Information card system

• US 5,175,418 A
• Filed: 12/14/1990
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan
• Application Number:
  US07/627,499
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 235/439, 235/449, 235/492, 235/493, 235/487, 235/451, 235/375, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/439
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10326 the antenna being of the very-near field type, e.g. capacitive

Abstract

An information card system operating in a non-contact manner comprises an information card including a data storage, a card reader and a card writer. The card writer writes information data, such as an identification code, on the card. The card reader sends an interrogation or response requiring signal to the card, and the card responds thereto witha signal containing its information data. The card has a pair of electrode plates adapted for static coupling with a pair of electrode plates included in the card writer. The card'"'"'s electrode plates alternatively can act as a dipole antenna. The card additionally has a loop shaped electrode pattern for communicating with the card reader. The loop shape permits the pattern to modulate a magnetic field generated by the reader. The size of the loop shaped electrode pattern permits it to alternatively act as an antenna.

Claims

1. An information card system comprising

a card reader including means for transmitting an interrogation signal to an information card and means for receiving said interrogation signal back from said information card;

an information card including a first pair of electrode plates for receiving a write information signal including predetermined information data, storage means for storing said predetermined information data included in the received write information signal, electrode means for receiving said interrogation signal from said card reader, means for modulating said interrogation signal based on said predetermined information data stored by the storage means to produce a modulated interrogation signal, means for transmitting the modulated interrogation signal through said electrode means back to said card reader, and power supply battery means having a pair of electrode surfaces, one of said electrode surfaces forming one of said first pair of electrode plates; and

an information writer including information data generating means for generating the write information signal including said predetermined information data, and a second pair of electrode plates supplied with said write information signal for generating an electrical field in cooperation with said first pair of electrode plates when said information card is disposed in proximity to said information writer to provide said write information signal to said predetermined information card, whereby said information data is written in said storage means of the information card without any required contact between said information card and said information writer.

2. An information card system comprising

a card reader including means for transmitting an interrogation signal to an information card and means for receiving said interrogation signal back from said information card;

an information card including a first pair of electrode plates and a third electrode plate positioned in proximity to said first pair of electrode plates so as to form capacitance between said third electrode plate and each electrode plate of said first pair of electrode plates, said first pair of electrode plates and said third electrode plate being operative to receive a write information signal including predetermined information data, storage means for storing said predetermined information data included in the received write information signal, electrode means for receiving said interrogation signal from said card reader, means for modulating said interrogation signal based on said predetermined information data stored by the storage means to produce a modulated interrogation signal, and means for transmitting the modulated interrogation signal through said electrode means back to said card reader; and

an information writer including information data generating means for generating the write information signal including said predetermined information data, and a second pair of electrode plates supplied with said write information signal for generating an electrical field in cooperation with said first pair of electrode plates when said information card is disposed in proximity to said information writer to provide said write information signal to said information card, whereby said predetermined information data is written in said storage means of the information card without any required contact between said information card and said information writer.