Near-field wireless device

• US 10,601,467 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2019
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Gomme, Liesbeth, Kerselaers, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Max
• Application Number:
  US16/439,884
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

One example discloses a wireless device, including: a first near-field device, including a near-field receiver, configured to be coupled to a first surface; wherein the first near-field device is configured to receive a received near-field signal having a received signal strength (RSS); wherein the received near-field signal originates from a second near-field device having a near-field transmitter and configured to be coupled to a second surface; wherein the second near-field device is configured to generate a transmitted near-field signal having a transmitted signal strength (TSS); wherein the TSS of the transmitted near-field signal interacts with a third surface to transform into the RSS of the received near-field signal; and wherein the first near-field device is configured to translate a magnitude of the RSS to a distance of the first and/or second surfaces from the third surface.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

a first near-field device, including a near-field receiver, configured to be coupled to a first surface;

wherein the first near-field device is configured to receive a received near-field signal having a received signal strength (RSS);

wherein the received near-field signal originates from a second near-field device having a near-field transmitter and configured to be coupled to a second surface;

wherein the second near-field device is configured to generate a transmitted near-field signal having a transmitted signal strength (TSS);

wherein the TSS of the transmitted near-field signal interacts with a third surface to transform into the RSS of the received near-field signal; and

wherein the first near-field device is configured to translate a magnitude of the RSS to a distance of the first and/or second surfaces from the third surface.

2. The device of claim 1:

wherein the RSS signal is a non-propagating quasi-static electric near-field signal; and

wherein the third surface includes a conductive surface configured to conduct the non-propagating quasi-static electric near-field signal.

3. The device of claim 1:

wherein the RSS signal is a non-propagating quasi-static magnetic near-field signal; and

wherein the third surface includes a coil configured to conduct the non-propagating quasi-static magnetic near-field signal.

4. The device of claim 1:

wherein the RSS signal magnitude decreases when the distance between the first or second surfaces and the third surface decreases.

5. The device of claim 1:

wherein the RSS signal magnitude increases when the distance between the first or second surfaces and the third surface increases.

6. The device of claim 1:

wherein the first and second surface are two different locations on a single surface.

7. The device of claim 6:

wherein the single surface is a user'"'"'s body.

8. The device of claim 7:

wherein the first surface is proximate to the user'"'"'s hand and/or finger; and

wherein the second surface is proximate to the user'"'"'s torso.

9. The device of claim 1:

wherein the third surface includes surface variations; and

wherein variations of the RSS signal magnitude when the first or second surfaces is proximate to and/or touches the third surface at a set of locations correspond to the surface variations of the third surface.

10. The device of claim 9:

wherein a coded pattern of surface variations is added to the third surface.

11. The device of claim 10:

wherein the RSS signal magnitude includes the coded pattern in response to the first or second surfaces proximity to and/or touching of the third surface at each of the set of locations.

12. The device of claim 10:

wherein the RSS signal magnitude includes the coded pattern in response to the first or second surfaces swiping across the third surface over the set of locations.

13. The device of claim 1:

wherein the first near-field device includes a controller;

wherein the controller is configured to record a set of distances within a time period; and

wherein the controller is configured to output an authentication signal if the set of distances corresponds to a stored set of distances.

14. The device of claim 13:

wherein the authentication signal at least one of;

activates an electronic device, permits entry to a secure space, indicates that a procedure has been correctly followed, and/or indicates that a quality assurance procedure has been performed.

15. The device of claim 1:

wherein the first near-field device includes a controller; and

wherein the controller is configured to monitor the distance.

16. The device of claim 15:

wherein the controller is configured to output an boundary breached signal if the distance is less than a predetermined distance.

17. The device of claim 15:

wherein the controller is configured to generate an acoustic signal having an amplitude and/or frequency modulated by the distance.

18. The device of claim 15:

wherein the controller is configured to generate a visual cue modulated by the distance.

19. The device of claim 1:

wherein the received near-field signal is a first received near-field signal;

wherein the RSS is a first RSS;

wherein the transmitted near-field signal is a first transmitted near-field signal;

wherein the TSS is a first TSS;

wherein the first near-field device includes a near-field transmitter;

wherein the first near-field device is configured to generate a second transmitted near-field signal having a second TSS;

wherein the second near-field device includes a near-field receiver;

wherein the second near-field device is configured to receive a second received near-field signal having a second RSS;

wherein the second TSS of the second transmitted near-field signal interacts with the third surface to transform into the second RSS of the second received near-field signal;

wherein the second near-field device is configured to transmit the second received near-field signal to the first near-field device; and

wherein the first near-field device is configured to generate an error signal if the second RSS and the first RSS differ by more than a predetermined RSS magnitude over a predetermined time period.