Reading device for contactless communication with a transponder unit

• US 9,262,654 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security GmBH (Giesecke & Devrient GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
• Inventors: Finkenzeller, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US14/114,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10257 arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks computer security in general G06F21/00; jamming of communication, countermeasures H04K3/00; secret communication H04K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10267 the arrangement comprising a circuit inside of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas

Abstract

A reading device for contactless communication with a transponder unit includes a first antenna for generating a reading device field in the form of an alternating magnetic field. The reading device further contains one or more second antennas configured, and arranged in relation to the first antenna, such that during a contactless communication of the reading device with a transponder unit which generates communication signals by means of load modulation, a predetermined change of a detection signal is captured on the second antenna or antennas if the transponder unit is located in a predetermined zone around the reading device.

Claims

1. A reading device for contactless communication with a transponder unit, comprising:

a first antenna for generating a reading device field in the form of an alternating magnetic field;

at least one second antenna,

wherein the at least one second antenna is configured and arranged in relation to the first antenna such that simultaneously while performing contactless communication of the reading device via the first antenna with a transponder unit generating communication signals by means of load modulation, through the at least one second antenna a detection signal is generated,

wherein the reading device is configured to determine a proximity of the transponder unit communicating with the reading device based on the detection signal, and, based on a determination of the proximity of the transponder unit, the reading device is configured to determine whether the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is an attacking device.

2. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal is a voltage signal or current signal.

3. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is configured to detect a change of the detection signal to determine the proximity of the transponder unit communicating with the reading device, wherein the change of the detection signal is characterized by a maximum value of the change of the detection signal.

4. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is an NFC reading device on the basis of the standard ISO/IEC 14443.

5. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal is captured via the reading device field.

6. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is configured to determine whether the proximity of the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is within a distance of 25 cm from the reading device or less.

7. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device is configured to determine whether the proximity of the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is within a distance of 7 cm from the reading device or less.

8. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein, in the case that the reading device determines that the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is an attacking device, the reading device is configured to interrupt communication with the transponder unit.

9. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is configured as a first conductor loop, and the at least one second antenna includes two second antennas in the form of a pair of second conductor loops, the second conductor loops being arranged substantially coplanarly with the first conductor loop, and one of the second conductor loops being positioned around the first conductor loop, and the other of the second conductor loops inside the first conductor loop.

10. The reading device according to claim 9, wherein the respective diameters of the first and the second conductor loops are chosen such that the coupling factor between one second conductor loop and the first conductor loop is substantially just as great as the coupling factor between the first conductor loop and the other second conductor.

11. The reading device according to claim 9, wherein the two second conductor loops are connected in series out of phase, there being captured as the detection signal a voltage signal which is present on this series connection during operation of the reading device.

12. The reading device according to claim 9, wherein the two second conductor loops are connected in series in phase, there being captured as the detection signal a voltage signal which, during operation of the reading device, is present on a potentiometer between the two second conductor loops connected in series in phase.

13. The reading device according to claim 12, wherein the potentiometer is set such that the voltage signal is zero when no transponder unit is located in the predetermined zone.

14. The reading device according to claim 9, wherein the respective diameters of the first and the second conductor loops are chosen such that the coupling factor between one second conductor loop and the first conductor loop has a different value from the coupling factor between the first conductor loop and the other second conductor loop.

15. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is configured as a first conductor loop, and a second antenna in the form of a second conductor loop is provided, the second conductor loop being arranged substantially coplanarly with the first conductor loop such that the reading device field'"'"'s magnetic flux running through the inner surface of the second conductor loop is neutralized over the total inner surface.

16. A method for operating a reading device, the method comprising the steps of:

generating by the reading device a reading device field in the form of an alternating magnetic field;

performing, by a first antenna of the reading device, contactless communication with a transponder unit by generating communication signals by means of load modulation;

generating by a second antenna of the reading device a detection signal, the detection signal being generated by the second antenna and detected by the reading device simultaneously to the step of detection of performing contactless communication with the transponder unit by a first antenna of the reading device;

determining, by the reading device, a proximity of the transponder unit communicating with the reading device based on the detection signal; and

determining, by the reading device, whether the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is an attacking device based on a determination of the proximity of the transponder unit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first antenna generates the reading device field in the form of an alternating magnetic field, and

wherein the second antenna is configured and arranged in relation to the first antenna such that during the contactless communication of the reading device via the first antenna with the transponder unit generating communication signals by means of load modulation, through the second antenna is generated the detection signal and a change of the detection signal is captured if the transponder unit is located within a distance from the reading device;

wherein the method includes ascertaining that the transponder unit is located within the distance from the reading device in the checking step on the basis of the change of the detection signal of the second antenna.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein in the case that the reading device determines that the transponder unit communicating with the reading device is an attacking device, the reading device is configured to interrupt communication with the transponder unit and/or communicates false data to the transponder unit and/or outputs an alarm and/or prevents an action coupled to the communication with the transponder unit.