Data carrier with regulation of the power consumption

• US 6,581,842 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Sedlak, Holger, Reiner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US09/771,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/451, 375/219, 375/324, 323/234-298
• 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

Abstract

A data carrier, in particular a smart card, is described and has at least one transmitting/receiving antenna and also a rectifier circuit connected downstream thereof and serving for providing a supply voltage for at least one circuit unit. A voltage regulating circuit is connected in parallel with the supply voltage terminals of the circuit unit. The voltage regulating circuit has an output at which a signal proportional to a regulating signal of the voltage regulating circuit can be tapped off. This output is connected to the control input of a controllable clock signal generator, which provides the clock signal for the at least one circuit unit.

Claims

1. A data carrier, comprising:

at least one transmitting/receiving antenna;

at least one circuit unit having supply voltage terminals;

a rectifier circuit connected downstream of said at least one transmitting/receiving antenna and serving for providing a supply voltage for said at least one circuit unit;

a voltage regulating circuit connected in parallel with said supply voltage terminals of said at least one circuit unit and connected to said rectifier circuit, said voltage regulating circuit having an output for tapping off a signal proportional to a regulating signal of said voltage regulating circuit; and

a controllable clock signal generator having a control input connected to said output of said voltage regulating circuit, said controllable clock signal generator connected to said at least one circuit unit and outputs a clock signal received by said at least one circuit unit.

2. The data carrier according to claim 1, wherein said voltage regulating circuit contains a first transistor connected between said supply voltage terminals, and a second transistor connected to one of said supply voltage terminals and has an output terminal, said first transistor forms with said second transistor a current mirror circuit having an output terminal connected to said control input of said controllable clock signal generator, said output terminal of said current mirror is said output terminal of said second transistor.

3. The data carrier according to claim 1, wherein said controllable clock signal generator is a voltage-controlled oscillator.

4. A smart card, comprising:

at least one transmitting/receiving antenna;

at least one circuit unit having supply voltage terminals;

a rectifier circuit connected downstream of said at least one transmitting/receiving antenna and serving for providing a supply voltage for said at least one circuit unit;

a voltage regulating circuit connected in parallel with said supply voltage terminals of said at least one circuit unit and connected to said rectifier circuit, said voltage regulating circuit having an output for tapping off a signal proportional to a regulating signal of said voltage regulating circuit; and

a controllable clock signal generator having a control input connected to said output of said voltage regulating circuit, said controllable clock signal generator connected to said at least one circuit unit and outputs a clock signal received by said at least one circuit unit.