Abstract: Some battery-powered devices, such as smartphones, can be unlocked with use of wearable NFC (Near Field Communication) authentication devices. However, using conventional NFC authentication procedures is expensive in terms of power consumption because of continual rediscovery and reauthentication of the wearable authentication device. To address this, the present inventors, devised, among other things, more efficient methods for authenticating NFC-tagged authentication device, such as rings. For example, one embodiment uses two NFC polling loops or structures, instead of one as conventionally done. The first loop, used for initial authentication, entails scanning for two or more types of NFC tags. And the second loop, invoked after initial authentication, scans for a smaller subset of the two or more types to conserve battery power.

Abstract: A touch sensor and RFID apparatus is described. In one implementation, the apparatus includes a passive RFID module disposed proximate to a touch panel, and a control module configured to receive an electrical signal from the passive RFID module. The apparatus may be configured to determine, based on a characteristic of the electrical signal, whether the passive RFID module has been energized by an RFID reader or, in the alternative, has exhibited an impedance change as a result of contact being made with the touch panel. The apparatus may also be configured to operate in a first mode if the passive RFID module is determined to have been energized by an RFID reader, or, in the alternative, operate in a second mode if the passive RFID module is determined to have been energized as a result of contact being made with the touch panel.

Abstract: A computing device (102) includes multiple antennas, one antenna for wireless communication and another antenna for wireless charging. Each antenna is one of multiple coils that are co-located at a particular area of a housing of the computing device. These multiple coils can be configured in various different manners, and are configured such that a first of the multiple coils has an outer periphery and an inner boundary. A second of the multiple coils includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion of the second coil is positioned about the outer periphery of the first coil, the second portion of the second coil is positioned within the inner boundary of the first coil, and the third portion of the second coil traverses the first coil and interconnects the first and second portions of the second coil.

Abstract: A computing device (102) includes multiple antennas, one antenna for wireless communication and another antenna for wireless charging. Each antenna is one of multiple coils that are co-located at a particular area of a housing of the computing device. These multiple coils can be configured in various different manners, and are configured such that a first of the multiple coils has an outer periphery and an inner boundary. A second of the multiple coils includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion of the second coil is positioned about the outer periphery of the first coil, the second portion of the second coil is positioned within the inner boundary of the first coil, and the third portion of the second coil traverses the first coil and interconnects the first and second portions of the second coil.

Abstract: An electronic device (200) includes a single antenna (211), a communication circuit (202), and a RFID circuit (207). A switch (212) selectively couples the single antenna to one of the communication circuit or the RFID circuit. For example, the RFID circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is OFF, and the communication circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is ON. Accordingly, RFID information can be received from an RFID communication device when the electronic device is OFF. When the electronic device is ON, an interrupt can cause the switch to connect the RFID circuit to the single antenna, sometimes only for less than a predetermined duration.

Abstract: A method, performed by a tag device that is coupled to an electronic device, for initiating a function in the electronic device includes receiving a signal from an interrogator device. The method also includes determining from the signal to initiate a function in the electronic device, and signaling the electronic device to initiate the function.

Abstract: Some battery-powered devices, such as smartphones, can be unlocked with use of wearable NFC (Near Field Communication) authentication devices. However, using conventional NFC authentication procedures is expensive in terms of power consumption because of continual rediscovery and reauthentication of the wearable authentication device. To address this, the present inventors, devised, among other things, more efficient methods for authenticating NFC-tagged authentication device, such as rings. For example, one embodiment uses two NFC polling loops or structures, instead of one as conventionally done. The first loop, used for initial authentication, entails scanning for two or more types of NFC tags. And the second loop, invoked after initial authentication, scans for a smaller subset of the two or more types to conserve battery power.

Abstract: Conventional Near Field Communication (NFC) authentication devices sometimes waste their users' time by requiring users to repeatedly reorient the devices to an NFC reader to complete authentication. To reduce the need for this reorientation, the present inventors, devised, among other things, an authentication assembly including two or more antennas configured for connection to a single NFC-tag circuit. In some embodiments, the assembly is built into an adjustable ring that can authenticate a user to an NFC-equipped electronic device, for example a smart phone, associated with the ring. In this configuration, each of the antennas generate a magnetic field generally perpendicular to an outer surface of the ring when excited with an appropriate signal, providing the ring with multiple options for establishing an inductive coupling to an NFC sensor in the electronic device without requiring the user to reorient the ring.

Abstract: An electronic device (200) includes a single antenna (211), a communication circuit (202), and a RFID circuit (207). A switch (212) selectively couples the single antenna to one of the communication circuit or the RFID circuit. For example, the RFID circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is OFF, and the communication circuit can be coupled to the single antenna when the electronic device is ON. Accordingly, RFID information can be received from an RFID communication device when the electronic device is OFF. When the electronic device is ON, an interrupt can cause the switch to connect the RFID circuit to the single antenna, sometimes only for less than a predetermined duration.

Abstract: A touch sensor and RFID apparatus is described. In one implementation, the apparatus includes a passive RFID module disposed proximate to a touch panel, and a control module configured to receive an electrical signal from the passive RFID module. The apparatus may be configured to determine, based on a characteristic of the electrical signal, whether the passive RFID module has been energized by an RFID reader or, in the alternative, has exhibited an impedance change as a result of contact being made with the touch panel. The apparatus may also be configured to operate in a first mode if the passive RFID module is determined to have been energized by an RFID reader, or, in the alternative, operate in a second mode if the passive RFID module is determined to have been energized as a result of contact being made with the touch panel.