Dynamic boost of near field communications (NFC) performance/coverage in devices

• US 9,773,241 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Songnan, Adrangi, Farid, Karacaoglu, Ulun, Konanur, Anand, Iriawan, Denny, Stepek, Thomas J
• Primary Examiner(s): Apple, Kirsten
• Application Number:
  US13/795,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3042 in modulators, frequency-changers, transmitters or power amplifiers transmission power control in bidirectional transmission systems H04W52/04

Abstract

Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for dynamic amplification/boosting of near field communications (NFC) antenna transmission power in a device during NFC related functions that require increase in an NFC antenna transmission power such as a payment transaction. For example, to comply with Europay MasterCard and Visa (EMVco) standards with regard to higher NFC antenna transmission power during the EMVco transactions, the NFC antenna transmission power may be dynamically controlled to maximize efficiency of a battery/power supply of the device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

a near field communication (NFC) module coupled to the one or more processors and configured to read a data identification that requires a higher transmission power, wherein the NFC module is configured to supply and control an amount of transmission current or voltage in response to the reading of the data identification;

an NFC antenna coupled to the NFC module, wherein the NFC antenna includes a dynamic transmission power based upon received amount of transmission current or voltage from the NFC module.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a boosting circuit coupled to the NFC module, wherein the boosting circuit includes a power amplifier (PA) with a configurable amplifier gain, wherein the configurable amplifier gain is dynamically adjusted to generate increased NFC antenna transmission power.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the data identification is derived from an “

e-commerce”

card near field coupling transaction that requires increased NFC antenna transmission power.

4. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the boosting circuit is an external power amplifier (PA).

5. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the boosting circuit is an internal power amplifier (PA) integrated with the NFC module to form a single module.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the NFC module is configured to increase the supply or amount of transmission current or voltage until completion of a near field coupling transaction that requires increased NFC antenna transmission power.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the NFC module is configured to increase the NFC antenna transmission power within a time threshold that includes a duration of time that the NFC antenna transmission power is increased.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the NFC module is configured to maintain a relatively low power during a proximity mode.