Methods and apparatus for improving NFC LLCP partitioning

• US 9,370,040 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Donoghue, Jeremy R., Gillespie, Alan, Hillan, John, Chingalande, Dubai
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): HU, RUI MENG
• Application Number:
  US13/671,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455/466, 455/343.3, 455/343.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to partitioning LLCP responsibilities between the NFCC and DH. In an example, with a NFC device a DH maybe configured to establish a LLCP link with a remote NFC endpoint through a NFCC, and partition LLCP related responsibilities between the DH and the NFCC when the NFCC is operable for LLCP split communications. Further, the NFCC may be operable to receive a PDU from a remote NFC endpoint, determine whether the received PDU is a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU, and communicate the received PDU to a DH upon a determination that the received PDU is not a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving, by a near field communication (NFC) controller (NFCC), a protocol data unit (PDU) from a remote NFC endpoint;

determining whether the received PDU is a symmetry (SYMM) PDU or a link deactivation PDU, the SYMM PDU and the link deactivation PDU associated with a logical link control protocol (LLCP) link;

communicating the received PDU to a device host (DH) upon a determination that the received PDU is not a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU; and

receiving, by the NFCC from the DH, a link timeout timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits for a PDU from the remote NFC endpoint prior to communicating a link failure message to the DH.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second PDU is available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint; and

transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer upon a determination that the second PDU is available for transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second PDU from the DH prior to expiration of a symmetry timer; and

transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second PDU is not available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer;

generating a second SYMM PDU; and

transmitting the second SYMM PDU to the remote NFC endpoint upon the expiration of the symmetry timer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the NFCC is operable to perform logical link control protocol (LLCP) split communications such that LLCP functionality is partitioned between the NFCC and the DH.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the NFCC from the DH, a symmetry timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits to receive a PDU from the DH prior to transmitting a SYMM PDU, wherein the symmetry timer and link timeout timer are received as at least one of;

parameters in a core set configuration message;

or

commands specific to configuration of the LLCP split communications.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein values associated with the symmetry timer and the link timeout timer are set to zero;

and further comprising;

communicating any received PDUs to the DH; and

communicating only PDU received from the DH to the remote NFC endpoint.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises determining that the received PDU is the link deactivation PDU;

and

performing a link deactivation procedure for the LLCP link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the NFCC operates in one or more modes defined by a radio frequency (RF) interface value.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:

receiving, by a near field communication (NFC) controller (NFCC), a protocol data unit (PDU) from a remote NFC endpoint;

determining whether the received PDU is a symmetry (SYMM) PDU or a link deactivation PDU, the SYMM PDU and the link deactivation PDU associated with a logical link control protocol (LLCP) link;

communicating the received PDU to a device host (DH) upon a determination that the received PDU is not a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU; and

receiving, by the NFCC from the DH, a link timeout timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits for a PDU from the remote NFC endpoint prior to communicating a link failure message to the DH.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether a second PDU is available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint; and

transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer upon a determination that the second PDU is available for transmission.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second PDU from the DH prior to expiration of a symmetry timer; and

transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that a second PDU is not available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer;

generating a second SYMM PDU; and

transmitting the second SYMM PDU to the remote NFC endpoint upon the expiration of the symmetry timer.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the NFCC is operable to perform logical link control protocol (LLCP) split communications such that LLCP functionality is partitioned between the NFCC and the DH.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, by the NFCC from the DH, a symmetry timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits to receive a PDU from the DH prior to transmitting a SYMM PDU, wherein the symmetry timer and link timeout timer are received as at least one of;

parameters in a core set configuration message;

or

commands specific to configuration of the LLCP split communications.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein values associated with the symmetry timer and the link timeout timer are set to zero;

and further comprising;

communicating any received PDUs to the DH; and

communicating only PDU received from the DH to the remote NFC endpoint.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determining further comprises determining that the received PDU is the link deactivation PDU;

and

performing a link deactivation procedure for the LLCP link.

18. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for receiving, by a near field communication (NFC) controller (NFCC), a protocol data unit (PDU) from a remote NFC endpoint;

means for determining whether the received PDU is a symmetry (SYMM) PDU or a link deactivation PDU, the SYMM PDU and the link deactivation PDU associated with a logical link control protocol (LLCP) link;

means for communicating the received PDU to a device host (DH) upon a determination that the received PDU is not a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU; and

means for receiving, by the NFCC from the DH, a link timeout timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits for a PDU from the remote NFC endpoint prior to communicating a link failure message to the DH.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for determining is further configured to determine whether a second PDU is available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint;

and further comprising;

means for transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer upon a determination that the second PDU is available for transmission.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive a second PDU from the DH prior to expiration of a symmetry timer;

and further comprising;

means for transmitting the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for determining are further configured to:

determine that a second PDU is not available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer; and

generate a second SYMM PDU; and

further comprising;

means for transmitting the second SYMM PDU to the remote NFC endpoint upon the expiration of the symmetry timer.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the NFCC is operable to perform logical link control protocol (LLCP) split communications such that LLCP functionality is partitioned between the NFCC and the DH.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving is further configured to receive, by the NFCC from the DH, a symmetry timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits to receive a PDU from the DH prior to transmitting a SYMM PDU, wherein the symmetry timer and link timeout timer are received as at least one of:

parameters in a core set configuration message;

or

commands specific to configuration of the LLCP split communications.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein values associated with the symmetry timer and the link timeout timer are set to zero;

and wherein the means for communicating are further configured to;

communicate any received PDUs to the DH; and

communicate only PDU received from the DH to the remote NFC endpoint.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for determining are further configured to determine that the received PDU is the link deactivation PDU;

and further comprising;

performing a link deactivation procedure for the LLCP link.

26. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) controller (NFCC) operable to;

receive, by the NFCC, a protocol data unit (PDU) from a remote NFC endpoint;

determine whether the received PDU is a symmetry (SYMM) PDU or a link deactivation PDU, the SYMM PDU and the link deactivation PDU associated with a logical link control protocol (LLCP) link;

communicate the received PDU to a device host (DH) upon a determination that the received PDU is not a SYMM PDU or a link deactivation PDU; and

receive, by the NFCC from the DH, a link timeout timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits for a PDU from the remote NFC endpoint prior to communicating a link failure message to the DH.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, and wherein the NFCC is further configured to:

determine whether a second PDU is available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint; and

transmit the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer upon a determination that the second PDU is available for transmission.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, and wherein the NFCC is further configured to:

receive a second PDU from the DH prior to expiration of a symmetry timer; and

transmit the second PDU to the remote NFC endpoint.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the NFCC is further configured to:

determine that a second PDU is not available for transmission to the remote NFC endpoint prior to expiration of a symmetry timer;

generate a second SYMM PDU; and

transmit the second SYMM PDU to the remote NFC endpoint upon the expiration of the symmetry timer.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the NFCC is operable to perform logical link control protocol (LLCP) split communications such that LLCP functionality is partitioned between the NFCC and the DH.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the NFCC is further configured to receive, from the DH, a symmetry timer that defines a time duration that the NFCC waits to receive a PDU from the DH prior to transmitting a SYMM PDU, wherein the symmetry timer and link timeout timer are received as at least one of:

parameters in a core set configuration message;

or

commands specific to configuration of the LLCP split communications.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein values associated with the symmetry timer and the link timeout timer are set to zero;

and wherein the NFCC is further configured to;

communicate any received PDUs to the DH; and

communicate only PDU received from the DH to the remote NFC endpoint.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the determining further comprises determining that the received PDU is the link deactivation PDU;

and

performing a link deactivation procedure for the LLCP link.