US 12,155,405 B2
NFC device unlocking method
Thomas Kunlin, Fontaine (FR)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, Grenoble (FR)
Filed by STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, Grenoble (FR)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/546,873.
Claims priority of application No. 2013187 (FR), filed on Dec. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0190859 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. H04B 1/16 (2006.01); H04B 5/70 (2024.01)
CPC H04B 1/1615 (2013.01) [H04B 5/70 (2024.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
detecting, by a first near field communication (NFC) device, an electromagnetic field generated by a second NFC device;
detecting, by a detector circuit of the first NFC device, an initial state of a hardware switch of the first NFC device, the hardware switch comprising the initial state and a post-initial state;
activating an untraceability feature of the first NFC device in response to detecting the initial state of the hardware switch, wherein, while the untraceability feature is activated, the first NFC device does not transmit communications to the second NFC device in response to communications received from the second NFC device;
deactivating the untraceability feature of the first NFC device in response to either of:
detecting the post-initial state of the hardware switch, and
an authentication procedure identifying the second NFC device; and
allowing communications between the first NFC device and the second NFC device in response to the deactivating of the untraceability feature.