Communication system including a dual passive antenna configuration

• US 6,223,990 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kamei, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US08/973,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/382, 235/385, 235/449, 235/451, 235/487, 902/2, 340/825.54, 340/825.34, 340/825.53, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• 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 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 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/03 Astable circuits

Abstract

An IC card which is facilitated in circuit configuration and program-development as well as a communication system which is improved in characteristics such as the rate of communication and the distance of communication. An IC card 10 comprises an antenna 22a for receiving an electromagnetic wave for supplying electric power, an antenna 22b for receiving an electromagnetic wave for data, a rectifying circuit 11 with a capacitor 6 to rectify the received electromagnetic wave to get electric power, a power source circuit 12 for supplying a power source voltage to an internal circuit of the IC card 10 by the use of the electric power obtained, a detecting circuit 13 for detecting a component of data from the received electromagnetic wave, a modulating/demodulating circuit 14 for demodulating the received data and modulating data to be transmitted, an oscillation circuit 1 for generating a clock signal CP to be supplied into internal circuits, and a semiconductor device such as a micro-computer and memories, not shown, for processing and storing the data obtained.

Claims

1. An IC card device comprising:

a first antenna for obtaining electrical power by receiving an external electromagnetic wave and recfifying;

a second antenna for transmitting and receiving data based on the electric power, the second antenna being provided independent of said first antenna;

a ring oscillation circuit including a plurality of signal inverters, wherein odd numbers of which are tandem connected in a form of a ring; and

a constant-current circuit being set to a current value smaller than electric-current ability for transistors involved in said signal inverter, said constant-current circuit being connected in series to at least one of said transistors connected supplied with a power source voltage or a reference voltage.

2. An IC card according to claim 1, the current value is generated based on a constant voltage from a constant-voltage circuit.

3. An communication system comprising:

an IC card incorporating therewithin a semiconductor integrated circuit, at least one antenna so as to obtain electric power by receiving an external electromagnetic wave and rectifying, the IC card transmitting and receiving data based on the electric power, a ring oscillation circuit including a plurality of signal inverters, wherein odd numbers of which are tandem connected in a form of a ring, and a constant-current circuit being set to a current value smaller than electric-current ability for transistors involved in said signal inverter, said constant-current circuit being connected in series to at least one of said transistors connected supplied with a power source voltage or a reference voltage; and

a card gate apparatus having a first antenna for transmitting the electromagnetic wave for the electromagnetic wave for electric power, and a second antenna for transmitting and receiving data, the second antenna being provided independent of said first antenna.

4. A communication system according to claim 3, wherein said second antenna comprises a transmission antenna for transmitting said data and a reception antenna, which is provided independent of said transmission antenna, for receiving said data.

5. A communication system according to claim 3, wherein said second antenna is switched according to uses for transmission and reception of the data.

6. A communication system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said card gate apparatus transmits each electromagnetic wave such that a range of distance over which the electromagnetic wave for electric power reaches is longer than that of the electromagnetic wave for transmission of the data.