Transponder intended for several different applications

• US 6,685,096 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EM Microelectronic - Marin SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: EM Microelectronic - Marin SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Cérède, Gilles, Roz, Thierry, Degrauwe, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIK, STEVEN SANGYUL
• Application Number:
  US09/664,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/375, 235/384, 340/10.2, 340/10.34, 340/825.54
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• 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 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches

Abstract

Transponder (2) associated with a communication system for various different applications having different security levels. This transponder includes means (18, 26, 40, R) allowing the maximum communication distance between the transponder and a reader (4) to be varied as a function of the application selected or activated. A code, which determines the opening or closing of the switch (40) is associated with each application. In a first group of embodiments, the equivalent impedance of the electronic unit associated with the antenna (6) is varied, whereas in another embodiment, the electric characteristics of the antenna itself are varied.

Claims

1. A multi-application transponder including an antenna and an electronic unit arranged so as to control several different applications, wherein the electronic unit receives in memory zones several distance codes associated respectively with the several applications, concurrently implemented in said transponder and wherein said transponder includes means for varying the maximum communication distance with a reader as a function of the application selected or activated from among the different applications, and the means for varying the maximum communication distance is arranged to read the distance code associated with the application selected or activated and to control the maximum communication distance as a function of the distance code associated with the application selected or activated.

2. The transponder according to claim 1, wherein said means for varying the maximum communication distance include means for varying the equivalent impedance of said electronic unit.

3. The transponder according to claim 2, wherein said means for varying said equivalent impedance include means for varying the equivalent resistance of said electronic unit.

4. The transponder according to claim 3, powered in passive mode by a power supply circuit connected to said antenna and wherein is arranged a rectifier, wherein said means for varying said equivalent resistance are formed by at least one resistor arranged in series with a switch between two terminals of said power supply circuit located after said rectifier in relation to said antenna, these two terminals having different electric potentials and by a logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance which controls said switch as a function of the application selected or activated.

5. The transponder according to claim 3, wherein said means for varying said equivalent resistance are formed by at least one resistor arranged in series with a switch between the two terminals of the antenna and by a logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance which controls said switch as a function of the application selected or activated.

6. The transponder according to claim 2, wherein said means for varying said equivalent impedance include means for varying the equivalent reactance of said electronic unit.

7. The transponder according to claim 6, wherein said means for varying said equivalent reactance are formed by at least one tuning capacitance of said antenna, this capacitance being arranged in series with a switch between the two terminals of the antenna and by a logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance which controls said switch as a function of the application selected or activated.

8. The transponder according to claim 1, wherein said means for varying the maximum communication distance include means for varying the electric characteristics of said antenna.

9. The transponder according to claim 8, wherein said means for varying the electric characteristics of said antenna include a switch whose two terminals are respectively connected to a terminal of said antenna and to an intermediate point of this antenna so as to vary antenna length, in particular the number of turns, and a logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance which controls said switch as a function of the application selected or activated.

10. A multi-application transponder controlling a plurality of different applications, the transponder comprising:

an antenna;

an electronic unit electrically connected to the antenna, wherein the electronic unit is arranged so as to control the plurality of different applications and to receive in memory zones several distance codes associated respectively with the plurality of different applications stored in the memory zones concurrently; and

means for varying the maximum communication distance with a reader as a function of the application selected or activated from among the plurality of different applications, wherein the means for varying the maximum communication distance is arranged to read the distance code associated with the application selected or activated and to control the maximum communication distance as a function of the distance code.

11. A multi-application transponder including:

an electronic unit arranged so as to control several different applications;

an antenna connected to the electronic unit;

means for varying the maximum communication distance with a reader as a function of the application selected or activated from among the several different applications, wherein the means for varying the maximum communication distance includes means for varying the equivalent impedance of the electronic unit, and wherein the means for varying the equivalent impedance includes means for varying the equivalent resistance of the electronic unit, wherein the electronic unit is arranged to receive in memory zones several distance codes associated respectively with the several different applications stored in the memory zones concurrently; and

a power supply circuit powers the transponder in passive mode connected to the antenna and wherein is arranged a rectifier, wherein the means for varying the equivalent resistance is formed by at least one resistor arranged in series with a switch between two terminals of the power supply circuit located after the rectifier in relation to the antenna, these two terminals having different electric potentials, and by a logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance which controls the switch as a function of the application selected or activated, and the logic circuit for controlling the maximum communication distance is arranged to read the distance code associated with the application selected or activated and to control the switch as a function of the distance code associated with the application selected or activated.