Microcircuit chip card with contact and contactless operating modes

• US 6,003,777 A
• Filed: 01/07/1999
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WISeKey Semiconductors
• Original Assignee: Inside Technologies (Verimatrix SA)
• Inventors: Kowalski, Jacek
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL GUNYOUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/226,553
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/379, 235/380, 235/439, 235/451, 902/26
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• 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

Abstract

A microcircuit with two contact and non-contact operating modes, including communication device (2) specific for the non-contact operating mode, communication device (3) specific for the contact operating mode, electronic circuit (4) common to both operating modes, a coil (L) for receiving an AC voltage (Va) by induction, a rectifier circuit (Pd) for rectifying the AC voltage (Va) to give a first microcircuit power supply voltage (Vcc1), at least one power supply contact (p1) for receiving a second microcircuit power supply voltage (Vcc2) a distribution line (5) for distributing the first (Vcc1), or second (Vcc2) power supply voltages, a switch circuit (6, 13) between the power supply contact (P1) and the distribution line (5), and controller (7, 8) for controlling the switch circuit, which controller (7, 8) are arranged to sense the AC voltage (Va) across the terminals of the coil (L), and close the switch circuit (6, 13) when the second power supply voltage (Vcc2) is present on the power supply contact, or give priority to opening the switch circuit when the AC voltage (Va) is present across the terminals of the coil.

Claims

1. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support with two operating modes, contact or contactless, comprising :

communication means (2) specific to the contactless operating mode, communication means (3) specific to the contact operating mode, and electronic means (4) common to the two operating modes,

a coil (L) for receiving an alternating voltage (Va) by induction,

a circuit (Pd) which rectifies said alternating voltage (Va) for producing a first supply voltage (Vcc1) of the microcircuit,

at least a supply contact (p1) for receiving a second supply voltage (Vcc2) of the microcircuit,

a line (5) for distributing the first (Vcc1) or second (Vcc2) supply voltage,

a switching means (6,

     13) arranged between the supply contact (p1) and the distribution line (5), and

means (7, 8, 20, 21, 30,

     40) for controlling the switching means,

characterised in that the means for controlling the switching means comprise;

detection means (8, 30,

     40) designed to detect the presence of the alternating voltage (Va) on the terminals of the coil (L) and provide a control signal (CTL) distinct from the first supply voltage (Vcc1), the control signal (CTL) having a first value when the alternating voltage (Va) is not detected and a second value when the alternating voltage (Va) is detected, and

means (7, 20,

     21) for closing and opening the switching means (6,

     13), designed to close the switching means when the second supply voltage (Vcc2) is present and the control signal (CTL) has said first value, and to open in priority the switching means when the control signal has said second value.

2. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, characterised in that:

the switching means (6,

     13) is naturally in the open state,

the means (7, 20,

     21) for closing and opening the switching means (6,

     13) are supplied from the supply contact (p1), so that the closing and opening means (7, 20,

     21) are disabled when the second supply voltage (vcc2) is absent, and the switching means naturally remains in the open state.

3. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein the output of the rectifier circuit (Pd) is directly and permanently connected to the distribution line (5).

4. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein said detection means comprise an oscillation detector (30) of the alternating voltage (Va).

5. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein said detection means comprise a threshold detector (40) of the alternating voltage.

6. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein the means (20) for closing and opening the switching means (6, 13) comprise a booster circuit (21) producing a boosted voltage (Vhv) for closing the switching means.

7. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 6, wherein the booster circuit (21) comprises a first charge pump (24) whose output is applied to a storing capacity (Cst) by means of a transistor (25) driven by a second charge pump (23) operating in phase with the first charge pump.

8. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein the switching means (6, 13) comprises a transistor (13) having a conductive threshold voltage (VT).

9. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 8, wherein the switching means (6) comprises a NMOS transistor (16) and a PMOS transistor arranged in series.

10. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein the communication means which are specific to the contact mode (3) are supplied from the supply contact (p1), and the means (4) which are common to the two operating modes are supplied from the distribution line (5).

11. Microcircuit mounted on a portable support according to claim 1, wherein the microcircuit mounted on a portable support is a chip card.