Wireless communication apparatus and method thereof

• US 8,018,344 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hsieh, Chih-Yuan, Chen, Chien-Sheng, Chang, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell; Emily C
• Application Number:
  US12/365,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.5, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/10.41, 455/82, 455/552.1, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A wireless communication method utilizing a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The method includes: providing an antenna unit being used by both a first wireless communication circuit and a second wireless communication circuit, using the first wireless communication circuit for RFID communication via the antenna unit in a first mode, and utilizing the second wireless communication circuit for RFID communication via the antenna unit in a second mode.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

an antenna unit;

a switch module, coupled to the antenna unit;

a first wireless communication circuit, coupled to the antenna unit, for performing radio-frequency identification (RFID) communication via the antenna unit; and

a second wireless communication circuit, coupled to the switch module, for controlling a state of the switch module to perform RFID communication via the antenna unit;

wherein both the first and second wireless communication circuits use the antenna unit, and the switch module has a switching element, a first transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit is coupled to a first end of the antenna unit, a first transmission terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to a second end of the antenna unit and a first end of the switching element; and

a second transmission terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to a second end of the switching element and a second transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit.

2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein under a first mode the second wireless communication circuit is arranged to control the switching element to be in a closed state, and the first wireless communication circuit is arranged to communicate with an external RFID reader via the antenna unit and the switching element;

and under a second mode, the second wireless communication circuit is arranged to control the switching element to be in an open state, and the second wireless communication circuit is arranged to communicate with an external RFID reader or an external RFID tag via the first wireless communication circuit and the antenna unit.

3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication circuit is an RFID tag and used as an electronic identification tag for a payment scheme.

4. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electronic identification tag is set up on a subscriber identity module (SIM) card comprising a pad and a wireless interface.

5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second wireless communication circuit is an active RFID circuit, and the first wireless communication circuit is a semi-active/passive RFID circuit.

6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch module comprises a first switching element and a second switching element;

a first terminal of the first wireless communication circuit is coupled to one end of the antenna unit and one end of the first switching element;

a second terminal of the first wireless communication circuit is coupled to the other end of the antenna unit and one end of the second switching element;

a first terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to the other end of the first switching element; and

a second terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to the other end of the second switching element.

7. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein under a first mode the second wireless communication circuit is arranged to control the first and second switching elements to be in an open state, and the first wireless communication circuit is arranged to communicate with an external RFID reader via the antenna unit;

and under a second mode the second wireless communication circuit is arranged to control the first and second switching elements to be in a closed state, and the second wireless communication circuit is connected to the antenna unit through the first and second switching elements to communicate with an external RFID circuit or an external RFID tag.

8. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first wireless communication circuit is an RFID tag and used as an electronic identification tag for a payment scheme.

9. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic identification tag is set up on a SIM card comprising a pad and a wireless interface.

10. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second wireless communication circuit is an active RFID circuit, and the first wireless communication circuit is a semi-active/passive RFID circuit.

11. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

an antenna unit;

a first wireless communication circuit, coupled to the antenna unit, for performing RFID communication via the antenna unit; and

a second wireless communication circuit, coupled to the antenna unit, for performing RFID communication via the antenna unit,

wherein both the first and second wireless communication circuits use the antenna unit, and a first transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit is coupled to a first end of the antenna unit;

a first transmission terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to the first end of the antenna unit and the first transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit;

a second transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit is coupled to a second end of the antenna unit; and

a second transmission terminal of the second wireless communication circuit is coupled to the second end of the antenna unit and the second transmission terminal of the first wireless communication circuit.

12. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 11, wherein under a first mode the first wireless communication circuit communicates with an external RFID reader through the antenna unit;

and under a second mode the second wireless communication circuit communicates with an external RFID reader or an external RFID tag through the antenna unit.

13. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first wireless communication circuit is an RFID tag and used as an electronic identification tag for a payment scheme.

14. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 13, wherein the electronic identification tag is set up on a SIM card comprising a pad and a wireless interface.

15. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second wireless communication circuit is an active RFID circuit, and the first wireless communication circuit is a semi-active/passive RFID circuit.