# US 2014/0197927 A1 · Method and apparatus for operating near field communication function in a portable terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197927 A1 - Document ID: US20140197927A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/155,761 - Filed: 2014-01-15 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Taeho KWON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197927A1 ## CPC - H04B 5/77: for interrogation - H04W 48/02: Access restriction performed under specific conditions - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method of operating a Near Field Communication (NFC) function in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes detecting an NFC tag during execution of a particular mode, comparing the NFC tag with preset lists, omitting a reading operation of the NFC tag if the NFC tag is an NFC tag which is included in a blocking list, and reading the NFC tag if the NFC tag is an NFC tag which is included in an application mapping list. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a Near Field Communication (NFC) function in a portable terminal, the method comprising: detecting an NFC tag during execution of a particular mode; comparing the NFC tag with preset lists; omitting a reading operation of the NFC tag if the NFC tag is an NFC tag which is included in a blocking list; and reading the NFC tag if the NFC tag is an NFC tag which is included in an application mapping list. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the particular mode is one of an idle mode, a normal application mode, and an NFC application mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the comparing of the NFC tag is performed when the NFC tag is detected in the idle mode or in the normal application mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the reading of the NFC tag comprises: determining an NFC application matched to the NFC tag through the application mapping list; executing the NFC application; and reading the NFC tag through the NFC application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the omitting of the reading operation for the NFC tag comprises blocking execution of the NFC application for reading the NFC tag. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: outputting a setting interface if the NFC tag is not included in the blocking list and in the application mapping list. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the setting interface includes a blocking item for registering NFC applications for NFC application selection in an application list and in a blocking list. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: matching a selected particular NFC application from the application list to the NFC tag and registering the matching result in the application mapping list when the particular NFC application is selected in the setting interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the registering comprises: outputting an NFC matching interface that determines whether the selected NFC application is to be matched to the NFC tag when the particular NFC application is selected; reading the NFC tag by executing the selected NFC application after registering the matching result when it is determined that the selected NFC application is to be matched to the NFC tag; and reading the NFC tag by executing the selected NFC application without registering the matching result when it is determined that the selected application is not to be matched to the NFC tag. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: registering the NFC tag in the blocking list when the blocking item is selected in the setting interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein, when the NFC tag is detected in the NFC application mode, the NFC tag is read through an NFC application currently being executed. ### Claim 12 A method of operating a Near Field Communication (NFC) function in a portable terminal, the method comprising: detecting an NFC tag during an execution of a particular mode; reading the NFC tag through an NFC application currently being executed if the particular mode is an NFC application mode; checking the NFC tag if the particular mode is an idle mode or is a normal application mode; determining whether the NFC tag is an NFC tag of an allowed object or is an NFC tag of a blocked object; reading the NFC tag by executing an NFC application which is matched to the NFC tag if the NFC tag is the NFC tag of the allowed object; and maintaining the particular mode without executing the NFC application if the NFC tag is the NFC tag of the blocked object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the determining comprises comparing whether the NFC tag is included in a blocking list or in an application mapping list. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: blocking execution of an NFC application for reading the NFC tag when the NFC tag is included in the blocking list. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the reading of the NFC tag comprises: searching for an NFC application which is matched to the NFC tag in the application mapping list, executing the searched NFC application, and reading the NFC tag if the NFC tag is included in the application mapping list. ### Claim 16 A portable terminal comprising: a Near Field Communication (NFC) module configured to sense an approach of an NFC tag and to read information stored in the NFC tag; a storage unit configured to store a plurality of NFC applications, a blocking list, and an application mapping list; and a controller configured to compare the NFC tag with the blocking list and with the application mapping list when the NFC tag is detected through the NFC module, to block a reading operation of the NFC tag when the NFC tag is included in the blocking list, and to read the NFC tag by executing the NFC application matched to the NFC tag when the NFC tag is included in the application mapping list. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The portable terminal of claim 16, wherein the controller controls an output of a setting interface when the NFC tag is not included in the blocking list or the application mapping list, matches a selected particular NFC application to the NFC tag when the particular NFC application is selected through the setting interface and registers a matching result in the application mapping list, and registers the NFC tag in the blocking list when a blocking item is selected through the setting interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller controls an output of an NFC matching interface for determining whether a selected particular NFC application is to be matched to the NFC tag when the particular NFC application is selected, matches the NFC tag to the NFC application, registers the matching result in the application mapping list, controls execution of the selected NFC application if it is determined that the selected NFC application is to be matched to the NFC tag, and controls execution of the selected NFC application without registering a matching result in the application mapping list when it is determined that the selected NFC application is not to be matched to the NFC tag. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The portable terminal of claim 18, wherein the portable terminal includes a display unit that outputs the setting interface and the NFC matching interface. ### Claim 20 A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program that determines a particular mode when an NFC tag is detected during an execution of the particular mode, reads the NFC tag through an NFC application currently under execution if the particular mode is an NFC application mode, checks the NFC tag if the particular mode is an idle mode or a normal application mode, reads the NFC tag by executing the NFC application matched to the NFC tag if the NFC tag is an NFC tag of an allowed object, and maintains the particular mode without executing the NFC application if the NFC tag is an NFC tag of a blocked object.