Copy secure multimedia RFID with analog transmitter

• US 8,478,104 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Meindl, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, ASHER R
• Application Number:
  US12/649,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20110158608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles

Abstract

A portable RFID device includes an analog modulation radio frequency transmitter and a data storage holding audio data files. In response to user entered commands the device retrieves the audio data files, applies digital to analog conversion to generate analog audio signals, and transmits the analog audio signals through the analog modulation RF amplifier. Optionally, the analog modulation RF amplifier is a frequency modulation (FM) modulator and transmitter, optionally using a UHF broadcast FM band. The transmitted analog modulated RF signal is received and played by a receiver and playback device proximal to the transmitter. Optionally, a locking operation is applied after storing the multimedia files, preventing subsequent altering of the files.

Claims

1. A portable content playing device arranged within a housing, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) receiving and decoding circuit, coupled to an RFID antenna circuit, configured to receive a given RFID signal and generate corresponding RFID digital input data;

a control unit configured to retrievably store multimedia content, receive a given read command signal and, in response, select multimedia content from the stored multimedia content, and generate the selected multimedia content as playback multimedia data;

a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the generated playback multimedia data to an analog multimedia playback signal, wherein digital access to the stored multimedia content is permanently disabled after initialization;

a modulator/transmitter, coupled to a transmitter antenna circuit, configured to modulate a given radio frequency (RF) carrier signal by the analog multimedia playback signal, generate a corresponding modulated RF carrier signal, and transmit the generated modulated RF carrier signal from the transmitter antenna circuit; and

a power supply configured to receive a given power input signal and generate a corresponding internal supply power to the RFID receiving and decoding circuit, the control unit, the DAC, and the transmitter wherein the control unit is configured to detect a write command in the RFID digital input data, detect multimedia content in the RFID digital input data, and retrievably store the detected multimedia content in accordance with the detected write command.

2. The portable content playing device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a given input lock signal and, in response to said detecting, switch from an unlocked state to a locked state, the unlocked state enabling the control unit to store the multimedia content and the locked state disabling the control unit from altering the stored multimedia content.

3. The portable content playing device of claim 1, wherein the modulator/transmitter comprises:

a carrier signal generator configured to generate the given RF carrier signal; and

a frequency modulation (FM) modulator configured to FM modulate the generated carrier signal by the analog multimedia playback signal and generate a corresponding FM modulated carrier signal as the modulated RF carrier signal.

4. The portable content playing device of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a given input lock signal and, in response, switch from an unlocked state to a locked state, the unlocked state enabling the control unit to store the multimedia content and the locked state disabling the control unit from altering the stored multimedia content.

5. The portable content playing device of claim 4, further comprising:

a battery configured to generate the power input signal; and

a manually movable user interface arranged on an exterior surface of the housing; and

an interface decoder configured to detect a motion of the manually movable user interface and generate a user command signal according to the detected motion, wherein the data control unit is configured to generate the read command signal according to the generated user command signal, the manually movable user interface and the interface decoder are configured to detect a given user movement as a command to select a carrier frequency for the transmitter, the data control unit is configured to generate a frequency select command signal in response to said detecting, and the transmitter is configured to set the carrier frequency in accordance with the generated frequency select command signal.

6. The portable content playing device of claim 3, further comprising:

a battery configured to generate the power input signal; and

a manually movable user interface arranged on an exterior surface of the housing; and

an interface decoder configured to detect a motion of the manually movable user interface and generate a user command signal according to the detected motion, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the read command signal according to the generated user command signal, the manually movable user interface and the interface decoder are configured to detect a given user movement as a command to select a carrier frequency for the transmitter, the control unit is configured to generate a frequency select command signal in response to said detecting, and the transmitter is configured to set the carrier frequency in accordance with the generated frequency select command signal.

7. The portable content playing device of claim 3, further comprising:

a receive power detector configured to detect external power received at the transmitter antenna and generate a corresponding power detection signal, wherein the modulator/transmitter is configured to set the carrier frequency in accordance with a frequency select command signal, and control unit is configured to receive the generated power detection signal and perform an available channel search by generating and iteratively varying the frequency select command signal and comparing the received power detection signal against a given channel availability criterion until the given channel availability criterion is met.

8. The portable content playing device of claim 7, wherein the RFID antenna circuit and the transmitter antenna circuit share a common radiating antenna element structure.

9. The portable content playing device of claim 8, wherein the common radiating antenna element structure is shaped and dimensioned for transmission and reception in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band.

10. The portable content playing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery configured to generate the power input signal; and

a manually movable actuator arranged on an exterior surface of the housing and

an interface decoder configured to detect a motion of the manually movable actuator and generate a user command signal according to the detected motion, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the read command signal according to the user command signal.

11. The portable content playing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery configured to generate the power input signal; and

a manually movable user interface arranged on an exterior surface of the housing; and

an interface decoder configured to detect a motion of the manually movable user interface and generate a user command signal according to the detected motion, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the read command signal according to the user command signal.

12. The portable content playing device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to detect a read command in the RFID digital input data and, in response, generate the read command signal.

13. The portable content playing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery configured to generate the power input signal.

14. The portable content playing device of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM).

15. The portable content playing device of claim 14, wherein the NVRAM is coupled to a permanent fusible link.

16. A portable content playing device arranged within a housing, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) receiving and decoding circuit, coupled to an RFID antenna circuit, configured to receive a given RFID signal and generate corresponding RFID digital input data;

a control unit configured to retrievably store multimedia content, receive a given read command signal and, in response, select multimedia content from the stored multimedia content, and generate the selected multimedia content as playback multimedia data;

a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to convert the generated playback multimedia data to an analog multimedia playback signal, wherein digital access to the stored multimedia content is permanently disabled after initialization;

a modulator/transmitter, coupled to a transmitter antenna circuit, configured to modulate a given radio frequency (RF) carrier signal by the analog multimedia playback signal, generate a corresponding modulated RF carrier signal, and transmit the generated modulated RF carrier signal from the transmitter antenna circuit; and

a power supply configured to receive a given power input signal and generate a corresponding internal supply power to the RFID receiving and decoding circuit, the control unit, the DAC, and the transmitter,

wherein the control unit is configured to detect a write command in the RFID digital input data, detect multimedia content in the RFID digital input data, and retrievably store the detected multimedia content in accordance with the detected write command, and

wherein the control unit is configured to generate RFID output data, the RFID receiving and decoding circuit is further configured to receive the generated RFID output data and generate a corresponding RFID transmitter output signal, and the RFID antenna circuit is further configured to transmit the generated RFID transmitter output signal, receive a given RFID signal, and generate corresponding RFID digital input data.