GB2370385A

GB2370385A - Data communication apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2370385A
Application number: GB0031530A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glen Pitt-Pladdy; David Feuchtwanger; Andrew David White
Original assignee: Innovision Research and Technology PLC
Current assignee: Broadcom Innovision Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-22
Filing date: 2000-12-22
Publication date: 2002-06-26
Also published as: GB0031530D0

Abstract

A base module (2) has a subsidiary unit receiving area (3b) having first electrical coupler (PD2). A subsidiary unit (4) has a memory (23) with at least two memory areas and a memory area selector (PS1) for selecting the area of the memory in which received data is to be stored and a second electrical coupler (PD1) arranged to couple to the first electrical coupler (PD2, figure 1) when the subsidiary unit (4) is received on the subsidiary unit receiving area so as to complete an electrical path via a user back to the base module. The base module has a signal supplier (21,10) for supplying a data signal to the subsidiary unit (4) when the first and second electrical couplers are coupled. The subsidiary unit having data receiving (35,36) for receiving a data signal, and a data storer (33) for causing the received data to be written into the memory, (231). One memory area may allow data to be written. Another memory area may be preconfigured during manufacture and cannot be programmed. The apparatus may be applied to a game.

Description

DATA COMMUNICATION APPARATUS This invention relates to data communication apparatus comprising a base module and at least one passive data storage device wherein the passive data storage device is arranged to be powered by a signal received from the base module and to communicate stored data with the base module when powered. The present invention is particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to games apparatus wherein the base module comprises a games module and the at least one passive data storage device comprises a playing piece and to industrial uses such as asset tracking.

W098/24527 describes data communication apparatus wherein a base module and passive data storage device are adapted to couple inductively to one another to enable the base module to supply power for the passive data storage device and to receive data from the passive data storage device. WO 00/31676 describes data communication apparatus wherein the passive data storage device is arranged to derive a power supply from a signal supplied by a base or games module by coupling to a user so as to complete an electrical path via the user back to the games module and to communicate data with the games

module when power is thereby derived by the power deriving means from the signal provided by the games modules.

The data communication apparatus described in WO 98/24527 and WO 00/31676 are read only systems, that is the data stored in the passive data storage device cannot be altered.

US-A-5517188 describes a programmable identification apparatus wherein a transponder is arranged to be powered by the energy of a transceiver transmit signal generated by a transceiver. The transponder includes a programmable memory element storing a coded sequence which uniquely identifies the transponder. When powered, the transponder generates a transponder signal including the coded sequence stored in the programmable memory element. In the apparatus described in US-A-5517188, the transponder transmits its data to the transceiver by modulating the frequency of a transceiver transmit signal in accordance with the stored code. The transponder described in US-A-5517188 is specifically designed to be reprogrammable to enable the stored unique code to be changed on command. This apparatus also enables the status of a portion of the memory to be changed back and

forth between a write-protected and a non-write-protected status dependent upon a control signal supplied from the transceiver. The apparatus described in US-A-5517188 thus is specifically designed to facilitate reprogramming to enable the data stored in the transponder to be changed easily. Although this has some advantages, it does, of course, increase the danger of unauthorised tampering with the content of the programmable memory.

EP-A-0441031 also describes a data communication apparatus. This apparatus is specifically designed for enabling reading of data from and writing of data into electronic tags (passive data storage devices) that are moving relative to an interrogator. The interrogator sends a continuous RF signal to the tag which back scatter modulates the received RF signal with data stored in the tag. The back scatter modulated signals are made up of a first frequency component and a second frequency component twice the first frequency component and one of the first and second frequencies is used to represent a zero and the other to represent a one. Like US-A5517188, this document is specifically concerned with enabling modification of the data stored in the tag and accordingly is intended primarily to facilitate changing of that data. Again, although this may be desirable in

certain circumstances, it does increase the danger of unauthorised tampering with the stored data. In addition, both US-A-5517188 and EP-A-0441031 use relatively complex coding schemes for enabling communication of data between the base module and a passive data storage device.

In one aspect, the present invention provides data communication apparatus having a base module or unit and at least one passive data storage device, wherein communication of data between the passive data storage device and the base unit is effected by interrupting a carrier signal and changing the time period for which the modulation is interrupted in accordance with the data to be communicated. In an embodiment, a short interruption is used to represent a zero while a long interruption is used to represent a one.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a data communication apparatus having a base module and a passive data storage device, wherein the passive data storage device is adapted to generate a power supply from a signal supplied by the base module, the base module is adapted to communicate to the passive data storage device data to be stored in the passive data storage device and

the passive data storage device is adapted to communicate received data back to the base module so that the base module can check whether the data has been correctly received by the passive data storage device. This check may be carried out during the writing procedure and may be synchronised and simultaneous with the data sent.

In an embodiment, the base module is adapted to send an alarm signal to the passive data storage device when it determines that the data has not been communicated correctly and to retransmit the last transmitted block of data to the passive data storage device to overwrite the previously transmitted version of that data.

The present invention also provides a base module for use in any of the aspects set out above. The present invention also provides a passive data storage device for use in any of the aspects set out above.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a writeable passive data storage device having a memory divided into a plurality of different sections, wherein at least one of the different sections is configured so that the data stored therein cannot be modified. In an embodiment said one section is preconfigured during

manufacture of the passive data storage device, for example by predefined patterning of the metal layer defining the connections to that section of memory.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a writeable passive data storage device having a memory having a number of sections of different memory type such that one or some of the memory sections may not be available for writing to by an end user, one or some of the memory sections may be available for writing to by an end user but only once, and one or some of the memory sections may be available for writing to many times by an end user. The memory may have any combination of any one or more of these memory types. In an embodiment one memory section is preconfigured during manufacture of the passive data storage device, for example by predefined patterning of the metal layer defining the connections to that section of memory. This section may be, for example, mask ROM.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a writeable passive data storage device having page select means for selecting for writing of data one of a number of different pages or sections of a memory of the passive data storage device. The page select means may be a page

select line that enables programming of a section of memory after the passive data storage device has been produced but before the passive data storage device is placed within a housing to form a subsidiary unit but that cannot be accessed or is left in such a state that the at least one memory section cannot then be written to by a user using a base module.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a writeable passive data storage device having means for write-protecting data stored in the passive data storage device such that, when the write-protection is set, the write-protection cannot be removed. This may be carried out at factory level or later during use of the passive data storage device by an end user or supplier to an end user.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a writeable passive data storage device having a test input coupled to control means of the passive data storage device for enabling erasing of a memory of the passive data storage device even if that memory is writeprotected, the test input being coupled to the control means via a fusible link adapted to be fused so as to disconnect the test pin.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a passive data storage device wherein a test input for enabling erasing of a content of a memory of the passive data storage device is isolated from control means of the passive data storage device by a fused fusible link.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of data communication apparatus embodying the invention comprising a base module and a subsidiary unit; Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the base module; Figure 3 shows a simplified functional block diagram of functional components of the subsidiary unit shown in Figure 1, the subsidiary unit comprising a passive data storage device and accompanying coupler carried by the subsidiary unit;

Figure 4 shows a functional block diagram to illustrate operation of a first or second signal deriver of the passive data storage device shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a more detailed block diagram of functional components of the subsidiary unit shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 illustrates very diagrammatically a data carrying signal supplied by the base module shown in Figure 2; Figures 7 and 8 illustrate diagrammatically the signals supplied by a fast and a slow missing pulse detector to a control engine of the passive data storage device; Figure 9 shows an example of a data signal received by the passive data storage device while Figure 10 shows a corresponding output data signal returned by the passive data storage device to the base module; Figures lla to lid show diagrammatic representations of signal structures with Figure lla showing a general command signal structure, Figure lib showing a write command structure, Figure lie showing a write-protect

command structure and Figure lId showing an erase command structure ; Figures 12a and 12b illustrate diagrammatically the signal structure of data read from the passive data storage device with Figure 12a showing the structure of a header of the data signal and Figure 12b showing the overall structure of the data signal output by the passive data storage device in response to a read command from the base module; Figure 13 shows a flow chart for illustrating selection of different modes of a passive data storage device; Figure 14 shows a flow chart for illustrating steps carried out by the base module to write data into the passive data storage device; Figures 15a and 15b show flow charts illustrating steps carried out by the base module and passive data storage device, respectively, to write-protect data stored in the passive data storage device;

Figure 16 shows a flow chart illustrating steps carried out by the passive data storage device in order to write data into its memory; Figure 17 shows a flow chart illustrating in greater detail a receive and store data step shown in Figure 16; Figure 18 shows a flow chart illustrating steps carried out by the base module to read data from the passive data storage device; Figure 19 shows a flow chart illustrating steps carried out by the passive data storage device during reading of data from the passive data storage device; Figure 20 shows a flow chart illustrating steps carried out by the base module to enable erasing of the memory of the passive data storage device in a test mode; Figure 21 shows a flow chart illustrating steps carried out by the passive data storage device in response to an erase command; and

Figure 22 shows a functional block diagram of another embodiment of a base module in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to Figure 1, a data communication apparatus 1 comprises a base module 2 having a housing 3 that may be moulded from, for example, plastics material.

Data communication apparatus embodying the invention also includes at least one subsidiary unit. One subsidiary unit 4 is shown in cross-section Figure 1. The subsidiary unit has an electrically conductive hollow body or casing 4'. A passive storage device 30 is mounted on an electrically insulating base 46 of the subsidiary unit.

A sensing pad PD1 is provided as a copper layer on the exterior surface of the insulating base 46. Connection from the sensing pad PD1 to a signal line 42 (see Figure 3) of the data storage device 30 is provided via a plated hole 47 through the insulating layer 46 and a wire bond 48. A spring biassing member or clip 49, for example a beryllium wire, electrically connects a component of the passive data storage device to the conductive casing 4'.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the subsidiary unit 4 may have any shape desired or appropriate for the

use required. The casing 4'may be cast from metal or may be moulded from an electrically conductive polymer, for example.

Because only a capacitive coupling to the user is required the subsidiary unit may have a thin coating of paint or like material.

The housing 3 of the base module has an upper surface 3a on which is defined a subsidiary unit receiving area 3b.

The upper surface 3a of the housing also carries a display (for example an LCD or LED display) 5, a loudspeaker 6 and a power on/off switch 7.

As shown by phantom schematic outlines in Figure 1, the playing piece receiving area 3b contains a coupler in the form of a sensing pad PD2 in the form of an electrically conductive area. The sensing pad PD2 is hidden beneath a paper or plastics top surface 3'a of the playing surface 3a and is thus shown in phantom lines.

The sensing pad PD2 is electrically coupled to a pcb (not shown) carrying functional components of the base or games module 2 via a conductive track and an appropriate pcb connector (not shown).

The sensing pad PD2 and conductive track are printed onto the underside of the top surface 3'a of the game board 3 by conventional printing techniques, such as screen printing of an electrically conductive material, typically a silver or carbon loaded conductive ink.

The sensing pad PD2 is adapted to couple capacitively to the sensing pad PDl carried by the subsidiary unit 4 such that, when a user touches the casing 4', an electrical path is completed by the user back to the base module 2 to enable, as will be described in greater detail below, the passive data storage device carried by the subsidiary unit 4 to derive a power supply from a signal provided by the base module and to enable communication of data between the base module 2 and the subsidiary unit 4.

Typically the data storage device will require a 10p (micro amp), 2.5 volt power supply.

Typically, the area of the sensing pads PD1 and PD2 may be in the range of from about 25mm2 to more than 1000mm2 depending on the power output of the oscillator 250. The sensing pad PD1 may be larger than the sensing pad PD2 and may for example occupy practically the entire area of the associated receiving area 3b so that precise location

of a subsidiary unit is not required. Of course, the sensing pads POI and PD2 may have any desired footprint and need not be rectangular or square.

Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the internal components of the base module.

As shown in Figure 2, the base module 2 comprises a controller 10 that may be, for example, a microprocessor or microcontroller associated with a memory 11 (ROM and/or RAM). The controller 10 is coupled, via conventional interfaces (not shown), to the display 5 and loudspeaker 6. The controller 10 is also coupled to a user interface which, in this example, constitutes the power on/off switch 7. As shown in Figure 2, the controller 10 is also coupled to a communications interface 8. This communications interface constitutes a port enabling communication between the base module and a personal computer, for example. The port may be adapted to receive a terminal of a cable CB (Figure 1) or may be a wireless communications port (for example an infrared port) for enabling communication with a similarly equipped computer.

The controller 10 is also coupled to data transmitting and receiving circuitry (DTR) 20. As shown in Figure 2, the DTR circuitry 20 consists of an oscillator circuit 21 coupled via a gate 22, filter circuit 23 and impedance Z to the sensing pad PD2. The oscillator is generally a 13.56 megahertz (MHz) oscillator. The gate 22 is coupled to a gate signal output port GP of the control engine 10 so that the control engine 10 can control whether or not a signal from the oscillator is supplied via the gate 22. The oscillator 21, gate 22, filter circuit 23, impedance Z and sensing pad PD2 provide, in operation, an oscillating signal which is supplied by the capacitive coupling between the sensing pads PD1 and PD2 to the passive data storage device carried by the subsidiary unit 4 when the subsidiary unit 4 is placed on the receiving area 3b and a user touches the casing 4'of the subsidiary unit to complete the return electrical path to the base module.

A ground plane GRP may be provided to facilitate completion of the return path. As will be described in detail below, this oscillating signal provides a power supply for the passive data storage device 30 and interruption of the oscillator signal by a gate signal

(GATE) supplied by the control engine 10 enables data transmission to the passive data storage device 30.

As will be appreciated from the above, there is only one electrically conductive track from the sensing pad PD1 to the base module 2. To enable power to be derived from the oscillator 21 signal, an electrical circuit must, of course, be completed.

In the embodiment described above, the only strong signal coupling between the games module 2 and a subsidiary unit 4 is between the two sensing pads PD1 and PD2. A ground (return) path is however provided via several means in differing proportions, depending upon the actual structure of the embodiment and the environment in which the apparatus is located. Examples of how the ground (return) path may be provided are shown in Figures 6a to 6e of WO 00/31676 the whole contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference and the applicants co-pending application number: 0018486.1 (Our Ref: 5323601).

The return path (s) that will be most significant in practice will depend upon the actual structure of the apparatus and environment. It will be appreciated that many of these return paths may occur via one or more man

made or naturally occurring objects in the vicinity of the gaming apparatus and that, for example, whether or not an integrated ground plane GRP is necessary will depend on the electrical structure of the apparatus, for example the integrated ground plane may not be necessary if the apparatus is mains powered.

Reliance on the above types of return path is however, not necessary. Thus, an additional sensing area having an electrically conductive pad which makes direct ohmic contact to the negative terminal of the base module power supply may be provided so that the electrical circuit is completed when a user places his subsidiary unit 4 on the receiving area 3b and, while still in contact with the subsidiary unit 4, touches the additional pad 3e as illustrated in Figure 6f or 6g of WO 00/31676.

The sensing pad PD2 is also coupled via a demodulator 24, filter 25 and buffer/squaring circuitry 26 to a data input D of the controller 10 to enable, as will be described in detail below, the controller 10 to read data supplied by the passive data storage device 30. As shown in Figure 2, the controller 10 may have a power save output PS for switching off the power supply to certain components of the circuitry (for example the oscillator

21 and buffer/squaring circuitry 26 in Figure 2) that consume relatively high amounts of power when those components are not required.

In the interests of simplicity, the power supply to the functional components of the base module is not shown in Figure 2. Generally, however, this power supply will be a battery power supply although, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, power may be supplied to the base module 2 via an AC mains supply and a transformer.

Figure 3 shows a simplified block diagram of the functional components of the subsidiary unit comprising the passive data storage device 30 and the sensing pad PD1 which is coupled to a junction J1 between the anode of a first diode Dl and a cathode of a second diode D2.

The cathode of the first diode Dl is connected to a first power supply rail 31 (Vdd) while the anode of the second diode D2 is connected to a second power supply rail 32 (Vss). The diodes Dl and D2 thus derive a power supply for the passive data storage device 30 from the oscillating signal coupled to the passive data storage device when the sensing pads PD1 and PD2 are capacitively coupled and a user is in contact with the casing to complete an electrical path back to the base module via

the casing 4'. It will, of course, be appreciated that, in the interest of simplicity, the power supply connections to the remaining components of the passive data storage device 30 are not shown in Figure 3.

The remaining components of the passive data storage device 30 consist of a control engine 33 which controls reading and writing of data to and from a memory 23. In this embodiment, the control engine is a state machine having its own memory. At least part of the memory is programmable as will be described below.

A clock signal for the control engine 33 is derived from the oscillating signal supplied by the base module via a first signal deriver 35 coupled to the junction Jl. The control engine 33 extracts data carried by the oscillating signal by using the output of the first signal deriver 35 and the output of a second similar signal deriver 36 coupled to the junction Jl. A data output of the control engine 33 is coupled to a control gate of the FET Ml having one ti of its source and drain electrodes coupled via line 49 to the body or casing of the playing piece and via an impedance ZM to the Vss

power supply line 32. A shown the electrode ti is also coupled via a resistor R, to the Vdd power supply 31,

although this resistor may be omitted if there is a voltage clamp on the power supply. The other t2 of the source and drain electrodes of the IGFET T is connected directly to the Vss power supply line 32. As will be described below, when data is output by the control engine 33 on the output line OP, the data switches the FET Ml on and off in accordance with the data. Switching on the IGFET T short circuits the impedance ZM in series with the power supply to the data storage device 30, resulting in a varying load on the sensing pad PD1 which amplitude modulates the carrier signal in accordance with the data read out from the memory 23.

The oscillator impedance must, of course, be sufficient to enable the data storage device 30 to modulate the carrier signal and will typically be in the region of 500 ohms.

The data output by the control engine 33 is extracted from the modulated oscillating signal by the demodulator 24, the filter 25 and buffer/squaring circuitry 26 to provide a data input signal to the control engine 10 (Figure 2).

In this embodiment, the first signal deriver 35 is a fast missing pulse detector while the second signal deriver 36 is a slow missing pulse detector. As shown in Figure 4, each of the missing pulse detectors consists of a high pass filter/differentiator 300 which receives the oscillating signal from the junction Jl and outputs a high pass filtered and differentiated signal to a monostable timer 301. Each edge of the integrated signal triggers the monostable timer keeping it active. If the pulses stop for a time greater than the time out period of the monostable timer 301, then the monostable timer 301 will time out and return to its stable state.

The operation of the missing pulse detector is illustrated in Figure 4 by showing the waveforms A, B and C at each stage. Thus, Figure 4 shows the high pass filter/differentiator 300 receiving a square wave pulse signal A and outputting, in response, a spiked signal B, each edge of which triggers the monostable timer 301. Whether or not the monostable timer 301 times out between successive spikes of the spiked signal B will, of course, depend upon the time out period of the monostable timer.

As will be explained in greater detail below, the controller 10 is arranged to interrupt the oscillator

signal for a first time period when the data bit to be transmitted is a binary"0"and to interrupt the oscillator signal for a second different time period when the data bit to be transmitted is a binary"1". The fast missing pulse detector providing the first signal deriver 36 has a monostable timer 301 with a time out period so that this timer only times out and returns to its stable state when the oscillating signal supplied by the oscillator 21 is interrupted by the controller 10 for a period at least slightly longer than the oscillation period but well below the first time period (that is the time period for which the oscillator signal is interrupted when the data bit to be transmitted is a binary"0"). The pulse C output by the monostable timer 301 of the first signal deriver 36 will have one or two widths dependent on whether the particular data bit is a binary"0"or a binary"I".

The slow missing pulse detector providing the second signal deriver 36 has a monostable timer 301 with a time out period so that this timer only times out and returns to its stable state when the oscillating signal supplied by the oscillator 21 is interrupted by the controller 10 for a period having a duration in between the duration of the first and second periods where the second time period

is the time period for which the oscillator signal is interrupted when the data bit to be transmitted is a binary"1". The pulse C output by the monostable timer 301 of the second signal deriver 36 will thus provide a pulse only when a particular data bit is a binary"1".

As will be explained below, the control engine 33 determines from the state of the outputs of the fast and slow missing pulse derivers whether the received data bit is a 0 or 1.

Figure 5 shows a functional block diagram of the subsidiary unit illustrating in greater detail the components of the data storage device 30. The functional components of the subsidiary unit 4 are provided, in this example, on a printed circuit board (PCB). The data storage device 30 is provided as an integrated circuit (IC) to which the sensing pad PD1 is coupled.

A power supply pin VSS is coupled to one of the two power supply lines 32 between which the diodes DI and D2 are coupled. The power supply line 33 is coupled to a power supply pin Vdd which is coupled to Vss via a capacitor

C30 provided externally of the IC and a resistor R30 provided on the IC. The IC also has a page select pin PS1 coupled to a page select input of the control engine

33 and a test pin TS coupled via a polycrystalline silicon fuse F to a test input of the control engine 33.

The page select line L coupled between the page select pin PS1 and the control engine 33 is coupled to Vdd via a weak pull-up resistor R31. As will be described in detail below, the page select pin PS1 enables the control engine 33 to select one of a number (two in the embodiment to be described below) of pages of memory while the test pin TS enables complete memory erasure following testing.

As shown in Figure 5, the memory 23 consists of a hard wired memory area 230 which is defined by the metal layer mask during fabrication of the data storage device in known manner and a programmable non-volatile memory area 231 which consists, in this example, of electrically programmable and electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). The control engine 33 is coupled to the programmable memory 231 via data, address and page busses DB, AB and PB. The non-programmable memory area 230 is coupled to the control engine 33 via a read bus RB to enable the ID to be read out and transmitted to the base module. The control engine 33 is also coupled to a charge pump 40 of conventional form that, in response to a signal from the control engine 33, generates (from the

voltage Vdd) a voltage Vpp sufficient to enable altering of the state of a bit in the memory 231, that is writing to or erasing of the programmable memory 231. As illustrated schematically in Figure 5, a specific address or addresses A within the programmable memory 231 are allocated for storing a write-protect bit that enables the control engine 33 to determine whether or not writing to the programmable memory 231 is allowed. As another possibility, the write-protect bit may be provided as an independent bit on a page of the memory outside the normal addressable area of the memory 231.

In this embodiment, the non-programmable memory area 230 is capable of storing 16 bits and is arranged to store an identity code that is unique to the particular customer for the data storage device or to a type of data storage device. This identity code may be determined by the manufacturer of the device or may be determined in accordance with instructions received by the manufacturer from the customer for that specific device. Where the supply of the passive data storage device 30 or the data carried therein is licenced, then a portion of the nonprogrammable memory area may be defined by the licensor while the remaining bits may be available to the licensee to distinguish between different products that might use

the technology. For example, the first 12 bits may be defined by the licensor while the remaining 4 bits may be available to the licensee.

In this embodiment, the programmable memory 231 consists of two sections or pages and the control engine 33 is adapted to select the page of memory to be written to in dependence upon the state of the page select pin PS1. In this embodiment, the page select pin PSI will only be accessible during manufacture of the passive data storage device 30 and accordingly writing of data to one of the two pages of the memory 231 will only be allowed during manufacture. This enables the memory 231 to contain an area of data that is protected from subsequent change or corruption by a user but which can be relatively easily changed or modified during manufacture.

Although not shown in Figure 5, the page select pin PSI may, like the test pin TS, be coupled to the control engine 33 by a polycrystalline silicon fuse which is blown after the page has been written to to reduce the possibility of anybody being able to change or corrupt the data stored in that page by tampering with the packaging of the passive data storage device 30 so as to gain access to the page select pin PS1. In this

embodiment, this page of the memory 231 consists of 8 bytes of memory while the remaining user-alterable page of the memory 231 consists of 64 bytes. For system reliability, part of the data space in each page of memory is reserved for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) data.

As mentioned above, data is transmitted to the passive data storage device 30 by the controller 10 interrupting the carrier or oscillating signal provided by the oscillator 21.

Figure 6 shows schematically a signal I carrying data supplied to the sensing pad PD2 to illustrate how commands and/or data are transmitted to the passive data storage device by the base module 2 by interrupting the oscillating signal from the oscillator. The blocks Bl in Figure 6 represent bursts of the pulsed or oscillating 13.56 MHz carrier signal supplied by the oscillator 21 while short gaps Gl between blocks Bl represent digital zeros and long gaps G2 between blocks Bl represent digital ones. In this embodiment, the bursts Bl of the oscillator signal have a minimum duration of 40 ps and, typically, are 70 ps long. The short gaps or interrupts

Gl representing digital zeros are 2 ps long while the long gap G2 representing digital ones are 16 ps long.

Figures 7 and 8 show the signals Sl and S2 input to the control engine 33 by the fast missing pulse detector 35 and the slow missing pulse detector 36, respectively, in response to receipt by the passive data storage device 30 of the signal I shown in Figure 6. As can be seen from Figures 6,7 and 8 and as discussed above, the fast missing pulse detector 35 provides a signal having a pulse width (that is the period when the signal is low in Figures 8a and b) dependent on whether the received data bit is a binary zero (short pulse width WI) or a binary one (long pulse width W2). In contrast the slow missing pulse detector 36 provides a signal having pulses with a width W3 and a pulse is only produced when a data bit represents a binary one is received. The output from the fast missing pulse detector 35 is used by the control engine to derive its clock signal.

The response time of the slow missing pulse detector 36 is inherently longer than that of fast missing pulse detector 35 (generally the slow missing pulse detector will include a larger value capacitor) so that, as can be seen from Figures 7 and 8, the rising edge of the pulse

W2 produced by the fast missing pulse detector occurs a time t before the rising edge of the corresponding pulse W3. Thus, when the received data bit is a binary zero the rising edge of the pulse Wl occurs when the signal S2 is high while when the received data bit is a binary one the rising edge of the pulse W2 occurs when the signal S2 is low. The control engine 33 can thus determine whether a received data bit is a binary one or zero in dependence upon whether the outputs of the slow missing pulse detector 36 is high (binary zero) or low (binary one) at the rising edge of a pulse Wl or W2 of the fast missing pulse detector 35.

Figures 6,7 and 8 do not show the complete data transmission structure because, as will be explained in greater detail below, in this embodiment the controller 10 is configured to cause each bit sent to be followed by an identical confirmation bit. Figure 9 shows the signal (001100) supplied to the control engine 33 by the first signal deriver 35 when the actual data transmitted is 010.

As will be described below the control engine 33 a state machine operable in a write, write-protect, test or read mode. In each case, when the control engine 33 receives

data (either commands to be executed or data to be stored in the memory 231), it sets the state of its output OP in accordance with the state of the received data so that a signal corresponding to the received data is returned to the base module 2. Figure 10 which shows the output data signal supplied by the control engine 33 on its output OP corresponding to the input data signal shown in Figure 9 in modes other than the read mode. As can be seen from a comparison of Figures 9 and 10, on receipt of a data bit in modes other than the read mode, then, on the rising edge of the received signal, the control engine 33 outputs a return signal of the same logical state, that is 0 if the data bit is 0. However, when the confirmation bit is received, then, on the rising edge of the received signal, the control engine outputs as the return signal the inverse of the data. When the control engine is in the read mode it outputs the data bit read from memory followed by a confirmation bit which is the inverse of the read data bit. The advantage of inverting the return signal is that the average of the signal received back by the base module should remain at the midpoint, regardless of the nature of the data.

The control engine 33 is adapted to enter the test mode when an erase command (or a command to fill the memory

231 with Is or Os to test the memory) is received while the test pin TS is held high and is adapted to enter the write mode or the write-protect mode in response to command signals from the base module. In this embodiment, the read mode is entered as a default mode if no command signal is received within a predetermined number of bits from power up, that is if sixteen zero bits are received in this example. The advantage of having the read mode as a default mode that is entered if no command is received is that the subsidiary unit may be used with a read only base module that expects a passive data storage device to transmit its data automatically without the need for a specific command.

Figure lla shows diagrammatically the general structure of a command signal. A command signal consists of a start bit 50 for alerting the control engine 33 that a command code is to follow. The start bit is followed by an operation section 51 consisting of 4 bits (shown as xxxx in Figure lla) that represent a code defining the particular type of command. For example, in this embodiment, the write command is"0011"while a write-protect command is"1010".

Figure lib shows the signal structure provided by the base module 2 when writing to the passive data storage device 30. Thus, after the start bit (not shown in Figure lib) and the write command 51a, the base module 2 waits for a short erase delay period 52 to give the passive data storage device 30 time to erase the page selected by the page select signal on pin PS1. The base module 2 then sends the data to be written into the selected page in sections 53 of N bits separated by delay periods 54. In this embodiment, each data section consists of n data bits plus one stop bit while the erase delay is 80 ms and the delay 54 between transmission of data sections is 10 ms. In this embodiment, the passive data storage device is arranged to disable itself once all the addresses in the selected page have been written to and the fact that the memory has entered a disabled state is indicated by the"disabled"section 55 in Figure lib.

Figure llc shows the structure of the write-protect command signal. As can be seen, this consists of a write-protect command 51b followed by a write-protect confirmation command 51c and then a short delay 56 (typically 10 ms) after which the passive data storage device 30 enters the disabled state.

Figure lid shows a chip erase signal which, as explained above, is only effective when the test pin TS is held high. The chip erase signal consists of a chip erase command 51d followed by a short delay 57 (typically 10 ms) after which the passive data storage device 30 enters the disabled state. In this embodiment, the chip erase command is"1001".

As explained above, in this embodiment, the read mode is not activated by using a command having the structure shown in Figure lla. Rather, the control engine 33 of the passive data storage device 30 is arranged to enter the read mode as the default mode if it receives a leadin of zeros (sixteen in this embodiment), that is no command code is received.

Figure 12a shows the signal structure of the signal supplied by the control engine 33 in the read mode. Thus initially the control engine 33 returns the received data as described above without inversion. Accordingly, the signal structure includes a first return section 57 returning the 16 zero bit signal to the base module. This is followed by a header section 58, then first and second page sections 60 and 61 sending the page zero and the page 1 data respectively. The page 1 data is

followed by a protect bit pattern 62 which confirms the status of the write-protect bit. In this embodiment, the protect bit pattern is a pattern of 8 bits with the pattern being"Oxcc"when the page is write-protected and the pattern being"OxfO"when writing is permitted. The pattern is sent most significant bit first. Sending a protect bit pattern rather than the actual write-protect bit enables error detection.

Figure 12b shows the structure of the header section 58 of the read signal. As can be seen, this consists of a synchronisation pattern having a first section 58a consisting of 8 zero bits followed by a second section 58b consisting of a synchronisation bit. The synchronisation pattern provided by sections 58a and 58b enables the base module to synchronise itself with the incoming data stream to enable reading of the subsequent data. The synchronisation sections 58a and 58b are followed by a data section 58c consisting of the 16 bit ID read from the non-programmable memory area 230 and identifying the particular passive data storage device 30.

The operation of the data communication apparatus will now be described in greater detail with reference to the flow charts shown in Figures 13 to 22.

Figure 13 shows a flow chart for illustrating how the control engine 33 determines which state it should be in. Thus, assuming that the sensing pad POI of the subsidiary unit is coupled to the sensing pad PD1 of the base module 2 and the ground or return path is completed, the control engine 33 is receiving an incoming signal at step Sl and the passive data storage device 30 is powered up, the control engine 33 determines at step S2 whether the signal includes a write, write-protect or erase command by checking any received command against a command look up table stored in its memory and, if a command is received, enters the appropriate mode. Where the received command is the erase command, then the control engine 33 will not enter the erase mode unless the test pin TS is being held high. If no command is received then the control engine 33 defaults to the read mode at step S3.

Operation in the write mode will now be described with reference to Figure 14,16 and 17.

Figure 14 shows a flow chart for illustrating the steps carried out by the controller 10 of the base module when writing is initiated. This is achieved by a user inputting instructions to the computer PC coupled to the base module 2 by the communications interface 8 to control operation of the controller 10.

When, at step S10 in Figure 14, the controller 10 receives from the computer instructions input by the user indicating that writing is to be initiated, then the controller 10 causes, via the communications interface 8, the computer PC to prompt the user to supply or identify the data to be written into the memory 230 of the passive data storage device 30 and stores that data in its memory 11 if it is not already present there. Then at step S12, the controller 10 sends the write command to the control engine 33 of the passive data storage device 30. At step S14, the control engine reads the first bit of data to be sent and checks at step S15 whether that data bit is a binary zero. If the answer is yes, then, at step S16, the controller 10 controls the gate 22 to send the data bit zero and its confirmation bit by interrupting the carrier for a first time period to provide the gap Gl, then allowing a burst Bl of the carrier signal, then interrupting the carrier again for the first time period

and again allowing a burst B1 of the carrier signal. If, however, the answer at step S15 is no, then, at step S17, the controller 10 causes a data bit representing a binary 1 to be sent followed by its confirmation bit by interrupting the carrier signal for a second time period to provide the gap G2, then allowing a burst B1 of carrier signal, then interrupting the carrier signal again for the second time period and then allowing a burst Bl of the carrier signal.

The controller 10 then checks at step S18 whether all of the data bits have been sent and, if the answer is yes, the writing procedure ends. If, however, the answer at step S18 is no, then the controller 10 checks at step S20 whether N data bits have been sent and if so causes, after sending a stop bit, the delay 54 to occur (step S21). If, at step S22, an alarm signal is generated, indicating that writing is not occurring properly, then the controller 10 restarts the sending of the current set of N bits of data at step S23 and returns to step S15.

If no alarm signal is generated, then the controller 10 reads the next data bit at step S24 and again returns to step S15.

The steps carried out by the passive data storage device 30 during the writing process will now be described with reference to Figure 16 and 17 assuming that the passive data storage device 30 has already been powered up and has, as described with reference to Figure 13 above, received the write command causing the control engine 33 to enter the write mode.

Referring to Figure 16, the control engine 33 checks at step S30 whether the write-protect bit is set in the memory 231 and, if the answer is yes, disables writing to the memory at step S31 and sends a write-protected signal via its output OP to the base module 2 to enable the user to be advised that the memory 231 is write-protected. If the answer at step S30 is no, then the control engine 33 checks at step S32 if the page select signal PS1 is low.

If the answer is yes, then the control engine 33 determines at step S33 that page 1 is selected. If, however, the answer is yes, then the control engine 33 determines at step S34 that page 0 is selected. At step S35, the control engine causes the selected page to be erased. Then at step S36, the control engine 33 receives the data transmitted by the base module 2 and stores it in the selected page of the memory 231.

Figure 17 shows step S36 of Figure 16 in greater detail. Thus, at step S360, the control engine 33 receives the signals from the slow and fast missing pulse detectors and determines as described above whether the received bit represents 1 or 0. At step S361 the control engine checks whether the received bit is the first of a pair of received bits, that is whether the received bit is a data bit. If the answer is yes, then, at step S362, the control engine 33 stores the received data bit in its buffer 33a, sets its output OP to the same state as the data bit as described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10 and proceeds to step S365. If, however, the answer at step S361 is no, that is the received bit is a confirmation bit, then the control engine 33 sets its output to the inverse of the bit state as described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10 (step S363) and proceeds to step S364.

If the control engine 33 determines at step S364 that an alarm condition has occurred, then the control engine 33 causes its buffer 33a register to be cleared at step S364a and returns to step S360 awaiting the next bit. If, however, no alarm occurs, then the control engine 33 checks to see whether N data bits have been received at step S365 and if so stores those N data bits in the

selected page of the memory 231 at step S366 then returns to step S360. If the answer at step S365 is no, then the control engine 33 returns to step S360 and awaits the next bit of data.

It will thus be seen from Figures 14,16 and 17 that, during a writing process, data is supplied by the base module to the passive data storage device 30 in 8 bit sections with the delay between transmission of 8 bit sections enabling storage of the data in the selected page of the memory 231. If an alarm occurs, then the control engine 33 clears its buffer 33a and the base module 2 commences rewriting of that N bit section or block of data into the memory 231. This enables rewriting of the data on the fly.

An alarm condition may be generated during the writing procedure at the base module if the controller does not receive back the data bits it expects (the data bit or the inverse of the confirmation bit) while an alarm condition may be generated at the passive data storage device if the data bit and confirmation bit do not agree.

If an alarm condition occurs at the base module then the base module will as described above restart sending of the last N bit block of data while if an alarm condition

is generated at the passive data storage device the passive data storage device will reset its buffer. Generation of an alarm at the passive data storage should automatically cause an alarm to be generated at the base module because the wrong data will be sent back. operation in the write-protect mode will now be described with reference to Figures 15a and 15b where Figure 15a shows the steps carried out by the base module and Figure 15b shows the steps carried out by the control engine 33 of the passive data storage device 30.

When at step S50 in Figure 15a the controller 10 of the base module determines that a user has instructed, via the personal computer PC coupled to the base module 2, that data stored in the memory 231 should be write-protected, then the controller 10 sends the write-protect code (1010 in this embodiment). At step S52, the controller 10 checks on a bit-by-bit basis that the return signal from the passive data storage device is what it expects (that is the return of the data bit followed by the inverse of the confirmation bit), that is that the write-protect code is being correctly received. If not, an alarm is generated at step S55 and the procedure terminated. If, at step S52 in Figure 15a, the

controller 10 of the base module determines that a correct returned write-protect code has been received, then the controller 10 checks, at step S53, whether the write-protect code has been sent twice and, if not, resends the write-protect code at step S56 and returns to step S52.

When at step S60 in Figure 15b the control engine 33 receives a write-protect code for the first time it enters the write protect-mode and checks at step S60a whether the write-protect code is being received for the second time. As this is not the case, then, at step S61, the control engine 33 controls its output to return the write-protect code to the base module 2 as described above with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

If an alarm condition occurs (that is a data bit does not agree with is confirmation bit) at step S62, then the control engine 33 enters a disabled state which prevents write-protection. Assuming that no alarm signal is received, then the control engine 33 then checks at step S64 whether the write-protect command has been received twice and, if not, returns to step S60. When the write-protect code is being received for a second time, then the answer at step S60a is yes and the control

engine proceeds to step S67 and returns the inverse of the write command as it is received. When the answer at step S64 is yes, that is the write-protect command has been received twice without error, then at step S65 the control engine 33 sets the write-protect bit of the memory 231. Setting of the write-protect bit is a permanent condition and cannot be reversed. Accordingly, after the write-protect bit has been set, the control engine 33 will cause the passive data storage device 30 to disable itself whenever any attempt is made to write to the passive data storage device 30. If at step S62 in Figure 15b an alarm code is received by the passive data storage device 30, then the control engine 33 immediately disables itself at step S63.

An alarm condition will arise at step S55 in Figure 15a if the controller 10 does not receive the correct write-protect command back from the control engine 10.

Because the controller 10 is intentionally sending a write-protect command it expects the write protect command to be inverted by the passive data storage device when it is returned for the second time and so this does not generate an alarm at the base module. Inverting the write protect command on its second return provides protection against the passive data storage device

accidentally being locked (write-protected) in the extremely unlikely situation that, during a writing process, data being written into the passive data storage device inadvertently includes the write command. In this case because the controller 10 did not deliberately send the write-protect command it will not be expecting an inverted return signal and so an alarm will be generated on each return bit preventing accidental write-protecting. Similar considerations would apply if a passive data storage device is accidentally brought near a base module while it is write protecting another device because, in this case, that passive data storage device will not be in the write-protect mode and will not return the inverted write-protect command when expected by the controller 10.

As described above, the page of the memory 231 to which data is written is selected by the status of the page select pin PS1. The pin PSI may be arranged so that after the passive data storage device 30 has been encapsulated and incorporated in the subsidiary unit 4, the pin PS1 cannot be accessed so that a user can only alter the content of one of the two pages of the memory 231. This means that the data stored in one of the two memory pages is available for modification by the end

user while the other page of data is available for modification at the factory or manufacturing level but cannot be modified by the end user. This enables, for example, many passive data storage devices 30 each carrying the same metal layer option or ID or header to be manufactured and for the manufacturer to store different data in different ones of the passive data storage devices. For example, where a set of subsidiary units with different characteristics are required, then the passive data storage devices for all subsidiary units may be manufactured so as to be identical with the only differences between the passive data storage devices being the data stored in the manufacturer-accessible page of the memory 231. As another possibility, the page select pin PS1 may be arranged so as to be accessible when the data storage device has been encapsulated in plastics material but not when the encapsulated data storage device is embedded within a subsidiary unit.

This would enable the data storage devices to be manufactured independently from the subsidiary units and allow the manufacturer of the subsidiary units to store their own data in the manufacture accessible page of the memory.

operation in the default read mode will now be described with reference to Figures 18 and 19 where Figure 18 shows steps carried out by the base module 2 while Figure 19 shows steps carried out by the passive data storage device 30.

The read mode may be activated by a user inputting instructions to a computer coupled to the communications port 8. The controller 10 of the base module 2 may, however, also be configured to cause the read mode command to be issued when the power on switch 7 is activated in the absence of any computer being coupled to the communications port 8. This would enable the base module 2 to be used as a stand-alone read-only unit.

In either case, when the controller 10 determines at step S70 that reading is to be initiated, then at step S71 it sends the read"code" (in this case 16 zero bits) to the passive data storage device 30 of a subsidiary unit 4 placed on the subsidiary unit receiving area 3b.

When, at step S80 in Figure 19, the control engine 33 receives the a signal which does not contain a command (that is it receives the read"code"), then the control engine 33 enters the read mode by default and returns the

read"code" (that is the received string of zeros) as it is received, as a lead-in. Then at step S81 in Figure 19, the control engine 33 reads the data stored in the non-programmable memory area 230, and outputs this as the header ID and then reads and sends the data in all of the pages (pages 0 and 1 in this case) followed by the write-protect bit pattern identifying the status of the write-protect bit and disables itself at step S82 indicating that it has sent all of its data.

The control engine 33 disables itself at step S82 until the passive data storage device 30 is powered down either by switching off of the base module 2 or removal of the subsidiary unit 4 from the vicinity of the subsidiary unit area 3b. As shown at step S73 in Figure 18, the base module 2 checks at step S73 whether it has correctly received the data from the passive data storage device 30. The data stored in the pages 0 and 1 of the memory include cyclic redundancy check (CRC) data or other error checking data that enables the controller 10 of the base module 2 to check the voracity of the received data in known manner.

If the controller 10 determines at step S73 that the data has been correctly received, then at step S74 the

controller 10 stores the received data in its memory and at step S75 causes action to be executed in accordance with the received data. For example, if the received data incorporates an audio file, then the controller 10 may cause the loudspeaker 6 to issue sounds corresponding to that audio file. For example, where the subsidiary unit represents a figurine, then the audio file may contain speech characteristic of or identifying that figurine. As another possibility, where the figurine represents an animal, then the audio file may cause the loudspeaker 6 to issue a sound characteristic of that animal. The data downloaded from the passive data storage device 30 may also include data for causing messages to be displayed on the display 5 and/or data or instructions for supply by the communications interface 8 to the personal computer PC to, for example, cause messages to be displayed on the display screen of that personal computer or to affect or otherwise interact with a computer game or other piece of software being run by that computer.

If the answer at step S73 is no, then the controller 10 checks at step S76 whether a predetermined number x of attempts to read the data have been made and, if so, issues at step S77 an error message to the user (via the

display 5, loudspeaker 6 or personal computer PC) and then terminates the reading attempt. If the answer at step S76 is no the controller 10 causes the subsidiary unit to power down at step S78 and then steps S71 to S73 are repeated.

In use of apparatus embodying the invention a user may re-programme the user programmable page of the memory 231 in the manner described above with reference to Figures 14 to 17 provided that the write-protect bit is not set.

This may enable, for example, a user to generate their own audio files on a computer and to download these to a subsidiary unit 4. As another possibility, the data stored in the subsidiary unit 4 may be modifiable not directly by the user but as a result of actions taken by the user during the playing of a computer game on a computer or games console coupled to the base module 2.

As mentioned above, the passive data storage device 30 is provided with test pin TS and, when a high voltage is applied to this test pin, the control engine 33 enters a test mode. When the control engine 33 is in the test mode, then a user may send via a computer PC coupled to the communications interface 8 a chip erase command to cause the control engine 33 to erase the entirety of the

memory 231 including the write-protect bit. This should facilitate testing of the memory 231 by enabling a manufacturer, for example during development, to program the entirety of the memory 231 and to erase it at will.

Figures 20 and 21 show the steps carried out by the base module 2 and passive data storage device, respectively, to effect erasure. Thus, at step S90 in Figure 20, when the controller 10 receives an erase command from a user, for example via a computer PC coupled to the base module 2 via the communications interface 8, the controller 10, at step S92, controls the gate 22 to interrupt the oscillator signal to supply the erase code to the passive data storage device. When, at step S93 in Figure 21, the control device 33 of the passive data storage device 30 receives the erase command while it is in the test mode (that is the test pen TS is held high), then at step S94 the control engine 33 causes the entirety of the memory 231, including the write-protect bit, to be erased at step S94. This enables the manufacturer or person responsible for storing the data in the non-user programmable page of the memory to erase the entirety of the memory and start again even if the write-protect bit has been set. After encapsulation of the passive data storage device, it is very difficult for anybody to access the test pin TS to enable erasing of the memory

231. However, it is possible that a determined person may be able to tamper with the packaging to access the test pin TS. Accordingly, the polycrystalline silicon fuse F is provided and is blown after the legitimate testing procedure has been completed and before encapsulation of the passive data storage device 30 so as to prevent the possibility of an unauthorised person completely erasing and changing the content of the memory.

When the user programmable page of the memory 231 is not write-protected, then the content of that memory page can be changed by following the writing procedure discussed above. However, in this embodiment, a page of memory can only be updated or changed as a complete block so that, if it is desired to update only 1 byte, all 64 bytes have to be updated. Accordingly, when at step Sll in Figure 14 a user inputs to the base module 2 information indicating that part of the data to be stored in the memory 231 is already present in that memory, then the controller 10 first retrieves that data from the memory 231 by following the reading procedure described above and then modifies that data in accordance with any change required by the user before rewriting the data into the memory 231 following the steps set out above.

In the embodiment described above, during the writing procedure, individual N bit sections of data are buffered until the stop bit is received and the buffer is reset if an alarm is generated. Additionally or alternatively, confirmation that the data has been correctly stored in the memory may be effected by reading the data back from the memory 231 immediately it has been stored in the memory. This may be effected manually by the user or may be carried out automatically by the controller 10 being configured to cause a read command to be sent to the passive data storage device 30 immediately after the writing process described above has been completed. In this case, if the data read back from the memory 231 is not correct, then the controller 10 may cause the memory 231 to be erased and the writing procedure to be repeated.

Typically, the time taken to write data into the memory 231 will, in the above described embodiment, be in the region of 800 milliseconds. It is possible that the subsidiary unit 4 may be removed (accidentally or deliberately) from the subsidiary unit receiving area 3b whilst the writing process is actually in progress. In these circumstances, the cyclic redundancy check should pick up any errors in the writing procedure and the

controller 10 should be configured to alert the user (for example via a message displayed on the display 5 or output via the loudspeaker 6) that the writing process has failed because the subsidiary unit 4 was moved from the subsidiary unit receiving area 3b during the writing process. As a further back-up, the memory 11 of the base module 2 may contain a set of"default"data so that, if a subsidiary unit 4 freshly received on the subsidiary unit area 3b has corrupted data in its user programmable memory page, then the base module can automatically write the default data to that page to repair the passive data storage device. This procedure would, of course, not apply to the non-user programmable page of the memory 231.

Figure 22 shows a functional block diagram similar to Figure 2 of a modified version of the base module 2'. This version differs from that shown in Figure 2 in that the output of the buffer/squaring circuitry 26 is supplied directly to the non-inverting input of a comparator 260 and via an averaging circuit 261 to the inverting input of the comparator 260. The averaging circuit 261 will generally consist of an averaging capacitor connected between the inverting or negative input of the comparator 260 and ground by a transistor

switch or transmission gate which is conducting while the carrier signal is present and after transients have settled but is off while the carrier is off and during carrier turn-on transients so that averaging is only carried out while there is a steady carrier signal.

Switching of the transistor switch or transmission gate is achieved by control from the controller 10. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the comparator 260 provides a high or low signal to the data input D, depending on whether the received data signal is above or below the average. This modification should facilitate determination by the controller 10 as to whether the received data signal represents a one or a zero. Generally, however, the introduction of the averaging circuitry 261 and accompanying comparator should not be necessary because the average of the signal will not vary much because the duration of the bursts Bl of carrier signal between the carrier interruptions determining the data signal will be significantly longer than the interruptions.

In the above described embodiments, data is output from the passive data storage device by the amplitude modulation. other methods of modulating the carrier signal with the data read from the memory 23 may be used

such as phase modulation as described in WO 97/23060 or frequency modulation.

In the above described embodiments, data and/or commands are communicated to the passive data storage device from the base module by interrupting the carrier signal with short and long interruptions representing digital zero and one, respectively. It will, of course, be appreciated that these could be reversed and that different ways of communicating data and/or commands (for example amplitude, phase or frequency modulation) may be used.

In the above described embodiments, the sensing pads PDl andPD2 are capacitively coupled. However, other forms of coupling may be used. For example, the subsidiary unit 4 and subsidiary unit receiving area 3b may be configured so that placing the subsidiary unit 4 on the subsidiary unit receiving area 3b provides a direct ohmic coupling between the sensing pads of the subsidiary unit and the base module.

In the above described embodiments, the passive data storage device is based on that shown in Figure 4 of the applicants co-pending application number: 0018486.1

modified to incorporate the clock pulse deriver 35 and data deriver 36. The passive data storage device may however be based on the passive data storage device shown in Figure 4 of WO 00/31676.

In the above described embodiment, a single subsidiary unit receiving area is provided. However, many such receiving areas may be provided and the apparatus may have the structure described in WO 00/31676 with respect to Figures 1,2 and 3 thereof, for example, with the base module being arranged to address each sensing pad PD2 in turn.

In the above described embodiments, the same base module 2 is used to write data into the non-user programmable page and the user programmable page of the memory 231.

It will, however, be appreciated, that, in practice, writing of data into the non-user programmable page or area of the memory 231 may be effected using a separate dedicated device.

In the above described embodiments, the base module 2 is coupled to a computer to facilitate writing of data into the base module. The base module itself may, however, be arranged to couple directly to a user input device such

as a keyboard or may be arranged to download data from a removable disc received in a removable disc drive coupled directly to the controller 10 rather than via a computer system. The communications interface 8 may also be arranged to couple to a network to enable data and/or command to be downloaded as a signal over the network.

The present invention may be applied to toys and games and to educational games structures such as, for example, globes representing the earth or other bodies with, in this case, a subsidiary unit receiving area or areas being located at a specific geographical location such that when a user brings a subsidiary unit into contact with a sensing a subsidiary unit receiving area, information stored in its memory regarding that geographic location is presented to the user.

The present invention may be applied to gaming tables and the like.

The present invention may also have applications outside the toy, educational and gaming industries. For example, the present invention may have applications in the asset tracking or tagging field where the data storage device is associated with a document or product, in which case

the permanent ID stored in the hard-wired memory area 230 and/or the data stored in the non-user programmable memory page may be security information for tracking the document or product In the above described embodiments, the base module has a single subsidiary unit receiving area. The base module may, however, have a plurality of subsidiary unit receiving areas each having their own coupler and the coupler may be connected by a multiplexer to the oscillator or to the demodulator or may be connected by respective individual DTR circuitry to a multiplexer connected to the controller 10.

Also, the memory may have a different configuration to that described above. For example the programmable memory may have many more pages and the non-programmable memory area 230 may be larger, in which case it would generally be formed of Mask ROM. Also, different types of programmable memory may be provided, for example a non-volatile programmable memory may be used such as, for example, flash memory. In addition at least part of the memory may be one time programmable (OTP) which would not need write-protection facilities. Also, at least part of the programmable memory may be volatile memory such as

RAM (possibly with capacitor power storage to increase the data retention time) which stores data for only a short period of time. Also it may be possible to write-protect only a single page of the memory. In addition, the control engine 33 may store a look up table (LUT) that contains data giving the characteristics of each part of memory so that the control engine determines from this LUT whether a section of memory can be written to, is read only, or is write-protected. In this case all of the memory could be programmable and the control engine 33 would determine whether or not a user may program a particular section of memory section of memory.

Also, page selection need not necessarily be by way of a page selection signal but may be by way of a command from the base module.

The subsidiary unit may be coupled to a transducer such as a temperature, humidity or pressure sensor. In this case the base module will be arranged to cause the control engine 33 to read the status of the transducer when the passive data storage device is powered up and to cause the read data to be transmitted to the base module which may then cause the passive data storage device to enter the write mode to enable the time, date and value

of the transducer reading to be stored in the programmable memory 231. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as"comprises"or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A data communication apparatus, comprising : a base module having a subsidiary unit receiving area having first electrical coupling means; and a subsidiary unit having a memory and second electrical coupling means arranged to couple to the first electrical coupling means when the subsidiary unit is received on the subsidiary unit receiving area so as to complete an electrical path via a user back to the base module, the base module having signal supplying means for supplying a data signal to the subsidiary unit when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled, the subsidiary unit having data receiving means for receiving a data signal, and data storing means for causing the received data to be written into the memory, wherein the memory of the subsidiary unit has at least two memory areas and the subsidiary unit has memory area selecting means for selecting the area of the memory in which the data storing means is to store data by the data receiving means.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory area selecting means comprises a memory area select input pin and memory area determining means for selecting the

memory area in accordance with the status of the memory area select input pin.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subsidiary unit is provided within a housing and the select pin is arranged to be accessible only prior to the subsidiary unit being placed within the housing such that after the subsidiary unit has been placed in the housing data can be written into only one memory area.
4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the memory has a region that is preconfigured and is not programmable.
5. A data communication apparatus, comprising: a base module having a subsidiary unit receiving area having first electrical coupling means; and a subsidiary unit having a memory and second electrical coupling means arranged to couple to the first electrical coupling means when the subsidiary unit is received on the subsidiary unit receiving area so as to complete an electrical path via a user back to the base module, the base module having signal supplying means for supplying a data signal to the subsidiary unit when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled,

the subsidiary unit having data receiving means for receiving a data signal, and data storing means for causing the received data to be written into the memory, the memory having a memory region into which data can be written by the data storing means and a memory region that is preconfigured during manufacture and cannot be programmed.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the preconfigured memory region is hard wired during manufacture.
7. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the content of the preconfigured memory region is determined by a metal layer mask pattern during manufacture.
8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the memory is arranged to have either a write-allowed or a write-protected status, an area of the memory is designated as a write protect area and the subsidiary unit has data storage prevention means for preventing writing of data into the memory when the write protect area stores data indicating that the memory is write-protected.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the base module has control means for causing write-protect data to be communicated to the subsidiary unit and the data storing means is arranged to cause the write-protect data to be stored in the write protect area so that the memory has the write-protected status.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the write-protected status is irreversible.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the subsidiary unit has a test pin input coupled to the data storing means by a fusible link that enables overriding of the write-protected status during testing, wherein the fusible link is fused after testing to prevent further overriding of the write-protected status.
12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data signal supplying means comprises signal supplying means for supplying a signal to the subsidiary unit when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled and data communicating means for interrupting the signal in accordance with data to be communicated to the subsidiary unit to provide to the first coupling means an interrupted signal having

interruptions dependent upon the data to be communicated, and the subsidiary unit signal receiving means has data extracting means for extracting the data from an interrupted signal supplied to the subsidiary unit.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the data communicating means is arranged to interrupt the signal for a first time period when the data represents a binary zero and to interrupt the signal for a second time period when the data represents a binary one.
14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the data communicating means is arranged to interrupt the signal for a first time period when the data represents a binary zero and to interrupt the signal for a second time period longer than the first time period when the data represents a binary one.
15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal supplying means is arranged to supply an oscillating or pulsed signal as the signal.
16. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the signal supplying means is arranged to supply an oscillating or pulsed signal as the signal and the data

extracting means comprises a missing pulse detector for detecting the interruptions.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the missing pulse detector comprises a monostable timer adapted to time out in response to an interruption of the signal.
18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the subsidiary unit has clock signal generation means for generating a clock signal for the subsidiary unit from the oscillating or pulsed signal.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the clock signal generation means comprises a missing pulse detector adapted to provide a clock signal from the oscillating or pulsed signal.
20. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the missing pulse detector comprises a monostable timer adapted to time out in accordance with the pulses or oscillations of the signal.
21. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the signal supplying means is arranged to supply an oscillating or pulsed signal as the signal, the

subsidiary unit has clock signal generation means for generating a clock signal for the subsidiary unit from the oscillating or pulsed signal, the data extracting means comprises relatively slow and fast missing pulse detectors for detecting the interruptions and the clock signal generation means comprises the relatively fast missing pulse detector.
22. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the subsidiary unit has power supply deriving means for deriving a power supply for the subsidiary unit from the signal.
23. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal supplying means is arranged to supply the signal via the first and second coupling means when the subsidiary unit is received by the subsidiary unit receiving area.
24. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the subsidiary unit has data transmitting means for transmitting data stored in the memory.
25. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the subsidiary unit has data transmitting means

for transmitting data stored in its memory to the base module when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled and the base module has receiving means for receiving data from the subsidiary unit.
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the data transmitting means is arranged to modulate the signal supplied by the signal supplying means to transmit data to the base module.
27. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the subsidiary unit has control means for causing the data transmitting means to transmit data received from the base module back to the base module as the data is received.
28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the base module has data receipt determining means for determining whether data has been correctly received back from the subsidiary unit and alarm generating means for generating an alarm if the data is not correctly received.
29. Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the subsidiary unit has checking means for checking whether

data is received correctly and erasing means for causing data to be erased when data is not received correctly.
30. Apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the data communicating means is arranged to resend data when an alarm is generated.
31. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the base module is arranged to communicate data in blocks and the base module has data receipt determining means for determining whether data has been correctly received back from the subsidiary unit and alarm generating means for generating an alarm if the data is not correctly received.
32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the subsidiary unit has checking means for checking whether data is received correctly and erasing means for causing the last block of data to be erased when data is not received correctly.
33. Apparatus according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the base module is arranged to resend the last block of data when an alarm is generated.
34. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base module has data storing means for storing data to be communicated to the subsidiary unit.
35. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base module is couplable to a host computer for enabling control by a user of data communication with the subsidiary unit.
36. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second coupling means is arranged to couple to the user when the user makes contact with or is in close proximity to the subsidiary unit.
37. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second coupling means are arranged so as to couple capacitively to one another or so as to make a direct ohmic connection.
38. Data communication apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
39. A data storage device for a subsidiary unit having second electrical coupling means arranged to couple to first electrical coupling means of a subsidiary unit receiving area of a base module when the subsidiary unit is received on the subsidiary unit receiving area so as to complete an electrical path via a user back to the base module, the base module having data signal supplying means for supplying a data signal to the subsidiary unit when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled, the data storage device having a memory, data receiving means for receiving a data signal, and data storing means for causing received data to be written into the memory, wherein the memory has at least two memory areas and the device has memory area selecting means for selecting the area of the memory means in which the data storing means is to store data received by the data receiving means.
40. A device according to claim 39, wherein the memory area selecting means comprises a memory area select input pin and memory area determining means for selecting the memory area in accordance with the status of the memory area select input pin.
41. A device according to claim 40, provided within a housing and wherein the select pin is arranged to be accessible only prior to the device being placed within the housing such that after the device has been placed in the housing data can be written into only one memory area.
42. A device according to any one of claims 39 to 41, wherein the memory has a region that is preconfigured and is not reprogrammable.
43. A device for use in a subsidiary unit having second electrical coupling means arranged to couple to first electrical coupling means of a subsidiary unit receiving area of a base module when the subsidiary unit is received on the subsidiary unit receiving area so as to complete an electrical path via a user back to the base module, the base module having data signal supplying means for supplying a data signal to the subsidiary unit when the first and second electrical coupling means are coupled, the device having a memory, data receiving means for receiving a data signal, and data storing means for causing received data to be written into the memory, the memory having a memory region into which data can be written by the data storing means and a memory region

that is preconfigured during manufacture and cannot be programmed.
44. A device according to claim 42 or 43, wherein the preconfigured memory region is hard wired during manufacture.
45. A device according to claim 42 or 43, wherein the content of the preconfigured memory region is determined by a metal layer mask pattern during manufacture.
46. A device according to any one of claims 39 to 45 having data extracting means for extracting data from an interrupted signal supplied to the device by the base module.
47. A device according to claim 46, wherein the data extracting means is arranged to determine that the data represents a binary zero when the signal is interrupted for a first time period and to determine that the data represents a binary one when the signal is interrupted for a second time period.
48. A device according to claim 46, wherein the data extracting means is arranged to determine that the data

represents a binary zero when the signal is interrupted for a first time period and to determine that the data represents a binary one when the signal is interrupted for a second longer time period.
49. A device according to claim 46,47 or 48, wherein the signal is an interrupted oscillating or pulsed signal.
50. A device according to claim 46,47 or 48, wherein the signal is an interrupted oscillating or pulsed signal and the data extracting means comprises a missing pulse detector for detecting the interruptions.
51. A device according to claim 50, wherein the missing pulse detector comprises a monostable timer adapted to time out in response to an interruption of the signal.
52. A device according to any one of claims 49 to 51, having clock signal generation means for generating a clock signal for the device from the oscillating or pulsed signal.
53. A device according to claim 52, wherein the clock signal generation means comprises a missing pulse

detector adapted to provide a clock signal from the oscillating or pulsed signal.
54. A device according to claim 53, wherein the missing pulse detector comprises a monostable timer adapted to time out in accordance with the pulses or oscillations of the signal.
55. A device according to claim 46,47 or 48, wherein the signal supplying means is arranged to supply an oscillating or pulsed signal as the signal, the device has clock signal generation means for generating a clock signal for the device from the oscillating or pulsed signal, the data extracting means comprises relatively slow and fast missing pulse detectors for detecting the interruptions and the clock signal generation means comprises the relatively fast missing pulse detector.
56. A device according to any one of claims 46 to 55, wherein the device has power supply deriving means for deriving a power supply for the device from the signal.
57. A device according to any one of claims 46 to 56, arranged to receive the signal via the second coupling

means when the subsidiary unit is received by the subsidiary unit receiving area.
58. A device according to any one of claims 46 to 67, wherein the device has data transmitting means for transmitting data stored in the memory.
59. A device according to claim 58, wherein the data transmitting means is arranged to modulate the signal supplied by the base module to transmit data to the base module.
60. A device according to claim 59, having control means for causing the data transmitting means to transmit data received from the base module back to the base module as the data is received.
61. A device according to claim 60, having checking means for checking whether data is received correctly and erasing means for causing data to be erased when data is not received correctly.
62. A device according to claim 60, having checking means for checking whether data is received correctly and

erasing means for causing a last block of data to be erased when data is not received correctly.
63. A device according to any one of claims 39 to 62, wherein the memory is arranged to have either a writeallowed or a write-protected status, an area of the memory is designated as a write protect area and the device has data storage prevention means for preventing writing of data into the memory when the write protect area stores data indicating that the memory is writeprotected.
64. A device according to claim 63, wherein the writeprotected status is irreversible.
65. A device according to claim 64, wherein the device has a test pin input coupled to the data storing means by a fusible link that enables overriding of the write-protected status during testing, wherein the fusible link is fused after testing to prevent further overriding of the write-protected status.
66. A subsidiary unit comprising a device in accordance with anyone of claims 39 to 65 and said second coupling means.
67. A subsidiary unit according to claim 66, wherein said second coupling means is arranged to couple to the user when the user makes contact with or is in close proximity to the subsidiary unit.
68. A subsidiary unit according to claim 67, wherein the first and second coupling means are arranged so as to couple capacitively to one another or so as to make a direct ohmic connection.
69. A data storage device or subsidiary unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
70. A games apparatus comprising a data communication apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 38, wherein the subsidiary unit is a playing piece.
71. A game playing piece comprising a subsidiary unit in accordance with any one of claims 66 to 69.