MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE HAVING TOUCH ACTIVATED NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS (NFC) CIRCUIT

• US 20100081374A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MOOSAVI, Vahid
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• 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: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• 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: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and a circuit board carried by the housing and including Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other. A Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit is positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with the NFC communication protocol. A touch activated sensor is supported by the housing and operative for enabling operation of the NFC circuit when touched to establish NFC communications from the communications device.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device, comprising;

a housing;

a circuit board carried by the housing;

radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other;

a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with a NFC communications protocol; and

a first touch activated sensor supported by the housing and operative for enabling operation of the NFC circuit when touched to establish NFC communications from the communications device.

2. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, and further comprising a circuit board for supporting the RF circuitry.

3. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, and further comprising a circuit board for supporting the processor.

4. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said first touch activated sensor is positioned to be touched by at least one finger when the housing is manually grasped and placed near another NFC enabled tag or device.

5. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, and further comprising a second touch activated sensor supported by the housing and positioned to be touched to enable the NFC circuit and establish NFC communications.

6. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 5, wherein said housing comprises opposing sides, wherein a touch activated sensor is positioned at each side of the housing such that both must be touched to establish NFC communications.

7. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said first touch activated sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

8. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 7, wherein said capacitive touch sensor comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter and processor associated therewith.

9. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said NFC circuit comprises a NFC integrated circuit (IC) chip mounted on a circuit board.

10. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, and further comprising a power circuit for supplying power to the NFC circuit, and a switch connected between the power circuit and the NFC circuit and connected to the touch activated sensor and operable for switching power ON to the NFC circuit only when the touch activated sensor is touched.

11. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, and further comprising a first touch activated sensor operative with a second touch activated sensor for ensuring there are no false positives when the NFC circuit is enabled.

13. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said second touch activated sensor that is positioned for ensuring there are no false positives is positioned to be engaged with the palm of a hand when the communications device is operated in a non-NFC enabled communications mode.

14. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said first touch activated sensor is positioned to be touched by at least one finger when the housing is manually grasped and placed near another NBC enabled tag or device.

15. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, and further comprising touch activated sensors mounted at opposing sides of the housing and positioned to be touched when establishing NFC communications.

16. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, said first touch activated sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

17. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 16, wherein said capacitive touch sensor comprises a capacitance-to-digital converter and processor associated therewith.

18. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said NFC circuit comprises a NFC integrated circuit (IC) chip mounted on a circuit board.

19. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 10, and further comprising a power circuit for supplying power to the NFC circuit, and a switch connected between the power circuit and the NFC circuit and connected to a touch activated sensor and operable for switching power ON to the NBC circuit only when the touch activated sensor is touched.

22. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises forming the first touch activated sensor as a capacitive touch sensor.

23. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises forming the first touch activated sensor as a capacitance-to-digital converter and processor associated therewith.

12. A mobile wireless communications device, comprising;

a housing having a front, rear and opposing sides and configured for handheld use;

a circuit board supported within the housing;

radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other;

a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with a NFC communications protocol when the rear side of the housing is placed adjacent another NFC enabled tag or device;

a first touch activated sensor supported at a side of the housing and operative for enabling operation of the NFC circuit when touched to establish NFC communications from the communications device; and

a second touch activated sensor supported on a surface of the housing and operative with the first touch activated sensor for ensuring there are no false positives when the NFC circuit is enabled.

20. A method for enabling Near Field Communications (NFC) within a mobile wireless communications device, comprising:

providing a housing and a circuit board carried by the housing and including radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor carried by the housing and operative with each other, and a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit positioned on the circuit board and operative with the processor for communicating in accordance with a NFC communications protocol;

touching a first touch activated sensor positioned on the housing for enabling the NFC circuit; and

manually positioning the housing adjacent another NFC enabled tag or device to establish NFC communications between the mobile wireless communications device and the NFC enabled tag or device.

21. The method according to claim 20, which further comprises touching touch activated sensors positioned on opposing sides of the housing to enable the NFC circuit.

24. The method according to claim 20, which further comprises switching power into the NFC circuit for enabling same after the touch activated sensor is touched.

25. The method according to claim 20, which further comprises ensuring there are not false positives when the NFC circuit is enabled by another touch activated sensor positioned on the housing that when touched, prevents the NFC circuit from being enabled.