Communication station for communication with transponders and further communication stations with the aid of different protocols

• US 20050093676A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Breitfuss, Klemens, Meindl, Reinhard, Kunkat, Holger, Posch, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,471,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A communication station (1) is suitable for contactless communication with transponders and with further communication stations and has a first protocol-executing circuit (12) and a second protocol-executing circuit (13), the first protocol-executing circuit (12) being designed to effect communication between the communication station (1) and transponders under a station/transponder protocol and the second protocol-executing circuit (13) being designed to effect communication between the communication station (1) and further communication stations under a station/station protocol.

Claims

1. A communication station that is suitable for contactless communication with transponders and with further communication stations and that has first protocol-executing means designed to handle a station/transponder protocol, with the aid of which first protocol-executing means communication can be effected between the communication station and at least one transponder while observing the station/transponder protocol, and that has second protocol-executing means designed to handle a station/station protocol that differs from the station/transponder protocol in respect of at least one protocol parameter, with the aid of which second protocol-executing means communication can be effected between the communication station and at least one further communication station while observing the station/station protocol.

2. A communication station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first protocol-executing means have energy-supply signal generating means that are designed to generate an energy-supply signal each time the handling of the station/transponder protocol starts, and wherein the second protocol-executing means have synchronizing-signal generating means that are designed to generate a synchronizing signal each time the handling of the station/station protocol starts.

3. A communication station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second protocol-executing means are designed to handle a station/station protocol that is arranged with a view to causing only the least possible energy consumption at the communication station when communicating with at least one further communication station.

4. A communication station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first protocol-executing means are designed to handle a station/transponder protocol that is arranged with a view to communication with a large number of transponders, and wherein the second protocol-executing means are arranged with a view to establishing a communication connection to at least one further communication station as quickly as possible.

5. An integrated circuit for a communication station that is suitable for contactless communication with transponders and with further communication stations, which integrated circuit has first protocol-executing means designed to handle a station/transponder protocol, with the aid of which first protocol-executing means communication can be effected between the communication station and at least one transponder while observing the station/transponder protocol, and which integrated circuit has second protocol-executing means designed to handle a station/station protocol that differs from the station/transponder protocol in respect of at least one protocol parameter, with the aid of which second protocol-executing means communication can be effected between the communication station and at least one protocol further communication station while observing the station/station protocol.

6. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first protocol-executing means have energy-supply signal generating means that are designed to generate an energy-supply signal each time the handling of the station/transponder protocol starts, and wherein the second protocol-executing means have synchronizing-signal generating means that are designed to generate a synchronizing signal each time the handling of the station/station protocol starts.

7. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second protocol-executing means are designed to handle a station/station protocol that is arranged with a view to causing only the least possible energy consumption at the communication station when communicating with at least one further communication station.

8. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first protocol-executing means are designed to handle a station/transponder protocol that is arranged with a view to communication with a large number of transponders, and wherein the second protocol-executing means are arranged with a view to establishing a communication connection to at least one further communication station as quickly as possible.