Apparatus and method for power state transition via near field communication

• US 9,042,826 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Confer, William James, Harvey, Luke Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US13/660,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140120832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/410, 455/411, 340/10.1, 726/20
• 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method for power state transition via Near Field Communication (NFC) are provided. The apparatus includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver for generating a trigger signal in response to presence of another NFC device within an NFC communication range of the NFC transceiver, and a controller for controlling the apparatus to transition to or from a wake state when the trigger signal is received from the NFC transceiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver configured to generate a trigger signal in response to presence of another NFC device within an NFC communication range of the NFC transceiver and to receive application data from the other NFC device; and

a controller configured to control the apparatus to transition to or from a wake state when the trigger signal is received from the NFC transceiver and to control the apparatus to execute an application according to the application information received from the other NFC device,

wherein, when the application data is received from the other NFC device, the controller controls the NFC transceiver to transmit, to the other NFC device, a request for the other NFC device to stop executing a corresponding application.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply for supplying power to the NFC transceiver while the apparatus is operating in a sleep state;

wherein the NFC transceiver operates in an active mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the NFC transceiver operates in a passive mode without requiring a power supply.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, when the NFC transceiver operating in passive mode receives data from the other NFC device, the apparatus is controlled such that supplemental power is provided to the NFC transceiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the NFC transceiver receives authentication data from the other NFC device, and

wherein the controller authenticates the other NFC device using the authentication data, and controls the apparatus to transition to or from the wake state without displaying a locking screen or requesting additional input of authentication data from a user.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application is a video application, and wherein the controller controls the apparatus to reproduce the video according to the application data received from the other NFC device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, after the apparatus transitions to the wake state, the controller controls the NFC transceiver to transmit, to the other NFC device, a signal for controlling an operation of the other NFC device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the signal for controlling the other NFC device is a signal requesting the other NFC device to transition to a sleep state.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wake state is a state in which power is supplied to the apparatus, and

wherein the sleep state is a state in which power is not supplied to the apparatus.

10. A method for power state transition in an apparatus supporting Near Field Communication (NFC), the apparatus comprising:

determining that another NFC device has entered within an NFC communication range of the apparatus;

generating a trigger signal in response when the other NFC device enters into communication range of the apparatus;

controlling a power state transition to a wake state or to a sleep state according to the trigger signal;

receiving application data from the other NFC device;

after transitioning to the wake state, executing an application on the apparatus according to the application data; and

after receiving the application data, transmitting a request, to the other NFC device, to terminate execution of a corresponding application.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the trigger signal in response to a signal received from the other NFC device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving authentication data from the other NFC device; and

determining a validity of the authentication data,

wherein the controlling of the power state transition comprises controlling the power state transition without requesting additional authentication data from a user of the apparatus when the authentication data is determined to be valid.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the application is a video application, and

wherein the executing of the application comprises reproducing the video according to the application data.

14. The method of claim 10,

wherein the request to the other NFC device further includes a request to perform at least one of transitioning to the sleep state, and remaining in a current operation state.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

after transitioning to the wake state, transmitting, to the other NFC device, a signal for controlling an operation of the other NFC device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating of the trigger signal comprises generating the trigger signal based on a current or voltage differential created by the presence of the other NFC device, without otherwise supplying power to an NFC transceiver of the apparatus.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver configured to generate a trigger signal in response to presence of another NFC device within an NFC communication range of the NFC transceiver and to receive application data from the other NFC device;

a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) configured to receive the trigger signal and to generate an interrupt signal for transitioning to or from a wake state; and

a controller configured to transition the apparatus to or from the wake state according to the interrupt generated by the PMIC and to control the apparatus to execute an application according to the application information received from the other NFC device,

wherein, when the application data is received from the other NFC device, the controller controls the NFC transceiver to transmit, to the other NFC device, a request for the other NFC device to stop executing a corresponding application.