Transponder unit, system and method for contactless data transmission

• US 9,418,253 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Buchsbaum, Martin, Gruber, Josef, Raggam, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Fotakis, Aristocratis
• Application Number:
  US13/684,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.34, 340/10.2, 340/573.1, 340/825.19, 235/451, 375/320, 375/253, 370/418, 349/34, 398/185, 455/186.1, 348/159, 112/102.5, 700/236, 242/2, 363/72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0166 by means of clock-signals derived from the code marks, e.g. self-clocking code

Abstract

In various embodiments, a transponder unit for the contactless transmission of modulated data to a reader is provided. The transponder unit may include: a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the clock signal in a synchronization mode, on the basis of a signal received from the reader; and a modulator configured to take the clock signal from the clock generator as a basis for modulating data; wherein the modulator is configured to send a signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator.

Claims

1. A transponder unit for the contactless transmission of modulated data to a reader, the transponder unit comprising:

a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the clock signal in a synchronization mode, on the basis of a signal received from the reader; and

a modulator configured to take the clock signal from the clock generator as a basis for modulating data;

wherein the modulator is configured to send a signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during a modulation pause between a first modulation pulse and a second modulation pulse within a modulation block or within a data block;

wherein the modulator is configured to generate the modulation pause within the data block by masking out at least one modulation pulse.

2. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the modulator is configured to send a signal for terminating the synchronization mode to the clock generator.

3. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the clock generator is configured to send a signal to the modulator when the synchronization mode has concluded.

4. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the transponder unit also has a circuit arrangement, wherein the circuit arrangement is configured to apply an auxiliary carrier signal to the modulator, wherein the clock frequency of the auxiliary carrier is based on the clock signal from the clock generator.

5. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the modulator further has a combinational logic element, wherein the combinational logic element logically combines the data, the auxiliary carrier signal and the carrier signal to form a modulated data signal.

6. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the combinational logic element is an XOR and/or an AND gate.

7. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the modulator further has a combinational logic element, wherein the combinational logic element logically combines the data, the auxiliary carrier signal and the carrier signal to form a modulated data signal.

8. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the clock generator is a PLL with an integrated oscillator.

9. The transponder unit as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the transponder unit is an active transponder unit with a dedicated power supply.

10. A portable data storage medium, comprising:

a transponder unit, comprising;

a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the clock signal in a synchronization mode, on the basis of a signal received from the reader;

a modulator configured to take the clock signal from the clock generator as a basis for modulating data;

wherein the modulator is configured to send a signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during a modulation pause between a first modulation pulse and a second modulation pulse within a modulation block or within a data block;

wherein the modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause within a data block by masking out at least one modulation pulse.

11. The portable data storage medium as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the portable storage medium is a chip card or a tag.

12. A system for contactless data transmission, the system comprising:

a reader configured to emit a signal;

a transponder unit comprising a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the clock signal in a synchronization mode, on the basis of the signal emitted by the reader, and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to take the clock signal from the clock generator as a basis for modulating data and sending a signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during a modulation pause between a first modulation pulse and a second modulation pulse within a modulation block or within a data block;

wherein the modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause within the data block by masking out at least one modulation pulse.

13. A method for transmitting data from a transponder unit to a reader, wherein the transponder unit has a clock generator configured to generate a clock signal and to synchronize the clock signal, and a modulator, the method comprising:

sending a signal from the reader to the clock generator;

sending the clock signal from the clock generator to the modulator;

modulating the data to be transmitted in the modulator on the basis of the clock signal;

generating a modulation pause within a data block by masking out at least one modulation pulse;

sending a signal for starting the synchronization of the clock signal from the modulator to the clock generator during the modulation pause between a first modulation pulse and a second modulation pulse within the modulation block or within the data stream; and

synchronizing the clock signal on the basis of the signal received from the reader.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13,

wherein the modulator sends a signal for terminating the synchronization to the clock generator.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

applying an auxiliary carrier signal to the modulator, wherein the clock frequency of the auxiliary carrier is based on the clock signal from the clock generator;

modulating the data to be transmitted in the modulator on the basis of at least one of the clock signal and the auxiliary carrier signal.