Patent ID: 8831509

Claim:
A communications system comprising: a holder; a first near-field communication (NFC) device carried by said holder; and a mobile device comprising a housing configured to be removably positioned within said holder, a second NFC device carried by said housing and configured to communicate with said first NFC device via NFC communications, and a controller carried by said housing and coupled to said second NFC device and configured to operate said second NFC device to scan for said first NFC device in a first mode using electromagnetic (EM) carrier field pulses having a pulse width of a first duration when said housing is removed from said holder, and operate said second NFC device in a second mode using EM carrier field pulses having a pulse width of a second duration shorter than the first duration based upon communication with said first NFC device when said housing is positioned within said holder, the second mode having a lower power consumption level associated therewith than the first mode, wherein said second NFC device draws a current in a range of 4-5 mA when operated in the first mode and a range of 15-150 μA when operated in the second mode.