circuit, and while the electrically conductive layer is on the NFC circuit the electrically conductive layer prevents the transceiver circuit from transmitting.

13. The accessory of claim 12, wherein:

the housing comprises a cover configured to protect a surface of the user equipment and/or a stand that supports and holds the user equipment in a defined orientation.

14. The accessory of claim 12, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a removable conductive sticker that electrically connects to one or more locations on the antenna, to a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or to another circuit node of the NFC circuit to prevent the transceiver circuit from transmitting.

15. The accessory of claim 14, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects to two spaced apart locations on the antenna to short-circuit the antenna between the two spaced apart locations and render the antenna inoperable for receiving sufficient power from the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.

16. The accessory of claim 14, wherein:

the antenna is covered by a protective layer that is electrically non-conductive and has at least one via hole that exposes at least one contact at one or more locations on the antenna, a ground plane of the NFC circuit, and/or another circuit node of the NFC circuit; and

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the at least one via hole to the exposed at least one contact.

17. The accessory of claim 16, wherein:

the protective layer has a pair of spaced apart via holes that expose a pair of contacts at spaced apart locations on the antenna; and

the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the pair of spaced apart via holes to the pair of contacts to short-circuit the antenna extending between the pair of contacts and render the antenna inoperable for receiving sufficient power from the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.

18. The accessory of claim 14, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker electrically shorts an output of the charging circuit to ground to prevent power from the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the other NFC circuit from operationally powering the transceiver circuit.

19. The accessory of claim 14, wherein:

the removable conductive sticker comprises metal mesh wiring, a metal layer, or a metal line.

20. The accessory of claim 12, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a removable conductive sticker having metal mesh wiring or a metal layer, the electrically conductive layer is removably attachable to cover at least the antenna of the NFC circuit to shield the antenna from signals emitted by another NFC circuit.

21. The accessory of claim 20, wherein:

the NFC circuit comprises a protective layer that is electrically non-conductive has a via hole that exposes contact on a ground plane of the NFC circuit; and

the metal mesh wiring or the metal layer of the removable conductive sticker electrically connects through the via hole to the exposed contact on the ground plane.

22. The accessory of claim 12, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a portion of a switch that is actuated by a user to selectively electrically interconnect two or more nodes in the antenna, a ground plane of the NFC circuit, a charging circuit, and/or a transceiver circuit of the NFC circuit.

23. The accessory of claim 12, wherein:

the electrically conductive layer comprises a conductive bag in which the NFC circuit can be removably placed, the conductive bag comprising metal mesh wiring and/or a metal layer that shields the antenna from signals emitted by another NFC circuit to prevent operational powering of the transceiver circuit.