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WO2009010917A2 - Procédé pour actionner un transpondeur, circuit intégré pour transpondeur, et lecteur - Google Patents

Procédé pour actionner un transpondeur, circuit intégré pour transpondeur, et lecteur Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2009010917A2
WO2009010917A2 PCT/IB2008/052824 IB2008052824W WO2009010917A2 WO 2009010917 A2 WO2009010917 A2 WO 2009010917A2 IB 2008052824 W IB2008052824 W IB 2008052824W WO 2009010917 A2 WO2009010917 A2 WO 2009010917A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
transponder
reader
signal
antenna
magnetic field
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IB2008/052824
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2009010917A3 (fr
Inventor
Anton Salfelner
Roland Brandl
Ewald Bergler
Franz Amtmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NXP BV
Original Assignee
NXP BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NXP BV filed Critical NXP BV
Publication of WO2009010917A2 publication Critical patent/WO2009010917A2/fr
Publication of WO2009010917A3 publication Critical patent/WO2009010917A3/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
    • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
    • G06K19/0723—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
    • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
    • G06K19/077—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
    • G06K19/07749—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
    • G06K19/07766—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement
    • G06K19/07767—Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card comprising at least a second communication arrangement in addition to a first non-contact communication arrangement 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
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10009—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
    • G06K7/10198—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves setting parameters for the interrogator, e.g. programming parameters and operating modes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for operating a transponder, to an integrated circuit for a transponder, and to a reader.
  • Transponders which are also referred to as tags or labels, are well known in the art and are designed to communicate with a reader which is also known as a base station. Usually, the reader sends a signal to the transponder. If the transponder is close enough to the reader, i.e. if the power level of the signal generated by the reader is high enough so that the transponder can detect this signal, then the transponder receives this signal and may send, in response to the received signal, a signal to the reader.
  • Some RFID transponder reader systems may be designed that they can communicate with each other over a relative long distance, for instance, in the range of several meters.
  • Other transponder reader systems are designed to communicate within the so called near field. Near field communication is, for instance, applied to item label tagging.
  • RFID transponder reader systems designed to communicate within a relative long distance can also be used for near field communication. Then, however, transponders not only being within the near field of the reader may respond to a signal emitted by the reader.
  • the transponder when using a reader transponder system for item label tagging, it may be desired that the transponder can only communicate with the reader within a certain distance.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide an RFID transponder with increased flexibility.
  • the object is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a method for operating an RFID transponder, comprising the steps of: receiving a reader signal with first and second antennas of a transponder; the reader signal being transmitted by a reader utilizing an electro-magnetic field; generating a first signal with the first antenna in response to the reader signal received by the first antenna and generating a second signal with the second antenna in response to the reader signal received by the second antenna; and generating and sending to the reader a third signal which comprises information about at least one value of the first and second signals, and/or setting at least one transponder parameter of the transponder dependent on at least one value of the first and second signals.
  • an integrated circuit for an RFID transponder comprising: a first antenna input to be connected to a first antenna of the transponder and a second antenna input to be connected to a second antenna of the transponder; wherein the integrated circuit is configured to process a first signal, which is generated by the first antenna and is present at the first antenna input, and to process a second signal, which is generated by the second antenna and is present at the second antenna input; the first and second signals being generated in response to a reader signal, which is transmitted by a reader utilizing an electro -magnetic field; and wherein the integrated circuit is configured to generate a third signal to be sent by the transponder and comprising information about at least one value of the first and second signals, and/or to set at least one transponder parameter of the integrated circuit dependent on at least one value of the first and second signals.
  • an RFID transponder comprises the inventive integrated circuit, a first antenna which is connected to the first antenna input and is configured to generate the first signal; and a second antenna which is connected to the second antenna input and is configured to generate the second signal.
  • the two antennas may be dipole, loop, or folded loop antennas.
  • the two antennas may particularly differ or may be arranged such that the first and second signals differ.
  • the inventive transponder is meant to communicate with the reader.
  • the reader transmits the reader signal utilizing the electro -magnetic field.
  • the transponder potentially reacts by, for instance, sending back a response signal.
  • the inventive integrated circuit comprises two antenna inputs which can be connected to the two antennas. Utilizing the two antennas, the transponder can receive the reader signal. Furthermore, depending on the at least one value of the first and second signals, the transponder sets the at least one transponder parameter and/or sends an information about this value utilizing the third signal.
  • the transponder or the reader may, for instance, adapt its behavior in accordance with this value.
  • the reader may adjust at least one of its reader parameters.
  • the reader can adjust its performance or behavior in response to the first and second signals at the transponder.
  • the at least one reader parameter may, for instance, be related to the power and/or the frequency the reader is using for a communication with the transponder, indicate an antenna of a plurality of antennas of the reader to be used for a communication with the transponder, and/or may be indicative if the reader is going to establish a communication with the transponder at all. This improves the flexibility of the reader transponder system.
  • the transponder may set its at least one transponder parameter in response to the at least one value.
  • the transponder may receive a command signal which the reader generates and transmits in response to the third signal, wherein the command signal sets the at least one transponder parameter of the transponder.
  • the transponder is automatically adapted to or is adapted by the reader dependent on the value of the first and second signals.
  • the at least one value may, for instance, be the magnitude of the first and/or second signal at the transponder.
  • the transponder may be configured to only utilize for a further communication with the reader the signal of the first or second antenna which results in the greater magnitude.
  • the reader may utilize the information about the magnitude to decide to establish a communication with the transponder at all or to abort the started communication.
  • the reader may activate one of the antenna inputs and deactivate the other antenna input of the integrated circuit of the transponder utilizing the command signal dependent on the magnitudes of the first and second signals.
  • This embodiment of the inventive transponder may be useful if the two antennas are sensitive with respect to different orientations. Then, the inventive transponder may be adapted such that it utilizes only the stronger of the first and second signals. This can be achieved, for instance, such that the inventive integrated circuit only demodulates the stronger of the two signals for further processing.
  • the at least one value may be indicative of the field strength of the electromagnetic field, particularly be indicative of the strength of a magnetic and/or electric component of the electro -magnetic field at the transponder.
  • This information may be used by the transponder and/or the reader to estimate a distance between the transponder and the reader. Then, a communication between the reader and the transponder may only be established if the distance between the transponder and the reader is less or greater than a reference distance. If the value is the information about the magnetic and/or electric field strength at the transponder, then one of the antennas may be an antenna primarily capturing the magnetic component of the electro-magnetic field, and the other antenna may be an antenna primarily capturing the electric component of the electro -magnetic field.
  • Useful antennas for primarily capturing the magnetic component are loop antennas and useful antennas for primarily capturing the electric component are monopole and dipole antennas.
  • the information about the strengths of the magnetic and electric components may particularly be used to determine if the transponder is within the near field of the reader. For example, if the transponder is meant to only communicate with the reader when being within the near field, then this information can be used to establish a communication only if the magnetic component of the electro -magnetic field is above a certain value.
  • the value may be indicative of an impedance of the electro-magnetic field and/or may be indicative of the frequency of the electro -magnetic field. If, for instance, the two antennas are tuned to two different frequencies, then this information can be used to process only signals having a pre-defined frequency.
  • a further example of a transponder parameter may be directed to a special method of coding the response signal or may influence a backscatter method for sending back the response signal.
  • Fig. 1 shows an RFID transponder
  • Fig. 2 shows a flow chart illustrating the mode of operation of the transponder.
  • Fig. 1 shows an RFID transponder 1 and a reader 20 and Fig. 2 illustrates the mode of operation of the transponder 1.
  • the reader 20 represents a point of sale terminal and the transponder 1 is a price label attached on a product (not explicitly shown in the figures). The price label may be used to register the product by the point of sale terminal for setting up an invoice.
  • the transponder 1 is preferably a passive, but may also be an active transponder.
  • the reader 20 comprises an electric circuit 21 and an antenna 22 connected to the electric circuit 21.
  • the reader 20 is configured to communicate with the transponder 1 utilizing an electro -magnetic field 23 as it is generally known in the art. Utilizing the electro-magnetic field 23, the reader 20 can send a first signal to the transponder 1.
  • the reader 20 generates the first signal with its electric circuit 21 and encodes the first signal in the electro -magnetic field 23 which the reader 20 sends with its antenna 22.
  • the transponder 1 comprises a substrate 3, an electric circuit which is an integrated circuit 4 for the exemplary embodiment, a first antenna which may particularly be a dipole antenna 5, and a second antenna which may particularly be a loop antenna 6.
  • An advantage of a dipole antenna especially for UFH systems is its relative high read range.
  • the integrated circuit 4 and the two antennas 5, 6 are attached to the substrate 3.
  • the transponder 1 is configured to receive the first signal and potentially generate and send a second signal in response to the first signal.
  • the generation of the second signal is known per se in the art and is thus not explained in detail.
  • the integrated circuit 4 of the transponder 1 may, for instance, comprise a memory 7 which stores the content of the second signal, and a micro-controller 8 connected to the memory 7 to generate the second signal.
  • the electro-magnetic field 23 transmitted by the reader 20 comprises the first signal.
  • the electro -magnetic field 23 particularly comprises an electric and a magnetic component whose field strengths at the transponder 1 depend, for instance, on the distance between the transponder 1 and the reader 20, on the power of the electromagnetic field 23 at the reader 20, and may be affected by objects in the vicinity of the reader 20 and the transponder 1.
  • the integrated circuit 4 comprises a first decoder/ encoder stage 10 which is connected to the microcontroller 8 and to the dipole antenna 5 via a first antenna input 11 of the integrated circuit 4.
  • the integrated circuit 4 further comprises a second decoder/encoder stage 2 which is connected to the microcontroller 8 and to the loop antenna 6 via a second antenna input 12 of the integrated circuit 4.
  • the decoder/ encoder stages 10, 2 are configured to process the output signals of the antennas 5, 6, respectively, i.e. the signals present at the first and second antenna inputs 11, 12, in order to decode the first signal from the electro -magnetic field 23. The decoded first signal is then transferred to the microcontroller 8 for further processing.
  • the microcontroller 8 is further programmed to determine the electric and the magnetic field strengths of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1.
  • the first antenna of the transponder 1 is the dipole antenna 5 and thus captures primarily the electric component of the electro -magnetic filed 23.
  • the second antenna of the transponder 1 however is the loop antenna 6 and thus captures primarily the magnetic component of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1. Therefore, the output signal of the dipole antenna 5 and thus the signal at the first antenna input 11 is indicative of the electric field strength and the output signal of the loop antenna 6 and thus the signal at the second antenna input 12 is indicative of the magnetic field strength of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1.
  • the microcontroller 8 can at least approximately determine the electric field strength of the electro -magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1 utilizing the output signal of the dipole antenna 5, and can at least approximately determine the magnetic field strength of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1 utilizing the output signal of the monopole antenna 6.
  • the transponder 1 is thus configured to capture the electric component of the electro -magnetic field 23 with its dipole antenna 5 and to capture the magnetic component of the electro -magnetic field 23 with its monopole antenna 6, step A of the flow chart of Fig. 2, and to determine the electric and magnetic field strengths of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1 utilizing the captured electric and magnetic components, step B of the flow chart.
  • the microcontroller 8 is further configured to determine the impedance of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1 by dividing the determined electric field strength by the determined magnetic field strength, step C of the flow chart. The determined impedance is then used to set at least one parameter of the transponder 1, step D of the flow chart.
  • this parameter is used to determine which of the output signals of the two antennas 5, 6 is used to power an energy source 9 of the transponder 1. For example, if the impedance is less than a threshold value, then the output signal of the loop antenna 6 is used to power the energy source 9 and if the impedance is greater than the threshold, then the output signal of the dipole antenna 5 is used to power the energy source 9.
  • the transponder 1 may generate the second signal in response to the received first signal. The transponder 1 generates the second signal and transfers the second signal to one of the decoder/ encoder stages 10, 2 such that the second signal can be sent utilizing one of the antennas 5, 6.
  • the parameter indicates which of the two antennas 5, 6 shall be used to transmit the second signal. For example, if the impedance is less than the threshold value, then the loop antenna 6 is used to transmit the second signal, otherwise the dipole antenna 5 is used.
  • the value of the impedance can be used to decide if the second signal shall be generated and sent at all or if the transponder 1 must not respond to the received first signal.
  • the transponder 1 may only respond to the first signal, i.e. generate the second signal, if the impedance is less than the threshold value.
  • the at least one parameter of the transponder 1 is set in accordance with the determined impedance. It is also possible to set this parameter in accordance with the measured electric and magnetic field strengths.
  • the transponder 1 comprises only one decoder/ encoder stage 10, 2 such that the transponder 1 can only decode the first signal from the electro-magnetic field 23 utilizing only one antenna, for instance the dipole antenna 5. Then, the other antenna, for instance the monopole antenna 6 is only utilized to determine the magnetic field strength of the electro-magnetic field 23 at the transponder 1.
  • the transponder 1 may be configured to send an information about the measured electric and/or magnetic field strengths or the determined impedance to the reader 20. Then, the reader 20 may be configured to set at least one reader parameter in accordance with this information.
  • the reader 20 is configured to evaluate the magnetic and electric field strengths or the impedance at the transponder 1 and to adjust the power with which it transmits the electro -magnetic field 23. In a further embodiment, the reader 20 may only establish a communication with the transponder 1 if the electric and magnetic field strengths fulfill certain conditions.
  • the reader 20 may comprise not only one antenna 22, but a plurality of different antennas 22, 24, 25. Then, the reader 20 may be configured to choose a particular antenna 22, 24, 25 for the communication with the transponder 1. In a further embodiment, the reader 20 may send, in response to the information about the magnetic and/or electric field strengths at the transponder 1 , a command signal to the transponder 1. This command signal informs the transponder 1 if it should only process signals captured by a special of the two antennas 5, 6.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Near-Field Transmission Systems (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé d'actionnement d'un transpondeur RFID (1), le transpondeur (1) comprenant des première et seconde antennes (5, 6) et reçoit un signal de lecteur avec ses antennes (5, 6), le signal de lecteur étant transmis par un lecteur (20) à l'aide d'un champ électromagnétique (23). La première antenne (5) génère un premier signal et la seconde antenne (6) génère un second signal en réponse au signal de lecteur reçu. Ensuite, un troisième signal est généré et envoyé au lecteur (20), le troisième signal étant indicatif d'au moins une valeur des premier et second signaux, et/ou au moins un paramètre de transpondeur du transpondeur (1) est réglé en fonction d'au moins une valeur des premier et second signaux.
PCT/IB2008/052824 2007-07-18 2008-07-14 Procédé pour actionner un transpondeur, circuit intégré pour transpondeur, et lecteur Ceased WO2009010917A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07112661.9 2007-07-18
EP07112661 2007-07-18

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009010917A2 true WO2009010917A2 (fr) 2009-01-22
WO2009010917A3 WO2009010917A3 (fr) 2009-03-12

Family

ID=40032861

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2008/052824 Ceased WO2009010917A2 (fr) 2007-07-18 2008-07-14 Procédé pour actionner un transpondeur, circuit intégré pour transpondeur, et lecteur

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2009010917A2 (fr)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5572226A (en) * 1992-05-15 1996-11-05 Micron Technology, Inc. Spherical antenna pattern(s) from antenna(s) arranged in a two-dimensional plane for use in RFID tags and labels
US6100788A (en) * 1997-12-29 2000-08-08 Storage Technology Corporation Multifunctional electromagnetic transponder device and method for performing same
DE10056148A1 (de) * 2000-11-13 2002-05-23 Infineon Technologies Ag Kontaktloser Datenträger
US20060220795A1 (en) * 2005-03-22 2006-10-05 Supply Focus Method and apparatus for tag with adjustable read distance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2009010917A3 (fr) 2009-03-12

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