Wireless communication device interconnectivity

• US 7,366,466 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J., Horrell, Peter Robert George
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/301,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 455 411- 412, 455/82, 455/67.14, 455/423, 455/115.1, 340 101- 106, 235/492
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A wireless communication device that is attached or included in an electronic object, such as a portable computer, having its own separate communication system. The separate communication system has an antenna for receiving and transmitting wireless communications, and is powered by a power supply included in the object. Since the separate communication system can only communicate when powered, a separate passive wireless communication device is provided for wireless communication that does not require power from the power supply to communicate. The wireless communication device is interfaced with the existing antenna of the separate communication system so that the wireless communication device and separate communication system share a common antenna to reduce cost. The antenna may also be interconnected to a controller associated with the object so that the controller can directly communicate to the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a wireless communication device having an antenna for wireless communications, wherein said antenna is adapted to receive a first communication signal having a defined protocol at a defined operating frequency for processing by said wireless communication device; and

a controller that is interconnected to said antenna using at least one connection point on said antenna;

wherein said controller is adapted to send a second communication signal emulating said defined protocol at said defined operating frequency of said first communication signal over said at least one connection point to said antenna, and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to receive said second communication signal from said controller through said antenna for processing while continuing to be configured to receive said first communication signal through said antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to receive energy for operation from said first and second communication signals.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device contains memory, and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to store information received from said first and second communication signals in said memory.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication device is configured to be interrogated by an interrogation reader.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said wireless communication device is configured to communicate information in said memory to said interrogation reader in response to interrogation by said interrogation reader.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said controller is coupled to said antenna of said wireless communication device through an input/output port.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said input/output port is switchable to allow said second communication signal to be sent from said controller to said wireless communication device and to allow a third communication signal to be sent from said wireless communication device to said controller.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to control output of a pull-up device to place said input/output port in a tn-state mode.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is a low frequency device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said controller is configured to drive said second communication signal which is amplitude modulated and coupled to said antenna using a limiting resistor and a direct current isolating capacitor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is contained inside a portable computer.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said second communication signal is generated by said controller switching on and off a voltage applied to said antenna of said wireless communication device at a rate that is substantially the same as said operating frequency of said first communication signal.

12. A method of communicating with a wireless communication device configured to receive a first communication signal wirelessly through an antenna, comprising:

receiving a second communication signal through said antenna while continuing to be configured to receive said first communication signal wirelessly through said antenna, wherein said second communication signal is generated by a controller interconnected to said antenna using at least one connection point on said antenna; and

processing said second communication signal in the wireless communication device, wherein said wireless communication device is communicatively coupled to said antenna.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising powering said wireless communication device using said second communication signal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing information received from said second communication signal in memory coupled to said wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising interrogating said wireless communication device using an interrogation reader.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising communicating information in said memory to said interrogation reader in response to interrogation by said interrogation reader.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising switching an input/output port to allow said second communication signal to be sent from said controller to said wireless communication device and to allow a third communication signal to be sent from said wireless communication device to said controller.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising driving said second communication signal that is amplitude modulated and coupled to said antenna using a limiting resistor and a direct current isolating capacitor.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said second communication signal is generated by said controller switching on and off a voltage applied to said antenna of said wireless communication device at a rate that is substantially the same as an operating frequency of said first communication signal.

21. A system, comprising:

a wireless communication device having an antenna configured to receive a first wireless communication signal; and

an electronic circuit that is separate from said wireless communication device, wherein said electronic circuit is connected to said antenna of said wireless communication device using at least one physical connection point on said antenna, and wherein said electronic circuit is configured to communicate with said wireless communication device by communicating a second signal via said physical connection point on said antenna while said wireless communication device remains configured to receive said first wireless communication signal via said antenna, said second signal being configured to emulate said first wireless communication signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said second signal communicated by said electronic circuit is configured to emulate a defined protocol of said first wireless communication signal.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said second signal communicated by said electronic circuit is configured to emulate a defined operating frequency of said first wireless communication signal.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said electronic circuit is a controller.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said antenna is configured to receive said first wireless communication signal at a first operating frequency, said system further comprising a matching network coupled between said antenna and said wireless communication device, wherein said matching network is configured to match an impedance of said wireless communication device to an impedance of said antenna at a second operating frequency that is different than said first operating frequency, and wherein said electronic circuit is configured to communicate said second signal at said second operating frequency to said wireless communication device via said antenna and said matching network while said wireless communication device continues to be configured to receive said first wireless communication signal at said first operating frequency via said antenna.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said wireless communication device is configured to receive information in said second signal communicated by said electronic circuit via said physical connection point on said antenna.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said wireless communication device is further configured to transmit a wireless communication signal via said antenna, said transmitted wireless communication signal includes including information received from said electronic circuit.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein said electronic circuit further comprises a memory and is configured to receive a signal bearing information from said wireless communication device via said physical connection point on said antenna, said electronic circuit being further configured to store said information in said memory.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said electronic circuit is further configured to retrieve information from said memory and communicate a signal bearing said information to said wireless communication device via said physical connection point on said antenna.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein said electronic circuit is communicatively coupled to a computing device separate from said wireless communication device, wherein said electronic circuit is configured to receive information from said computing device, and wherein said electronic circuit is configured to communicate a signal bearing said information to said wireless communication device via said physical connection point to enable said wireless communication device to communicate a wireless signal bearing said information via said antenna.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said wireless communication device is configured to communicate said wireless signal bearing said information in response to an interrogation signal received wirelessly via said antenna.