Battery management scheme for NFC

• US 9,729,205 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Optis Circuit Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Inventors: Pietri, Pierre-Jean, Delplanque, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US14/374,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20150035386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 307130
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• 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: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

There is described a method for establishing an NFC connection between a subscriber identity module (SIM) and an NFC device (RDR). The subscriber identity module (SIM) is connected to a telecommunications system (CELL_P) through contacts (VCC, RST, CLK, D+, GND, SWP, IO, D−) of the telecommunications system (CELL_P). The telecommunications system (CELL_P) comprises a chipset (CHP) and an NFC circuit (NFCC). The method comprises measuring the level of charge of a battery (BATT) powering the telecommunications system (CELL_P) with a battery gauge. Based on the measurement, the method selects the source for supplying power to the subscriber identity module (SIM) and configures the wiring of the subscriber identity module (SIM). The disclosure also relates, in particular, to a telecommunications system, to a computer program, and to a storage medium.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an NFC connection between a subscriber identity module and an NFC device, the subscriber identity module being connected to a telecommunications system through contacts of the telecommunications system, the telecommunications system comprising a chipset and an NFC circuit, the method comprising:

/a/ measuring the level of charge of a battery powering the telecommunications system with a battery gauge,

/b/ if the measured level is greater than a threshold,

/b1/ powering the subscriber identity module through a first connection between a power supply contact of the telecommunications system and the chipset,

/b2/ upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and a communications contact of the telecommunications system,

/c/ if the measured level is lower than or equal to the threshold,

/c1/ applying a pull down on the first connection from the chipset and then configuring the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode,

/c2/ upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, powering the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through a second connection between said power supply contact and the NFC circuit, and establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying a pull down on the second connection from the NFC circuit until the chipset has configured the first connection in high impedance mode and the NFC circuit has detected an NFC device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, upon detection of a shutdown of the system when the battery charge level is above the threshold:

/d1/ applying a pull down on the first connection from the chipset and then configuring the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode,

/d2/ upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, powering the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through the second connection, and establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising defining the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the telecommunications system.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising defining the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the battery.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising defining the threshold by reading, from the battery, a battery identifier, and determining the threshold on the basis of the battery identifier.

7. A telecommunications system comprising:

a chipset,

an NFC circuit,

a set of contacts arranged to connect the telecommunications system to a subscriber identity module,

a first connection between the chipset and a power supply contact,

a second connection between the NFC circuit and said power supply contact,

the system being arranged to measure a level of charge of a battery powering the system with a battery gauge,

the system being arranged, when the measured level is higher than a threshold, to power a subscriber identity module through the first connection, and, upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, to establish a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and a communications contact of the telecommunications system,

the system being arranged, when the battery gauge measures a level of charge lower than or equal to the threshold, to apply a pull down, from the chipset, on the first connection, to configure the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode, and, upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, to power the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through the second connection, and to establish a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is arranged to apply a pull down on the second connection from the NFC circuit until the chipset has configured the first connection in high impedance mode and the NFC circuit has detected an NFC device.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is arranged, upon detection of a shutdown of the system when the battery charge level is above the threshold, to apply a pull down on the first connection from the chipset and then configuring the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode, and, upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, to power the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through the second connection, and to establish a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is arranged to define the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the telecommunications system.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is arranged to define the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the battery.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is arranged to define the threshold by reading, from the battery, a battery identifier, and determining the threshold on the basis of the battery identifier.

13. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to establish:

an NFC connection between a subscriber identity module and an NFC device, the subscriber identity module being connected to a telecommunications system through contacts of the telecommunications system, the telecommunications system comprising a chipset and an NFC circuit, by performing operations including;

measuring, with a battery gauge, a level of charge of a battery powering a telecommunications system that includes a chipset and an NFC circuit;

if the measured level is greater than a threshold;

powering a subscriber identity module through a first connection between a power supply contact of the telecommunications system and the chipset; and

upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and a communications contact of the telecommunications system;

if the measured level is lower than or equal to the threshold;

applying a pull down on the first connection from the chipset and then configuring the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode,

upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, powering the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through a second connection between the power supply contact and the NFC circuit, and establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including applying a pull down on the second connection from the NFC circuit until the chipset has configured the first connection in high impedance mode and the NFC circuit has detected an NFC device.

15. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including, upon detection of a shutdown of the system when the battery charge level is above the threshold:

applying a pull down on the first connection from the chipset and then configuring the first connection, from the chipset, in high impedance mode,

upon detection of an NFC device by the NFC circuit, powering the subscriber identity module from the NFC circuit through the second connection, and establishing a connection between the subscriber identity module and the NFC device through the NFC circuit and said communications contact.

16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including defining the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the telecommunications system.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including defining the threshold by reading a default threshold value from a memory of the battery.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations including defining the threshold by reading, from the battery, a battery identifier, and determining the threshold on the basis of the battery identifier.