PROTOCOL-CONTROLLED ANTENNA SELECTION

• US 20080024307A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: KUZNETSOVA, Dina, WISSENDHEIT, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/061 using feedback from receiving side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence

Abstract

The idea on which the present invention is based is that transmitting and receiving data by an antenna or an antenna array may be performed more efficiently by analyzing protocol data of a transmit protocol, which control the data flow between a transmitting and a receiving device, by a controller, and by individually setting transmission times and receiving times on the basis of this analysis, or by specifically selecting a single antenna from an antenna array.

Claims

1. A method for determining an active phase of an antenna during a transmitting or receiving operation, comprising:

receiving protocol data of a transmit protocol controlling the data flow between a transmitting device and a receiving device;

evaluating the protocol data with a controller to determine a time interval for the duration of the active phase of the antenna; and

controlling the active phase of the antenna on the basis of the evaluation of the protocol data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protocol data include a command code describing the target of the communication to be performed and comprising control information about the communication to be performed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protocol data comprise a response code including the reaction to a transmitting operation.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining an active antenna from a plurality of antennas of a main communication device on the basis of the protocol data; and

selecting the active antenna during the transmitting or receiving operation.

5. The method according to claim 4 for secure identifying and/or for localizing a side communication device by the main communication device by repeatedly evaluating identical protocol data using different antennas determined by the controller.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the active phase and the selection of the antenna of an RFID transmit/read device are controlled.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protocol data of the ISO/IEC 15693 protocol are evaluated.

8. A computer program comprising a program code for executing a method for determining an active phase of an antenna during a transmitting or receiving operation, comprising:

receiving protocol data of a transmit protocol controlling the data flow between a transmitting device and a receiving device;

evaluating the protocol data with a controller to determine a time interval for the duration of the active phase of the antenna; and

controlling the active phase of the antenna on the basis of the evaluation of the protocol data, when the program runs on a computer.

9. A device for determining an active phase of an antenna during a transmitting or receiving operation, comprising:

a receiving device for receiving protocol data of a transfer protocol controlling the data flow between a transmitting device and a receiving device;

a controller for evaluating the protocol data which is implemented to be able to determine a time interval for the duration of the active phase of the antenna; and

a device for controlling the active phase of the antenna on the basis of the evaluation of the protocol data.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the protocol data include a command code describing the target of the communication to be performed and comprising control information about the communication to be performed.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the protocol data comprise a response code including the reaction to a transmitting operation.

12. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a device for determining an active antenna from a plurality of antennas of a main communication device on the basis of the protocol data; and

a device for selecting the active antenna during the transmitting or receiving operation.

13. The device according to claim 12 for secure identifying and/or for localizing a side communication device by the main communication device by repeatedly evaluating identical protocol data using different antennas determined by the controller.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the active phase and the selection of the antenna of an RFID transmitting/read device are controlled.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the protocol data of the ISO/IEC 15693 protocol are evaluated.