Remote transmission apparatus operating by inductive coupling

• US 6,778,070 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat A Le'Energie Atomique
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US09/281,110
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/870.32, 340/14.62, 340/825.78, 340/10.4, 340/10.34, 340/572.4, 340/551, 340/570, 340/572.1, 340/10.32, 340/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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 remote transmission apparatus for a portable object equipped with an antenna and connected by inductive coupling to a fixed station comprises data processor for processing and storing data concerning the portable object; a voltage rectifier for transforming the AC voltage supplied by the antenna of the portable object into a DC voltage carried by a power line (Vdd) to the data processor; a voltage regulator for regulating the DC voltage provided by the rectifier; and a modulator for modulating the signals to be transmitted comprising a transistor connected to an electronic dipole that causes a drop in voltage between the input and output of said modulator, said modulator being connected to the input of the voltage regulator to control the voltage on the terminals of the antenna in order to modulate the current flowing in the antenna.

Claims

1. Remote transmission apparatus for a portable object equipped with an antenna having terminals and connected by inductive coupling to a fixed station that is equipped with a power supply and at least one antenna that emits an alternating magnetic field and receives signals transmitted by the portable object, comprising:

a data processor for processing and storing data concerning the portable object;

a voltage rectifier for transforming the AC voltage supplied by the antenna into a DC voltage carried by a power line to the data processor, said rectifier having inputs and outputs;

a voltage regulator for regulating the DC voltage provided by said rectifier, said regulator having an input and an output, said inputs being connected to the terminals of the antenna; and

a modulator for modulating the signals to be transmitted, said modulator having an input and an output;

wherein the modulator comprises a transistor connected to an electronic dipole that causes a drop in voltage between the input and output of said modulator, the output of said modulator being connected to the inputs of the voltage regulator and the input of said modulator being connected to the outputs of said rectifier, the voltage on the terminals of the antenna being regulated by the voltage regulator, the modulation of the signal transmitted to the antenna being a current modulation.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transistor and the dipole of the modulator are connected in parallel with one another, the transistor/dipole assembly being connected in series to the voltage supply line between an output of the rectifier and an input of the voltage regulator.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transistor and the dipole of the modulator are connected in series with one another, the transistor/dipole assembly being connected to a divider bridge that is connected in turn to one input of the voltage regulator.

4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic dipole is a Zener diode.

5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic dipole is a diode.

6. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic dipole is a MOS transistor whose gate is connected to the drain.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a transistor whose drain and source are connected to the output of the rectifier and a differential amplifier whose output is connected to the gate of the transistor and whose inputs receive both a reference voltage and the voltage of the power supply line.

8. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a transistor connected in parallel to the terminals of the antenna and a differential amplifier whose output is connected to the gate of the transistor and whose inputs receive both a reference voltage and the voltage from the power supply line.

9. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a first transistor connected in parallel to the terminals of the antenna, a second transistor connected to the output of the rectifier and a differential amplifier whose inputs receive both a reference voltage and the voltage from the power supply line, and whose output is connected to a distributor circuit that is in turn connected to the gates of the first and second transistors.

10. Apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a demodulator for demodulating signals received from the fixed station.