Transponder with a controllable power-on-reset circuit

• US 20060164215A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Kofler, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,423,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.510
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• 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

Abstract

In a transponder (1) and an integrated circuit (5), the integrated circuit (6) has a monitoring circuit (23) to which a d.c. supply voltage (VS) can be fed and by which a signalizing signal (POK) whose waveform is dependent on the relationship between the d.c. supply voltage (VS) and a voltage threshold value (VTHR1, VTHR2) can be generated, wherein the monitoring circuit (23) is arranged to be controllable in respect of the generation of the signalizing signal (POK), and wherein a control circuit (28) is provided for controlling the monitoring circuit (23) by means of at least one control signal (CS1, CS2).

Claims

1. A transponder that is arranged for non-contacting communication with a communication station, and that has transmission means and that has an integrated circuit having circuit connecting contacts, wherein the transmission means are connected to circuit connecting contacts, wherein an input voltage can be picked off from these circuit connecting contacts wherein the integrated circuit contains a monitoring circuit to which a voltage generated by using the input voltage can be fed and by which a signalizing signal whose waveform is dependent on the relationship between the fed voltage and a voltage threshold value can be generated, wherein the integrated circuit contains at least one data-processing circuit to which the signalizing signal can be fed for the purpose of signalizing at least two values of the fed voltage to the data-processing circuit, wherein the monitoring circuit is arranged to be controllable in respect of the generation of the signalizing signal, and wherein control means are provided for controlling the monitoring circuit in respect of the generation of the signalizing signal, which control means are arranged to generate at least one control signal.

2. A transponder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitoring circuit is arranged to be controllable in respect of the voltage threshold value.

3. A transponder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means are arranged to exert control as a function of at least two modes of operation able to be performed by the transponders.

4. A transponder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means are arranged to exert control as a function of a read mode and a write mode.

5. A transponder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means are arranged to generate a control signal as a function of a command signal that is emitted by a communication station and received in the integrated circuit.

6. A transponder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means are arranged to generate a control signal as a function of an item of control information stored in the integrated circuit.

7. A transponder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the item of control information is stored in a configuration register in the integrated circuit.

8. An integrated circuit that is intended for use in a transponder for non-contacting communication with a communication station, and that has circuit connecting contacts which are intended for connection to transmission means of the transponder and from which an input voltage can be picked off, which integrated circuit contains a monitoring circuit to which a voltage generated by using the input voltage can be fed, by which integrated circuit a signalizing signal whose waveform is dependent on the relationship between the fed voltage and a voltage threshold value can be generated, and which integrated circuit contains at least one data-processing circuit to which the signalizing signal can be fed for the purpose of signalizing at least two values of the fed voltage to the data-processing circuit, wherein the monitoring circuit is arranged to be controllable in respect of the generation of the signalizing signal, and wherein control means are provided for controlling the monitoring circuit in respect of the generation of the signalizing signal, which control means are arranged to generate at least one control signal.

9. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the monitoring circuit is arranged to be controllable in respect of the voltage threshold value.

10. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control means are arranged to exert control as a function of at least two modes of operation able to be performed by the transponders.

11. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control means are arranged to exert control as a function of a read mode and a write mode.

12. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control means are arranged to generate a control signal, as a function of a command signal that is emitted by a communication station and received in the integrated circuit.

13. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control means rare arranged to generate a control signal as a function of an item of control information stored in the integrated circuit.

14. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the item of control information is stored in a configuration register in the integrated circuits.