Identification system reader with multiplexed antennas

• US 5,729,236 A
• Filed: 04/28/1995
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Flaxl, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US08/431,249
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 342/374, 342/45, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 333/262, 333/258, 333/101, 333/106
• US Class Current: 342/374
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching

Abstract

An electronic system 8 is disclosed herein. The system includes circuitry 10 for processing a signal and a plurality of antennas 12a-12b. A plurality of switches 22a-22b are also included. Each of the switches 22a-22b is coupled between the processing circuitry 10 and a corresponding one of the antennas 12a-12b. Each of the switches 22a-22b includes first and second power MOSFETs where the source of the first MOSFET is coupled to the source of the second MOSFET. The system further includes circuitry 28 for selecting of one of the plurality of switches 22a-22b to be on.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

circuitry for processing a signal;

a plurality of antennas;

a plurality of switches wherein each of said switches is coupled between said circuitry for processing and a corresponding one of said antennas, each of said switches including first and second power MOSFETs each having a source and a drain, wherein the source of the first MOSFET is coupled to the source of the second MOSFET; and

circuitry for selecting at most one of said plurality of switches to be on.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said power MOSFET transistors comprise n-channel power MOSFET transistors.

3. The system of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of driver circuits, each driver circuit associated with one of said switches for driving said switch, each said driver circuits coupled to said circuitry for selecting.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each driver circuit includes an optocoupler for receiving a select signal from said circuitry for selecting.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein each of said driver circuit comprises:

a resistor coupled to a high voltage node of an antenna resonator;

a rectifying circuit coupled to said resistor;

a transistor for receiving a select signal from said circuit for selecting, said transistor coupled to a gate of each of said first and second power MOSFET transistors; and

a zener diode coupled between said rectifying circuit and said transistor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said circuitry for processing a signal comprises a reader of an identification system.

7. The system of claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of tuning capacitors, said tuning capacitors selectively associated with each of said antennas.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said tuning capacitors comprise binary weighted capacitors.

9. A switch/driver circuit for selectively coupling a first node to a second node, said circuit comprising:

a first power MOSFET with a source, a drain and a gate, said drain coupled to said first node;

a second power MOSFET transistor with a source, a drain and a gate, said drain coupled to said second node and said source coupled to said source of said first MOSFET;

a bipolar transistor with an emitter, a collector and a base, said base coupled to the gates of said first and second MOSFETs;

a first diode coupled to a high voltage node;

a zener diode coupled between said first diode and the emitter of said bipolar transistor;

a first resistor coupled between said collector and said first diode; and

circuitry for coupling a select signal from a select circuit to said switch/driver circuit such that said switch/driver circuit is galvanically isolated from said select circuit.

10. The circuit of claim 9 wherein said circuitry for coupling comprises an optocoupler.

11. The circuit of claim 9 and further comprising a capacitor coupled in parallel with said zener diode.

12. The circuit of claim 9 and further comprising:

a second resistor coupled to a supply voltage node;

a second diode coupled between said second resistor and said capacitor; and

a third resistor coupled between said second diode and the base of said bipolar transistor.

13. A reader for an identification system comprising:

interrogator processing circuitry;

a transformer coupled to said interrogator processor circuitry, said transformer including first and second antenna nodes;

at least one resonant capacitor with a first terminal coupled to said first antenna node;

a plurality of antennas each including first and second terminals, wherein the first terminal of each antenna is coupled to said second antenna node of said transformer;

a plurality of switches wherein each switch is associated with a corresponding one of said antennas, each switch having a first node and a second node wherein said first node is coupled to a second terminal of said resonant capacitor and wherein said second node is coupled to the second terminal of said corresponding antenna;

a plurality of driver circuits wherein each driver circuit is coupled as to drive a corresponding one of said switches, each driver circuit including a supply node which is coupled to said second antenna node of said transformer;

channel selection circuitry for providing a plurality of select signals wherein each of said select signals is coupled to a corresponding one of said driver circuits, said channel selection circuit being galvanically isolated from each of said driver circuits, said select signals provided to couple at most one of said plurality of antennas to said interrogator processing circuitry.

14. The reader of claim 13 and further comprising:

a plurality of tuning capacitors;

a tuning matrix, said tuning matrix including a plurality of sets of jumpers wherein each of said sets of jumpers corresponds to one of said antennas, said tuning matrix for receiving a tuning select signal from said channel selection circuit so that selective ones of said plurality of tuning capacitors are coupled to said resonant capacitor.

15. The reader of claim 14 wherein said at least one resonant capacitor comprises two resonant capacitors coupled in series, wherein said tuning capacitors are coupled between said two resonant capacitors.

16. The reader of claim 14 wherein said tuning capacitors comprise a plurality of selectively coupled binary weighted capacitors.

17. The reader of claim 13 wherein each of said switches includes first and second power MOSFETs having a source and a drain, wherein for each switch the source of said first MOSFET is coupled to the source of said second MOSFET, the drain of said first MOSFET is coupled to the first node of said switch and the drain of said second MOSFET is coupled to the second node of said switch.

18. The reader of claim 13 wherein each of said driver circuits is coupled to a power supply separate than said supply node coupled to said second antenna node, said power supply for supplying power to said driver circuit during a start-up phase.

19. The reader of claim 13 wherein said transformer and said at least one resonant capacitor are included within said interrogator processing circuitry.