Methods and apparatuses for improving NFC parameter update mechanisms

• US 8,989,658 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hillan, John, O'Donoghue, Jeremy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/483,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• 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

Abstract

Aspects relate to improved mechanisms for updating parameter values for communications between a DH and a remote NFC endpoint. In one example, a DH associated with a NFC device may be configured to determine that one or more parameter values included in a parameter selection request message are different than one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery of a remote NFC endpoint using a frame RF interface, and communicate the parameter values to a NFC Controller using a parameter update message. A NFCC associated with a NFC device may be configured to receive, using a NFC-DEP interface, a parameter selection request message including one or more parameters, determine to implement one or more parameter changes based on the received one or more parameters, and communicate an activation message to a DH indicating values to which the NFC Controller changed the one or more parameter values.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, comprising:

determining, by a device host (DH), that one or more parameter values included in a parameter selection request message are different than one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery of a remote Near Field Communication (NFC) endpoint using a frame radio frequency (RF) interface; and

communicating the one or more parameter values to a NFC Controller using a parameter update message, wherein the parameter update message prompts the NFC Controller to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DH is configured in a Poll Mode, and wherein the determining further comprises:

receiving an activation notification message from the NFC Controller; and

generating the parameter selection request message to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message, where the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message are different than the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the DH is configured in a Listen Mode, and further comprising:

receiving the parameter selection request message from the remote NFC endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a payload to the remote NFC endpoint using a data exchanging protocol using at least one of the one or more parameter values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameter values include at least one value for a parameter from among:

a RF technology and mode parameter;

a transmit bit rate parameter;

a receive bit rate parameter; and

a maximum payload size parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the RF technology and mode parameter indicates a technology among:

a NFC-A technology, a NFC-B technology, and a NFC-F technology.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote NFC endpoint includes one device from among:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a remote NFC tag, and a NFC card.

8. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

determine, by a device host (DH), that one or more parameter values included in a parameter selection request message are different than one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery of a remote Near Field Communication (NFC) endpoint using a frame radio frequency (RF) interface; and

communicate the one or more parameter values to a NFC Controller using a parameter update message, wherein the parameter update message prompts the NFC Controller to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the DH is configured in a Poll Mode, and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to:

receive an activation notification message from the NFC Controller; and

generate the parameter selection request message to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message, where the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message are different than the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the DH is configured in a Listen Mode, and wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to:

receive the parameter selection request message from the remote NFC endpoint.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to:

communicate a payload using a data exchanging protocol using at least one of the one or more parameter values.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more parameter values include at least one value for a parameter from among:

a RF technology and mode parameter;

a transmit bit rate parameter;

a receive bit rate parameter; and

a maximum payload size parameter.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the RF technology and mode parameter indicates a technology among:

a NFC-A technology, a NFC-B technology, and a NFC-F technology.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the remote NFC endpoint includes one device from among:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a remote NFC tag, and a NFC card.

15. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for determining, by a device host (DH), that one or more parameter values included in a parameter selection request message are different than one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery of a remote Near Field Communication (NFC) endpoint using a frame radio frequency (RF) interface; and

means for communicating the one or more parameter values to a NFC Controller using a parameter update message, wherein the parameter update message prompts the NFC Controller to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the DH is configured in a Poll Mode, and wherein the means for determining further comprises:

means for receiving an activation notification message from the NFC Controller; and

means for generating the parameter selection request message to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message, where the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message are different than the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the DH is configured in a Listen Mode, and further comprising:

means for receiving the parameter selection request message from the remote NFC endpoint.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting a payload to the remote NFC endpoint using a data exchanging protocol using at least one of the one or more parameter values.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more parameter values include at least one value for a parameter from among:

a RF technology and mode parameter;

a transmit bit rate parameter;

a receive bit rate parameter; and

a maximum payload size parameter.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the RF technology and mode parameter indicates a technology among:

a NFC-A technology, a NFC-B technology, or a NFC-F technology.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the remote NFC endpoint includes one device from among:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a remote NFC tag, and a NFC card.

22. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

a device host (DH) configured to;

determine that one or more parameter values included in a parameter selection request message are different than one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery of a remote Near Field Communication (NFC) endpoint using a frame radio frequency (RF) interface; and

communicate the one or more parameter values to a NFC Controller using a parameter update message, wherein the parameter update message prompts the NFC Controller to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the DH is configured in a Poll Mode, and wherein the DH is further configured to:

receive an activation notification message from the NFC Controller; and

generate the parameter selection request message to change the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery to the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message, where the one or more parameter values included in the parameter selection request message are different than the one or more corresponding parameter values used during discovery.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the DH is configured in a Listen Mode, and wherein the DH is further configured to:

receive the parameter selection request message from the remote NFC endpoint.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the DH is further configured to:

transmit a payload to the remote NFC endpoint using a data exchanging protocol using at least one of the one or more parameter values.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one or more parameter values include at least one value for a parameter from among:

a RF technology and mode parameter;

a transmit bit rate parameter;

a receive bit rate parameter; and

a maximum payload size parameter.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the RF technology and mode parameter indicates a technology among:

a NFC-A technology, a NFC-B technology, or a NFC-F technology.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the remote NFC endpoint includes one device from among:

a peer NFC device, a reader device, a writer device, a remote NFC tag, and a NFC card.