Near field communication circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9960818-B2
Application number	US-201715609032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2016
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A near field communication circuit includes an antenna, a circuit logic unit coupled to the antenna, an energy storage coupled to the antenna, and a shunt control circuit, coupled to the antenna, for controlling a first operating voltage provided for the circuit logic unit by the antenna. The circuit logic unit is set up such that in a first mode of operation the circuit logic unit is operated by the first operating voltage provided by the antenna. The circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the first mode of operation at least some of the electric power provided by the antenna is supplied to the energy storage for the purpose of charging same with the electric power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A near field communication circuit, comprising:
an antenna;
a circuit logic unit coupled to the antenna;
an energy storage coupled to the antenna; and
a shunt control circuit, coupled to the antenna, for controlling a first operating voltage provided for the circuit logic unit by the antenna,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up such that in a first mode of operation the circuit logic unit is operated by the first operating voltage provided by the antenna, and
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the first mode of operation at least some electric power provided by the antenna is supplied to the energy storage for charging the same with the electric power.

2. The near field communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein in a second mode of operation the circuit logic unit is operated at least in part by a second operating voltage provided by the energy storage.

3. The near field communication circuit of claim 2 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the second mode of operation the first operating voltage provided by the antenna is reduced.

4. The near field communication circuit of claim 3 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the second mode of operation the first operating voltage is altered according to a prescribed timing.

5. The near field communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to supply some of the first operating voltage provided by the antenna to the energy storage when a first switching condition is satisfied.

6. The near field communication circuit of claim 5 ,
wherein the first switching condition is satisfied at least one of when the first operating voltage reaches or exceeds a prescribed threshold value or when a state of charge of the energy storage reaches or falls below a prescribed threshold value.

7. The near field communication circuit of claim 2 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to change over from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation when a second switching condition is satisfied.

8. The near field communication circuit of claim 7 ,
wherein the second switching condition is satisfied at least one of when a prescribed temperature of the near field communication circuit or of surroundings of the near field communication circuit is reached or exceeded or when the first operating voltage reaches or exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

9. The near field communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein the energy storage has at least one storage battery.

10. The near field communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein the energy storage has at least one capacitor.

11. The near field communication circuit of claim 1 ,
wherein the near field communication circuit is set up according to a standard selected from a group consisting of:
the near field communication standard ISO/IEC 14443,
the near field communication standard ISO/IEC 15693, and
the near field communication standard ISO/IEC 18092.

12. A chip card, comprising:
a chip card body; and
a near field communication circuit, comprising:
an antenna;
a circuit logic unit coupled to the antenna;
an energy storage coupled to the antenna; and
a shunt control circuit, coupled to the antenna, for controlling a first operating voltage provided for the circuit logic unit by the antenna,

wherein the circuit logic unit is set up such that in a first mode of operation the circuit logic unit is operated by the first operating voltage provided by the antenna,
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the first mode of operation at least some electric power provided by the antenna is supplied to the energy storage for charging the same with the electric power, and
wherein the near field communication circuit is embedded in the chip card body.

13. A communication device, comprising:
a near field communication circuit, comprising:
an antenna;
a circuit logic unit coupled to the antenna;
an energy storage coupled to the antenna;
a shunt control circuit, coupled to the antenna, for controlling a first operating voltage provided for the circuit logic unit by the antenna;

wherein the circuit logic unit is set up such that in a first mode of operation the circuit logic unit is operated by the first operating voltage provided by the antenna;
wherein the circuit logic unit is set up to control the shunt control circuit such that in the first mode of operation at least some electric power provided by the antenna is supplied to the energy storage for charging the same with the electric power; and
a further circuit coupled to the near field communication circuit,
wherein the near field communication circuit is set up to switch to a second mode of operation if a temperature of the further circuit reaches or exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

14. A method for operating a near field communication circuit,
wherein the near field communication circuit comprises:
an antenna;
a circuit logic unit coupled to the antenna;
an energy storage coupled to the antenna;
a shunt control circuit, coupled to the antenna, for controlling a first operating voltage provided for the circuit logic unit by the antenna;

wherein the method comprises:
operating the circuit logic unit in a first mode of operation by the first operating voltage provided by the antenna; and
controlling, by the circuit logic unit, the shunt control circuit such that in the first mode of operation some of the first operating voltage provided by the antenna is supplied to the energy storage for charging the same with electric power.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
operating the circuit logic unit in a second mode of operation at least in part by a second operating voltage provided by the energy storage.

16. The method of claim 15 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit controls the shunt control circuit such that in the second mode of operation the first operating voltage provided by the antenna is reduced.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit controls the shunt control circuit such that in the second mode of operation the first operating voltage is altered according to a prescribed timing.

18. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit supplies some of the first operating voltage provided by the antenna to the energy storage when a first switching condition is satisfied.

19. The method of claim 18 ,
wherein the first switching condition is satisfied when the first operating voltage reaches or exceeds a prescribed threshold value.

20. The method of claim 18 ,
wherein the first switching condition is satisfied when a state of charge of the energy storage reaches or falls below a prescribed threshold value.

21. The method of claim 15 ,
wherein the circuit logic unit changes over from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation when a second switching condition is satisfied.

22. The method of claim 21 ,
wherein the second switching condition is satisfied when a prescribed temperature of the near field communication circuit or of surroundings of the near field communication circuit is reached or exceeded.

23. The method of claim 21 ,
wherein the second switching condition is satisfied when the first operating vo

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Leutgeb Thomas
• Darrer Franz Michael
• Holweg Gerald

Classifications

• G06K19/0701

  at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management · CPC title

• H04B1/59

  Responders; Transponders · CPC title

• G06K19/07771

  the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object · CPC title

• G01K3/005

  Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00) · CPC title

• G06K19/07749 Primary

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