Positioning guidance for increasing reliability of near-field communications
First Claim
1. A method of operating a near field communication (NFC)-enabled device, comprising:
- transmitting from a plurality of antennas of a first NFC-enabled device, a plurality of commands;
receiving, at the plurality of antennas, a plurality of responses to the corresponding plurality of commands;
measuring a response delay time of the responses received at the plurality of antennas;
recording the response delay time such that the response delay time is associated with the antenna of the plurality of antennas from which the respective command was transmitted; and
determining the distance of the plurality of antennas from the source of the response based on the response delay time associated with the plurality of antennas;
wherein the response delay time is the amount of time between the command sent and the reception of a first response edge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To promote ease of use, as well as a reduction in bit error rates during extended data exchange between a coupled NFC tag/reader pair, signal strength is measured from a plurality of NFC tag antennas each positioned differently with respect to a common reader field, and differences in signal strength are used to determine an optimum positioning of the tag, or tag emulator, with respect to the reader. Alternative embodiments may include signal time of flight for determining orientation of the NFC antennas within the reader field. Information is generated by the tag, or tag emulator, and output by the tag, or tag emulator, such that a user may direct the positioning of the tag, or tag emulator, for improved communication with the reader.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a near field communication (NFC)-enabled device, comprising:
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transmitting from a plurality of antennas of a first NFC-enabled device, a plurality of commands; receiving, at the plurality of antennas, a plurality of responses to the corresponding plurality of commands; measuring a response delay time of the responses received at the plurality of antennas; recording the response delay time such that the response delay time is associated with the antenna of the plurality of antennas from which the respective command was transmitted; and determining the distance of the plurality of antennas from the source of the response based on the response delay time associated with the plurality of antennas; wherein the response delay time is the amount of time between the command sent and the reception of a first response edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a near field communication (NFC)-enabled device, comprising:
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transmitting from each antenna of a plurality of antennas of an NFC-enabled device, a corresponding command; receiving, at each antenna of the plurality of antennas, a response; measuring a response delay time of the responses received at each antenna of the plurality of antennas; recording each response delay time such that each response delay time is associated with the antenna from which the respective command was transmitted; determining a received signal strength is greater than a predetermined value; and determining the distance of each of the antennas from the source of the response based on the response delay time associated with each antenna; wherein the response delay time is the amount of time between the command sent and the reception of a first response edge. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating an NFC-enabled device having a plurality of symmetrically disposed antennas, comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of commands from the plurality of symmetrically disposed antennas; receiving, at the plurality of symmetrically disposed antennas, a plurality of responses corresponding to the plurality of commands; measuring a plurality of response delay times of the plurality of responses with an accuracy on the order of approximately one picosecond; recording the plurality of response times, the plurality of response times being associated with corresponding antennas of the plurality of antennas that transmitted their corresponding commands of the plurality of commands; averaging the plurality of response times over time; and determining a plurality of distances from the plurality of antennas to a source corresponding to the plurality of responses based on the plurality of averaged response times; wherein the plurality of symmetrically disposed antennas have similar shapes, sizes, and material compositions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification