Methods and apparatus for improving management of NFC logical connections

• US 9,113,284 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hillan, John, Gillespie, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): LIAO, HSINCHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/585,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20130052950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/68, 455/410, 709/220
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Aspects disclosed herein relate to improving mechanisms for managing logical connection establishment between NFCC and a DH. In one example, with a NFC device a NFCC may be configured to receive a core initialization command, from a DH, as part of an initialization and activation procedure. The NFCC may be configured to transmit a core initialization response to the DH without information associated with a static RF connection. Thereafter, the NFC device may detect one or more remote NFC endpoints. The NFCC may further be operable to determine a maximum payload size and an initial number of credits for the static RF connection based, at least in part, on at least one of a RF interface or a RF protocol used by a remote NFC endpoint chosen for communications, and transmit the determined maximum payload size and the initial number of credits to the DH to establish a logical connection.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving a core initialization command, from a device host (DH), as part of an initialization and activation procedure for a near field communications (NFC) controller (NFCC);

transmitting a core initialization response to the DH without information associated with a static radio frequency (RF) connection;

detecting one or more remote NFC endpoints;

determining a maximum payload size and an initial number of credits for the static RF connection based, at least in part, on at least one of a RF interface or a RF protocol used by a remote NFC endpoint chosen for communications; and

transmitting the determined maximum payload size and the initial number of credits to the DH to establish a logical connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a connection identifier to the logical connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the connection identifier is assigned a number from 0 to 15.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical connection comprises a static RF connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical connection comprises a dynamic logical connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more remote NFCC endpoints comprises:

a remote NFC tag, a reader/writer device, a remote peer initiator device, or a remote peer target device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the remote NFC tag comprises a tag type in a range of 1 to 4.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting further comprises:

detecting two or more remote NFC endpoints;

communicating detection of each of the two or more NFC endpoints using RF discovery notification messages to the DH; and

receiving a RF discovery selection command from the DH selecting one remote NFC endpoint of the two or more remote NFC endpoints with which to communication.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving a core initialization command, from a device host (DH), as part of an initialization and activation procedure for a near field communications (NFC) controller (NFCC);

transmitting a core initialization response to the DH without information associated with a static radio frequency (RF) connection;

detecting one or more remote NFC endpoints;

determining a maximum payload size and an initial number of credits for the static RF connection based, at least in part, on at least one of a RF interface or a RF protocol used by a remote NFC endpoint chosen for communications; and

transmitting the determined maximum payload size and the initial number of credits to the DH to establish a logical connection.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for:

assigning a connection identifier to the logical connection.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the connection identifier is assigned a number from 0 to 15.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the logical connection comprises a static RF connection.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the logical connection comprises a dynamic logical connection.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the one or more remote NFCC endpoints comprises:

a remote NFC tag, a reader/writer device, a remote peer initiator device, or a remote peer target device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the remote NFC tag comprises a tag type in a range of 1 to 4.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the code for detecting further comprises code for:

detecting two or more remote NFC endpoints;

communicating detection of each of the two or more NFC endpoints using RF discovery notification messages to the DH; and

receiving a RF discovery selection command from the DH selecting one remote NFC endpoint of the two or more remote NFC endpoints with which to communication.

17. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for receiving a core initialization command, from a device host (DH), as part of an initialization and activation procedure for a near field communications (NFC) controller (NFCC);

means for transmitting a core initialization response to the DH without information associated with a static radio frequency (RF) connection;

means for detecting one or more remote NFC endpoints;

means for determining a maximum payload size and an initial number of credits for the static RF connection based, at least in part, on at least one of a RF interface or a RF protocol used by a remote NFC endpoint chosen for communications; and

means for transmitting the determined maximum payload size and the initial number of credits to the DH to establish a logical connection.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for determining further comprising:

means for assigning a connection identifier to the logical connection.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connection identifier is assigned a number from 0 to 15.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logical connection comprises a static RF connection.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logical connection comprises a dynamic logical connection.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more remote NFCC endpoints comprises:

a remote NFC tag, a reader/writer device, a remote peer initiator device, or a remote peer target device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the remote NFC tag comprises a tag type in a range of 1 to 4.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting further comprises:

means for detecting two or more remote NFC endpoints;

means for communicating detection of each of the two or more NFC endpoints using RF discovery notification messages to the DH; and

means for receiving a RF discovery selection command from the DH selecting one remote NFC endpoint of the two or more remote NFC endpoints with which to communication.

25. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a device host (DH);

a near field communication (NFC) controller (NFCC), in communication with the DH, and configured to;

receive a core initialization command, from the DH, as part of an initialization and activation procedure;

transmit a core initialization response to the DH without information associated with a static radio frequency (RF) connection;

detect one or more remote NFC endpoints;

determine a maximum payload size and an initial number of credits for the static RF connection based, at least in part, on at least one of a RF interface or a RF protocol used by a remote NFC endpoint chosen for communications; and

transmit the determined maximum payload size and the initial number of credits to the DH to establish a logical connection.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the NFCC is further configured to:

assign a connection identifier to the logical connection.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the connection identifier is assigned a number from 0 to 15.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the logical connection comprises a static RF connection.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the logical connection comprises a dynamic logical connection.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more remote NFCC endpoints comprises:

a remote NFC tag, a reader/writer device, a remote peer initiator device, or a remote peer target device.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the remote NFC tag comprises a tag type in a range of 1 to 4.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the NFCC is further configured to:

detect two or more remote NFC endpoints;

communicate detection of each of the two or more NFC endpoints using RF discovery notification messages to the DH; and

receive a RF discovery selection command from the DH selecting one remote NFC endpoint of the two or more remote NFC endpoints with which to communication.