Relaying apparatus and communication system

• US 7,333,786 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sawada, Junichi, Kikuchi, Akihiro, Ishigaki, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US10/944,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 455/130, 455/269, 455/274, 455/272, 455/178.1, 455/191.1, 455/193.1, 455/39, 455/193.2, 455/70, 455/120, 455/121, 455/7, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/66.1, 455/67.13, 455/67.11, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/344, 455/550.1, 455/456.1, 455/562.1, 343/866, 343/718, 343/893, 343/852, 343/867, 340/5.1, 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/539.26, 340/10.3, 340/825.49, 700/213
• US Class Current: 455/130
• 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 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794

Abstract

A relaying device for providing optimum communication between a non-contact information medium and an information read/write device, and a communication system employing the relaying device, in which the adverse effect on communication, brought about by limitations on the mounting site of the information read/write device may be eliminated. The relaying device is formed by a resonance circuit 34 including a first antenna coil 31, electro-magnetically coupled to an antenna coil 11 of the information read/write device 10, a second antenna coil 32, connected in series with the first antenna coil 31 and electro-magnetically coupled to an antenna coil 21 of the non-contact information medium 20, and a tuning capacitor 33 connected in series with the first antenna coil 31 and the second antenna coil 32. The first antenna coil 31, second antenna coil 32 and the tuning capacitor 33 making up the resonance circuit 34 is resonated with the same resonance frequency as that of the resonance circuit 13 of the information read/write device 10 and that of the resonance circuit 23 of the non-contact information medium 20.

Claims

1. A relaying apparatus for relaying wireless communication of an electro-magnetic coupling system, mediated by a carrier wave of a preset frequency, between an information read/write device and a non-contact information medium, said relaying apparatus comprising

a first antenna coil electro-magnetically coupled to an antenna coil of said information read/write device;

a second antenna coil, connected in series with said first antenna coil and electro-magnetically coupled with an antenna coil of said non-contact information medium;

the first antenna coil being positioned within the second antenna coil; and

a tuning capacitor connected to said first antenna coil and said second antenna coil;

said first antenna coil, second antenna coil and the tuning capacitor forming a resonance circuit resonated at the resonance frequency which is the same as the resonance frequency of a resonance circuit of said read/write device and the resonance frequency of a resonance circuit of said non-contact information medium.

2. The relaying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first antenna coil is of approximately same size and shape as those of the antenna coil of said read/write device, and wherein

said second antenna coil is of approximately same size and shape as those of the antenna coil of said non-contact information medium.

3. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the relaying apparatus is mounted to a metal chassis, the metal chassis having an aperture, the relaying apparatus being mounted to the metal chassis so that the first antenna coil completely overlaps the aperture.

4. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a shield plate mounted over the antenna coil of the information read/write device and opposite the aperture, and prevents electro-magnetic noise from the reader/writer from escaping in a direction opposite the aperture.

5. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the shield plate is attached to the metal chassis.

6. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the relaying apparatus is mounted to the metal chassis using a non-magnetic resin.

7. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein

the first antenna is positioned to overlap the aperture and the aperture overlaps the antenna coil of the information read/write device.

8. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tuning capacitor connected to said first antenna coil and said second antenna coil, is connected in series with the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil.

9. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tuning capacitor connected to said first antenna coil and said second antenna coil, is connected in parallel with the first antenna coil and the second antenna coil.

10. A relaying apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the relaying apparatus is positioned at a height above the antenna coil of the read/writer device at a height where the effective range of the signal from the read/writer device is extended to a distance of 20mm to 75mm.

11. A relaying apparatus for relaying wireless communication of an electro-magnetic coupling system, mediated by a carrier wave of a preset frequency, between an information read/write device and a non-contact information medium, said relaying apparatus comprising

a first antenna coil electro-magnetically coupled to an antenna coil of said information read/write device;

a second antenna coil, connected in parallel with said first antenna coil and electro-magnetically coupled with an antenna coil of said non-contact information medium;

the first antenna coil being positioned within the second antenna coil; and

a tuning capacitor connected to said first antenna coil and said second antenna coil;

said first antenna coil, second antenna coil and the tuning capacitor forming a resonance circuit resonated at the resonance frequency which is the same as the resonance frequency of a resonance circuit of said read/write device and the resonance frequency of a resonance circuit of said non-contact information medium.

12. A communication system for wireless communication of an electro-magnetic coupling system, mediated by a carrier wave of a preset frequency, said communication system comprising

an information read/write device including a first resonance circuit made up by a first antenna coil and by a first tuning capacitor connected in parallel with said first antenna coil, said information read/write device having wireless communication with a circuit electro-magnetically coupled to said first antenna coil, with the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit as said frequency of said carrier wave;

a non-contact information medium including a second resonance circuit made up by a second antenna coil and by a second tuning capacitor connected in series with said second antenna coil, said second resonance circuit resonating with a resonance frequency which is the same as the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit and having wireless communication with a circuit electro-magnetically coupled to said second antenna coil; and

a relaying device, including a third resonance circuit, made up by a third antenna coil, electro-magnetically coupled to said first antenna coil of said information write device, a fourth antenna coil connected in series with said third coil and electro-magnetically coupled with the antenna coil of said non-contact information medium, the third antenna coil being positioned within the fourth antenna coil, and a third tuning capacitor connected to at least one of said third and fourth antenna coils, said third relaying circuit resonating with the same resonance frequency as the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit and said second resonance circuit, said relaying device relaying the wireless communication between said information read/write device and said non-contact information medium.

13. The communication system according to claim 12 wherein

said third antenna coil of said relaying device is approximately of the same size and shape as said first antenna coil of said information read/write device;

and wherein

said fourth antenna coil of said relaying device is approximately of the same size and shape as said second antenna coil of said non-contact information medium.

14. A communication system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the relaying device is mounted to a metal chassis, the metal chassis having an aperture, the relaying device being mounted such that the third antenna coil completely overlaps the aperture.

15. A communication system as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a shield plate mounted over the first antenna coil and opposite the aperture and prevents electro-magnetic noise from the first resonance circuit from escaping in the direction opposite the aperture.

16. A communication system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the shield plate is attached to the metal chassis.

17. A communication system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the relaying device is mounted to the metal chassis using a non-magnetic resin.

18. A communication system as set forth in claim 14, wherein

the third antenna is positioned to overlap the first antenna and the aperture, the first and third antennas being on opposite sides of the aperture.

19. A communication system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the tuning capacitor connected to the third antenna coil and the fourth antenna coil is connected either in series or in parallel with the third antenna coil and the fourth antenna coil.

20. A communication system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the relaying device is positioned at a height above the antenna coil of the read/writer device at a height where the effective range of the signal from the read/writer device at a distance of 20mm to 75mm.

21. A communication system for wireless communication of an electro-magnetic coupling system, mediated by a carrier wave of a preset frequency, said communication system comprising

an information read/write device including a first resonance circuit made up by a first antenna coil and by a first tuning capacitor connected in parallel with said first antenna coil, said information read/write device having wireless communication with a circuit electro-magnetically coupled to said first antenna coil, with the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit as said frequency of said carrier wave;

a non-contact information medium including a second resonance circuit made up by a second antenna coil and by a second tuning capacitor connected in series with said second antenna coil, said second resonance circuit resonating with a resonance frequency which is the same as the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit and having wireless communication with a circuit electro-magnetically coupled to said second antenna coil; and

a relaying device including a third resonance circuit, made up by a third antenna coil, electro-magnetically coupled to said first antenna coil of said information write device, a fourth antenna coil connected in series with said third coil and electro-magnetically coupled with the antenna coil of said non-contact information medium, the third antenna coil being positioned within the fourth antenna coil, and a third tuning capacitor connected to each of said third and fourth antenna coils, said third relaying circuit resonating with the same resonance frequency as the resonance frequency of said first resonance circuit and said second resonance circuit, said relaying device relaying the wireless communication between said information read/write device and said non-contact information medium.