Communications device for intelligently routing information among multiple user interfaces

• US 9,300,363 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, David Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): MILORD, MARCEAU
• Application Number:
  US14/042,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20140065961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/573, 455/343.2, 455/410, 455/343.5, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that intelligently routes NFC data from a NFC device between multiple user interfaces based upon a power level of its internal batteries. The communications device utilizes a communications device user interface to send and/or receive the NFC data from the NFC device when its internal batteries are sufficient to operate the communications device user interface. The communications device begins to route some of this NFC data from being sent and/or received by the communications device user interface to a NFC user interface as its internal batteries deplete. Eventually, all of the NFC data will be sent to and/or received by the NFC user interface as the internal batteries of the communications device become so depleted that they are unable to reliably operate the communications device user interface.

Claims

1. A communications device, comprising:

a communications module configured to perform a service; and

a controller configured to route a first portion and a second portion of information related to the service to a first user interface when a power level of a battery is sufficient to operate the first user interface and to begin to route the second portion of the information to a second user interface that is different from the first user interface as the battery begins to deplete,

wherein the first user interface is configured to provide a first visual notification or a first audible notification relating to the first portion of the information, and

wherein the second user interface is configured to provide a second visual notification or a second audible notification relating to the second portion of the information.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises:

a near field communications (NFC) module configured to provide NFC with an NFC capable device.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is configured to provide an operator with a full complement of services to be performed by the communications device when the power level of the battery is sufficient to operate the first user interface, and wherein the full complement of services is split between the first user interface and the second user interface as the battery begins to deplete.

4. The communications device of claim 3, wherein a first portion of the full complement of services is to be performed by the second user interface and a second portion of the full complement of services cannot be performed by the second user interface, and

wherein the second portion of the full complement of services is no longer being performed by the communications device when the power level indicates that the battery is insufficient to operate the first user interface.

5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to route the information to the second user interface when the power level indicates that the battery is insufficient to operate the first user interface.

6. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first communications module, the controller, and the second user interface are further configured to operate using a power harvested from a communications signal when the power level indicates that the battery is not insufficient to operate the first user interface.

7. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second communications module configured to perform a second service that is different from the service,

wherein the controller is further configured to route second information to the first user interface when the power level is sufficient to operate the first user interface and to stop being configured to route the second information as the battery begins to deplete.

8. The communications device of claim 7, wherein the service relates to near field communications (NFC), and

wherein the second service relates to communications other than NFC.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a communications module, information while performing a service;

routing the information to a first user interface when a power level of a battery is sufficient to operate the first user interface;

routing a portion of the information to a second user interface that is different from the first user interface as the battery begins to deplete;

providing, via the first interface, a first visual notification or a first audible notification relating to the first portion of the information; and

providing, via the second user interface, a second visual notification or a second audible notification relating to the second portion of the information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an operator, via the first user interface, with a full complement of services to be performed by a communications device when the power level of the battery is sufficient to operate the first user interface; and

splitting the full complement of services between the first user interface and the second user interface as the battery begins to deplete.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a first portion of the full complement of services is performed by the second user interface and a second portion of the full complement of services cannot be performed by the second user interface, and

wherein the second portion of the full complement of services is no longer performed by the communications device when the power level indicates that the battery is insufficient to operate the first user interface.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

routing the information to the second user interface when the power level indicates that the battery is insufficient to operate the first user interface.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating the second interface using a power harvested from a communications signal when the power level indicates that the battery is insufficient to operate the first user interface.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, via a second communications module, second information while performing a second service that is different from the service;

routing the second information to the first user interface when the power level is sufficient to operate the first user interface; and

terminating the routing of the second information as the battery begins to deplete.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the service relates to near field communications (NFC), and

wherein the second service relates to communications other than NFC.

16. A communications device, comprising:

a near field communications (NFC) user interface;

a non-NFC user interface; and

an NFC device configured to;

route a first portion of information and a second portion of the information to the non-NFC user interface when a power supply is above a first level that is sufficient to operate the non-NFC user interface;

begin to route the second portion of the information to the NFC user interface when the power supply is between the first level and a second level that is different from the first level; and

route the second portion of the information to the NFC user interface when the power supply is below the second level that is not sufficient to operate the non-NFC user interface,

wherein the non-NFC user interface is configured to provide a first visual notification or a first audible notification relating to the first portion of the information, and

wherein the NFC user interface is configured to provide a second visual notification or a second audible notification relating to the second portion of the information.

17. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the NFC user interface is configured to display information relating to services provided by the NFC device.

18. The communications device of claim 17, wherein the NFC user interface comprises the visual notification to indicate a status of the NFC device.

19. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the NFC user interface comprises a display configured to operate based on from power harvested from a communication signal and to provide the visual notification.

20. The communication device of claim 16, further comprising:

a communications module,

wherein the non-NFC user interface provides an operator of the communications device with a full complement of services performed by the communications module or the NFC device.

21. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the non-NFC user interface and the NFC user interface are configured to receive data from an operator of the communications device or from the NFC device, the data representing tasks to be performed by the communications device.