Near-field communication (NFC) system providing low power mode frequency cycling and related methods

1. A near-field communication (NFC) system comprising:

a plurality of NFC devices each comprising

a housing,

a power source carried by said housing,

at least one input device carried by said housing and assigned to a designated device function,

an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, and

a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said power source, said at least one input device, and said NFC circuit, the processor being configured to

initiate the designated device function based upon a first input pattern of said at least one input device,

switch said NFC circuit between a higher power state and a lower power state at a first frequency, said NFC circuit in the higher power state being configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) field to initiate NFC communications with another one of said NFC devices,

switch said NFC circuit between the higher power state and the lower power state at a second frequency different than the first frequency based upon a second input pattern of said at least one input device different from the first input pattern, and

lessen a security requirement for authorizing and communicating with another NFC device based upon the second manipulation pattern of said at least one input key.

2. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to switch said NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency based upon a repetition of the second input pattern of said at least one input device.

3. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is configured to switch said NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency after a timeout period.

4. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

5. The NFC system of claim 1 further comprising a display carried by said portable housing and coupled to said processor.

6. The NFC system of claim 5 wherein said processor is further configured to generate on said display a menu for enabling initiation of NFC communications with said other NFC device upon detection thereof.

7. The NFC system of claim 5 wherein said at least one input device comprises a menu key, and wherein the designated device function comprises generating a menu on said display.

8. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input device comprises an accelerometer.

9. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input comprises an audio input transducer.

10. The NFC system of claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to pass through a Uniform Resource Locator when at the second frequency and being in the higher power state.

11. A near-field communication (NFC) device comprising:

a housing;

a power source carried by said housing;

at least one input device carried by said housing and assigned to a designated device function;

an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol; and

a processor carried by said housing and coupled to said power source, said at least one input device and said NFC circuit, the processor being configured to

initiate the designated device function based upon a first input pattern of said at least one input device,

switch said NFC circuit between a higher power state and a lower power state at a first frequency, said NFC circuit in the higher power state being configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) field to initiate NFC communications with another NFC device,

switch said NFC circuit between the higher power state and the lower power state at a second frequency different than the first frequency based upon a second input pattern of said at least one input device different from the first input pattern, and

lessen a security requirement for authorizing and communicating with another NFC device based upon the second manipulation pattern of said at least one input key.

12. The NFC device of claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to switch said NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency based upon a repetition of the second input pattern of said at least one input device.

13. The NFC device of claim 11 wherein said processor is configured to switch said NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency after a timeout period.

14. The NFC device of claim 11 wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

15. A near-field communication (NFC) method for an NFC device comprising a housing, a power source carried by the housing, at least one input device carried by the housing and assigned to a designated device function, and an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, the method comprising:

initiating the designated device function based upon a first input pattern of the at least one input device;

switching the NFC circuit between a higher power state and a lower power state at a first frequency, the NFC circuit in the higher power state being configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) field to initiate NFC communications with another NFC device;

switching the NFC circuit between the higher power state and the lower power state at a second frequency different than the first frequency based upon a second input pattern of the at least one input device different from the first input pattern; and

lessening a security requirement for authorizing and communicating with another NFC device based upon the second manipulation pattern of said at least one input key.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising switching the NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency based upon a repetition of the second input pattern of the at least one input device.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising switching the NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency after a timeout period.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a near-field communication (NFC) NFC device comprising a housing, a power source carried by the housing, at least one input device carried by the housing and assigned to a designated device function, and an NFC circuit configured to wirelessly communicate using an NFC communications protocol, to perform steps comprising:

initiating the designated device function based upon a first input pattern of the at least one input device;

switching the NFC circuit between a higher power state and a lower power state at a first frequency, the NFC circuit in the higher power state being configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) field to initiate NFC communications with another NFC device;

switching the NFC circuit between the higher power state and the lower power state at a second frequency different than the first frequency based upon a second input pattern of the at least one input device different from the first input pattern; and

lessening a security requirement for authorizing and communicating with another NFC device based upon the second manipulation pattern of said at least one input key.

20. The physical computer-readable medium of claim 19 further having computer-executable instruction for causing the NFC device to perform a step of switching the NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency based upon a repetition of the second input pattern of the at least one input device.

21. The physical computer-readable medium of claim 19 further having computer-executable instruction for causing the NFC device to perform a step of switching the NFC circuit from the second frequency back to the first frequency after a timeout period.

22. The physical computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.