NFC Circuitry Dynamic Hardware Settings Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile payment transactions using NFC-enabled electronic devices often fail due to incorrect hardware settings, leading to repeated failed attempts even after adjusting the device's configuration, as the existing systems do not effectively adapt or reconfigure settings to optimize communication with NFC readers.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device is reconfigured with new hardware settings, such as transmit power, phase offset, wake-up threshold, damping coefficient, and frame delay, which can be selected from a stored table, to improve the chances of successful transactions, and these settings can be updated automatically upon detecting failed attempts without requiring the user to move the device out of the NFC field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic device uses a constant output power level for NFC transactions, then the device operation is simple, but the transaction fails when the power level is too high or too low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of NFC hardware settings by switching between multiple predefined configurations (first through fifth settings) based on transaction outcomes. The system transitions from static constant power output to dynamic parameter adaptation, where transmit power, phase offset, and other parameters are automatically modified after failed transactions to improve success rates without requiring manual user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes multiple physical parameters of the NFC circuitry including transmit power level, phase offset, and other hardware settings by switching between predefined configurations. Each configuration represents a distinct set of parameter values that can be applied to optimize transaction success under different conditions, directly addressing the reliability issue caused by inappropriate constant power levels.
2Reliability
If the device reconfigures with new hardware settings after failed transactions, then the transaction success rate improves, but the device requires additional configuration steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by automatically detecting transaction failures and triggering reconfiguration of NFC settings without requiring user awareness or intervention. The system autonomously switches between predefined hardware configurations based on transaction outcomes, eliminating the need for users to manually adjust settings or understand technical parameters while improving transaction success rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system monitors transaction outcomes and uses this information to automatically adjust NFC hardware settings. When a transaction fails, the system receives feedback about the failure condition and responds by switching to a different predefined configuration, creating a closed-loop control system that continuously optimizes transaction success without user involvement.
3Reliability
If the device attempts multiple transactions with the same incorrect hardware setting, then the operation is consistent, but all attempts fail at the NFC reader terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining multiple hardware setting configurations (first through fifth settings) before transactions occur. These predefined configurations include various combinations of transmit power levels and other parameters that are prepared in advance, allowing the system to quickly switch to an appropriate configuration after a failure without requiring time-consuming analysis or manual adjustment during the transaction process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation by automatically changing hardware settings between transaction attempts based on failure detection. Instead of repeatedly using the same incorrect setting, the system dynamically switches to different predefined configurations, thereby reducing the time lost to repeated failures while improving the probability of eventual success.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for operating a portable electronic device to conduct mobile payment transactions are provided. The electronic device may include near field communications circuitry having a transmitter, a receiver, and a field detector for detecting a field from a merchant terminal. The receiver is typically idle. The receiver may be activated when the field detector detects that the electronic device is within the field of the merchant terminal. The transmitter may then be used to perform link establishment and data transfer. If the payment transaction fails for any reason, one or more hardware settings on the electronic device may be adjusted to help increase the chance of a successful transaction in a subsequent payment attempt. Another transaction may be attempted when the user moves the device out of the field and back into the field or may be performed automatically as long as the device is still within the field.