Apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission and method for operating such an apparatus

• US 5,329,274 A
• Filed: 04/20/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Reiner, Robert, Donig, Gunter, Scheckel, Bruno, Schon, Karl-Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US07/870,879
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/825.34, 340/825.31, 340/870.31, 340/635, 340/653, 455/41, 455/78, 324/110, 324/115, 324/133, 365/101
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• 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 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side

Abstract

An apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission and includes a stationary part having device for transmitting and receiving data and device for generating energy. A movable part has a plurality of rectifier devices each with at least one output and modulators each being connected downstream of a respective one of the rectifier devices. A first pair of coils is connected to the device for transmitting and receiving data and to the rectifier device for transmitting data from the stationary part to the movable part. A second pair of coils is connected to the device for generating energy and to the rectifier device for transmitting energy from the stationary part to the movable part. The coils in the stationary part are arbitrarily associated with the coils in the movable part, and data is transmitted from the movable part to the stationary part by a load variation at the coil of the movable part not being used for energy transmission. Controllable semiconductor elements each having a load path are connected between the at least one output of a respective one of the rectifier devices and a charge capacitor at which an unregulated operating voltage can be picked up, for delivering output signals of the rectifier device to the charge capacitor. A method for operating the apparatus includes ascertaining which coil is used for energy transmission during an initializing time within the movable part, and thereupon disconnecting the rectifier device and the modulator from the charge capacitor through the applicable controllable semiconductor element.

Claims

1. An apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission, comprising:

a stationary part having means for transmitting and receiving data and means for generating energy;

a movable part having first and second rectifier means each with a first and a second output and first and second modulators each being connected downstream of a respective one of said first and second rectifier means;

a first coil connected to said means for transmitting and receiving data in said stationary part;

a second coil connected to said means for generating energy in said stationary part;

third and fourth coils each being connected to a respective one of said first and second rectifier means in said movable part;

said first and second coils in said stationary part being arbitrarily associated with said third and fourth coils in said movable part so as to form a pair of coils for energy transmission from said stationary part to said movable part and a pair of coils for data transmission between said movable part and said stationary part, data being transmitted from said movable part to said stationary part by a load variation at one of said third and fourth coils of said movable part not being used for energy transmission;

controllable semiconductor elements each having a load path;

a charge capacitor having first and second terminals at which an unregulated operating voltage can be picked up;

said first terminal of said capacitor being connected with each of said first output terminals of said first and second rectifier means and said second terminal of said capacitor being connected with each of said second output terminals of said first and second rectifier means via said load path of said controllable semiconductor elements.

2. The apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission according to claim 1, wherein each of said modulators includes:

a first transistor having a control terminal and having a load path through which the first and second outputs of one of said rectifier means are connected to one another;

a second transistor having a control input and a load path, a resistor connected to the load path of said second transistor in a series circuit connected between said first output terminal of a respective one of said first and second rectifier means and said second terminal of said charge capacitor, said series circuit having a node point connected to the control terminal of said first transistor;

an operational amplifier having an output connected to the control input of said second transistor, a negative input receiving a reference voltage, and a positive input, a third transistor having a control input and having a load path connected between the positive input of said operational amplifier and the first output of said one rectifier means, a fourth transistor having a load path and a control input, a second resistor connected to the load path of said fourth transistor in a series circuit between the positive input of said operational amplifier and the first output of said one rectifier means;

third and fourth resistors being connected in a series circuit between the tow inputs having a node point connected to the positive input of said operational amplifier;

a first control input connected to the control terminal of said fourth transistor for receiving a data signal; and

a second control input connected to the control input of said third transistor for receiving a signal for disconnecting said modulator and said rectifier from said charge capacitor.

3. The apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission according to claim 2, including a capacitor connected between said first and second outputs of each of said first and second rectifier means.

4. The apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission according to claim 2, including

a controllable current source connected between said first output terminal of a respective one of said first and second rectifier means and said second terminal of said charge capacitor;

and

a current mirror having an input side serially connected to said controllable current source and an output side connected between the control input of said first transistor and the second output of said one rectifier.

5. A check-cashing card or chip key, comprising an apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission, including:

a stationary part having means for transmitting and receiving data and means for generating energy;

a movable part having first and second rectifier means each with a first and a second output and first and second modulators each being connected downstream of a respective one of said first and second rectifier means;

a first coil connected to said means for transmitting and receiving data in said stationary part;

a second coil connected to said means for generating energy in said stationary part;

third and fourth coils each being connected to a respective one of said first and second rectifier means in said movable part;

said first and second coils in said stationary part being arbitrarily associated with said third and fourth coils in said movable part so as to form a pair of coils for energy transmission from said stationary part to said movable part and a pair of coils for data transmission between said movable part and said stationary part, data being transmitted from said movable part to said stationary part by a load variation at one of said third and fourth coils of said movable part not being used for energy transmission;

controllable semiconductor elements each having a load path;

a charge capacitor having first and second terminals at which an unregulated operating voltage can be picked up;

said first terminal of said capacitor being connected with each of said first output terminals of said first and second rectifier means and said second terminal of said capacitor being connected with each of said second output terminals of said first and second rectifier means via said load path of said controllable semiconductor elements.

6. In an apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission including:

a stationary part having means for transmitting and receiving data and means for generating energy;

a movable part having first and second rectifier means each with a first and a second output and first and second modulators each being connected downstream of a respective one of the first and second rectifier means;

a first coil connected to the means for transmitting and receiving data in the stationary part;

a second coil connected to the means for generating energy in the stationary part;

third and fourth coils each being connected to a respective one of the first and second rectifier means in the movable part;

the first and second coils in the stationary part being arbitrarily associated with the first and second coils in the movable part so as to form a pair of coils for energy transmission from the stationary part to the movable part and a pair of coils for data transmission between the movable part and the stationary part, data being transmitted from the movable part to the stationary part by a load variation at that coil of the first and second coils of the movable part not being used for energy transmission;

controllable semiconductor elements each having a load path;

a charge capacitor having first and second terminals at which an unregulated operating voltage can be picked up;

one of the first and second terminals of the capacitor being connected with each of the first output terminals of the first and second rectifier means and the other of the first and second terminals of the capacitor being connected with each of the second output terminals of the first and second rectifier means via the load path of the controllable semiconductor elements;

a method for operating the apparatus for contactless data and energy transmission, which comprises;

ascertaining which coil is used for energy transmission during an initializing time within the movable part, and thereupon disconnecting the rectifier means and the modulator from the charge capacitor through the applicable controllable semiconductor element.