PORTABLE TERMINAL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING RFID ANTENNA RESONANCE FREQUENCY

• US 20140327398A1
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC CASIO Mobile Communications Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Resshi
• Application Number:
  US14/365,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327398A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10148 the step consisting of dynamically tuning the resonant circuit of the interrogation device that is emitting the interrogation signal, e.g. for impedance matching inside of the interrogation device for tuning related to loop aerials in general H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/005 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

Provided is a portable terminal apparatus equipped with an RFID function, which includes a storage unit storing in advance correspondence between an apparatus configuration in which the portable terminal apparatus has a predetermined preset extension function allowed to be added thereto, and a correction value of a resonance frequency of an RFID antenna, a detection unit detecting which extension function is installed on the portable terminal apparatus, and a control unit obtaining a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, corresponding to an apparatus configuration including the extension function, from the storage unit and correcting the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value.

Claims

1. A portable terminal apparatus equipped with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) function, the portable terminal apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing in advance correspondence between an apparatus configuration for a case where the portable terminal apparatus has a predetermined preset extension function allowed to be added thereto, and a correction value of a resonance frequency of an RFID antenna;

a detection unit configured to detect which extension function is installed on the portable terminal apparatus; and

a control unit configured to receive information on the extension function installed on the portable terminal apparatus, detected by the detection unit, to obtain a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, corresponding to an apparatus configuration including the extension function, by referring to the storage unit, and to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value.

2. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus configuration includes, in addition to the RFID function plus a standard battery, at least one of:

the RFID function plus a standard battery plus a non-contact charging function; and

the RFID function plus a large capacity battery larger in capacity than the standard battery,

the storage unit storing a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, in association with each apparatus configuration.

3. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit decides, when power is up, whether or not a standard battery is installed,

in a case wherein the standard battery is installed, the detection unit deciding whether or not a non-contact charging function is provided as the extension function,

in a case wherein the non-contact charging function is not provided, the control unit performing no correction of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, while in a case wherein the non-contact charging function is provided, the control unit obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the non-contact charging function is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained,

in a case wherein the standard battery is not installed, the detection unit deciding whether or not a large capacity battery is provided as the extension function, and

in a case wherein the large capacity battery is provided, the control unit obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the large capacity battery is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained, whereas in a case wherein the large capacity battery is not provided, the control unit causing a power supply to be turned off.

4. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit selects, a capacitor from among a plurality of capacitors, constituting an LC resonance circuit in conjunction with a coil of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value, to adjust the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna.

12. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, comprising

an IC card including the RFID antenna;

and

an IC chip configured to control transmission and reception of a communication signal to and from the RFID antenna.

13. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to be notified of the extension function detected from the detection unit, or to issue a command to the detection unit to obtain status information on whether or not the extension function is being used in the portable terminal apparatus.

14. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes:

a use mode information processing unit that manages and processes information as to which extension function is currently being used in the portable terminal apparatus; and

a frequency correction unit that corrects the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, depending on the extension function currently used.

5. A method for adjusting a resonance frequency of an RFID antenna of a portable terminal apparatus, the method comprising:

storing in advance correspondence between an apparatus configuration for a case where the portable terminal apparatus has a predetermined preset extension function allowed to be added thereto, and a correction value of a resonance frequency of the RFID antenna;

detecting which extension function is installed on the portable terminal apparatus; and

obtaining a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration having the extension function installed on the portable terminal apparatus, from the storage unit; and

correcting the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus configuration includes, in addition to the RFID function plus a standard battery, at least one of:

the RFID function plus a standard battery plus a non-contact charging function; and

the RFID function plus a large capacity battery larger in capacity than the standard battery,

the storage unit storing the correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna in association with each apparatus configuration.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising:

deciding, when power is up, whether or not a standard battery is installed;

in a case wherein the standard battery is installed, deciding whether or not a non-contact charging function is provided as the extension function,

in a case wherein the non-contact charging function is not provided, performing no correction of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, while in a case wherein the non-contact charging function is provided, obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the non-contact charging function is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained,

in a case wherein the standard battery is not installed, deciding whether or not a large capacity battery is provided as the extension function, and

in a case wherein the large capacity battery is provided, the control unit obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the large capacity battery is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained, whereas in a case wherein the large capacity battery is not provided, causing a power supply of the portable terminal apparatus to be turned off.

8. The method according to claim 5, comprising

selecting a capacitor from among a plurality of capacitors, constituting an LC resonance circuit in conjunction with a coil of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value, to adjust the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna.

9. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program that causes a portable terminal apparatus equipped with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) function, to execute the processing comprising:

storing in a storage unit in advance correspondence between an apparatus configuration for a case where the portable terminal apparatus has a predetermined preset extension function allowed to be added thereto, and a correction value of a resonance frequency of an RFID antenna;

detecting which extension function is installed on the portable terminal apparatus; and

performing control to obtain a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration having the extension function installed on the portable terminal apparatus, from the storage unit, and to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value.

10. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the medium storing the program causing the portable terminal apparatus to execute the processing comprising:

deciding, when power is up, whether or not a standard battery is installed,

in a case wherein the standard battery is installed, deciding whether or not a non-contact charging function is provided as the extension function,

in a case wherein it is decided that the non-contact charging function is not provided, performing no correction of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna, while in a case wherein it is decided processing that the non-contact charging function is provided, obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the non-contact charging function is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained,

in a case wherein it is decided that the standard battery is not installed, deciding whether or not the large capacity battery is provided as the extension function, and

in a case wherein it is decided that the large capacity battery is provided, obtaining, from the storage unit, a correction value of the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna corresponding to the apparatus configuration in which the large capacity battery is provided, to correct the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna with the correction value obtained, whereas in a case wherein it is decided that the large capacity battery is not provided, causing a power supply of the portable terminal apparatus to be turned off.

11. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the medium storing the program causing the portable terminal apparatus to execute the processing comprising

selecting a capacitor from among a plurality of capacitors, constituting an LC resonance circuit in conjunction with a coil of the RFID antenna, based on the correction value, to adjust the resonance frequency of the RFID antenna.