# US 10,120,517 B2 · Tap zones for near field coupling devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,517 B2 - Document ID: US10120517B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/371,140 - Filed: 2016-12-06 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-06 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Bradley W. Corrion - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120517B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/041661: {using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window} - G06F 3/046: by electromagnetic means - H04B 5/22: Capacitive coupling - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Described herein are techniques related to near field coupling and more particularly using near field coupling related taps to indicate user selections on input/output devices. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A near field coupling tap (NFC-tap) kiosk comprising: a visual display; a first near field coupling (NFC) compatible antenna positioned relative to the visual display to create a first NFC tap zone associated with the visual display; a second NFC compatible antenna positioned relative to the visual display to create a second NFC tap zone associated with the visual display; and a processor in communication with the visual display and the first and the second NFC compatible antennas, the processor being configured to determine whether an external NFC compatible device is proximate to the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone via NFC tapping by detecting coupling between the external NFC compatible device and one of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna in accordance with a near field communication protocol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second NFC compatible antennas are from among an array of NFC compatible antennas associated with the visual display. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the visual display to present a first icon in the first NFC tap zone and to present a second icon in the second NFC tap zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The kiosk as recited in claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to execute a function associated with one of the first or the second icon upon detecting a proximity of the external device to one of the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone, respectively. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The kiosk of claim 3, wherein the first and the second icon are aligned with the first NFC tap zone and the second NFC tap zone, respectively. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The kiosk of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to alter at least one of the first icon or the second icon based upon which of the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone the external NFC compatible device is tapped. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control which of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna is active. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The kiosk as recited in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the visual display to present an icon in one of the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone associated with one of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna, respectively, that is active. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a signal from one of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna, the signal being indicative of NFC tapping, and to display an icon in a respective NFC tap zone of the visual display that corresponds to the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna in response to the detected signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, wherein the external NFC compatible device concurrently couples to the first and the second NFC tap zone, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the external NFC compatible device is tapped to the first NFC tap zone or to the second NFC tap zone by detecting which of the first or the second NFC compatible antennas the external NFC device is more strongly coupled. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The kiosk as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a third NFC compatible antenna positioned relative to the visual display to create a third NFC tap zone associated with the visual display; and a fourth NFC compatible antenna positioned relative to the visual display to create a fourth NFC tap zone associated with the visual display, wherein the first NFC compatible antenna and the second NFC compatible antenna are configured such that the first NFC tap zone and the second NFC tap zone form non-overlapping NFC tap zones, and wherein the third NFC compatible antenna and the fourth NFC compatible antenna are configured such that the third NFC tap zone and the fourth NFC tap zone form a contiguous NFC tap zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The kiosk as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the visual display to present a first icon aligned with the first NFC tap zone, a second icon aligned with the second NFC tap zone, and a third icon aligned with the third NFC tap zone, and to determine whether the external NFC compatible device is tapped to the first NFC tap zone, the second NFC tap zone, or the third NFC tap zone by detecting NFC coupling between the external NFC compatible device at one of the first NFC tap zone, the second NFC tap zone, or the contiguous NFC tap zone, respectively. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium storing machine readable instructions in a device including a visual display that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: cause the visual display to present a first and a second icon, the first icon being located within the visual display registered with a first near field coupling (NFC) compatible antenna that is associated with a first NFC tap zone, and the second icon being located within the visual display registered with a second NFC compatible antenna that is associated with a second NFC tap zone; determine whether an external NFC compatible device is proximate to the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone via NFC tapping by detecting coupling between the external NFC compatible device and one of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna in accordance with a near field communication protocol; and execute a function associated with one of the first or the second icon upon detecting the proximity of the external device to one of the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control which of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna is active. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the visual display to adjust one of the first or the second icon to indicate which of the first NFC compatible antenna or the second NFC compatible antenna, respectively, that is active. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause the visual display to adjust one of the first or the second icon based upon which of the first NFC tap zone or the second NFC tap zone the external NFC compatible device is tapped. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the display to present the first and the second icon aligned with the first NFC tap zone and the second NFC tap zone, respectively. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the external NFC compatible device concurrently couples to the first and the second NFC tap zone, and further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether the external NFC compatible device is tapped to the first NFC tap zone or to the second NFC tap zone by detecting which of the first or the second NFC compatible antennas the external NFC device is more strongly coupled.