Chip arrangement, analysis apparatus, receiving container, and receiving container system

• US 9,171,245 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Holweg, Gerald, Herndl, Thomas, Hofer, Guenter, Pachler, Walther
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US14/468,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20150053772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/375, 235/451, 235/487
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07794 the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit

Abstract

In various embodiments, a chip arrangement includes a first chip having a first antenna which is monolithically integrated in the first chip and is intended to communicate with at least one of an external reader or an external writer; a second chip having a second antenna which is monolithically integrated in the second chip and is intended to communicate with the at least one of the external reader or the external writer; and a booster antenna which is coupled to the first antenna in a first coupling area in order to increase a range of the first antenna and is coupled to the second antenna in a second coupling area in order to increase a range of the second antenna.

Claims

1. A chip arrangement, comprising:

a first chip having a first antenna which is monolithically integrated in the first chip and is intended to communicate with at least one of an external reader or an external writer;

a second chip having a second antenna which is monolithically integrated in the second chip and is intended to communicate with the at least one of the external reader or the external writer;

a booster antenna which is coupled to the first antenna in a first coupling area in order to increase a range of the first antenna and is coupled to the second antenna in a second coupling area in order to increase a range of the second antenna;

a first detection antenna which is arranged in the first coupling area, is electrically coupled to the booster antenna and via which the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna; and

a second detection antenna which is arranged in the second coupling area, is electrically coupled to the booster antenna and via which the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna; and

wherein the first coupling area is separate from second coupling area.

2. The chip arrangement of claim 1,

wherein the booster antenna is inductively coupled to at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna.

3. The chip arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

a carrier on which the first chip, the second chip and the booster antenna are arranged.

4. The chip arrangement of claim 3,

wherein the booster antenna extends around an area in which the first and second chips are arranged.

5. The chip arrangement of claim 4,

wherein the carrier has a first recess;

in which the first chip is arranged, and a second recess, in which the second chip is arranged.

6. The chip arrangement of claim 5,

wherein the first coupling area is formed in the first recess;

and

wherein the second coupling area is arranged in the second recess.

7. The chip arrangement of claim 3,

wherein the booster antenna extends around the first coupling area and around the second coupling area.

8. The chip arrangement of claim 3,

wherein the booster antenna has an electrically conductive material which is printed onto the carrier.

9. The chip arrangement of claim 1,

which has more than two chips each having an antenna which is monolithically integrated in the corresponding chip and is intended to communicate with the at least one of the external reader or the external writer, the booster antenna being coupled to the corresponding antennas in corresponding coupling areas in order to increase the ranges of the corresponding antennas.

10. An analysis apparatus for determining at least one property of liquids, the analysis apparatus comprising:

a chip arrangement, comprising;

a first chip having a first antenna which is monolithically integrated in the first chip and is intended to communicate with at least one of an external reader or an external writer;

a second chip having a second antenna which is monolithically integrated in the second chip and is intended to communicate with the at least one of the external reader or the external writer;

a booster antenna which is coupled to the first antenna in a first coupling area in order to increase a range of the first antenna and is coupled to the second antenna in a second coupling area in order to increase a range of the second antenna;

a first detection antenna which is arranged in a first recess and coupled to the booster antenna; and

a second detection antenna which is arranged in a second recess and coupled to the booster antenna;

wherein the first recess is designed to receive a first liquid; and

wherein the second recess is designed to receive a second liquid; and

wherein the first chip is arranged in the first recess in such a manner that the first chip can be used to determine the property of the first liquid, and the second chip is arranged in the second recess in such a manner that the second chip can be used to determine the property of the second liquid.

11. The analysis apparatus for determining at least one property of liquids of claim 10,

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna at least via the first detection antenna and the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna at least via the second detection antenna.

12. The analysis apparatus for determining at least one property of liquids of claim 11,

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna in a first coupling area and the first detection antenna is arranged in the first coupling area,

and wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna in a second coupling area and the second detection antenna is arranged in the second coupling area.

13. A receiving container, comprising:

a carrier which has a first recess for receiving a first receiving element and at least one second recess for receiving a second receiving element;

a booster antenna which is formed on the carrier and extends around the first recess and around the second recess;

a first detection antenna which is arranged in the first recess and is coupled to the booster antenna; and

a second detection antenna which is arranged in the second recess and is coupled to the booster antenna, and

wherein the first recess comprises a first coupling area and the second recess comprises a second coupling area, wherein the first coupling area is separate from second coupling area.

14. A receiving container system, comprising:

a receiving container, comprising;

a carrier which has a first recess for receiving a first receiving element and at least one second recess for receiving a second receiving element; and

a booster antenna which is formed on the carrier and extends around the first recess and around the second recess; and

the first receiving element;

at least the second receiving element;

wherein the first receiving element has a first chip with a first antenna; and

wherein the second receiving element has a second chip with a second antenna;

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna if the first receiving element with the first chip is arranged in the first recess;

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna if the second receiving element with the second chip is arranged in the second recess;

a first detection antenna which is arranged in the first recess and coupled to the booster antenna; and

a second detection antenna which is arranged in the second recess and is coupled to the booster antenna; and

wherein the first coupling area is separate from second coupling area.

15. The receiving container system of claim 14,

which has an electronic circuit for communicating at least one of with the first chip or with the second chip, the electronic circuit at least one of communicating with the first chip via the booster antenna and the first antenna or communicating with the second chip via the booster antenna and the second antenna.

16. The receiving container system of claim 15,

wherein the electronic circuit is arranged on or in the carrier of the receiving container.

17. The receiving container system of claim 14,

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna at least via the first detection antenna and the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna at least via the second detection antenna.

18. The receiving container system of claim 17,

wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the first antenna in a first coupling area and the first detection antenna is arranged in the first coupling area,

and wherein the booster antenna is coupled to the second antenna in a second coupling area and the second detection antenna is arranged in the second coupling area.