Techniques for wireless communication of proximity based content

• US 8,929,809 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freelinc Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Radeum, Inc.
• Inventors: Dobyns, Douglas Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/427,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 Antenna selection according to transmission parameters

Abstract

A system and method for close proximity communication is disclosed. The method comprises detecting a signal transmitted by a close proximity communication (CPC) device at a distance of one of greater than and less than a CPC detection perimeter with a multi-mode magnetic induction communication (MMMIC) device having at least one antenna. The type of device transmitting the detected signal is identified. The MMMIC device is enabled to communicate with the close proximity communication device at one of the distance of greater than the CPC detection perimeter and less than the CPC detection perimeter based on the type of device that is identified.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable magnetic induction communication system comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive an Near Field Magnetic Induction signal;

a configuration module in communication with the transceiver;

a modulation module configured to select one of a plurality of modulation types to at least one of modulate and demodulate the NFMI signal based on instructions from the configuration module; and

a diversity module configured to select at least one of a plurality of substantially orthogonal antennas coupled to the transceiver to transmit and receive the NFMI signal based on instructions from the configuration module,

wherein the diversity module is configured to compare a selection metric of the received signal for each of the plurality of orthogonal antennas and transmit the NFMI signal on at least one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas having a selection metric.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation module is configured to select one of the plurality of modulation types selected from the group consisting of phase-shift keying, frequency-shift keying, amplitude-shift keying, quadrature amplitude modulation, minimum-shift keying, Gaussian minimum-shift keying, and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation module is configured to switch from a first modulation circuit to a second modulation circuit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulation module is configured to communicate with a reconfigurable modulation chip to instruct the modulation chip to produce one of a selected type of modulation and demodulation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters, wherein the antenna selected is a most inefficient antenna of the at least two antennas.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters, where the antenna selected is not a most efficient antenna of the at least two antennas.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising enabling the reconfigurable magnetic induction communication system to communicate with a close proximity communication device using at least one antenna selected from the plurality of orthogonal antennas based on the type of device that is identified.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the at least two antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters while simultaneously communicating with at least one other near field magnetic inductive (NFMI) communication device using another of the at least two antennas.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one other NFMI communication device is positioned at a distance from the transceiver of less than 10 centimeters.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one other NFMI communication device is positioned at a distance from the transceiver of greater than 10 centimeters.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversity module is configured to select a plurality of the at least two antennas to receive an NTMI signal and sum the signal received from the plurality of antennas.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the diversity module is configured to compare a selection metric of the received signal for each of the plurality of antennas and receive the NFMI signal on at least one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas having a desired selection metric.

13. A reconfigurable magnetic induction communication system comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and a Near Field Magnetic Induction signal;

a configuration module in communication with the transceiver;

a modulation module configured to select one of a plurality of modulation types to at least one of modulate and demodulate the NFMI signal based on instructions from the configuration module; and

a diversity module configured to select at least one of a plurality of substantially orthogonal antennas coupled to the transceiver to transmit and receive the NFMI signal based on instructions from the configuration module,

wherein the diversity module is configured to compare a selection metric of the received signal for each of the plurality of antennas and receive the NFMI signal on at least one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas having a desired selection metric.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the diversity module is configured to compare a selection metric of the received signal for each of the plurality of orthogonal antennas and transmit the NFMI signal on at least one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas having a desired selection metric.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the modulation module is configured to select one of the plurality of modulation types selected from the group consisting of phase-shift keying, frequency-shift keying, amplitude-shift keying, quadrature amplitude modulation, minimum-shift keying, Gaussian minimum-shift keying, and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the modulation module is configured to switch from a first modulation circuit to a second modulation circuit.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the modulation module is configured to communicate with a reconfigurable modulation chip to instruct the modulation chip to produce one of a selected type of modulation and demodulation.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters, wherein the antenna selected is a most inefficient antenna of the at least two antennas.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the plurality of orthogonal antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters, where the antenna selected is not a most efficient antenna of the at least two antennas.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising enabling the reconfigurable magnetic induction communication system to communicate with a close proximity communication device using at least one antenna selected from the plurality of orthogonal antennas based on the type of device that is identified.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the diversity module is configured to select one of the at least two antennas to communicate with a close proximity communication device at a distance of less than about 10 centimeters while simultaneously communication with at least one other near field magnetic inductive (NFMI) communication device using another of the at least two antennas.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one other NFMI communication device is positioned at a distance from the transceiver of less than 10 centimeters.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one other NFMI communication device is positioned at a distance from the transceiver of greater than 10 centimeters.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the diversity module is configured to select a plurality of the at least two antennas to receive an NFMI signal and sum the signal received from the plurality of antennas.