Management of near field communications using low power modes of an electronic device

• US 9,603,090 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Khan, Ahmer A., Linde, Joakim, Hakim, Joseph, Rosen, Zachary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US14/063,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20150044964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3278 Power saving in modem or I/O interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for managing near field communications during a low power management mode of an electronic device are provided that may make credentials of a near field communication (“NFC”) component appropriately secure and appropriately accessible while also limiting the power consumption of the NFC component and of other components of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

detecting a low power mode initiation event; and

in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event;

disabling an element of the electronic device;

while the element is disabled, identifying an authentication initiation event, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises detecting a near field communication terminal with the electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the near field communication terminal of the identification of the authentication initiation event, providing on an output component of the electronic device an output that requests user interaction for enabling a near field communication component of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output requests the user interaction for enabling the near field communication component by at least one of:

requesting user authorization of the near field communication component; and

requesting user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the near field communication component.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving authentication information on an input component of the electronic device in response to the provided output; and

enabling the near field communication component based on the received authentication information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the element of the electronic device comprises the output component; and

the method further comprises reactivating the output component prior to the output being provided on the output component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the output component is a display output component.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the output component comprises one of an audio output component and a haptic output component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the element of the electronic device comprises at least one function of the near field communication component of the electronic device.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a near field communication component;

an output component; and

a processor configured to;

detect a low power mode initiation event;

ensure that at least one function of the near field communication component is disabled in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event;

identify an authentication initiation event once it is ensured that the at least one function of the near field communication component is disabled, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises detection of a near field communication terminal with the electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the near field communication terminal of the identification of the authentication initiation event, provide on the output component an output that requests user interaction with the electronic device for enabling the at least one function of the near field communication component.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the detection of the low power mode initiation event comprises one of:

detection of a power level of a power supply of the electronic device below a particular threshold; and

receipt of a user input on an input component of the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one function of the near field communication component comprises communication of data from a security domain of the near field communication component to an antenna of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the output requests the user interaction for the enablement by at least one of:

requesting user authorization of the at least one function of the near field communication component; and

requesting user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the near field communication component.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising an input component, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive authentication information on the input component in response to the provision of the output that requests the user interaction; and

enable the at least one function of the near field communication component based on the received authentication information.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein:

the processor is configured to enable the at least one function of the near field communication component by powering an antenna of the electronic device; and

the at least one function is communication of a credential from the near field communication component via the antenna.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the input component comprises at least one of a mechanical button, a virtual button, and a biometric authentication component.

15. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to close at least one active application in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event.

16. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the output component is a display output component.

17. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the output component comprises one of an audio output component and a haptic output component.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

detecting a low power mode initiation event on an electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the low power mode initiation event;

disabling an element of the electronic device;

while the element is disabled, identifying an authentication initiation event on the electronic device, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises detecting a near field communication terminal with the electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the near field communication terminal of the identification of the authentication initiation event, providing on an output component of the electronic device an output that requests enabling a near field communication component of the electronic device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein:

the element of the electronic device comprises the output component; and

the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises additional computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for reactivating the output component prior to the providing.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the element of the electronic device comprises at least one function of the near field communication component of the electronic device.

21. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:

disabling an output component of the electronic device;

while the output component is disabled, detecting a near field communication terminal with the electronic device with the electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the near field communication terminal, enabling the output component and then providing with the output component an output indicative of a request for user interaction with the electronic device that is operative to enable at least a portion of a proximity-based communication component of the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the disablement of the output component reduces power consumption of the electronic device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the output component comprises a display output component.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the request for user interaction with the electronic device is at least one of:

a request for user authorization of the proximity-based communication component; and

a request for user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the proximity-based communication component.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving authentication information on an input component of the electronic device in response to the output being provided with the output component; and

enabling the at least a portion of the proximity-based communication component based on the received authentication information.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises receiving a user input on an input component of the electronic device.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises detecting a proximity-based communication terminal with the electronic device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the output component comprises one of an audio output component and a haptic output component.

29. An electronic device comprising:

a proximity-based communication component;

an output component; and

control circuitry operative to;

disable at least one function of the proximity-based communication component in response to detection of a low power mode initiation event;

identify an authentication initiation event when the at least one function of the proximity-based communication component is disabled, wherein the identification of the authentication initiation event comprises detection of a proximity-based communication terminal with the electronic device; and

in response to the detection of the proximity-based communication terminal of the identification of the authentication initiation event, provide via the output component an output indicative of a request for user interaction with the electronic device that is operative to enable the at least one function of the proximity-based communication component.

30. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the at least one function of the proximity-based communication component comprises communication of data from a security domain of the proximity-based communication component to an antenna of the electronic device.

31. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the output component comprises one of an audio output component and a haptic output component.

32. The electronic device of claim 29, wherein the request for user interaction with the electronic device comprises at least one of:

a request for user authorization of the at least one function of the proximity-based communication component; and

a request for user selection of at least one credential provisioned on the proximity-based communication component.

33. The electronic device of claim 29, further comprising an input component, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

receive authentication information on the input component in response to the provision of the output; and

enable the at least one function of the proximity-based communication component based on the received authentication information.