Method of inventorying transponders by means of a communication station

• US 20060109086A1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Amtmann, Franz
• Granted Patent: US 7,834,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.300
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• 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

Abstract

In a method of inventorying a plurality of transponders (2) by means of a communication station (1) communicating with the transponders (2) in contactless manner, the communication station (1) emits an unmodulated carrier signal (NMCS) in a communications range of the communication station (1) and each transponder (2) on entering the communications range then emits a presence-signaling signal (PRES) and the communication station (1) on receiving a presence-signaling signal (PRES) then emits an inventorying command signal (INVS) and each transponder (2) on receiving the inventorying command signal (INVS) then emits a response signal (RESPS) permitting inventorying of the transponder (2) and the communication station (1) on correctly receiving a response signal (RESPS) then undertakes inventorying of the relevant transponder (2).

Claims

1. A method of inventorying at least one transponder by means of a communication station, wherein the communication station emits an unmodulated carrier signal in a communications range, and wherein the transponder on entering the communications range emits a presence-signaling signal in the communications range, and wherein the communication station on receiving a presence-signaling signal emits an inventorying command signal in the communications range, and wherein the transponder on receiving the inventorying command signal emits a response signal in the communications range permitting the inventorying of the transponders, and wherein the communication station, on correctly receiving a response signal undertakes inventorying of the transponders.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transponder emits a presence-signaling signal with a first signal duration and a response signal with a second signal duration, and wherein the first signal duration is shorter than the second signal duration.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first signal duration and the second signal duration have a ratio of 1:

X, and in that the value X lies in a range between X=10 and X=100.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the value X lies in a range between X=20 and X=35.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transponder emits a presence-signaling signal with a first transmission parameter and a response signal with a second transmission parameter.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of two different subcarrier frequencies of each subcarrier signal is used, one as first transmission parameter and one as second transmission parameter.

7. A communication station for communication with at least one transponder and for inventorying at least one transponder, wherein station transmission means are provided for emitting and receiving signals, and wherein carrier signal generating means are provided for generating an unmodulated carrier signal, the unmodulated carrier signal being emitted by the station transmission means in a communications range, and wherein presence-signaling signal detection means are provided for detecting a presence-signaling signal generated and emitted by the transponder and received by the station transmission means, and wherein inventorying command signal generating means that can be activated as a function of the detection of a presence-signaling signal are provided for generating an inventorying command signal, and wherein response signal detection means are provided for detecting a response signal which is generated and emitted by the transponder in response to a received inventorying command signal and is received by the station transmission means and which permits inventorying of the transponders, and wherein inventorying means are provided for inventorying the transponder as a function of the correctly received response signal.

8. A transponder for communication with a communication station,

wherein transponder transmission means are provided for emitting and receiving signals, and wherein carrier signal detection means are provided for detecting an unmodulated carrier signal generated and emitted by the communication station and received by the transponder transmission means, and wherein presence-signaling signal generating means that can be activated as a function of the detection of an unmodulated carrier signal are provided for generating a presence-signaling signal, and wherein inventorying command signal detection means are provided for detecting a inventorying command signals generated and emitted by the communication station and received by the transponder transmission means, and wherein response signal generating means that can be activated as a function of the detection of an inventorying command signal are provided for generating a response signal permitting the inventorying of the transponder.

9. A transponder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transponder is designed with a first signal duration for generating a presence-signaling signal and with a second signal duration for generating a response signal, and wherein the first signal duration is shorter than the second signal duration.

10. A transponder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first signal duration and the second signal duration have a ratio of 1:

X, the value X lying in a range between X=10 and X=100.

11. A transponder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the value X lies in a range between X=20 and X=35.

12. A transponder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transponder is designed to generate a presence-signaling signal with a first transmission parameter and to generate a response signal with a second transmission parameter.

13. A transponder as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first transmission parameter and the second transmission parameter are each formed by one of two different subcarrier frequencies of each subcarrier signal.

14. An integrated circuit for a transponder for communication with a communication station, wherein at least one connection is provided for emitting and receiving signals, and wherein carrier signal detection means are provided for detecting an unmodulated carrier signal generated and emitted by the communication station and received via at least one connection, and wherein presence-signaling signal generating means that can be activated as a function of the detection of an unmodulated carrier signal are provided for generating a presence-signaling signals, and wherein inventorying command signal detection means are provided for detecting an inventorying command signal generated and emitted by the communication station and received via at least one connection, and wherein response signal generating means that can be activated as a function of the detection of an inventorying command signal are provided for generating a response signal permitting the inventorying of the transponder.

15. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the integrated circuit is designed with a first signal duration for generating a presence-signaling signal and with a second signal duration for generating a response signal, and wherein the first signal duration is shorter than the second signal duration.

16. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first signal duration and the second signal duration have a ratio of 1:

X, and in that the value X lies in a range between X=10 and X=100.

17. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the value X lies in a range between X=20 and X=35.

18. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the integrated circuit is designed to generate a presence-signaling signal with a first transmission parameter and to generate a response signal with a second transmission parameter.

19. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first transmission parameter and the second transmission parameter are each formed by one of two different subcarrier frequencies of each subcarrier signal.