# US 12,004,065 B2 · Method and device for descriminating one of a group of NFC transmitters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,065 B2 - Document ID: US12004065B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/107,444 - Filed: 2023-02-08 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-27 - Assignees: Capital One Services, LLC - Applicants: Capital One Services, LLC - Inventors: Ruby Rue Roman Estreemera; Deborah Nally; Laith Hallaq - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004065B2 ## CPC - H04B 5/45: Transponders - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - G06Q 20/3226: {Use of secure elements separate from M-devices} - G06Q 20/3278: {RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices} - G06Q 20/352: {Contactless payments by cards} - G06Q 20/353: {Payments by cards read by M-devices} - G06Q 20/354: {Card activation or deactivation} - H04B 5/24: Inductive coupling - H04B 5/70: specially adapted for specific purposes - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method is provided for differentiating one of a plurality of unpowered NEC transmitting devices for NFC communication with a receiving device. Each NFC transmitting device has a transmitter NFC interface and an NFC communication range. A range extending device has a power source, a transmitter communication interface, a range extender antenna, and an amplifier. One of the transmitting devices is selected and the range extending device is connected to it so that the transmitter communication interface engages the transmitter NFC interface of the selected transmitting device. This action serves to establish an extended communication range for the selected NFC transmitting device. The NFC transmitting devices are then positioned at a distance from the receiving device that is within the extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the other NFC transmitting devices. NEC communication is then established between the selected NFC transmitting device and the receiving device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of extending a near field communication (NFC) range of an unpowered NFC transmitting device, the method comprising: providing a range extending device having a power source, a transmitter communication interface configured for engaging a transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, and an amplifier configured for amplifying an NFC transmitting device signal when the range extending device is connected to the NFC transmitting device and the NFC transmitting device is activated by an NFC receiving device; and connecting the range extending device to the NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter communication interface engages the transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, thereby establishing an extended communication range for the NFC transmitting device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 further comprising positioning a plurality of NFC transmitting devices, including the NFC transmitting device, at a first distance from a first NFC receiving device, the distance being within the extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; and establishing NFC communication between the NFC transmitting device and the NFC receiving device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2 further comprising: disconnecting the range extending device from the NFC transmitting device, selecting a second NFC transmitting device from the plurality of NFC transmitting devices, removably connecting the range extending device to the second selected NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter NFC interface engages the transmitter interface of the second selected transmitting device, thereby establishing a second extended communication range for the second selected NFC transmitting device; and positioning the plurality of NFC transmitting devices at a second distance from a second NFC receiving device, the second distance being within the second extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; and establishing NFC communication between the second selected NFC transmitting device and the second NFC receiving device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 wherein the first NFC receiving device and the second NFC receiving device are the same. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3 wherein each of the NFC transmitting devices is a transaction card. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5 wherein the range extending device comprises a case configured for receiving the transaction card into an interior space thereof, the transmitter communication interface being positioned within said interior space so that it is engaged by the transmitter NFC interface of the transaction card when the transaction card is received into the interior space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein at least the NFC transmitting device is a transaction card. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the range extending device is or comprises an adhesive pad having at least a portion of the transmitter communication interface attached thereto, the adhesive pad being configured to be removably attachable to the body member of the NFC transmitting device so that the at least a portion of the transmitter NFC interface engages the transmitter communication interface. ### Claim 9 A system of extending a near field communication (NFC) range of an unpowered NFC transmitting device, the system comprising: an NFC transmitting device with a transmitter NFC interface; and a range extending device having a power source, a transmitter communication interface configured for engaging the transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, and an amplifier configured for amplifying an NFC transmitting device signal when the range extending device is connected to the NFC transmitting device and the NFC transmitting device is activated by an NFC receiving device, the range extending device configured to: connect to the NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter communication interface engages the transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, thereby establishing an extended communication range for the NFC transmitting device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9 further comprising: a plurality of NFC transmitting devices, including the NFC transmitting device, positioned at a first distance from a first NFC receiving device, the distance being within the extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices, and wherein the system is configured to establish NFC communication between the NFC transmitting device and the NFC receiving device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system according to claim 10 further configured to: disconnect the range extending device from the NFC transmitting device; select a second NFC transmitting device from the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; removably connect the range extending device to the second selected NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter NFC interface engages the transmitter interface of the second selected transmitting device, thereby establishing a second extended communication range for the second selected NFC transmitting device; and position the plurality of NFC transmitting devices at a second distance from a second NFC receiving device, the second distance being within the second extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; and establish NFC communication between the second selected NFC transmitting device and the second NFC receiving device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11 wherein the first NFC receiving device and the second NFC receiving device are the same, and comprise a merchant transaction processing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11 wherein each of the NFC transmitting devices is a smart card with a microprocessor chip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the range extending device comprises a pad configured to be removably attached to each of the NFC transmitting devices and engage with the microprocessor chip. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 wherein the range extending device comprises a case configured for receiving each smart card and engaging with the microprocessor chip of each smart card. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The system according to claim 9 wherein at least the NFC transmitting device is a smart card with a microprocessor chip. ### Claim 17 A computer-readable non-transitory medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform procedures comprising the steps of: providing a range extending device having a power source, a transmitter communication interface configured for engaging a transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, and an amplifier configured for amplifying an NFC transmitting device signal when the range extending device is connected to the NFC transmitting device and the NFC transmitting device is activated by an NFC receiving device; and connecting the range extending device to the NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter communication interface engages the transmitter NFC interface of the NFC transmitting device, thereby establishing an extended communication range for the NFC transmitting device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 17 wherein the steps further comprise: positioning a plurality of NFC transmitting devices, including the NFC transmitting device, at a first distance from a first NFC receiving device, the distance being within the extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; and establishing NFC communication between the NFC transmitting device and the NFC receiving device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 18 wherein the steps further comprise: disconnecting the range extending device from the NFC transmitting device; selecting a second NFC transmitting device from the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; removably connecting the range extending device to the second selected NFC transmitting device so that the transmitter NFC interface engages the transmitter interface of the second selected transmitting device, thereby establishing a second extended communication range for the second selected NFC transmitting device; and positioning the plurality of NFC transmitting devices at a second distance from a second NFC receiving device, the second distance being within the second extended communication range, but outside the communication ranges of the others of the plurality of NFC transmitting devices; and establishing NFC communication between the second selected NFC transmitting device and the second NFC receiving device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 19 wherein the first NFC receiving device and the second NFC receiving device are the same.