RFID transponder device and method for production of an RFID transponder device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9576237-B2
Application number	US-201414903584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2013
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

An RFID transponder device has antenna terminals for coupling an antenna system to the device. A transmitter and a receiver are coupled to the antenna terminals. The device has at least one damping resistance connected to at least one of the antenna terminals. The at least one damping resistance is connected, depending on a voltage swing at the antenna terminals during a transmission burst period, either together with a serially connected switch in parallel to the antenna terminals that are coupled to the receiver, or together with a parallel connected switch between one of the antenna terminals and a terminal of the transmitter. A damping control is configured to activate the at least one damping resistance during a damping period after the transmission burst period by controlling the respective switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An RFID transponder device comprising
antenna terminals for coupling an antenna system to the device;
a transmitter coupled to the antenna terminals and configured to provide an oscillating signal to the antenna terminals;
a receiver coupled to the antenna terminals and configured to receive an oscillating signal at the antenna terminals; and
at least one damping resistance connected to at least one of the antenna terminals;
wherein the at least one damping resistance is connected, depending on a voltage swing at the antenna terminals during a transmission burst period, either together with a serially connected switch in parallel to the antenna terminal that are coupled to the receiver, or together with a parallel connected switch between one of the antenna terminals and a terminal of the transmitter; and
wherein the device further comprises a damping control being configured to activate the at least one damping resistance during a damping period after the transmission burst period by controlling the respective switch.

2. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the damping control is configured to deactivate the at least one damping resistance during a synchronization period between the damping period and a following transmission burst period by controlling the respective switch.

3. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a first transmitter output terminal of the transmitter is connected to one of the antenna terminals by a parallel connection of a first damping resistance and a first switch.

4. The device according to claim 3 ,
wherein a second transmitter output terminal of the transmitter is connected to a further one of the antenna terminals by a parallel connection of a second damping resistance and a second switch.

5. The device according to claim 3 ,
further comprising at least one auxiliary terminal, to which an antenna coil of the antenna system is to be connected via a capacitive element, wherein a parallel connection of a third damping resistance and a third switch is connected between the at least one auxiliary terminal and a reference potential terminal.

6. The device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the receiver comprises a first and a second receiver input terminal and wherein a series connection of a fourth damping resistance and a fourth switch is connected between the first and the second receiver input terminal.

7. The device according to claim 6 ,
wherein a resistance value of the fourth damping resistance is selectable depending on characteristics of the antenna system to be connected.

8. The device according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a bias circuit that is connected to a first and a second receiver input terminal of the receiver, wherein
the first and the second receiver input terminal are coupled to the antenna terminals;
the bias circuit is configured to provide a DC bias voltage to the antenna terminals; and
wherein a series connection of a fourth damping resistance and a fourth switch is connected between the first and the second receiver input terminal.

9. The device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the bias circuit comprises a voltage source that is connected to both the first and the second receiver input terminal by a respective resistive element.

10. The device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the bias voltage is selected on the basis of the voltage swing.

11. The device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the bias voltage is selected to be in the range of 40% to 60% or in the range of 45% to 55%, of a technology dependent maximum voltage of the device.

12. The device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the device and/or the receiver are free from an overvoltage protection with respect to a positive supply voltage.

13. The device according to claim 8 ,
further comprising a parallel connection of a first damping resistance and a first switch, said parallel connection being connected between one of the antenna terminals and a first transmitter output terminal of the transmitter and forming a first damping structure; wherein
the bias circuit and the series connection of the fourth damping resistance and the fourth switch form a second damping structure; and
the device further comprises a selection unit configured to select one of the first and the second damping structure as being enabled and the other one of the first and the second damping structure as being disabled.

14. The device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the selection unit is configured to perform the selection of the enabled damping structure once-only or irreversibly.

15. The device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the bias voltage is selected to be at least as high as an amplitude of the voltage swing.

16. The device according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a bias circuit, which comprises a voltage source that is connected to a first receiver input terminal of the receiver by a resistive element, and which is configured to provide a DC bias voltage to the first receiver input terminal, wherein
the first receiver input terminal is coupled to one of the antenna terminals;
a connection point of the voltage source with the resistive element is coupled to a further one of the antenna terminals; and
wherein a series connection of a fourth damping resistance and a fourth switch is connected between the one and the further one of the antenna terminals.

17. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the device is configured to synchronize to a carrier signal received at the antenna terminals during a synchronization period between the damping period and a following transmission burst period of the device during operation.

18. A method for production of an RFID transponder device, the method comprising:
providing antenna terminals for coupling an antenna system to the device;
providing a transmitter coupled to the antenna terminals and configured to provide an oscillating signal to the antenna terminals;
providing a receiver coupled to the antenna terminals and configured to receive an oscillating signal at the antenna terminals; and
providing a first damping structure comprising a parallel connection of a first damping resistance and a first switch, said parallel connection being connected between one of the antenna terminals and a first transmitter output terminal of the transmitter;
providing a second damping structure comprising a series connection of a further damping resistance and a further switch being connected between a first and a second receiver input terminal; and
selecting one of the first and the second damping structure as being enabled and the other one of the first and the second damping structure as being disabled, the selection depending on a voltage swing at the antenna terminals during a transmission burst period of the device during operation.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
providing a damping control being configured to activate the damping resistance of said activated damping structure during a damping period after the transmission burst period by controlling the respective switch of said activated damping structure.

20. The method according to claim 18 ,
wherein the selecting is performed once only or irreversibly.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Int Nv

Inventors

• Kunc Vinko
• Stern Anton
• Kovacic Kosta
• Pevec Albin
• Stiglic Maksimiljan

Classifications

• G06K19/0775

  arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna · CPC title

• G06K19/0715 Primary

  the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit · CPC title

• G06K19/07773 Primary

  Antenna details (antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22) · CPC title

• G06K19/07749

  the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card · CPC title