Method for controlling an antenna network quality factor of a near field communication device without changing matching network, and associated apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for controlling an antenna network quality factor of a near field communication (NFC) device, the method comprising:
- determining whether a first data rate or a second data rate should be used for data communication during different time intervals, respectively, wherein the first data rate is different from the second data rate; and
when it is determined that the first data rate should be used for data communication during a first time interval of the time intervals, controlling a set of resistors positioned within a chip of the NFC device to have a first configuration during the first time interval, in order to adjust the antenna network quality factor, wherein the resistors are positioned on a plurality of switchable conduction paths directly connected to at least one ground terminal of the chip, respectively, to allow at least one portion of the resistors being in parallel with an antenna matching network of the NFC device with respect to the at least one ground terminal, wherein the antenna matching network is positioned outside the chip,wherein a transmitter within the chip is electrically connected to the antenna matching network outside the chip through transmitter terminals of the chip, wherein electrical paths between the transmitter terminals and the antenna matching network are first electrical paths,wherein the switchable conduction paths comprise a first set of switchable conduction paths and a second set of switchable conduction paths, and the first set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a first terminal of an antenna through a first non-transmitter terminal of the chip and the second set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a second terminal of the antenna through a second non-transmitter terminal of the chip,wherein a resistor of the first set of switchable conduction paths is in series with a switch, the resistor and switch being connected between the first non-transmitter terminal and the at least one ground terminal,wherein an electrical path between the first non-transmitter terminal and the first terminal of the antenna is a second electrical path separate from the first electrical paths,wherein an electrical path between the second non-transmitter terminal and the second terminal of the antenna is a third electrical path separate from the first electrical paths, andwherein the transmitter terminals and the first and second non-transmitter terminals are boundaries between the chip and the outside of the chip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling an antenna network quality factor of an NFC device includes: determining whether a first data rate or a second data rate should be used for data communication during different time intervals, respectively; and when it is determined that the first data rate should be used during a first time interval of the time intervals, controlling a set of internal resistors positioned within a chip of the NFC device to have a first configuration during the first time interval, in order to adjust the antenna network quality factor. More particularly, the method further includes: when it is determined that the second data rate should be used during a second time interval of the time intervals, controlling the set of internal resistors to have a second configuration during the second time interval, in order to adjust the antenna network quality factor. An associated apparatus is also provided.
18 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for controlling an antenna network quality factor of a near field communication (NFC) device, the method comprising:
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determining whether a first data rate or a second data rate should be used for data communication during different time intervals, respectively, wherein the first data rate is different from the second data rate; and when it is determined that the first data rate should be used for data communication during a first time interval of the time intervals, controlling a set of resistors positioned within a chip of the NFC device to have a first configuration during the first time interval, in order to adjust the antenna network quality factor, wherein the resistors are positioned on a plurality of switchable conduction paths directly connected to at least one ground terminal of the chip, respectively, to allow at least one portion of the resistors being in parallel with an antenna matching network of the NFC device with respect to the at least one ground terminal, wherein the antenna matching network is positioned outside the chip, wherein a transmitter within the chip is electrically connected to the antenna matching network outside the chip through transmitter terminals of the chip, wherein electrical paths between the transmitter terminals and the antenna matching network are first electrical paths, wherein the switchable conduction paths comprise a first set of switchable conduction paths and a second set of switchable conduction paths, and the first set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a first terminal of an antenna through a first non-transmitter terminal of the chip and the second set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a second terminal of the antenna through a second non-transmitter terminal of the chip, wherein a resistor of the first set of switchable conduction paths is in series with a switch, the resistor and switch being connected between the first non-transmitter terminal and the at least one ground terminal, wherein an electrical path between the first non-transmitter terminal and the first terminal of the antenna is a second electrical path separate from the first electrical paths, wherein an electrical path between the second non-transmitter terminal and the second terminal of the antenna is a third electrical path separate from the first electrical paths, and wherein the transmitter terminals and the first and second non-transmitter terminals are boundaries between the chip and the outside of the chip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for controlling an antenna network quality factor of a near field communication (NFC) device, the apparatus comprising at least one portion of the NFC device, the apparatus comprising:
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a set of resistors, positioned within a chip of the NFC device, arranged to perform antenna network quality factor control; and a control circuit, positioned within the chip of the NFC device and coupled to the set of resistors, arranged to determine whether a first data rate or a second data rate should be used for data communication during different time intervals, respectively, wherein the first data rate is different from the second data rate; wherein when it is determined that the first data rate should be used for data communication during a first time interval of the time intervals, the control circuit controls the set of resistors to have a first configuration during the first time interval, in order to adjust the antenna network quality factor wherein the resistors are positioned on a plurality of switchable conduction paths directly connected to at least one ground terminal of the chip, respectively, to allow at least one portion of the resistors being in parallel with an antenna matching network on the NFC device with respect to the at least one ground terminal, wherein the antenna matching network is positioned outside the chip, wherein a transmitter within the chip is electrically connected to the antenna matching network outside the chip through transmitter terminals of the chip, wherein electrical paths between the transmitter terminals and the antenna matching network are first electrical paths, wherein the switchable conduction paths comprise a first set of switchable conduction paths and a second set of switchable conduction paths, and the first set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a first terminal of the antenna outside the chip through a first non-transmitter terminal of the chip and the second set of switchable conduction paths is electrically connected to a second terminal of the antenna through a second non-transmitter terminal of the chip, wherein a resistor of the first set of switchable conduction paths is in series with a switch, the resistor and switch being connected between the first non-transmitter terminal and the at least one ground terminal, wherein an electrical path between the first non-transmitter terminal and the first terminal of the antenna is a second electrical path separate from the first electrical paths, wherein an electrical path between the second non-transmitter terminal and the second terminal of the antenna is a third electrical path separate from the first electrical paths, and wherein the transmitter terminals and the first and second non-transmitter terminals are boundaries between the chip and the outside of the chip. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification