Transmitting data between a base station and a transponder

• US 8,315,276 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Friedrich, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): CHRISS, ANDREW W
• Application Number:
  US13/049,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/474
• 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: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation

Abstract

In particular embodiments, an error correction during the transmission of the data word is made possible through the change of the modulation state at pre-defined time points.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first and second time points through a header section of a data transmission, a first time point value of the first time point and a second time point value of the second time point each being a fractional portion of a reference time interval defined based on successive clock pulses;

allocating a first logic value to the first time point value and a second logic value to the second time point value;

encoding a first data bit through modulation of a carrier signal during the reference time interval according to;

switching, when the first data bit represents the first logic value, from a first modulation state to a second modulation state at the first time point within the reference time interval; and

switching, when the first data bit represents the second logic value, from the first modulation state to the second modulation state at the second time point within the reference time interval; and

transmitting the modulated carrier signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding a second data bit through modulation of the carrier signal during the reference time interval according to:

if a logic value of the second data bit is different from the logic value of the first data bit, then switching from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at a time that is approximately half of the reference time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at an end of the reference time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating encoding for each data bit of the transmitted carrier signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating a value of a charge state of a capacitor to the first and second time point values.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the reference time interval for setting a spacing of a sideband relative to a center frequency of the carrier signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the first and second time point values in a volatile memory.

8. A system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a data transmission, the data transmission comprising a header section including first and second time points, a first time point value of the first time point and a second time point value of the second time point each being a fractional portion of a reference time interval defined based on successive clock pulses;

a controller configured to;

allocate a first logic value to the first time point value and a second logic value to the second time point value;

encode a first data bit through modulation of a carrier signal during the reference time interval according to;

switching, when the first data bit represents the first logic value, from a first modulation state to a second modulation state at the first time point within the reference time interval; and

switching, when the first data bit represents the second logic value, from the first modulation state to the second modulation state at the second time point within the reference time interval; and

a transmitter unit configure to transmit the modulated carrier signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

encode a second data bit through modulation of the carrier signal during the reference time interval according to;

if a logic value of the second data bit is different from the logic value of the first data bit, then switch from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at a time that is approximately half of the reference time interval.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to encode the carrier signal by switching from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at an end of the reference time interval.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to repeat encoding for each data bit of the transmitted carrier signal.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to allocate a value of a charge state of a capacitor to the first and second time point values.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the reference time interval for setting a spacing of a sideband relative to a center frequency of the carrier signal.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to store the first and second time point values in a volatile memory of the system.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a data transmission, the data transmission comprising a header section including first and second time points, a first time point value of the first time point and a second time point value of the second time point each being a fractional portion of a reference time interval defined based on successive clock pulses;

means for allocating a first logic value to the first time point value and a second logic value to the second time point value;

means for encoding a first data bit through modulation of a carrier signal during the reference time interval according to;

switching, when the first data bit represents the first logic value, from a first modulation state to a second modulation state at the first time point within the reference time interval; and

switching, when the first data bit represents the second logic value, from the first modulation state to the second modulation state at the second time point within the reference time interval; and

means for transmitting the modulated carrier signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprises:

means for encoding a second data bit through modulation of the carrier signal during the reference time interval according to;

if a logic value of the second data bit is different from the logic value of the first data bit, then switching from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at a time that is approximately half of the reference time interval.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for encoding the carrier signal by switching from the second modulation state to the first modulation state at an end of the reference time interval.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for repeating encoding for each data bit of the transmitted carrier signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for allocating a value of a charge state of a capacitor to the first and second time point values.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for adjusting the reference time interval for setting a spacing of a sideband relative to a center frequency of the carrier signal.