NFC repeater system
A wireless repeater system includes an antenna configured to receive a magnetic wake-up signal, a near field communication (NFC) receiver configured to receive a wake-up pattern and compare the received wake-up pattern with a stored wake-up pattern, and an NFC transmitter configured to transmit an output magnetic signal using the stored wake-up pattern to an external device, wherein the transmission of the output magnetic signal is synchronized with the received wake-up pattern to form a superimposed magnetic signal.
1. A wireless repeater system, comprising:
an antenna configured to receive a magnetic wake-up signal;
a near field communication (NFC) receiver configured to: extract a wake-up signal pattern from the received magnetic wake-up signal and compare the extracted wake-up signal pattern with at least one stored wake-up signal pattern; and
an NFC transmitter configured to: in response to a match between the extracted wake-up signal pattern and the stored wake-up signal pattern, transmit an output magnetic signal using the stored wake-up signal pattern, wherein transmission of the output magnetic signal is synchronized with the received magnetic wake-up signal to form a superimposed magnetic signal.
2. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna, the NFC receiver, and the NFC transmitter are included in a first device, the output magnetic signal is synchronized with the received magnetic wake-up signal and with another output magnetic signal transmitted by an adjacent device.
3. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein the NFC receiver is in a power-off state before receiving the magnetic wake-up signal.
4. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein the output magnetic signal has a higher amplitude than a threshold value.
5. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein the output magnetic signal is transmitted via the antenna.
6. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , comprising an envelope detector that is configured to compare the received magnetic wake-up signal with a threshold voltage to determine HIGH periods and LOW periods of the received magnetic wake-up signal and output a HIGH or LOW signal type indicator reflective of the HIGH and LOW periods, wherein a set of signal type indicators corresponds to the extracted wake-up signal pattern.
7. The wireless repeater system of claim 6 , wherein the NFC receiver comprises:
a counter configured to measure a duration of each of the HIGH and LOW periods of the received magnetic wake-up signal;
a data storage module configured to store the durations and the signal type indicators as a predetermined number of data sets corresponding to the extracted wake-up signal pattern; and
a pattern detector configured to compare the predetermined number of data sets of the extracted wake-up signal pattern to a predetermined number of data sets of the stored wake-up signal pattern.
8. The wireless repeater system of claim 7 , wherein each data set includes a signal type indicator and a duration of a detected signal period.
9. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein the extracted wake up signal is compared with a plurality of stored wake-up signal patterns to detect a match.
10. The wireless repeater system of claim 1 , wherein after transmission of the superimposed signal, a transmitting device may remain in a receiver off state for a predetermined amount of time to avoid retriggering receipt of another wake-up signal.
11. A method, comprising:
receiving a magnetic wake-up signal;
extracting a wake-up signal pattern from the received magnetic wake-up signal and comparing the extracted wake-up signal pattern with a stored wake-up signal pattern; and
in response to a match between the extracted wake-up signal pattern and the stored wake-up signal pattern, transmitting an output magnetic signal using the stored wake-up signal pattern, wherein transmission of the output magnetic signal is synchronized with the received magnetic wake-up signal to form a superimposed magnetic signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the output magnetic signal is synchronized with the received magnetic wake-up signal and with another output magnetic signal transmitted by an adjacent device.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the NFC receiver is in a power-off state before receiving the magnetic wake-up signal.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the output magnetic signal has a higher amplitude than a threshold value.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the output magnetic signal is transmitted via the antenna.
16. The method of claim 11 , comprising comparing the received magnetic wake-up signal with a threshold voltage to determine HIGH periods and LOW periods of the received magnetic wake-up signal and output a HIGH or LOW signal type indicator reflective of the HIGH and LOW periods, wherein a set of signal type indicators corresponds to the extracted wake-up signal pattern.
17. The method of claim 11 , comprising measuring a duration of each of the HIGH and LOW periods of the received magnetic wake-up signal;
storing the durations and the signal type indicators as a predetermined number of data sets corresponding to the extracted wake-up signal pattern; and
comparing the predetermined number of data sets of the extracted wake-up signal pattern to a predetermined number of data sets of the stored wake-up signal pattern.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein each data set includes a signal type indicator and a duration of a detected signal period.
19. The method of claim 11 , comprising comparing the extracted wake up signal with a plurality of stored wake-up signal patterns to detect a match.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein after transmission of the superimposed signal, keeping a transmitting device in a receiver off state for a predetermined amount of time to avoid retriggering receipt of another wake-up signal.