Remote identification device

• US 5,563,589 A
• Filed: 12/09/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF
• Inventors: Canal, Yves, Chenu, Jean, Blaimont, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Van Thanh
• Application Number:
  US08/352,640
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 342/41, 342/43, 342/44, 342/51, 342/193, 342/42, 341/173, 341/176, 340/901, 340/902, 340/905, 340/933, 340/825.54, 340/571, 340/572, 340/445, 340/447, 343/850
• US Class Current: 340/10.34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/758 using a signal generator powered by the interrogation signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00388 code verification carried out according to the challenge/response method
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00611 by using inductive transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In a remote identification device, an interrogator sends a microwave signal to a responder, the interrogation wave signal being modulated. At each period of the modulation signal of the interrogation wave signal, the responder accumulates the energy conveyed by this signal, the energy received being converted into supply voltage to be used to encode and transmit a response microwave signal to the interrogator. This may be used for the identification of objects by a radar signal.

Claims

1. A remote identification device, comprising an interrogator and a responder, the interrogator sending an interrogation microwave signal to the responder, wherein the interrogator has modulating means to modulate the interrogation microwave signal and wherein the responder has accumulation means for the accumulation, at each period of the signal that modulates the interrogation microwave signal, of the energy carrier by this microwave signal, said accumulation means being constituted by an inductor whose first terminal is connected to an anode of a detection diode of the interrogation microwave signal, the inductor being charged by a current at the frequency of the modulation signal, the responder furthermore having means to convert the energy received into voltage greater than the threshold voltages of semiconductors used by means for encoding and transmitting a response microwave signal to the interrogator.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the response microwave signal contains a code identifying the responder.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the inductor is the inductor of the primary winding of a transformer.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the means to convert the received energy into voltage are constituted by at least the inductor of a second diode whose anode is connected to the first terminal of the inductor and a capacitor whose first terminal is connected to the cathode of the second diode, the second terminal of the inductor and the second terminal of the capacitor being connected to a reference potential, the voltage being given between the terminals of the capacitor.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the voltage regulation means are connected to the terminals of the capacitor.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the detection diode is also used for the transmission of the response microwave signal, and wherein the detection diode phase-shifts the received interrogation microwave signal by 0 or Π

as a function of the command given by the encoding means.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the modulation signal is a square-wave signal.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the responder is fitted into a vehicle.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the responder takes the form of a chip card.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the response microwave signal is offset in frequency with respect to an interrogation microwave signal.