Portable information processing apparatus

• US 6,840,448 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Kiyoharu, Matsumoto, Shuzo, Fukushima, Shinichiro, Yoshioka, Atsushi, Takami, Yutaka, Nakagawa, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/462,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/492, 235/486, 235/441
• US Class Current: 235/451
• 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 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

When an IC card module is used for a small portable information apparatus such as a portable telephone terminal, the module has a size much smaller than an ordinary IC card from the viewpoint that the apparatus is required to be small in size and weight. In the case of a small non-contact type card, there are problems that an antenna coil cannot secure its necessary surface area, a necessary power cannot be obtained for a signal to be transmitted or received, a communication distance from an external device becomes small. When the signal is transmitted and received via a booster coil provided between the external device and the antenna coil of the IC card module, the effective surface area of the antenna coil can be increased and the communication distance can be increased to a level as large as it can practically avoid involvement of any problem.

Claims

1. A non-contact information medium mounted in a first information processing apparatus for transmitting and receiving information to and from a second information processing apparatus via the first information processing apparatus, comprising:

a substrate mountable to mounting means possessed by the first information processing apparatus;

an antenna coil for transmitting and receiving information to and from signal transmitting/receiving unit possessed by the first information processing apparatus through electromagnetic induction;

an information processor to process information to be transmitted and received to and from the antenna coil; and

a booster coil for transmitting/receiving information by way of electromagnetic induction with the second information processing apparatus, the booster coil mounted in the first information processing apparatus such that a surface of the booster coil opposes a surface of the antenna coil, the booster coil configured for clamping a batter pack for supplying electrical power to the first information processing apparatus.

2. The non-contact information medium according to claim 1, wherein said antenna coil and said information processor are integrally formed on a semiconductor chip.

3. An information processing apparatus comprising;

a booster coil for transmitting/receiving information by way of electromagnetic induction with an external apparatus for transmitting/receiving information;

a mounting member for mounting non-contact information medium having antenna coil for transmitting/receiving information by utilizing electromagnetic induction with said booster coil;

said booster coil and said mounting member being arranged so that a surface made by said booster coil is opposed to a surface formed by said antenna coil;

wherein said booster coil is arranged for clamping a battery pack for supplying electric power to said information processing apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said booster coil has a surface for communicating with said antenna coil is enlarged for communication with an external communication apparatus.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said booster coil is formed on a deformable flexible substrate.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said portable information apparatus includes a main body casing and a battery lid casing, and said battery lid casing is provided with said booster coil.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an antenna coil possessed by said non-contact information medium is integrally formed on a semiconductor chip forming the non-contact information medium.