Radio communication device, radio communication method and non-contact IC card reader/writer device

• US 20060192007A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ide, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/451
• 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 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

A radio communication device of an example of the present invention is one capable of communicating a plurality kinds of radio communicating media having different resonant frequencies comprises a transmission unit having a first resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with the resonant frequencies of the radio communication media in a prescribed communication range with the radio communication media to transmit signals to the radio communication media and a reception unit having a second resonant frequency not resonated with the resonant frequencies of the radio communication media in the prescribed communication ranges with the radio communication media to receive signals from the radio communication media.

Claims

1. A radio communication device capable of communicating with a plurality of kinds of radio communication media having different resonant frequencies, comprising:

transmission means having a first resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with resonant frequencies of the radio communication media in prescribed communication ranges with the radio communication media to transmit signals to the radio communication media; and

reception means having a second resonant frequency not resonated with the resonant frequencies of the radio communication media in the prescribed communication ranges with the radio communication media to receive signals from the radio communication media.

2. The radio communication device regarding to claim 1, wherein

the second resonant frequency is a frequency not less than 10 times of the first resonant frequency.

3. The radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the transmission means comprises:

a modulation circuit for modulating transmission data;

a transmission antenna composed of a loop coil for transmitting a signal modulated by the modulation circuit to the radio communication media; and

a capacitor for tuning to each resonant frequency of each radio communication medium, and

the reception means comprises;

a reception antenna composed of a loop coil for receiving signals from the radio communication media; and

a demodulation circuit for demodulating signals received through the reception antenna.

4. The radio communication device according to claim 3, wherein

the loop coil of the reception antenna is arranged at an inner circumference of the loop coil of the transmission antenna.

5. The radio communication device according to claim 3, wherein

the loop coil of the reception antenna is arranged at an outer circumference of the loop coil of the transmission antenna.

6. A radio communication device capable of communicating with a plurality kinds of radio communication media having different resonant frequencies, comprising:

transmission/reception means for transmitting signals to the radio communication media in prescribed communication ranges with the radio communication media and receiving signals thereform; and

control means for controlling resonant frequencies of the transmission/reception means to a first resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with the resonant frequency of the radio communication media in a period to transmit signals to the radio communication media through the transmission/reception means and controlling the resonant frequency of the transmission/reception means to a second resonant frequency not resonated with the resonant frequencies of the radio communication media in a period to receive signals from the radio communication media through the transmission/reception means.

7. The radio communication device according to claim 6, wherein

the transmission/reception means comprises:

a modulation circuit for modulating transmission data;

a transmission/reception antenna transmitting a signal modulated by the modulation circuit to the radio communication media and composed of a loop coil for receiving signals from the radio communication media; and

a demodulation circuit for demodulating the signals received through the transmission/reception antenna, and

the control means comprises;

a capacitor for obtaining tuning to each resonant frequency of each radio communication medium; and

a switching circuit for connecting the capacitor to the transmission/reception antenna in a transmission period of signals through the transmission/reception antenna and separating the capacitor from the transmission/reception antenna in a reception period of signals through the transmission/reception antenna.

8. The radio communication according to claim 7, further comprising:

a plurality of capacities connected to the transmission/reception antenna; and

a plurality of switching circuits connected to these plurality of capacities.

9. A radio communication device capable of communicating with a plurality kinds of radio communication media having different resonant frequencies, comprising:

transmission/reception means for transmitting signals to a prescribed radio communication media and receiving signals from the prescribed radio communication media; and

control means for controlling a resonant frequency of the transmission/reception means to a prescribed resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with each resonant frequency of each radio communication medium and distinguishing the prescribed radio communication media on the basis of the signals received from the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception means to control the resonant frequency of the transmission/reception means on the basis of a distinction result.

10. The radio communication device according to claim 9, wherein

the control means switches and controls the resonant frequency of the transmission/reception means on the basis of a distinction result in a transmission period of signals to the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception means and a reception period of the signals from the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception means.

11. The radio communication device according to claim 9, wherein

the transmission/reception means comprises:

a modulation circuit for modulating transmission data;

a transmission/reception antenna transmitting a modulated signal by the modulation circuit to the prescribed radio communication media and composed of a loop coil for receiving signals from the prescribed radio communication media; and

a demodulation circuit for demodulating signals received through the transmission/reception antenna, and

the control means comprises;

a plurality of capacitors for obtaining tuning to each resonant frequency of each radio communication medium of the plurality of kinds of each radio communication medium; and

switching circuits for connecting or separating of the transmission/reception antenna to and from each capacitor.

12. A radio communication method capable of communicating with a plurality kinds of radio communication media having different resonant frequencies, comprising:

transmitting signals to the prescribed radio communication media in prescribed communication ranges with the radio communication media and controlling a resonant frequency of a transmission/reception antenna for receiving signals from the prescribed radio communication media to a prescribed resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with each resonant frequency of the plurality kinds of each radio communication medium;

distinguishing the prescribed radio communication media on the basis of received signals from the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception antenna; and

controlling the resonant frequency of the transmission/reception antenna on the basis a distinction result.

13. The radio communication method according to claim 12, further comprising:

controlling the resonant frequency of the transmission/reception antenna on the basis of the distinction result in a transmission period of signals to the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception antenna and in a reception period of signals from the prescribed radio communication media through the transmission/reception antenna.

14. A non-contact IC card reader/writer device for performing a transmission and a reception of data to and from an IC card by radio to perform prescribed data processing, comprising:

transmission means having a first resonant frequency tuned to and responded with a resonant frequency of the IC card in a prescribed communication range with the IC card to transmit signals to the IC card;

reception means having a second resonant frequency not resonated with the resonant frequency in the prescribed communication range with the IC card to receive signals from the IC card; and

control means for performing the transmission and the reception of the data to and from the IC card through the transmission means and the reception means.

15. A radio communication device capable of communicating with a plurality of kinds radio communication media having different resonant frequencies, comprising:

a modulation circuit for modulating transmission data;

an output line circuit for outputting signals modulated by the modulation circuit;

a transmission/reception antenna for transmitting the signals from the output line circuit to the radio communication media and receiving signals from the radio communication media;

an input line circuit for inputting signals from the transmission/reception antenna;

a phase control circuit for controlling phases of signals from the input line circuit; and

a demodulation circuit for demodulating an output from the phase control circuit.

16. The radio communication device according to claim 15, wherein

the phase control circuit controls its own resonant frequency to a second resonant frequency which is different from a first resonant frequency of the transmission/reception antenna tuned to and resonated with resonant frequencies of the radio communication media and which is not resonated with the resonant frequencies of the radio communication media.

17. The radio communication device according to claim 15, wherein

the phase control circuit includes capacitors disposed between the input line circuit and the demodulation circuit.

18. The radio communication device according to claim 15, wherein

the phase control circuit includes a capacitor disposed between the input line circuit and the demodulation circuit;

and capacitor disposed between the line input circuit and a grounding circuit.

19. The radio communication device according to claim 15, wherein

the output line circuit and the input line circuit comprises connecting units to which the transmission/reception antenna freely detachable.

20. A non-contact IC card reader/writer device for performing transmission and reception of data to and from an IC card, comprising:

a transmission circuit for modulating transmission data to the IC card;

an antenna unit having a first resonant frequency tuned to and resonated with a resonant frequency of the IC card in a prescribed communication range with the IC card to transmit an output from the transmission circuit;

a phase control circuit for inputting a reception signal from the IC card received through the antenna unit to perform phase control so as not to be resonated to the resonant frequency of the IC card in a prescribed communication range with the IC card;

a reception circuit for demodulating an output from the phase control circuit as reception data; and

a control unit for performing transmission and reception of the data to and from the IC card through the transmission circuit and the reception circuit to perform a prescribed data processing.

21. The non-contact IC card reader/writer device according to claim 20, further comprising:

a connecting unit for freely detachable the antenna unit, the transmission circuit and the phase control circuit.