Arrangement for an antenna resonant circuit for contactless transmission systems

• US 6,320,508 B1
• Filed: 03/23/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Böh, Frank, Giesler, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US09/274,391
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.7, 340/572.2, 340/572.4, 340/551, 455/277.1, 343/895, 343/701
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

The respective resonance frequencies of resonant circuits in the base station and the transponder in identification systems are tuned to a transmission frequency for the wireless transmission of data and energy. In order to achieve an as high as possible transmission efficiency, the resonant circuits must be very accurately tuned to the transmission frequency. Because these systems are subject to temperature fluctuations and other environmental conditions, and manufacture-inherent component tolerances also occur, it is difficult to ensure reliable operation within a tolerance range in which reliable data and energy transmission is possible. Extending this tolerance range would enhance the reliability of these systems. The tolerance range can be extended by increasing the power with which the resonant circuit operates. However, in the case of 100% tuning a field strength is then reached which is substantially larger than necessary for the data and energy transmission. Moreover, stronger drivers are then required. When voltage limitation is applied after the required field strength has been reached, the wider tolerance range is achieved without it being necessary to provide the high power. At the same time a constant field strength is realized across the voltage limitation range. The voltage limiting arrangement is connected parallel to a resonant circuit element. The advantages of such voltage limitation for antenna resonant circuits reside in the use of components with large tolerances and in the accompanying reduction of the system costs.

Claims

1. An arrangement for a system for contactless transmission of a signal between a base station, including a resonant circuit, and a transponder, comprising:

a circuit connected parallel to an element of the resonant circuit in order to limit a voltage level in one half-wave of the signal when a predetermined limit value of the system is exceeded.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a zener diode and a diode which is connected in the reverse direction relative to the zener diode, the half-wave to be limited being defined by a switching direction of the zener diode.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a controllable transistor and a diode, the controllable transistor being a FET which can be driven by a microcontroller.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant circuit is an antenna series resonant circuit, the circuit is connected between a reference point and a reference potential, the reference point being situated between the resonant circuit elements.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant circuit is an antenna parallel resonant circuit, and the circuit is connected in series with a resonant circuit element in order to limit the current in one half-wave when the predetermined limit value is exceeded.

6. A reading apparatus for the contactless transmission of a signal to a data carrier coupled thereto, the reading apparatus including an antenna resonant circuit with an arrangement as claimed in one of the claim 1.