Texas Instruments Corporation

Texas Instruments Incorporated Deutschland, Gmbh

Texas Instruments Holland B.v.

Loek J D'Hont

Herbert Meier

Anne A Tip

Josef H Schuermann

George A Holodak

Peter Mittertrainer

A lock (10) having inductive key detection includes a lock mechanism (14). A detector member (20) is movably disposed proximate the lock mechanism (14) such that the detector member (20) moves when a key engages the lock mechanism (14). The detector member (20) has a magnetic portion (24). An antenna (30) is disposed proximate the detector member (20) such that movement of the detector member (20) induces a signal in the antenna (30). A detector (42) is coupled to the antenna (30) and is operable to detect the signal in the antenna (30).

Key lock having inductive key detection and method of construction

In one aspect, the present invention provides an air coil 20. The air coil 20 may be made from a strip of electrically conductive material 22 which has an insulating material overlying it. For example, the conductive material may comprise copper. The strip 22 is wound into a coil to perform a plurality of windings. The insulating material electrically insulates each of the windings from adjacent ones of the windings.

Air Coil a security badge and a transponder

A key (10) is provided that includes a key body (12) having a forked end. The forked end comprises a first tine (14) and a second tine (16). A transponder (20) is disposed between the first tine (14) and the second tine (16). The transponder (20) is operable to generate signals. An air coil antenna (18) is coupled to the key body (12) proximate the forked end and is electrically coupled to the transponder (20). The air coil antenna (18) is operable to transmit signals generated by the transponder (20).

Key having an air coil antenna and a method of construction

Apparatus and method for producing a flexible antenna suitable to be incorporated in a badge or similar object. The antenna comprises electrical windings (28, 38) surrounding a flexible antenna core (26, 36). The antenna core (26, 36) is of a material having a high quality factor formed of a plurality of mutually insulated, longitudinally extending chains of magnetic soft material of high .mu.. According to one embodiment, a powder of small particles of a magnetic soft material of high .mu. is mixed with a synthetic resin so that a high saturation of magnetic material in the mixture is formed in a vacuum. The mixture is cured in a strong magnetic field so that the particles form chains (18A, 18B, 18C) of the particle parallel to the applied magnetic field.

Flat flexible antenna

The present invention discloses an electromagnetic device which includes a magnetic flux producing apparatus for producing a magnetic flux path loop. The magnetic flux producing apparatus preferably comprises a magnetic core 20 surrounded by electrical windings 22. A strip of electrically conductive material 24 is disposed such that it passes through the magnetic flux path loop and overlies the windings 22. The strip 24 has a width which is substantially greater than its thickness. The device may further include an antenna 16 which is electrically coupled to the strip 24.

Identification system antenna with impedance transformer

A balanced receive antenna circuit configuration determines an accurate position of a transponder within the antenna field pattern of the reader antenna. The balanced receive antenna configuration consists of two antennas physically rotated 90 degrees relative to one another, disposed concentrically on top of one another. Furthermore, each receive antenna consists of two coils located a predetermined distance apart. The optimum distance separating the coils is determined by trading off zero position detection with the transponder detection range. The transmitter antenna surrounds the receiver coilset. In operation, initially the transmitter antenna sends a power burst signal for a predetermined duration to charge up the transponder to the maximum charge possible. Then for a very brief duration, the transmitter antenna is damped to permit the receive antennas to better receive the transponder response telegram. Then simultaneously, one receive antenna receives the `X` position component and the other receiver antenna receives the `Y` position component in the form of voltages. Depending upon which quadrant of the antenna pattern the transponder is disposed, the sign and value of the X component and the Y component of voltage is detected. These voltages are then narrow band filtered around a center frequency and gated for a small portion of the length of the entire response telegram, and those outputs are combined in a signal processor which outputs the exact position data information.

Highly accurate RE-ID positioning system

A balanced receive antenna circuit configuration determines an accurate position of a transponder within the antenna field pattern of the reader antenna. The balanced receive antenna configuration consists of two antennas physically rotated 90 degrees relative to one another, disposed concentrically on top of one another. Furthermore, each receive antenna consists of two coils located a predetermined distance apart. The optimum distance separating the coils is determined by trading off zero position detection with the transponder detection range. A third receive reference antenna is concentrically disposed, sharing the same horizontal plane with the balanced antenna coilsets. The transmitter antenna is disposed separately from the receive antennas. In operation, initially the transmitter antenna sends a power burst signal for a predetermined duration to charge up the transponder to the maximum charge possible. Then for a very brief duration, the transmitter antenna is damped to permit the receive antennas to better receive the transponder response telegram. Then simultaneously, one receive antenna receives the `X` position component and the other receiver antenna receives the `Y` position component in the form of induced phase and voltages. Depending upon which quadrant of the antenna pattern the transponder is disposed, the phase and field effect voltage of the X component and the Y component is detected. These received voltages are then narrow band filtered around a center frequency and rectified via phase information received from the reference antenna. These rectified signals are then gated for a small portion of the length of the entire response telegram, and those outputs are combined in a signal processor which outputs the exact position data information.

Highly accurate RF-ID positioning system

In one aspect, the present invention provides an air coil 20. The air coil 20 may be made from a strip of electrically conductive material 22 which has an insulating material overlying it. For example, the conductive material may comprise copper. The strip 22 is wound into a coil to perform a plurality of windings. The insulating material electrically insulates each of the winding from adjacent ones of the windings.

Air coil and method of making the same

In one aspect, the present invention provides an integrated inductor and capacitor 20 which can be used as the inductive portion of a resonant circuit and the energy accumulator for a identification system transponder. In a first embodiment, the integrated inductor and capacitor component 20 may include first and second strips of electrically conductive material 22 and 26, for example aluminum. The first and second strips 22 and 26 are wound in a coil 20 to form a plurality of windings. Each winding is electrically insulated from adjacent ones of the windings by insulators 24 and 28. The component can be bonded to a transponder chip.

Integrated air coil and capacitor and method of making the same

This invention relates to a shielded transponder 12 which is capable of being mounted on any surface, whether ferromagnetic or not. The transponder includes an antenna which in use is susceptible to detuning as a result of being mounted on a ferromagnetic surface. The shield 16 prevents this detuning and enables the transponder 12 to be mounted on any surface. The shield 16 may produce slight detuning, however, this can be compensated for by pretuning of the transponder.

Unitarily-tuned transponder/shield assembly

A data detection circuit (30) for automatically adjusting to an FSK modulated signal to set a proper trip point for differentiating logic high and low. The detection circuit (30) includes: A demodulator (32) which converts a received FSK modulated signal to voltage levels corresponding to respective frequencies of the modulated signal. A voltage clamp circuit (42) which samples and stores a voltage level of the output of the demodulator (32) and provides a trip point voltage level representing a sum of the stored voltage level and a fixed voltage offset. A comparator (50) which compares the trip point voltage to the voltage levels at the output of the demodulator (32) to provide a logic output signal representing detected digital data signals.

Automatically correcting data detection circuit and method for FSK

An apparatus including an object 10 associated with a contactless, electronic identifier is disclosed herein. In one example, the object 10 is a trash bin. This object 10 is formed from a non-conductive material. A single-loop antenna 14 is disposed adjacent the object 10. An impedance transformer 18 which is matched to the single-loop antenna 14 is used to generate a desired inductance. A transponder 12 is also disposed near to and associated with the object 10. The transponder 12 is coupled to the antenna 14 through the impedance transformer 18.

Single loop transponder system and method

A method of communicating between an interrogator (10) and at least a first and second transponder (12). The transponders (12)are separately located within a first and a second vehicle (20) travelling within a first and a second traffic lane, respectively. The method has the steps of providing a first and a second LF antenna (16) associated with and proximity to a first and a second traffic lane, respectively. From each of the first and second LF antennas (16) a continuous LF subcarrier is transmitted to serve as a clock signal for each antenna's associated transponder (12). Initially, a wake-up signal is sent by each of the LF antennas (16) to its associated transponder (12). Following the wake-up signal, a unique lane code is sent by each of the LF antennas (16) to its associated transponder (12). The transponder (12) stores its unique lane code in its memory (70). The transponder then sends a UHF response in a pre-determined time period depending on the unique lane code stored in each of the transponders (12). The time period in which the transponder (12) sends its UHF response is unique to that transponder (12) so that interference between responding transponders (12) is avoided. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Transponder systems for automatic identification purposes

An antenna system for use in an Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system 10 having a plurality of non-resonant antenna loops 14 which operate as a single loop antenna during a transmit cycle and individual antenna during a receive cycle. The antenna system includes individual antenna 14 each having amplifier 29 connected to a single source. A switch circuit selectively switches the system from a transmit to receive mode and from a receive to a transmit mode.

Growing community of inventors

Almelo, Netherlands

Loek J D'Hont