Communication module

• US 10,423,870 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Buchsbaum, Martin, Gruber, Josef, Hoelzl, Juergen, Pueschner, Frank, Stampka, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Munoz, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jegede, Bamidele A
• Application Number:
  US14/710,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20150333397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 343745
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a communication module having a carrier, a loop antenna, a modulation circuit which is coupled to the loop antenna and is configured to modulate or demodulate signals which are received or transmitted using the loop antenna, and an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance of the loop antenna to the input impedance of the modulation circuit. The modulation circuit and the impedance matching circuit are arranged inside the loop antenna on or in the carrier.

Claims

1. A communication module, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a loop antenna;

a modulation circuit coupled to the loop antenna and is configured to modulate or demodulate signals received or transmitted using the loop antenna; and

an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance of the loop antenna to the input impedance of the modulation circuit;

wherein the modulation circuit and the impedance matching circuit are arranged inside the loop antenna and within the printed circuit board;

a ferrite core antenna structure coupled to the impedance matching circuit;

wherein the impedance matching circuit is configured up to match the impedance of the ferrite core antenna structure to the input impedance of the modulation circuit;

wherein the ferrite core antenna structure is arranged inside the loop antenna within the printed circuit board.

2. The communication module of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the modulation circuit, with the modulation circuit, the impedance matching circuit and the processor being arranged inside the loop antenna on or within the printed circuit board.

3. The communication module of claim 2,

the processor comprising a cryptoprocessor.

4. The communication module of claim 1,

wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises at least one of at least one SMD circuit or at least one embedded circuit.

5. The communication module of claim 1,

wherein the loop antenna is a printed circuit board (PCB) loop antenna.

6. The communication module of claim 1, further comprising:

an energy supply interface.

7. The communication module of claim 1, further comprising:

a 7816 interface.

8. The communication module of claim 1, further comprising:

an SPI interface.

9. The communication module of claim 1,

wherein the modulation circuit is an NFC front-end.

10. The communication module of claim 1,

wherein the impedance matching circuit is an impedance matching network.

11. The communication module of claim 1,

being configured for NFC communication.

12. The communication module of claim 1,

being configured for battery-assisted communication.

13. The communication module of claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged within the printed circuit board.

14. A subscriber identity module, comprising:

a communication module, comprising;

a printed circuit board;

a loop antenna;

a modulation circuit coupled to the loop antenna and is configured to modulate or demodulate signals received or transmitted using the loop antenna;

an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance of the loop antenna to the input impedance of the modulation circuit; and

a ferrite core antenna structure coupled to the impedance matching circuit;

wherein the modulation circuit, the ferrite core antenna structure, and the impedance matching circuit are arranged inside the loop antenna, and within the printed circuit board.

15. The subscriber identity module of claim 14,

wherein the subscriber identity module is a subscriber identity module card.

16. A memory card, comprising:

a communication module, comprising;

a printed circuit board;

a loop antenna;

a modulation circuit coupled to the loop antenna and is configured to modulate or demodulate signals received or transmitted using the loop antenna;

an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance of the loop antenna to the input impedance of the modulation circuit; and

a ferrite core antenna structure coupled to the impedance matching circuit;

wherein the modulation circuit, the ferrite core antenna, and the impedance matching circuit are arranged inside the loop antenna, and within the printed circuit board.

17. The memory card of claim 16,

wherein the memory card is a micro SD memory card.

18. A communication device, comprising:

an embedded communication module, comprising;

a printed circuit board;

a loop antenna;

a modulation circuit coupled to the loop antenna and is configured to modulate or demodulate signals received or transmitted using the loop antenna;

an impedance matching circuit for matching the impedance of the loop antenna to the input impedance of the modulation circuit; and

a ferrite core antenna structure coupled to the impedance matching circuit;

wherein the modulation circuit, the ferrite core antenna structure, and the impedance matching circuit are arranged inside the loop antenna, and within the printed circuit board.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the loop antenna, the impedance matching circuit, the ferrite core antenna, and the modulation circuit are encapsulated in an encapsulation material.