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US 9,396,368 B1Granted
Tuning a NFC antenna of a device
AssigneeSquare, Inc.
InventorsKartik Lamba, Jeremy Wade, Matthew H. Maibach, Jesse Dorogusker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A NFC object reader's NFC antenna system configured to dynamically change an element of the NFC antenna system to maintain the NFC antenna system's antenna default resonant frequency. The NFC antenna system can be configured to include a tuning subsystem, integrated with sensors to trigger tuning of NFC antenna system's antenna.
Claims17
A payment object reader comprising:
- a near field communication (NFC) antenna configured for reading a NFC enabled object, wherein the NFC antenna is subject to detuning away from a predetermined resonant frequency of the NFC antenna when a metal or conductive portion of the NFC enabled object is within a detuning distance from the NFC antenna;
- a proximity sensor configured to detect that the NFC enabled object is within the detuning distance relative to the NFC antenna;
- a NFC tuning subsystem configured to control the tuning of the NFC antenna when the proximity sensor detects that the NFC enabled payment object is within the detuning distance relative to the NFC antenna, wherein the tuning of the NFC antenna is controlled to allow reading the NFC enabled payment object when the NFC enabled payment object is within the detuning distance;
- and
- wherein the proximity sensor includes a tamper mesh connected to an inductance measuring circuit, and wherein the inductance measuring circuit is configured to detect a change in inductance caused by the proximity of a metal object to the tamper mesh.
2 more elements
A payment object reader comprising:
- a near field communication (NFC) antenna configured for reading a NFC enabled object;
- a proximity sensor configured to detect that the NFC enabled object is within a detuning distance relative to the NFC antenna;
- a NFC tuning subsystem configured to control the tuning of the NFC antenna when the proximity sensor detects that the NFC enabled payment object is within the detuning distance relative to the NFC antenna;
- and
- wherein the proximity sensor includes a tamper mesh connected to an inductance measuring circuit, wherein the inductance measuring circuit is configured to detect a change in inductance caused by the proximity of a metal object to the tamper mesh.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- detecting a proximity of a payment object to an NFC antenna by a proximity detector;
- and
- tuning the NFC antenna to compensate for the proximity of the payment object;
- wherein the proximity detector is a tamper mesh connected to an inductance measuring circuit, wherein the inductance measuring circuit is configured to detect a change in inductance caused by the proximity of a metal object to the tamper mesh.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.