Amplifier and transmission solution for 13.56MHz radio coupled to smartcard controller

• US 9,483,722 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icashe Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tyfone Incorporated
• Inventors: Narendra, Siva G., Chakraborty, Saurav, Tadepalli, Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/517,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 235/492, 235/379, 235/380, 235/493, 710/1, 710/100, 710/301, 455/558
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• 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 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0727 the arrangement being a circuit facilitating integration of the record carrier with a hand-held device such as a smart phone of PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card or SIM card. Enhancement circuits enhance the usable read and write distance of the RFID card.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a smartcard controller that includes load modulation circuitry for half duplex communication by creating at least one frequency sideband about a carrier frequency of an interrogating radio frequency (RF) field;

an antenna tuned to operate at 13.56 MHz; and

at least one active circuit coupled between the smartcard controller and the antenna, wherein the at least one active circuit includes an amplifier coupled to be powered by the mobile device, and wherein the amplifier is coupled to amplify a signal received from the antenna and to provide an amplified signal to the smartcard controller, and the at least one active circuit further includes a transmit circuit coupled between the smartcard controller and the antenna that in operation forms a signal that mimics the at least one frequency sideband and wherein the signal drives the antenna.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the antenna comprises an inductive element too small to draw enough power sufficient to operate the smartcard controller from the interrogating radio frequency (RF) field.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the smartcard controller is coupled to be powered by the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

5. A mobile device comprising:

a smartcard controller that includes load modulation circuitry for half duplex communication by creating at least one frequency sideband about a carrier frequency of an interrogating radio frequency (RF) field;

an antenna tuned to operate at 13.56 MHz;

an amplifier coupled between the smartcard controller and the antenna, wherein the amplifier is coupled to be powered by the mobile device, and wherein the amplifier is coupled to amplify a signal received from the antenna and to provide an amplified signal to the smartcard controller; and

a transmit circuit coupled between the smartcard controller and the antenna that in operation forms a signal that mimics the at least one frequency sideband and wherein the signal drives the antenna.

6. The mobile device of claim 5 wherein the antenna comprises an inductive element too small to draw enough power sufficient to operate the smartcard controller from the interrogating radio frequency (RF) field.

7. The mobile device of claim 5 wherein the smartcard controller is coupled to be powered by the mobile device.

8. The mobile device of claim 5 wherein the transmit circuit comprises a load modulation circuit.

9. The mobile device of claim 5 further comprising wherein the transmit circuit comprises an active transmit driver.

10. The mobile device of claim 5 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a smartcard controller that includes load modulation circuitry for half duplex communication by creating at least one frequency sideband about a carrier frequency of an interrogating radio frequency (RF) field;

an antenna tuned to operate at 13.56 MHz;

an amplifier coupled to be powered by the mobile device, wherein the amplifier is coupled to amplify a signal received from the antenna and to provide an amplified signal to the smartcard controller; and

an active transmit driver circuit coupled between the smartcard controller and the antenna, wherein the active transmit driver circuit is coupled to be powered by the mobile device.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the antenna comprises an inductive element too small to draw enough power sufficient to operate the smartcard controller from the interrogating radio frequency (RF) field.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the smartcard controller is coupled to be powered by the mobile device.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.