NFC card reader, system including NFC card reader, and a method of operating the same
First Claim
1. A near-field communication (NFC) card reader configured to communicate with an NFC card, the NFC card reader comprising:
- a receiver connected to an antenna via at least two discrete communication paths between the receiver and the antenna, the at least two discrete communication paths including a first communication path and a second communication path, the receiver including,a monitoring circuit connected to the antenna via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit configured to measure an amplitude of an antenna voltage of the antenna based on a first received signal received via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit connected with the antenna such that the antenna voltage does not pass through any mixer, the monitoring circuit including a rectifier configured to rectify the first received signal received from the NFC card via the first communication path to generate a rectified signal, and an analog-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the rectified signal into a digital output code which is a digital signal;
a gain controller configured to determine an amplification gain based on the measured amplitude of the antenna voltage determined from the first received signal received via the first communication path, and to output a gain control signal based on the amplification gain;
a signal restoration circuit connected to the antenna via the second communication path, the signal restoration circuit configured to,receive, via the second communication path to the antenna, a second received signal from the NFC card, the second received signal including a carrier signal and a data signal that overlaps with the carrier signal, andrestore the data signal from the second received signal; and
a variable-gain amplifier configured to amplify the restored data signal according to the gain control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A near-field communication (NFC) card reader may include a monitor configured to measure an amplitude of a magnetic field induced by an antenna; a gain controller configured to determine an amplification gain based on the measured amplitude of the magnetic field and output a gain control signal; a signal restoration unit configured to receive a carrier signal and a data signal that overlaps with the carrier signal via the antenna, and restore the data signal from the received signals; and a variable-gain amplifier configured to amplify the data signal restored by the signal restoration unit according to the gain control signal.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A near-field communication (NFC) card reader configured to communicate with an NFC card, the NFC card reader comprising:
a receiver connected to an antenna via at least two discrete communication paths between the receiver and the antenna, the at least two discrete communication paths including a first communication path and a second communication path, the receiver including, a monitoring circuit connected to the antenna via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit configured to measure an amplitude of an antenna voltage of the antenna based on a first received signal received via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit connected with the antenna such that the antenna voltage does not pass through any mixer, the monitoring circuit including a rectifier configured to rectify the first received signal received from the NFC card via the first communication path to generate a rectified signal, and an analog-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the rectified signal into a digital output code which is a digital signal; a gain controller configured to determine an amplification gain based on the measured amplitude of the antenna voltage determined from the first received signal received via the first communication path, and to output a gain control signal based on the amplification gain; a signal restoration circuit connected to the antenna via the second communication path, the signal restoration circuit configured to, receive, via the second communication path to the antenna, a second received signal from the NFC card, the second received signal including a carrier signal and a data signal that overlaps with the carrier signal, and restore the data signal from the second received signal; and a variable-gain amplifier configured to amplify the restored data signal according to the gain control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a near-field communication (NFC) card reader, the NFC card reader configured to communicate with an NFC card the NFC card reader including a receiver connected to an antenna via at least two discrete communication paths between the receiver and the antenna, the at least two discrete communication paths including a first communication path and a second communication path, the method comprising:
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measuring a voltage of a carrier signal received via the antenna using a monitoring circuit, the monitoring circuit connected with the antenna via the first communication path such that the carrier signal does not pass through any mixer, the monitoring circuit including a rectifier configured to rectify the carrier signal received from the NFC card via the antenna to generate a rectified signal, and an analog-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the rectified signal into a digital output code which is a digital signal; determining an amplification gain of a data signal based on the voltage of the carrier signal received via the first communication path; receiving, via the second communication path to the antenna, a received signal including the carrier signal and the data signal, the data signal overlapping with the carrier signal; restoring the data signal from the received signal; and amplifying the restored data signal based on the amplification gain. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A near field communication (NFC) system comprising:
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an antenna; an NFC card reader configured to detect accessing of an NFC card, and to communicate with the NFC card, the NFC card reader including a receiver connected to an antenna via at least two discrete communication paths between the receiver and the antenna, the at least two discrete communication paths including a first communication path and a second communication path, the receiver including, a monitoring circuit connected to the antenna via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit configured to measure an amplitude of an antenna voltage of the antenna based on a first received signal received via the first communication path, the monitoring circuit connected with the antenna such that the antenna voltage does not pass through any mixer, the monitoring circuit including a rectifier configured to rectify the first received signal received from the NFC card via the first communication path to generate a rectified signal, and an analog-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the rectified signal into a digital output code which is a digital signal; a gain controller configured to determine an amplification gain based on the amplitude of the antenna voltage determined from the first received signal received via the first communication path, and to output a gain control signal based on the amplification gain; a signal restoration circuit connected to the antenna via the second communication path, the signal restoration circuit configured to, receive, via the second communication path to the antenna, a second received signal from the NFC card, the second received signal including a carrier signal and a data signal overlapping the carrier signal, and restore the data signal from the second received signal; and a variable-gain amplifier configured to amplify the restored data signal according to the gain control signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification