Power harvesting and use in a near field communications (NFC) device

• US 8,620,218 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Awad, Mohamed
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US13/172,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/556.1, 455/426.1, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 455/456.1, 340/5.61, 340/10.1, 340/3.1, 340/572.1, 340/505, 340/572.7, 340/10.5, 340/5.92, 340/540
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatus for harvesting and using power in a near field communications mode, includes a host device with operating components. A first near field communication (NFC) device is contained in the host device and is configured to be selectively coupled to one of the operating components. The first NFC device harvests energy from a second NFC device and converts the harvested energy to electrical power. The first NFC device receives information from the second NFC device and power on the operating component as a function of the information received from the second NFC device. The first NFC device transfers data to or from the operating component when the operating component is powered on. The first NFC device powers off the operating component when the transfer of data between the first NFC device and the operating component has been completed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for harvesting and using power in a near field communications (NFC) mode, comprising:

a host device;

an operating component contained in the host device, the operating component comprising at least one of;

a processor, a memory, or a display; and

a first NFC device in the host device configured;

to be selectively coupled to the operating component to harvest energy from a second NFC device,

to convert the harvested energy to electrical power,

to selectively power on the operating component as a function of data received from the second NFC device,

to transfer data to or from the operating component when the operating component is powered on, and

to selectively power off the operating component when the transfer of the data between the first NFC device and the operating component has been completed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first NFC device is further configured to transfer the data from the operating component to the second NFC device when the first NFC device is in communication with the second NFC device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of second operating components contained in the host device, wherein the first NFC device is configured;

to be selectively serially coupled to the plurality of second operating components,

to power on a first operating component from among the plurality of second operating components as a function of the information received from the second NFC device,

to receive first data from the first operating component when the first operating component is powered on,

to power off the first operating component when the first data transfer has been completed,

to power on a second operating component from among the plurality of second operating components after the first operating component is powered off, and

to transfer the first data to the second operating component,

wherein the second operating component is configured to operate on the first data and to return second data to the first NFC device, and

wherein the first NFC device is further configured to power off the second operating component after the second data has been returned to the first NFC device and to transfer the second data to the second NFC device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first NFC device is further configured to power on the second operating component as a function of the first data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first NFC device is configured to power on the operating component only for a predetermined period of time.

5. An apparatus for harvesting and using power in a near field communications (NFC) mode, comprising:

a host device;

plurality of operating components contained in the host device; and

a first NFC device in the host device configured;

to be selectively coupled to the plurality of operating components to harvest energy from a second NFC device,

to convert the harvested energy to electrical power,

to be selectively serially coupled to the plurality of operating components,

to power on a first operating component from among the plurality of operating components as a function of the information received from the second NFC device,

to receive first data from the first operating component when the first operating component is powered on, and

to power off the first operating component, when the first data transfer has been completed,

to power on a second operating component from among the plurality of operating components after the first operating component is powered off, and

to transfer the first data to the second operating component,

wherein the second operating component is configured to operate on the first data and to return second data to the first NFC device,

wherein the first NFC device is further configured to power off the second operating component after the second data has been returned to the first NFC device, to transfer the second data to the second NFC device, and to power on the second operating component as a function of the first data,

wherein the second operating component is further configured to transfer third data to the first NFC device concurrently with the transfer of the second data, and

wherein the first NFC device is further configured to power on the first operating Component, to transfer the third data to the first operating component, and to power off the first operating component upon completion of the transfer to the first operating component of the third data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first NFC device is further configured to be placed in close proximity to the second NFC device to harvest the energy from the second NFC device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first NFC device is further configured to be powered off when removed from close proximity to the second NFC device.

17. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first NFC device is configured to power on the operating component only for a predetermined period of time.

9. A method of harvesting and using power in a near field communication (NFC) mode, comprising:

harvesting energy by a first NFC device in proximity to a second NFC device;

converting the harvested energy to electrical power;

selectively powering on an operating component coupled to the first NFC device using the converted electrical power as a function of data received from the second NFC device, the operating component comprising at least one of;

a processor, a memory, or a display;

transferring data to or from the operating component when the operating component is powered on; and

selectively powering off the operating component by the first NFC device when the transfer of the data between the NFC device and the operating component has been completed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transferring data received at the first NFC device from the operating component to the second NFC device when the first NFC device is in communication with the second NFC device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first NFC device is incorporated in the host device, further comprising:

selectively serially coupling the first NFC device to a plurality of operating components incorporated in the host device;

powering on a first operating component from among the plurality of operating components by the first NFC device as a function of the information received from the second NFC device;

receiving first data at the first NFC device from the first operating component when the first operating component is powered on;

powering off the first operating component by the first NFC device when the first data transfer has been completed;

powering on a second operating component from among the plurality of operating components by the first NFC device after the first operating component is powered off;

transferring the first data from the first NFC device to the second operating component;

operating on the first data at the second operating component to obtain second data;

returning the second data to the first NFC device from the second operating component;

powering off the second operating component by the first NFC device after the second data has been returned to the first NFC device; and

transferring the second data from the first NFC device to the second NFC device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

powering on the second operating component by the first NFC device as a function of the first data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transferring third data to the first NFC device from the second operating component concurrently with the transfer of the second data;

powering on the first operating component by the first NFC device as a function of the third data received by the first NFC device;

transferring the third data from the first NFC device to the first operating component; and

powering off the first operating component by the first NFC device upon completion of the transfer of the third data to the first operating component.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

placing the first NFC device in close proximity to the second NFC device to harvest the energy from the second NFC device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

powering off the first NFC device when the first NFC device is removed from close proximity to the second NFC device.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

powering on the operating component by the first NFC device only for a predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

powering on the operating component by the first NFC device only for a predetermined period of time.