DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING NFC CARD DESTRUCTION BY A WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of NFC card systems. Particularly, the present invention relates to a device for preventing NFC card destruction by a wireless charging system and a corresponding method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the introduction of the new standards for Qi wireless power transfer for medium power chargers (TX power > 5W) , the generated magnetic field is high enough to destroy an

NFC card if it is present between the phone and the wireless charger.

There are two standards, each of which defines the maximum filed intensity limit, at which the NFC card shall withstand: - 7.5A/m for NFC cards based on ISO 14443

- 5A/m for NFC card based on ISO 15693

The disadvantages of the prior art are that a wireless charging station needs to integrate NFC function. The methods for preventing the destruction of an NFC card is to scan, before starting the wireless charging, for the presence of NFC devices. If a NFC card is detected then the wireless charging of the smartphone battery will not start. This method involves having NFC function in the wireless charging base station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There may be a need to improve charging devices to avoid NFC card damages.

These needs are met by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Further exemplary embodiments are evident from the dependent claims and the following description.

An aspect of the present invention relates to a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations, the device comprising: a magnetic field detection circuit, which is configured to measure an intensity of a magnetic field generated by a wireless charging system; a NFC-card detection circuit which is configured to detect a presence of a NFC card; and a charging control circuit, which is configured to limit a transmitted power of the wireless charging system during wireless charging operations based on a maximum permitted field, wherein the maximum permitted field is related to the detected presence of the NFC card.

The proposed idea intend to add to the wireless charging station, a circuit that will measure the magnetic field (H) generated by the charger, and based on card presence and type (ISO 11443 or ISO 15693) detection, and on measured magnetic field to take the decision to limit the transmitted power of the wireless charger.

The measuring circuit may comprise using a wire loop (single or multiple loops) tuned with a parallel capacitor at 13.56 MHz {which is the operating frequency of the NFC cards) .

That wire loop may be placed above the transmitting coil of the wireless charger, in which the magnetic field generated by the charger. This will induce an AC voltage. The AC voltage will be then rectified with a Schottky Diode - also known as hot carrier diode - or a bridge of diodes and after that the rectified voltage, smoothed with a capacitor will be measured with an ADC input pin of the microcontroller.

According to the wire loop characteristics (loop size and wire size) a formula to correlate the received DC voltage and the magnetic field can be determined. The sensing loop can be made on an FR4 or flex foil PCB placed above the charging coil, as a separate loop used only for field sensing or shared with the existing NFC antenna (the NFC antenna will be used also to measure the induced magnetic field) . The detection mechanism will be as follows:

1) NFC reader integrated in wireless charger scans for existing NFC devices;

2) If no devices are detected, then start normal charging;

3) If NFC cards are detected, then start charging and monitor in the same time the intensity of the magnetic field induced at 13.56

MHz; 4) If the maximum permitted field by the card type detected (Hmax) is exceeded, then the transmitted power of the wireless charger is limited in order to have the magnetic field which passes through the card under Hmax.

A further, second aspect of the present invention relates to a method for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations, the method comprising the following steps of: Measuring, by means of a magnetic field detection circuit, an intensity of a magnetic field generated by a wireless charging system; Detecting, by means of a NFC-card detection circuit, a presence of a NFC card; and Limiting, by means of a charging control circuit, a transmitted power of the wireless charging system during wireless charging operations based on a maximum permitted field, wherein the maximum permitted field is related to the detected presence of the NFC card.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the charging control circuit is configured, if no devices are detected by the NFC-card detection circuit, to start normal wireless charging operations, wherein the charging control circuit is configured, if NFC cards are detected, to start limited wireless charging operations and the magnetic field detection circuit is configured to measure, the intensity of the magnetic field induced at the radio frequency band of NFC cards.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the charging control circuit is configured, if the maximum permitted field is exceeded by the intensity of the magnetic field, to reduce the transmitted power of the wireless charger in order to have the magnetic field which passes through the NFC card under the value of the maximum permitted field, Hmax.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NFC-card detection circuit is configured to detect a type of a detected NFC card.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic field detection circuit comprises a wire loop tuned with a parallel capacitor at the radio frequency band of NFC cards .

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the wire loop is coupled to an FR4 or flex foil PCB and wherein the wire loop is a separate loop used only for field sensing or shared with an existing NFC antenna.

A computer program performing the method of the present invention may be stored on a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium may be a floppy disk, a hard disk, a CD, a DVD, an USB (Universal Serial Bus) storage device, a RAM (Random Access Memory) , a ROM (Read Only Memory) or an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) .

A computer-readable medium may also be a data communication network, for example the Internet, which allows downloading a program code . The methods, systems, and devices described herein may be implemented as software in a Digital Signal Processor, DSP, in a micro-controller or in any other side-processor or as a hardware circuit within an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC, CPLD or FPGA.

The present invention can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations thereof, for instance in available hardware of conventional medical imaging devices or in new hardware dedicated for processing the methods described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and the attendant advantages thereof will be clearly understood by reference to the following schematic drawings, which are not to scale, wherein: shows a schematic flowchart diagram for a method for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The illustration in the drawings is purely schematic and does not intend to provide scaling relations or size information. In different drawings, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

Generally, identical parts, units, entities or steps are provided with the same reference symbols in the description.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic flowchart diagram for a method for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The method for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations comprises the following steps: As a first step of the method, measuring SI, by means of a magnetic field detection circuit 10, an intensity of a magnetic field H generated by a wireless charging system is performed.

As a second step of the method, detecting S2 a presence of a NFC card is performed by means of a NFC-card detection circuit 20.

As a third step of the method, limiting S3, by means of a charging control circuit 30, a transmitted power of the wireless charging system is performed during wireless charging operations based on a maximum permitted field, wherein the maximum permitted field is related to the detected presence of the NFC card.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A device 100 for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations comprises a magnetic field detection circuit 10 and a NFC-card detection circuit 20 as well as a charging control circuit 30.

The magnetic field detection circuit 10 is configured to measure an intensity of a magnetic field H generated by a wireless charging system. The NFC-card detection circuit 20 is configured to detect a presence of a NFC card.

The charging control circuit 30 is configured to limit a transmitted power of the wireless charging system during wireless charging operations based on a maximum permitted field, wherein the maximum permitted field is related to the detected presence of the NFC card.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram for a device for preventing NFC card destruction during wireless charging operations according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It has to be noted that embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to different subject-matters. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method type claims, whereas other embodiments are described with reference to the device type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the foregoing description that, unless otherwise notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of the subject-matter also any combination between features relating to different subject-matters is considered to be disclosed with this application.

However, all features can be combined providing synergetic effects that are more than the simple summation of these features.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or controller or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims .

The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be considered as limiting the scope.