Station, a passive portable object and apparatus for the remote exchange of information between the passive portable object and the station

• US 5,838,235 A
• Filed: 09/05/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: La Poste, Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: La Poste, Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Thorigne, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/708,578
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/572, 340/693, 340/551, 340/825.34, 340/825.54, 235/380, 235/441, 235/449, 235/492, 235/493, 235/451, 235/440, 342/44, 342/107
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• 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: G06K 7/086 sensing passive circuit, e.g. resonant circuit transponders

Abstract

Apparatus for the exchange of information by electromagnetic coupling between a passive portable object and a station comprising: first electromagnetic coupling means for the transmission of data between the portable object and the station, and second electromagnetic coupling means independent of the first means for the transfer of energy and a clock signal to the portable object. A filtering circuit is provided on the station side, which behaves as an inductance at the frequency associated with the data transmission and as a high value impedance at the frequency associated with the energy transfer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the exchange of information by electromagnetic coupling between a portable object and a station, in which said station comprises:

a first generator of a first alternating voltage with a first selected frequency,

a first resistive station element with a first terminal linked to the first generator and a second terminal,

a series arrangement linked to the second terminal and having at least a first inductive station element, a first capacitive station element and a second resistive station element, said arrangement having a pair of terminals and being able to create a second alternating voltage at said terminals,

station processing means connected to the first and second terminals of the first resistive station element and able to process phase variations between the first and second alternating voltages, and

in which said portable object comprises;

an electronic circuit comprising a first inductive object element and a first capacitive object element, said circuit being switchable between an inactive state and an active state in which it forms a resonant circuit with the first inductive station element,

object processing means able to switch the electronic circuit as a function of information to be transmitted to the station, the phase variation between the first and second alternating voltages induced by this switching enabling the station processing means to deduce therefrom said information,

wherein said station further comprises;

a second generator of a third alternating voltage of a second selected frequency different from the first frequency,

wherein the portable object also comprises;

a second inductive object element independent of the first inductive object element and having terminals,

a second capacitive object element linked to the terminals of the second inductive object element, said second inductive object element being able to form a tuned loop with the second inductive station element in order to generate at the terminals of the second inductive object element an inducted alternating supply voltage in the presence of the magnetic field created by the second inductive station element, and

wherein the station also comprises a filtering circuit of dipole type interposed between one of the electrodes of the first capacitive station element and one of the terminals of the first inductive station element, said filtering circuit being able to behave essentially as an inductance at the first frequency and an impedance of high value at the second frequency.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filtering circuit comprises an inductive element and a capacitive element mounted in parallel and arranged between the first capacitive and inductive elements of the station.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inductive station elements have approximately the same geometric dimensions and are superimposed one on the other.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second inductive station element comprises a single winding.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first inductive station element comprises approximately three contiguous windings.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portable object further comprises rectifying means linked to the terminals of the second inductive object element and able to rectify the induced alternating supply voltage into a DC supply voltage intended to supply the object processing means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the portable object further comprises an energy regulation circuit linked to the output of the rectifying means and able to regulate said DC supply voltage as a function of the distance between the station and the portable object.

8. Apparatus according to any of the previous claims, wherein the second generator is a current generator.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the portable object further comprises divider means linked to the output of the clock recovery means and able to divide the frequency of the recovered clock signal recovered into a sub-multiple selected to set the timing of the object processing means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portable object further comprises clock recovery means linked to the terminals of the second inductive object element and able to recover a clock signal from the induced alternating supply voltage.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the station further comprises amplifying means able to amplify the third alternating supply voltage from the second generator.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein second inductive object element comprises n windings, with n an integer approximately equal to four.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inductive object elements are arranged in relation to each other in accordance with a predetermined geometric relationship intended to limit radio-electric interference.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portable object is a passive contactless memory card.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portable object is an electronic label.

16. A station for the exchange of information by electromagnetic coupling between the station and a portable object, said station comprising:

a first generator of a first alternating voltage with a first selected frequency,

a first resistive station element with a first terminal linked to the first generator and a second terminal,

a series arrangement linked to the second terminal and having at least a first inductive station element, a first capacitive station element and a second resistive station element, said arrangement having a pair of terminals and being able to create a second alternating voltage at said terminals,

station processing means connected to the first and second terminals of the first resistive station element and able to process phase variations between the first and second alternating voltages,

a second generator of a third alternating voltage of a second selected frequency different from the first frequency,

a second inductive station element linked to the second generator, independent of the first inductive station element and able to create a predetermined magnetic field, and

a filtering circuit of dipole type interposed between one of the electrodes of the first capacitive station element and one of the terminals of the first inductive station element, said filtering circuit being able to behave essentially as an inductance at the first frequency and an impedance of high value at the second frequency.

17. A portable object for the exchange of information by electromagnetic coupling between the portable object and a station, said portable object comprising:

an electronic circuit comprising a first inductive object element and a first capacitive object element, said circuit being switchable between an inactive state and an active state, in which it forms a resonant circuit with the station;

object processing means able to switch the electronic circuit as a function of information to be transmitted to the station, the phase variation between two alternating voltages at a first selected frequency of the station induced by this switching enabling the station to deduce therefrom said information;

a second inductive object element independent of the first inductive object element and having terminals; and

a second capacitive object element linked to the terminals of the second inductive object element, said second inductive object element being able to form a tuned loop with the station in order to generate at the terminals of the second inductive object element an induced alternating supply voltage at a second selected frequency different from the first frequency in the presence of a magnetic field created by the station.