Apparatus and method for enabling near field communication equipment in a portable communications device

• US 7,912,441 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Von Bosch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US11/954,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20090150704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/418, 455/574, 455/41.1, 455/572, 455/343.5, 455/69, 340/7.33, 340/989, 713/340
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for enabling a Near Field Communications (NFC) equipment integrated into a portable communications device, such that when the portable communications device'"'"'s battery is low the residual charge of the battery is used to power the NFC equipment to enable various NFC applications without causing damage to the battery or portable communications device.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a near field communication operation of a battery powered portable device, a battery being in a discharged state and having a residual charge, said method comprising:

determining a characteristics of said battery by reading said characteristic from a first memory;

programming said characteristics into a second memory, said second memory being associated with a near field communication component of said battery powered portable device;

said battery being in a discharged state and having a residual charge, said residual charge being at least a minimal charge specified for operation of said battery without causing damage thereto by excessive discharge;

detecting the presence of a near field communication field;

determining that said battery powered portable device is powered off such that said battery is disconnected from said near field communication component of said battery powered portable device;

monitoring a voltage level of said battery such that said residual charge does not drop below a damaging voltage level; and

activating a switch to connect said battery to said near field communication component.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting a threshold for said voltage level, said threshold for use by a voltage detector component of said battery powered portable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a characteristics of said battery by reading said characteristic from a first memory, further comprises:

reading said characteristic from a memory located in said battery, wherein said first memory is said memory located in said battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a characteristics of said battery by reading said characteristics from a first memory, further comprises:

reading said characteristic from a memory located in said portable communication device, wherein said first memory is said memory located in said portable communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein activating a switch to connect said battery to said near field communication component, further comprises:

summing a first voltage from said battery with a second voltage from said near field communication field to produce a summed voltage and providing said summed voltage to said near field communication component.

6. A method of enabling a near field communication operation of a battery powered portable device, a battery being in a discharged state and having a residual charge, said method comprising:

determining by a voltage detector that said battery is in a discharged state and has a residual charge, said residual charge being at least a minimal charge specified for operation of said battery without causing damage thereto by excessive discharge;

detecting the presence of a near field communication field by a near field communication transceiver, said near field communication transceiver being included in a near field communication module;

determining that said battery powered portable device is powered off such that said battery is disconnected from a near field communication component of said battery powered portable device;

monitoring a voltage level of said battery such that said residual charge does not drop below a damaging voltage level; and

activating a switch by a logical AND circuit, said logical AND circuit having a first input indicating that a near field communication field has been detected, a second input indicating that said voltage level is above said damaging voltage level, and a third input indicating that said portable device is powered off, and connecting said battery to said near field communication component via said switch.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing said third input indicating that said portable device is powered off via a transistor circuit, said transistor circuit providing a logical one indication when said portable device is powered off and providing a logical zero indication when said portable device is powered on.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein acting a switch by a logical AND circuit, further comprises:

summing a first voltage from said battery with a second voltage from said near field communication field to produce a summed voltage and providing said summed voltage to said near field communication module.

9. A method of setting an operating voltage of a component of a battery powered portable device, said battery powered portable device having a removable installed battery, said component for use in conjunction with a near field communication component, said method comprising:

said battery being in a normally charged state, said normally charged state allowing for normal operation of said battery powered portable device, said near field communication component and said component;

determining an operating voltage of said component;

setting said operating voltage of said component in a memory of said near field communication component;

detecting the presence of a near field communication field;

determining that said battery powered portable device is powered off such that said battery is disconnected from a near field communication component of said battery powered portable device; and

applying said operating voltage to said component, said operating voltage being read from said memory.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an operating voltage of said component further comprises:

determining an operating voltage of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

11. The method of claim 9 wherein determining an operating voltage of said component further comprises:

determining an operating voltage of a Secure Digital (SD) device.