NFC device position finder
View Patent ↗A method is provided that is implemented by a first NFC device configured in reader mode. The method includes evaluating an information about the coupling between the first NFC device and a second NFC device configured in card mode, as a function of the position of an antenna of the first NFC device with respect to an antenna of the second NFC device. The method further includes indicating the information by a user interface of the first device.
1 . A method, implemented by a first near-field communications (NFC) device, of a first device, configured in a reader mode, comprising:
evaluating an information representative of a coupling between the first NFC device and a second NFC device configured in card mode, as a function of a position of an antenna of the first NFC device with respect to an antenna of the second NFC device; and
indicating the information by a user interface of the first device, wherein indicating the information includes:
mapping the information representative of the coupling based on a distribution of received signal strength indication (RSSI) values in at least three ranges of RSSI values;
displaying a 2-dimensional heatmap in which each color is associated with a respective range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values, wherein the heatmap comprises a first heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a first direction, and a second heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
displaying the 2-dimensional heatmap superposed on an image of a second device including the second NFC device, wherein a position of a color associated with a highest range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values overlaps with a position of the second NFC device in the second device in the 2-dimensional heatmap.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication of the information representative of the coupling is a visual indication.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indication of the information representative of the coupling is an audible indication.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluating includes measuring by the first NFC device, the RSSI values from the second NFC device, according to a relative position of the first NFC device antenna with respect to the second NFC device antenna.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising comparing the RSSI values with a target value.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the target value is stored in an internal memory of the first NFC device.
7 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the target value is stored in a remote server.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a sound is associated with each range of RSSI values.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluating includes measuring a plurality of RSSI values provided by the second NFC device for different positions of the antenna of the first NFC device with respect to the antenna of the second NFC device, and for each RSSI measurement, measuring a movement of the first NFC device with respect to the second NFC device.
10 . A system, comprising:
a first near-field communications (NFC) device, of a first device, configured in reader mode, the first NFC device having a user interface; and
a second NFC device configured in card mode,
the first device being configured to:
evaluate an information representative of a coupling between the first NFC device and the second NFC device, as a function of a position of an antenna of the first NFC device with respect to an antenna of the second NFC device;
indicate the information by the user interface of the first device, wherein indicating the information includes mapping the information representative of the coupling based on a distribution of received signal strength indication (RSSI) values in at least three ranges of RSSI values and displaying a 2-dimensional heatmap in which each color is associated with respective a range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values, wherein the heatmap comprises a first heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a first direction, and a second heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
display the 2-dimensional heatmap superposed on an image of a second device including the second NFC device, wherein a position of a color associated with a highest range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values overlaps with a position of the second NFC device in the second device in the 2-dimensional heatmap.
11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the first NFC device is configured to indicate the information representative of the coupling by at least one of a visual indication or an audible indication.
12 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the first NFC device is configured to measure the RSSI values from the second NFC device, according to a relative position of the first NFC device antenna with respect to the second NFC device antenna.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the first NFC device is configured to compare the measured RSSI values with a target value.
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the target value is stored in at least one of an internal memory of the first NFC device or a remote server.
15 . A system, comprising:
a first near-field communications (NFC) device, of a first device, configured in reader mode, the first NFC device having a user interface; and
a second NFC device configured in card mode,
the first device being configured to:
evaluate an information representative of a coupling between the first NFC device and the second NFC device, as a function of a position of an antenna of the first NFC device with respect to an antenna of the second NFC device, the evaluating the information including measuring a plurality of RSSI values provided by the second NFC device for different positions of the antenna of the first NFC device with respect to the antenna of the second NFC device, and for each RSSI measurement, measuring a movement of the first NFC device with respect to the second NFC device;
indicate the information by the user interface of the first NFC device, wherein indicating the information includes mapping the information representative of the coupling based on a distribution of received signal strength indication (RSSI) values in at least three ranges of RSSI values and displaying a 2-dimensional heatmap in which each color is associated with a respective range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values, wherein the heatmap comprises a first heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a first direction, and a second heatmap charting the distribution of the RSSI values in the at least three ranges of RSSI values corresponding to a movement of the first NFC device in relation to the second NFC device in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
display the 2-dimensional heatmap superposed on an image of a second device including the second NFC device, wherein a position of a color associated with a highest range of RSSI values of the at least three ranges of RSSI values overlaps with a position of the second NFC device in the second device in the 2-dimensional heatmap.