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US 11,501,093 B2Granted
Method of managing an output power delivered by an antenna of a NFC apparatus and NFC apparatus
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics Austria GmbH
InventorsThomas Poetscher, Michael Gugganig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an embodiment, a method of managing an output power delivered by an antenna of a NFC apparatus includes: providing a matching circuit with a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between a NFC controller and the antenna and with a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal, wherein the first or second tuning capacitive network has a variable capacitive value; determining tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive networks to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level; and setting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network to the tuning capacitive values.
Claims24
A method of managing an output power delivered by an antenna of a near field communication (NFC) apparatus, the antenna being coupled to a NFC controller by a matching circuit, the method comprising:
- providing the matching circuit with a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna and with a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal, wherein the first or second tuning capacitive network has a variable capacitive value;
- determining tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- and
- setting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network to the tuning capacitive values, wherein determining the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network comprises executing a search algorithm using measurements of respective sets of parameters of a plurality of capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network, the search algorithm selecting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters, and wherein selecting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network comprises determining a minimum of a weighting function of the respective sets of measured parameters and the sets of corresponding target parameters.
1 more element
A method of managing an output power delivered by an antenna of a near field communication (NFC) apparatus, the antenna being coupled to a NFC controller by a matching circuit, the method comprising:
- providing the matching circuit with a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna and with a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal, wherein the first or second tuning capacitive network has a variable capacitive value;
- determining tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- setting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network to the tuning capacitive values, wherein determining the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network comprises executing a search algorithm using measurements of respective sets of parameters of a plurality of capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network, the search algorithm selecting the tuning capacitive values of the first tuning capacitive network based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters;
- and
- selecting the search algorithm among a set of reference search algorithms.
2 more elements
A near field communication (NFC) apparatus comprising:
- a NFC controller;
- an antenna coupled to the NFC controller through a matching circuit;
- the matching circuit comprising a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna, and a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal;
- a control circuit configured to determine tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- and
- a setting circuit configured to set the capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to the tuning capacitive values;
- wherein the control circuit comprises:
- a measurement circuit configured to measure for a plurality of capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks, respective sets of parameters, and
- a software module configured to execute a search algorithm using the respective sets of measured parameters and select the tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters;
- wherein the setting circuit comprises registers, wherein the control circuit is configured to store in the registers indications corresponding to the tuning capacitive values;
- and
- wherein the setting circuit is configured to adjust the capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks in accordance with a content of the registers.
9 more elements
A near field communication (NFC) apparatus comprising:
- a NFC controller;
- an antenna coupled to the NFC controller through a matching circuit;
- the matching circuit comprising a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna, and a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal;
- a control circuit configured to determine tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- and
- a setting circuit configured to set the capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to the tuning capacitive values, wherein the control circuit comprises:
- a measurement circuit configured to measure for a plurality of capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks, respective sets of parameters, and
- a software module configured to execute a search algorithm using the respective sets of measured parameters and select the tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters, wherein the software module is configured to determine a minimum of a weighting function of the respective sets of measured parameters and the set of corresponding target parameters.
5 more elements
A near field communication (NFC) apparatus comprising:
- a NFC controller;
- an antenna coupled to the NFC controller through a matching circuit;
- the matching circuit comprising a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna, and a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna and to a reference terminal;
- a control circuit configured to determine tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- and
- a setting circuit configured to set the capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to the tuning capacitive values, wherein the control circuit comprises:
- a measurement circuit configured to measure for a plurality of capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks, respective sets of parameters, and
- a software module configured to execute a search algorithm using the respective sets of measured parameters and select the tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters;
- and
- a memory configured to store a set of reference search algorithms, and a management module configured to select the search algorithm among the set of reference search algorithms.
7 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- a near field communication (NFC) controller;
- an antenna terminals coupled to the NFC controller through a differential matching circuit and configured to be coupled to an antenna;
- the differential matching circuit comprising a first tuning capacitive network coupled in series between the NFC controller and the antenna terminals, and a second tuning capacitive network coupled to the NFC controller and the antenna terminals and to a reference terminal;
- a control circuit configured to determine tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to adjust a delivered output power at a desired level;
- a setting circuit configured to set capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks to the tuning capacitive values;
- a measurement circuit configured to measure for a plurality of capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks, respective sets of parameters;
- and
- a software module configured to execute a search algorithm using the respective sets of measured parameters and select the tuning capacitive values of the first and second tuning capacitive networks based on the respective sets of measured parameters and a set of corresponding target parameters, wherein each set of parameters of the respective sets of parameters comprises:
- a respective voltage at the antenna;
- a respective current delivered in the matching circuit by the NFC controller;
- and
- a respective phase between the respective current delivered by the NFC controller and a respective current received by the NFC controller.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.