Texas Instruments Corporation

Texas Instruments Incorporated Deutschland, Gmbh

Dresser, Inc.

Exxonmobile Oil Corporation

Andreas Hagl

Konstantin O Aslanidis

Herbert Meier

Jens Graul

Jürgen Stefan Austen

Ernst Georg Muellner

Jim Childers

Thomas J Flaxl

Kurt Orthmann

Josef H Schuermann

Ruediger Ganz

Adolf Baumann

Joseph Bernard Pearson

Carlo Peschke

Don Charles McCall

Anne A Tip

Joseph A Giordano

Loek d'Hont

Robert Allen Lorentzen

George A Holodak

Karen Scott Guthrie

Horst Mollik

Jeffrey L Turner

Deborah T Wilkins

Bernard Barink

Scott D Larson

Samuel S Hendricks

Alex J Weyer

Kostantin Aslanidis

Lloyd G Sargent

Carl R Jacobs

Simon Atherton

Thomas L Mays

Josef H Sch&uuml;rmann

Geeta Bholanath Nadkarni

A long-range power-efficient multiple-band identification system and method includes, for example, a base-station control module and paired electronic key fob. The base-station control module and paired electronic key fob is arranged to provide a UHF (ultra-high frequency) wake transmitter for transmitting a wakeup signal in a UHF frequency range to the paired electronic key. When in range, the electronic key is awakened by the wakeup signal and in response transmits an acknowledgment reply to the base-station control module. After receiving the acknowledgment, the base-station control module transmits a relatively high power localization signal for determining an electronic key location.

Multi-band identification and ranging

An electronic device and method for half duplex data transmission in a long range keyless entry and go system, and more specifically to an RFID transponder, a corresponding read/write (R/W) unit and methods for operating the RFID transponder and the R/W-unit. There is a first coil, a second coil and a third coil, being arranged as a three-dimensional antenna, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a third capacitor couplable in parallel to the first coil, the second coil and the third coil, respectively, for selectively forming a first, a second and a third parallel-resonant circuit for receiving radio signals, a series-resonant circuit for transmitting radio signals and a control stage configured to either use one of the first, second or third parallel-resonant circuits for receiving radio signals or the series-resonant circuit for transmitting signals.

Electronic device, method and system for half duplex data transmission

Multiple-band identification and ranging

An RFID transponder having an analog front end receiver having an attenuator coupled to receive an RF-signal from an antenna and to attenuate the RF-signal, an amplifier having a fixed amplifier gain and being coupled to receive and to amplify the attenuated RF-signal and a control unit coupled to control a gain of the attenuator, wherein the control unit is configured to control the attenuator gain in response to a level of the amplified RF-signal, the control unit is configured to have a plurality of predetermined states causing the attenuator to increase (step-up) or to decrease (step-down), its gain by a predefined step size, wherein the step size of a step-up is equal to or smaller than the step size of a step-down and wherein the control unit is further configured to switch, upon reaching or exceeding a predefined threshold value, from a first to a second state having a smaller step size and causing the attenuator to change the gain such that the slope of the RF signal inverts and to switch, upon reaching the predefined threshold again, to a third state causing the attenuator to change a prefix of the gain.

RFID transponder and method for operating the same

An RFID transponder is provided which includes an automatic gain control (AGC) stage for amplifying a radio frequency (RF) signal and for providing an amplified RF signal. The AGC stage has a control signal indicating an increase of the amplitude of the RF signal. A demodulator is coupled to receive the amplified RF signal for demodulating the amplified RF signal. The demodulator provides a data signal. A burst detector is coupled to receive the control signal of the AGC stage and adapted to provide a start signal in response to a change of the control signal. A wake pattern detector is coupled to receive the data signal and the start signal. The wake pattern detector is adapted to detect a predefined wake pattern in the data signal after having received the start signal and to issue a wake signal if the predefined wake pattern is detected for switching the RFID transponder from a first operating mode into a second operating mode having higher power consumption than the first operating mode.

RFID transponder with improved wake pattern detection and method

A passive entry and immobilizer key for vehicles comprises an integrated front-end circuit () with three battery-supplied receiver channels (), each connected to an associated external antenna circuit with an inductor-capacitor combination (LR, CR) having a resonant frequency in the very low frequency range. The three antennas are arranged in a three-dimensional configuration. An immobilizer transponder () is supplied by energy received from an external transponder antenna circuit and stored in a storage capacitor (CL). The transponder antenna circuit includes an inductor-capacitor combination (LR, CR, CL) having a resonant frequency in the low frequency range. The transponder antenna circuit shares at least one inductive component (LR) with the antenna circuit of one of the three receiver channels. A capacitor in the transponder antenna circuit is selectively disconnected to change the resonant frequency from a frequency in the very low frequency range to a frequency in the low frequency range. Accordingly, one of the three antenna circuits has a dual function. A first function is that in a three-dimensional analog front end of a passive entry system that operates in the very low frequency range. A second function is that in a transponder of an immobilizer system that operates in the much higher low frequency range. As a result, only three antenna coils need to be implemented in the key.

Passive entry and immobilizer at different frequencies using same antenna coil

A system and method for providing a fuel dispenser with radio frequency customer identification capabilities. The system and method determines whether a transponder containing customer identification data is within range of a dispenser, the dispenser requiring activation by the customer to initiate a transaction and including a reader associated therewith for emitting radio frequency signals within the dispenser range, and for receiving customer identification data from the transponder responsive to the emitted radio frequency signals received by the transponder. When the transponder is within range of the dispenser, an in-range indication is provided to the customer. A determination is made whether the dispenser has been activated by the customer following a determination that the transponder is within the dispenser range. Upon activation of the dispenser following the determination that the transponder is within the dispenser range, the customer identification data received by the reader is associated with a transaction at the activated dispenser, whereupon the transaction at the activated dispenser is permitted and charged to the customer according to the customer identification data. The system easily retrofits onto an existing, conventional fuel dispenser.

Dispensing system and method with radio frequency customer identification

A power management circuit for a system that has combined power supplies from an inductively coupled circuit and from a battery comprises voltage sensing circuitry for sensing the voltage of each of the power supplies. A switching arrangement selectively connects one of the power supplies with a user or with plural users. The switching arrangement is controlled by appropriate control circuitry in response to outputs from the voltage sensing circuitry. The power management makes the best use of energy received over the inductive interface to preserve battery lifetime.

Method for selecting an inductive or battery power supply based on the voltage sensed therefrom for a transponder system

A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system, including a transponder unit () for each tire to be monitored, the transponder unit having an incorporated RF transmitter () and being physically associated with the tire to be monitored. A pressure sensor for each tire to be monitored is connected to circuitry in a corresponding transponder unit. An interrogator unit () is associated with each transponder unit and physically mounted on a vehicle in proximity to a wheel () whereon a tire to be monitored is mounted. A central RF receiver () for all transponder units is provided. Each transponder unit is inductively coupled with an associated interrogator unit and includes an electric charge accumulation element adapted to be charged by energy inductively supplied from the associated interrogator unit in a first mode of operation, and the charge accumulation element providing a power supply to the RF transmitter of the transponder unit in a second mode of operation.

Tire pressure monitoring system

A method for the authentication of a transceiver unit with respect to a second transceiver unit, located at a distance to it. A first signal is transmitted via an aerial connected to the first unit, when second unit is located within the reception area of the first unit. The first signal is received by means of the second unit via an aerial connected to it, whereby, on the basis of the first signal received, a value is measured that characterizes the strength of the electro-magnetic field generated by the first signal at the location of the second unit. A second signal is transmitted via the aerial connected to the second unit that contains information relating to the magnitude characterizing the field strength; and the second signal is received via the aerial connected to the first unit, where, on the basis of the second signal received, a value is measured that characterizes the strength of the electro-magnetic field generated by the second signal at the location of the first unit. On the basis of the values characterizing the field strengths measured during the transmission of the first and the second signals, a comparison is made as to whether the two magnitudes of coupling corresponding to the field strengths between the two aerials coincide. Only when coincidence is established, a release signal is generated.

Authentication of a first transceiver unit with respect to a second transceiver unit located at a distance

A security system to enable authenticated access of an individual to a protected area, including a remote control unit ( ) with a transponder ( ), carried by the individual, which transmits an identification code group on reception of an interrogation signal. A control unit located within the protected area transmits an interrogation signal when activated by the individual, and verifies the identification code group received from the transponder. Access to the protected area will only be permitted on positive verification of the right to access. The transponder ( ), contained within the remote control unit ( ), is a passive transponder which obtains a supply voltage from the interrogation signal transmitted by the control unit ( ) and then feeds this to a supply voltage rail. The remote control unit ( ) contains a battery ( ) that can be connected to the supply voltage rail ( ) by means of a controllable battery coupling switch ( )via a high-resistance path when the remote control unit ( ) is in its quiescent state, or via a low-resistance path when the remote control ( ) unit is in its active state.

Security system to enable authenticated access of an individual to a protected area

Transponders present in an interrogation zone can be identified by an interrogator by it sending an RF interrogation signal into the interrogation zone, the RF interrogation signal containing a code string prompting the transponders to generate partial addresses. As soon as one transponder &ldquo;sees&rdquo; that the generated partial address agrees with part of its own address, it responds by sending its full address which can then be read by the interrogator. Immediately after having received a full address the interrogator sends a code string characterizing the address of the transponder having responded before so that this transponder is thereby addressable. The signal sent by the interrogator to the transponder with this code string also contains an instruction which prompts the transponder to assume the condition in which it no longer responds to receiving its address or partial address.

Method of identifying several transponders

For reading the data stored in a transponder by means of an interrogation device, the interrogation device at first receives the background noise for the purpose of detecting interference frequencies present in this background noise. On the basis of the interference frequencies acquired, coefficients for an adaptive filter are computed by means of which this filter may be tuned in such a way as to suppress the interference frequencies. The response signal from the transponder with the superimposed background noise is received by the interrogation device and routed through the adaptive filter which acts to suppress the interference frequencies. The signal available at the output of the filter can then be demodulated for the purpose of reading the data stored. The transponder system for the execution of the procedure comprises a digital signal processor which computes coefficients for an adaptive filter on the basis of the interference frequencies acquired, and tunes the filter in such a way that the interference frequencies within the RF response signal received from the transponder, carrying the superimposed background noise, are suppressed. The output signal from the adaptive filter may then be used for further processing.

Procedure for reading the data stored in a transponder and a transponder system for the execution of the procedure

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Dachau, Germany

Andreas Hagl