Abstract: An energy harvesting unit includes a plurality of antennas configured to receive one or more signals and a plurality of first charge pumps, in which each of the first charge pumps is operatively coupled to one of the antennas, thereby forming pairs of antennas and first charge pumps. The energy harvesting unit also includes a selection unit configured to measure and compare output voltages of the first charge pumps and to select, from the antennas, a specific antenna. The specific antenna is coupled to the first charge pump that produces the highest output voltage. The energy harvesting unit also includes a multiplexer configured to couple the specific antenna selected by the selection unit to a second charge pump.

Abstract: A system includes a signal processing unit including an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal as a received radio frequency signal, and a baseband amplifier coupled to the antenna. The system includes a processor configured to cause the communication unit to stop generating a radio frequency polling signal, set an amplification gain of the baseband amplifier to a first gain value, periodically record, at a sample rate, an indication of a magnitude of the amplified radio frequency signal to generate a plurality of sample values, at a predetermined time interval after the communication unit stopped generating the radio frequency polling signal, set the amplification gain of the baseband amplifier to a second gain value, and transmit the plurality of sample values to a classifier module to determine whether the radio frequency signal is received from a near-field communication-enabled device.

Abstract: Methods for operating a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling, methods for operating an NFC device, and a communications device that communicates via inductive coupling are disclosed.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided, comprising: a user device to be monitored for unauthorized displacement, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to set up a UWB communication channel with an external localization device and to perform at least one localization operation through said UWB communication channel, and a processing unit configured to detect said unauthorized displacement of the user device by analyzing an output of said localization operation. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a localization device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to set up a UWB communication channel with an external system and to perform at least one localization operation through said UWB communication channel, and a processing unit configured to detect an unauthorized displacement of a user device comprised in said external system by analyzing an output of said localization operation.

Abstract: A sensor node is provided having a radio frequency (RF) circuit and a sensor interface circuit. The RF circuit wirelessly harvests energy from an external device such as a smart phone to produce a voltage at an output to charge a storage capacitor. The sensor interface circuit is configured to communicate with a sensor. In response to a request from the external device, the sensor node provides a voltage level of the capacitive element to the external device. The external device uses the voltage level to determine capabilities of the sensor node and to control sensing functions of the sensor node. In another embodiment, a method is provided to operate the sensor node.

Abstract: In accordance with the first aspect of the present disclosure, an ultra-wideband communication node is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband communication unit configured to transmit one or more ultra-wideband frames to an external device; a processing unit configured to determine scrambled timestamp sequences for said ultra-wideband frames; wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine designated time slots, within which said scrambled timestamp sequences are to be received by said external device.

Abstract: Near field communication (NFC) methods, systems, and devices are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, the method includes providing a first NFC device including a NFC antenna, and transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal including a RF carrier signal by way of the NFC antenna. Also, the method includes receiving a first resonant signal after the transmitting has ceased, and processing the first resonant signal to generate a first portion of transformed signal information. Further, the method includes identifying one or both of a first state and a first event based at least in part upon or associated with the first portion of the transformed signal information.

Abstract: There is described a method of determining a phase value for an NFC card emulating device that enables said NFC card emulating device to communicate in phase with an NFC reader device while utilizing active load modulation, wherein the NFC card emulating device comprises a card antenna and the NFC reader device comprises a reader antenna, the method comprising receiving a reader signal from the NFC reader device at the NFC card emulating device through coupling of the card antenna and the reader antenna, the reader signal comprising a subcarrier modulation; estimating a resonance frequency of a system corresponding to the coupled card antenna and reader antenna based on the received communication signal; and determining the phase value based on the estimated resonance frequency and a set of parameters that represents a predetermined reference system. Furthermore, an NFC card emulating device, an NFC system, and a computer program are described.

Abstract: Near field communication (NFC) methods, systems, and devices are disclosed herein. In an example embodiment, the method includes providing a first NFC device including a NFC antenna, and transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal including a RF carrier signal by way of the NFC antenna. Also, the method includes receiving a first resonant signal after the transmitting has ceased, and processing the first resonant signal to generate a first portion of transformed signal information. Further, the method includes identifying one or both of a first state and a first event based at least in part upon or associated with the first portion of the transformed signal information.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit one or more radio frequency signal pulses to an external communication device; a receiver configured to receive one or more response signals in response to the radio frequency signal pulses transmitted by the transmitter; a signal analyzer configured to detect one or more characteristics of the response signals, to compare the detected characteristics with predefined reference characteristics and to generate an output indicative of a result of comparing the detected characteristics with the predefined reference characteristics; a processing unit configured to determine at least one category to which the external communication device belongs based on the output generated by the signal analyzer. In accordance with a second aspect, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect, a corresponding computer program is provided.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a channel equalizer is provided for use in a near field communication (NFC) device, the channel equalizer comprising: a filter configured to receive an input signal and to generate a filtered output signal; an estimator configured to determine filter coefficients to be used by said filter; a synchronizer configured to determine when to enable the channel equalizer and to provide one or more corresponding control signals to the estimator. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a channel equalizer for use in a near field communication (NFC) device is conceived.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a localization device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband, UWB, communication unit configured to transmit a localization signal to an external device and to receive a response signal from the external device; an angle of arrival measurement unit configured to measure an angle at which the response signal is received; an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the localization device; and a processing unit configured to determine if an angle at which the localization signal is received by the external device, an orientation of the external device, said orientation of the localization device, and said angle at which the response signal is received meet a predefined relationship. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a localization device is conceived.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining a type of an object arranged in a radio frequency, RF, field transmitted by an NFC reader device. This method involves analyzing the oscillatory behavior in the NFC reader device, after the RF field transmitted by the reader has been switched off, using a decomposition scheme with a degree M for decomposing a decay signal trace into M superimposed components. The method involves predetermining the decomposition scheme with a degree M for decomposing a decay signal trace into M superimposed components, e.g. weighted oscillation components, wherein each one of said M superimposed components is defined by a predetermined superimposition function, which in turn is determined by an associated set of characteristic parameters, and storing, e.g. in a database that is accessible for the P&E unit, an indication of the decomposition scheme and the M predetermined superimposition functions.

Abstract: There is described a device for determining an angle of arrival of a received RF signal, the device comprising (a) a first antenna and a second antenna arranged with a predetermined distance between them on an antenna axis, the first antenna having a larger gain than the second antenna for directions corresponding to one side of the antenna axis, the second antenna having a larger gain than the first antenna for directions corresponding to the other side of the antenna axis, (b) receiver circuitry coupled to the first antenna and to the second antenna, the receiver circuitry being configured to determine a first phase and a first signal strength of a signal received by the first antenna and to determine a second phase and a second signal strength of a signal received by the second antenna, and (c) angle determining circuitry configured to determine the angle of arrival based on the first phase, the second phase, the first signal strength, and the second signal strength.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication device is provided, comprising: a UWB communication unit being configured to establish and perform UWB radio communication with an external device, a radio frequency (RF) communication device being a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein the RF communication device is configured to receive at least one command from an external reader and to initiate a wake-up or a power-up of the UWB communication unit in response to receiving said command. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication device is conceived.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: a receiver configured to receive one or more signals from an external communication device; a classifier configured to classify the external communication device using the signals received by the receiver and to output a corresponding classification result; and a processing unit configured to change one or more configuration settings of the communication device in dependence on the classification result. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program is provided.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit one or more radio frequency signal pulses to an external communication device; a receiver configured to receive one or more response signals in response to the radio frequency signal pulses transmitted by the transmitter; a signal analyzer configured to detect one or more characteristics of the response signals, to compare the detected characteristics with predefined reference characteristics and to generate an output indicative of a result of comparing the detected characteristics with the predefined reference characteristics; a processing unit configured to determine at least one category to which the external communication device belongs based on the output generated by the signal analyzer. In accordance with a second aspect, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect, a corresponding computer program is provided.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a localization system is provided for determining a geographic location of a movable object, the system comprising: a plurality of anchors, wherein each anchor is configured to receive a broadcasted message through an ultra-wideband communication channel; a processing unit configured to determine the geographic location based on differences between the times of arrival of the broadcasted message at the respective anchors, on relative positions of the anchors and on a predetermined orientation of the movable object.

Abstract: There is described a method of determining a phase value for an NFC card emulating device that enables said NFC card emulating device to communicate in phase with an NFC reader device while utilizing active load modulation, wherein the NFC card emulating device comprises a card antenna and the NFC reader device comprises a reader antenna, the method comprising receiving a reader signal from the NFC reader device at the NFC card emulating device through coupling of the card antenna and the reader antenna, the reader signal comprising a subcarrier modulation; estimating a resonance frequency of a system corresponding to the coupled card antenna and reader antenna based on the received communication signal; and determining the phase value based on the estimated resonance frequency and a set of parameters that represents a predetermined reference system. Furthermore, an NFC card emulating device, an NFC system, and a computer program are described.

Abstract: In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a radio frequency (RF) communication device is provided, comprising: a communication unit configured to generate an RF field; a detection unit configured to detect a beacon signal transmitted by a further RF communication device when said further RF communication device is within the range of the RF field; a processing unit configured to determine a reception strength of said beacon signal; and a wake-up unit configured to wake up the RF communication device if the difference between the reception strength of the beacon signal and a predefined reference value exceeds a predefined threshold.