Smart NFC antenna matching network system having multiple antennas and user device including the same

• US 9,438,313 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Yohan, Roh, Hyoughwan, Lee, Youngki, Song, Iljong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US14/559,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20150180542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

At least one example embodiment provides a near field communication (NFC) antenna matching network system connected to an NFC transceiver. The NFC antenna matching network system includes a matching circuit connected to first and second antenna terminals and to the NFC transceiver. The matching circuit is configured to match impedances of the NFC antenna network matching system and the NFC transceiver. The NFC antenna matching network system includes a plurality of NFC antennas connected in parallel with the first and second antenna terminals. Each of the NFC antennas includes a source coil and a resonance coil. The source coil is connected between the first antenna terminal and the second antenna terminal. The resonance coil is physically separated from the source coil and configured to exchange signals with the source coil via inductive coupling.

Claims

1. A near field communication (NFC) antenna matching network system connected to an NFC transceiver, the NFC antenna network matching system comprising:

a matching circuit connected to first and second antenna terminals and to the NFC transceiver, the matching circuit being configured to match impedances of the NFC antenna network matching system and the NFC transceiver; and

a plurality of NFC antennas connected in parallel with the first and second antenna terminals,

wherein each of the NFC antennas includes,

a source coil connected between the first antenna terminal and the second antenna terminal, and

a resonance coil physically separated from the source coil and configured to exchange signals with the source coil via inductive coupling.

2. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 1, wherein the matching circuit comprises:

a first capacitor connected between the first antenna terminal and the NFC transceiver;

a second capacitor connected between the second antenna terminal and the NFC transceiver.

3. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 2, wherein the matching circuit comprises:

at least one of a first resistor and a first inductor connected between the first capacitor and the first antenna terminal; and

at least one of a second resistor and a second inductor connected between the second capacitor and the second antenna terminal.

4. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 3, wherein each of the NFC antennas further comprises:

a third capacitor connected in parallel with the resonance coil.

5. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 4, wherein at least one of a third resistor and a third inductor is connected in series between the resonance coil and the third capacitor.

6. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 5, wherein the resonance coil of each of the NFC antennas and the third capacitor form a parallel resonator for each of the NFC antennas,

wherein the source coil of each of the NFC antennas and the first and second capacitors form a serial resonator for each of the NFC antennas, and

wherein the parallel resonator of each of the NFC antennas is physically separated from the serial resonator of each of the NFC antennas.

7. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 1, wherein the source coil of each of the NFC antennas is a first conductive line having one of a single-loop shape and a multi-loop shape, and

wherein the resonance coil of each of the NFC antennas is a second conductive line having a spiral shape.

8. The NFC antenna matching network system of claim 7, wherein antenna areas where the NFC antennas are located have different sizes, and each of the NFC antennas has a different size.

9. A user device comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) transceiver; and

an NFC antenna matching network system connected to the NFC transceiver,

wherein the NFC antenna matching network system includes,

a first capacitor connected between a first terminal of the NFC transceiver and a first antenna terminal,

a second capacitor connected between a second terminal of the NFC transceiver and a second antenna terminal,

a plurality of source coils connected in parallel between the first antenna terminal and the second antenna terminal, and

a plurality of parallel resonators corresponding to the source coils, each of the parallel resonators being physically separated from a corresponding one of the plurality of source coils.

10. The user device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of source coils includes at least first and second source coils,

wherein the plurality of parallel resonators includes at least first and second parallel resonators, and

wherein the first source coil and the first parallel resonator form a first NFC antenna, and the second source coil and the second parallel resonator form a second NFC antenna.

11. The user device of claim 10, wherein antenna areas where the first and second NFC antennas are located have different sizes, and each of the NFC antennas has a different size.

12. The user device of claim 11, wherein the first and second NFC antennas are disposed at different locations of the user device.

13. The user device of claim 9, wherein each of the parallel resonators includes a resonance coil and a capacitor connected in parallel with the resonance coil.

14. The user device of claim 13, wherein each of the source coils is a first conductive line having one of a single-loop shape and a multi-loop shape, and the resonance coil of each of the parallel resonators is a second conductive line having a spiral shape.

15. A device, comprising:

at least one antenna including a serial resonator and a parallel resonator electrically isolated from each other and configured to exchange signals via inductive coupling;

a transceiver configured to receive and transmit the exchanged signals; and

a matching circuit electrically connected between the transceiver and the serial resonator, the matching circuit being configured to match impedances within the device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one antenna is a plurality of antennas,

wherein each of the plurality of antennas having a different size, and

wherein the serial resonators of the plurality of antennas are connected in parallel with one another.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one antenna is a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas having a different size, and

wherein the serial resonators of the plurality of antennas are connected in series with one another.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the serial resonator includes a first coil, and

wherein the matching circuit includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor, the first capacitor being connected between a first end of the first coil and the transceiver, the second capacitor being connected between a second end of the first coil and the transceiver.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the parallel resonator includes a second coil connected in parallel with a capacitance.