Method for wireless transmission of data to a data carrier

• US 5,286,955 A
• Filed: 02/21/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Eurosil Electronic GmbH
• Inventors: Klosa, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPPERD, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US07/840,729
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/449
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• 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 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: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

A method is described of wireless transmission of data onto a data carrier, in particular onto a chip card or IC card, by said data carrier being placed in a high-frequency field. To carry out amplitude keying, the field is switched on and off, with the information being here the number of periods transmitted between two transmission intervals. The semiconductor circuit accommodated in the data carrier receives its clock from the received high-frequency field or from an oscillator allocated to the semiconductor circuit, with this clock being off during a transmission gap.

Claims

1. A method for wireless transmission of data onto a data carrier having a semiconductor circuit (1), in particular onto a chip card or IC card, wherein the supply voltage of said semiconductor circuit (1) is generated by a high-frequency field (10) in which the data carrier has been placed, characterized by the following features:

a) for transmission of logic levels and command instructions said high-frequency field (10) is switched off and on such that the duration of the transmission intervals is constant whereas the transmission duration is of varying length depending on the logic levels and command instructions to be transmitted,

b) the transmission duration is determined from the number of periods transmitted of said high-frequency field (10),

c) to retrieve the data transmitted with said high-frequency field (10), the number of periods of said high-frequency field (10) transmitted between two transmission gaps is ascertained, stored and evaluated,

d) to ascertain the number of periods, a clock signal is generated exclusively during the transmission times,

e) to minimize the current consumption of said semiconductor circuit (1), the clock signal is off during the transmission gaps.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein allocation of said number of periods of said high-frequency field (10) transmitted between two transmission intervals to said logic levels or command instructions is achieved by comparison of said number of periods with disjoint number ranges, with each of said number ranges being allocated a logic level or command instruction.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said transmission intervals are short in relation to said transmission times.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a clock signal is obtained from said high-frequency field (10).

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein an oscillator is provided for generation of a clock signal.

6. A circuit array for implementation of the method according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor circuit (1) has a control unit (7) having a memory (8), characterized by the following features:

a) for detection of said high-frequency field (10), a receiving unit (2) is provided that supplies the received signals to a voltage detector (3), to a clock generating unit (4) and to a voltage supply unit (11),

b) furthermore, a counter (5) and an evaluation unit (6) are provided,

c) said clock generating unit (4) supplies a clock signal to said counter (5) and said control unit (7),

d) said voltage detector (3) controls said clock generating unit (4) as a function of said timed high-frequency field (10) and supplies a reset or latch signal to said counter (5) or said evaluation unit (6) respectively,

e) said counter (5) supplies its readings to said evaluation unit (6) for evaluation, said evaluation unit in its turn passing the data generated from said readings to said control unit (7).

7. A circuit array according to claim 6, wherein a storage capacitor (C) is allocated for generation of the supply voltage of said voltage supply unit (11) and is integrated as an on-chip capacitor with said semiconductor circuit (1) designed as an integrated circuit.

8. A circuit array for implementation of the method according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor circuit (1) has a control unit (7) having a memory (8), characterized by the following features:

a) for detection of said high-frequency field (10), a receiving unit (2) is provided that supplies the received signals to a voltage detector (3) and to a voltage supply unit (11),

b) furthermore, a counter (5) and an evaluation unit (6) are provided,

c) furthermore, a clock generating unit (4) is provided that generates by means of the oscillator (4a) a clock signal that is supplied to said counter (5) and to the control unit (7),

d) said voltage detector (3) controls said clock generating unit (4) as a function of said timed high-frequency field (10) and supplies a reset or latch signal to said counter (5) or said evaluation unit (6) respectively,

e) said counter (5) supplies its readings to said evaluation unit (6) for evaluation, said evaluation unit in its turn passing the data generated from said readings to said control unit (7).