Smartcard performance enhancement circuits and systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an integrated circuit having a contactless interface that includes two pads intended for connection to a coil, wherein the integrated circuit includes load modulation circuitry coupled to one of the two pads for half duplex communication when the coil is inductively coupled to a coil of a separate device;
a coil;
an amplifier coupled to receive a signal from the coil when the coil is inductively coupled, and to drive one of the two pads, the amplifier providing a receive simplex communication path and blocking half duplex communications therethrough; and
a circuit coupled to one of the two pads to detect effects of the load modulation circuitry, and to drive a signal on to the coil to provide a transmit simplex communication path to restore the half duplex communications.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card or SIM card. Enhancement circuits enhance the usable read and write distance of the RFID card.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an integrated circuit having a contactless interface that includes two pads intended for connection to a coil, wherein the integrated circuit includes load modulation circuitry coupled to one of the two pads for half duplex communication when the coil is inductively coupled to a coil of a separate device; a coil; an amplifier coupled to receive a signal from the coil when the coil is inductively coupled, and to drive one of the two pads, the amplifier providing a receive simplex communication path and blocking half duplex communications therethrough; and a circuit coupled to one of the two pads to detect effects of the load modulation circuitry, and to drive a signal on to the coil to provide a transmit simplex communication path to restore the half duplex communications.
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2. An apparatus comprising:
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an integrated circuit having a contactless interface that includes two pads intended for connection to a coil, wherein the integrated circuit includes load modulation circuitry coupled to one of the two pads for half duplex communication when the coil is inductively coupled to a coil of a separate device; a receive coil; an amplifier coupled to receive a signal from the receive coil when the receive coil is inductively coupled, and to drive one of the two pads; a transmit coil; and a circuit coupled to one of the two pads to detect effects of the load modulation circuitry, and to drive a signal on to the transmit coil.
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3. An apparatus comprising:
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a smartcard controller having a contactless interface that includes two pads intended for connection to a coil, and a third pad to output data; a coil; an amplifier coupled to receive a signal from the coil when the coil is inductively coupled to a separate device, and to drive one of the two pads; and a transmit circuit coupled between the third pad and the coil to receive the data and to drive a signal on to the coil.
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4. An apparatus comprising:
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a smartcard controller having a contactless interface that includes two pads intended for connection to a coil, and a third pad to output data; a receive coil; an amplifier coupled to receive a signal from the receive coil when the receive coil is inductively coupled to a separate device, and to drive one of the two pads; a transmit coil; and a transmit circuit coupled between the third pad and the transmit coil to receive the data and to drive a signal on to the transmit coil.
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5. A memory card comprising:
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a dual interface smartcard controller coupled to receive power from a host device; an amplifier to receive a signal from a receive antenna when the receive antenna is inductively coupled to another device, the amplifier providing a simplex communication path from the receive antenna to a contactless interface on the dual interface smartcard controller; and a transmit circuit to receive outgoing data from the contactless interface and to drive a transmit antenna. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A subscriber identity module (SIM) card comprising:
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a dual interface smartcard controller coupled to receive power from a host device; an amplifier to receive a signal from a receive antenna when the receive antenna is inductively coupled to another device, the amplifier providing a simplex communication path from the receive antenna to a contactless interface on the dual interface smartcard controller; and a transmit circuit to receive outgoing data from the contactless interface and to drive a transmit antenna. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification