RADIO FREQUENCY COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20110053503A1
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Witschnig, Harald, Maier, Alexander, Merlin, Erich
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) communication device (1, 1′, 10) has data transmission means and data receiving means. The data transmission means comprise load modulating means (3) being adapted to receive a radio frequency carrier signal (CS1, CS2) emitted by another RF communication device (1, 1′, 10) and to modulate the RF carrier signal (CS1, CS2) by means of load modulation in accordance with data to be sent. The data receiving means comprise a RF frequency carrier signal generator (4) being adapted to emit a radio frequency carrier signal (CS1, CS2) and load demodulating means (5) being connected to an emission path (4a) of the radio frequency carrier signal and demodulating the radio frequency carrier signal (CS1, CS2) when it has been load modulated by another RF communication device (1, 1′, 10).

Claims

1. A radio frequency communication device having data transmission means and data receiving means, wherein the data transmission means comprise load modulating means being adapted to receive a radio frequency carrier signal emitted by another RF communication device and to modulate the RF carrier signal by means of load modulation in accordance with data to be sent, and wherein the data receiving means comprise a RF frequency carrier signal generator being adapted to emit a radio frequency carrier signal and load demodulating means being connected to an emission path of the radio frequency carrier signal and demodulating the radio frequency carrier signal when it has been load modulated by another RF communication device.

2. The RF communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmission means and the data receiving means are coupled to separate antennas.

3. The RF communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmission means and the data receiving means are alternatingly coupled to a common antenna.

4. The RF communication device as claimed in claim 3, comprising switching means for alternatingly coupling the data transmission means and the data receiving means to the common antenna.

5. The RF communication device as claimed in claim 1, being designed to establish a communication session with another RF communication device and to send data to and receive data from the other RF communication device.

6. The RF communication device as claimed in claim 5, being adapted to alternatingly activate the data transmission means and the data receiving means during the communication session.

7. A method of communication among radio frequency communication devices each comprising a data transmission mode and a data receiving mode, wherein in the data transmission mode a radio frequency carrier signal emitted by another RF communication device is received and load modulated in accordance with data to be sent, and wherein in the data receiving mode a RF frequency carrier signal is generated, emitted and load demodulated as this RF frequency carrier signal has been load modulated by another RF communication device.

8. The communication method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the RF communication device comprises separate antennas for receiving an RF carrier signal and for emitting an RF carrier signal, respectively.

9. The communication method as claimed in claim 7, wherein receiving the RF carrier signal in the data transmission mode and emitting the RF carrier signal in the data receiving mode is alternatingly accomplished via the same antenna of the RF communication device.

10. The communication method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a communication session with another RF communication device is established for both sending data to and receiving data from the other RF communication device.

11. The communication method as claimed in claim 10, wherein during the communication session sending data and receiving data is alternatingly carried out.