Active backscatter transponder, communication system comprising the same and method for transmitting data by way of such an active backscatter transponder

• US 7,242,259 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symeo GmbH (indie Semiconductor, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symeo GmbH (indie Semiconductor, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heide, Patric, Vossiek, Martin, Seisenberger, Claus, Nalezinski, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US10/506,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20050170797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 331/74, 331/10, 340/10.1, 340/505, 455/10.1, 455/196.1
• US Class Current: 331/74
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

The invention relates to a device, especially an active backscatter transponder, for generating an oscillator signal based on a base signal. It comprises an oscillator for actively constructing the oscillator signal by oscillations, an input for the base signal and an output for the oscillator signal produced. The oscillator can be induced by the base signal to generate oscillator signal in a quasi-coherent manner to the base signal. For the transmission of data, the device further has a data insertion device for inserting data or a data signal into the oscillator signal. A corresponding suitable receiver receives and processes the received signal that was generated and transmitted by such a device as a quasi-coherent signal. A separation device removes the signal portions of the oscillator from the received signal via the base signal of a receiver-side oscillator, with a data retrieval device for retrieving the inserted data.

Claims

1. A transceiver device configured for generating an oscillator signal based on a base signal, comprising:

an input configured for receiving the base signal;

an output configured for transmitting the oscillator signal generated;

an oscillator configured for actively constructing the oscillator signal with oscillations, the oscillator configured to be activated in a quasi-phase-coherent manner aided by a control signal generated by a clock generator and configured to be activated in a quasi-phase-coherent manner with respect to the base signal via the base signal for generating the oscillator signal;

an oscillator configured for generating an oscillating signal;

a mixer comprising an input to which the oscillating signal of the oscillator is applied;

at least one interface configured for at least one of transmitting and receiving signals, the interface being connected to the mixer;

at least one output of the mixer configured for outputting a signal received from the at least one interface and mixed down with the oscillating signal; and

a signal and data processing apparatus connected to the mixer;

the clock generator being configured for activating the oscillator;

the device being usable as a receiver if the oscillator is not modulated by the clock generator, and the device being usable as a transmitter if the oscillator is modulated by the clock generator in its quasi-phase-coherent activation capability and in at least one of its amplitude, phase, and frequency.

2. A transceiver device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

data insertion apparatus comprising a phase control apparatus configured to modulate data onto the oscillator signal by using a switchable phase shift.

3. The transceiver device according to claim 1, wherein the signal and data processing apparatus is configured to either:

apply a received base signal to the oscillator and insert data or a data signal into the oscillating signal for subsequent output via the interface as data insertion apparatus;

or

recover the inserted data from a signal received via the interface and mixed down by way of the mixer as the data recovery apparatus.

4. A receiver device configured for receiving and processing a quasi-phase-coherent received signal which was generated and transmitted by a device of claim 2, comprising:

a separation apparatus configured for removing signal components of an oscillator from the quasi-phase-coherent received signal by using a base signal of a receiver-side oscillator;

a data recovery apparatus configured to recover inserted data;

a transmission mixer comprising;

an oscillator input configured for applying the signal generated by the oscillator;

a base signal output configured for outputting the signal generated by the oscillator as a base signal through the transmission mixer and for transmitting the base signal to an actual data transmitter station;

a received signal input configured for applying the received signal; and

a mixed-down signal output configured for outputting a mixed-down received signal, where the base signal output for and the received signal input coincide.

5. A receiver device configured for receiving and processing a quasi-phase-coherent received signal which was generated and transmitted by a device of claim 2, comprising:

a separation apparatus configured for removing signal components of an oscillator from the quasi-phase-coherent received signal by using a base signal of a receiver-side oscillator;

a data recovery apparatus configured to recover inserted data;

a demodulator comprising;

a phase comparator, comprising;

an input to which a received signal originating from the mixer of the receiver is fed;

a further input; and

an output at which recovered data is output;

the demodulator further comprising;

a frequency discriminator configured to impose a frequency-dependent phase shift on an input signal, comprising;

an input to which the received signal originating from the mixer of the receiver is fed; and

an output connected to the further input of the phase comparator at which an output signal of the frequency discriminator is fed.

6. A receiver device configured for receiving and processing a quasi-phase-coherent received signal which was generated and transmitted by a device of claim 2, comprising:

a separation apparatus configured for removing signal components of an oscillator from the quasi-phase-coherent received signal by using a base signal of a receiver-side oscillator;

a data recovery apparatus configured to recover inserted data;

a demodulator comprising;

at least one phase-coupled control-loop circuit for frequency demodulation.

7. A receiver device configured for receiving and processing a quasi-phase-coherent received signal which was generated and transmitted by a device of claim 2, comprising:

a separation apparatus configured for removing signal components of an oscillator from the quasi-phase-coherent received signal by using a base signal of a receiver-side oscillator;

a data recovery apparatus configured to recover inserted data;

a demodulator comprising;

at least two different band pass filter/detector sequences having outputs that are applied to both an adder for outputting a measure for the signal level and also a differential amplifier followed by a series-connected comparator for outputting reconstructed data.

8. A transponder system, comprising;

at least one transmitter;

at least one receiver;

the transponder system configured to determine a distance between the transmitter and the receiver by using a base signal transmitted from the receiver to the transmitter and a signal transmitted back from the transmitter to the receiver which is quasi-phase-coherent with respect to the base signal,

at least one of the following being provided in the transmitter or the receiver;

a data insertion apparatus which is adapted for inserting data or a data signal into a corresponding oscillator signal to be transmitted;

a data recovery apparatus configured to recover data inserted into received signals;

a demodulator configured to recover original data;

a measuring apparatus configured to determine the distance between the transmitter and the receiver;

an oscillator comprising a variable oscillator with regard to frequency, with which frequency-modulated signals suitable for measuring distance are capable of being generated; and

a receiver mixer which is configured to mix received signals with signals of the oscillator and which comprises an output for outputting signals resulting therefrom, the output being connected to the demodulator and the measuring apparatus.

9. A method for transmitting data, comprising:

generating an oscillator signal based on a base signal;

activating an oscillator in a quasi-phase-coherent manner with respect to the base signal by way of the base signal;

oscillating the oscillator in response to the activation, the oscillator actively generating a quasi-phase-coherent oscillator signal to be transmitted by way of the oscillation;

inserting data or a data signal in the quasi-phase-coherent oscillator signal to be transmitted during or following its generation;

applying the oscillator signal to an input of a mixer;

transmitting signals via at least one interface that is connected to the mixer;

outputting a signal on an output of the mixer that was received from the interface and mixed down with the oscillating signal;

processing the signal with a signal and data processing apparatus connected to the mixer; and

activating the oscillator with a clock generator.

10. A method for transmitting data with a device for generating an oscillator signal based on a base signal, comprising:

actively constructing an oscillator signal with an oscillator configured to actively constructing the oscillator signal by way of oscillations;

inputting the base signal at an input;

outputting the oscillator signal at an output;

generating a control signal by a clock generator;

activating the oscillator in a quasi-phase-coherent manner with the aid of the control signal with respect to the base signal by way of the base signal for generating the oscillator signal; and

switching the device between use as a receiver and as a transmitter;

when the device is used as a receiver, not modulating the oscillator by the clock generator;

when the device is used as a transmitter, modulating the oscillator by the clock generator in its quasi-phase-coherent activation capability and in at least one of its amplitude, phase, and frequency

applying the oscillator signal to an input of a mixer;

receiving or transmitting signals via at least one interface that is connected to the mixer;

outputting a signal on an output of the mixer that was received from the interface and mixed down with the oscillating signal;

processing the signal with a signal and data processing apparatus connected to the mixer; and

activating the oscillator with a clock generator.