Transponder unit, system and method for contactless data transmission

• US 9,444,616 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Raggam, Peter, Gruber, Josef, Buchsbaum, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Washburn, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hassan, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US14/279,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20140341327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 375/260, 370/331
• 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: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0331 with a digital phase-locked loop [PLL] processing binary samples, e.g. add/subtract logic for correction of receiver clock H04L7/0337 takes precedence

Abstract

A transponder unit for the contactless transmission of modulated data to a reader is provided. The transponder unit includes 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, the modulator configured to modulate data on the basis of the clock signal from the clock generator. The modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause by masking out at least one modulation component, the modulation component being smaller than a modulation pulse. The modulator is further configured to send the signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during this modulation pause.

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;

a modulator, the modulator configured to modulate data on the basis of the clock signal from the clock generator;

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

wherein the modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause by masking out at least one modulation component, the modulation component being smaller than a modulation pulse, and wherein the modulator is further configured to send the signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during this modulation pause.

2. The transponder unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit arrangement 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.

3. The transponder unit of claim 2,

wherein the modulator further comprises a combinational logic element,

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

4. The transponder unit of claim 3,

wherein the combinational logic element is at least one of an XOR or an AND gate.

5. The transponder unit of claim 1,

wherein the clock generator is a phase locked loop with an integrated oscillator.

6. The transponder unit of claim 1,

wherein the transponder unit is an active transponder unit with its own power supply.

7. The transponder unit of claim 1, wherein the modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause within a data block, and wherein the modulation pause occurs between a first modulation pulse and a second modulation pulse within a modulation block or within the data block.

8. A transponder unit for the contactless transmission of modulated data blocks 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;

a modulator configured to modulate data on the basis of the clock signal from the clock generator;

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

wherein the modulator is configured to generate a first modulation pause within a first data block by masking out at least one first modulation component, to generate a second modulation pause within a second data block by masking out at least one second modulation component, the position of the first modulation pause in the first data block being different from the position of the second modulation pause in the second data block, and

wherein the modulator is further configured to send a first signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during the first modulation pause and to send a second signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during the second modulation pause.

9. The transponder unit of claim 8,

wherein at least one data block is arranged between the first data block and the second data block without a modulation pause.

10. The transponder unit of claim 8,

wherein the modulator is configured to set the number of modulation pauses.

11. The transponder unit of claim 8,

wherein the modulator is configured to set the time between the modulation pauses.

12. 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, the modulator configured to modulate data on the basis of the clock signal from the clock generator;

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

wherein the modulator is configured to generate a modulation pause by masking out at least one modulation component, the modulation component being smaller than a modulation pulse, and wherein the modulator is further configured to send the signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during this modulation pause.

13. The portable data storage medium as claimed in claim 12,

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

14. A system for contactless data transmission, 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, the modulator being configured to modulate data on the basis of the clock signal from the clock generator and to generate a modulation pause by masking out at least one modulation component, and also being configured to send a signal for starting the synchronization mode to the clock generator during this modulation pause;

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

15. A method for transmitting data from a transponder unit to a reader, the transponder unit having 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 in the modulator by masking out at least one modulation component within a data block;

sending a signal for starting the synchronization of the clock signal from the modulator to the clock generator during the modulation pause;

sending a signal for terminating the synchronization mode to the clock generator; and

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

16. The method as claimed in claim 15,

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