Communication device for determining the sequence of data carriers moving past said device

• US 20020014987A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Raggam, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 6,597,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions

Abstract

A communication device (6) includes detection means (28) adapted to detect a value (V), which value (V) represents a maximum amplitude value of a data carrier signal (DS) produced by a data carrier (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) as it moves through a communication range (KB) of the communication device (6) along a predetermined path and received with the aid of receiving means (23) of the communication device (6), the detection means (28) being adapted to supply a detection signal (RS) upon detection of the value (V) representing the maximum amplitude value.

Claims

1. A communication device (1) for the communication with a data carrier (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) which is situated within a communication range (KB) of the communication device (1) and which is movable through the communication range (KB) along a predetermined path,

which communication device (1) includes receiving means (23) which are adapted to receive a data carrier signal (DS) which is supplied by a data carrier (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) and which can be received with amplitude values (A1, A2) of different magnitudes depending on the passage of the data carrier (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) through the communication range (KB),

characterized in that

detection means (28) for detecting a value (V) representative of the maximum amplitude value of the data carrier signal (DS) supplied by a data carrier (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) and received by the receiving means (23) have been provided, and

the detection means (28) are adapted to generate and supply a detection signal (RS) upon detection of the value (V) representative of the maximum amplitude value.

2. A communication device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the detection means (28) include control means (32) adapted to control an allocation of the detected amplitude values (A1, A2) to amplitude valve memory means (33) and to comparison means (34), and

the amplitude value memory means (33) are adapted to store a detected amplitude value (A1), and

the comparison means (34) are adapted to compare the stored amplitude value (A1) with an amplitude value (A2) determined after the stored amplitude value (A1) and to generate and supply a comparison result signal (CS) on the basis of the comparison result, and the detection means (28) are adapted to generate the detection signal (RS) in conformity with the comparison result signal (CS).

3. A communication device (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the detection signal (RS) is formed by the comparison result signal (CS).

4. A communication device (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a detection signal generator (37) has been provided, which is adapted to receive the comparison result signal (CS) and to receive at least one characteristic value signal (KW1, KW2) appearing in the communication device (1) and to generate the detection signal (RS) with the aid of the characteristic value signal (KW1, KW2) in dependence on the comparison result signal (CS).

5. A communication device (1) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the characteristic value signal (KW1, KW2) is formed with the aid of time data.