CH706916A2 - Device for emission of data and/or control signals for transponder system, has synchronizing circuit adapting resonance frequency of antenna arrangement in inductive or capacitive manner in transition phase in stable modulation condition - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a signal generator (3) that is connected to an antenna arrangement (6). Another signal generator (4) is connected to another antenna arrangement (7). An oscillator provides oscillating signals to control signal generators. A synchronizing circuit (2) receives a signal of modulation of data and/or of control, and adapts resonance frequency of the former antenna arrangement in an inductive or capacitive manner during a transition phase with regard to resonance frequency determined for carrier frequency of antenna arrangements in a stable modulation condition. An independent claim is also included for a method for setting data and/or control signals emission device in motion.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a device for transmitting data signals and / or control, which uses a set of antennas in particular of small size for the combined transmission of said signals. This transmission device is mainly used for the transmission of long or medium wave signals, for example for transponder systems.

BACKGROUND

For the transmission of data or control signals, transmission antennas must be able to radiate or radiate one or more electrical signals with a minimum of losses and with a well-matched bandwidth. Thus all the spectral components of the electrical signals are radiated in the best way.

For small electrical antennas, that is to say antennas, which have a physical size much smaller than the wavelength of the transmission signal, a compromise must be defined between the loss of power and the bandwidth of the signals to be transmitted. As a general rule for small antennas with reasonable bandwidth, the product between the power loss and the signal bandwidth must be constant. This property can also be explained by the Q antenna quality factor expression.

Some developments to achieve antennas beyond this functional limit, have already been made, but without achieving an operation as expected. Thus, there are no transmission antennas, which are able to radiate electrical signals with a good quality factor Q taking into account the Chu limit. This Chu limit for traditional antennas describes the minimum quality factor, and therefore the maximum bandwidth according to the size of the traditional antenna. This well-known Chu limit for the development of said antennas is based on the assumption that said antenna is passive, linear and small.

To precisely determine such a quality factor Q, one can refer to the article entitled "A re-examination of the fundamental limits on the radiation Q of electrically small antennas" of Mr. Me Lean JS, in the journal IEEE transaction on antennas and propagation, 1996, vol. 44, issue 5. Some achievements of small antennas are also described in the article entitled "Electrically small super-directive and super-conductive antennas" by R. C. Hansen, in the Whiley book of 2006, pages 62 to 84.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore aims to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art mentioned above by providing a device for transmitting data and / or control signals with small antennas high quality factor, at bandwidth beyond the Chu limit and capable of transmitting electromagnetic signals with relatively low power loss.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a device for transmitting data and / or control signals, which comprises the characteristics defined in the independent claim 1.

Particular embodiments of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 15.

An advantage of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals resides in the fact that the frequency switching for the amplitude modulation of the signals transmitted by the antenna arrangements is performed synchronously with a dynamic adaptation of the resonance frequency of the antenna arrangements.

Advantageously, the adaptation of the resonance frequency of at least one antenna arrangement can be carried out by adding or removing a complementary capacitor in parallel with a capacitor connected in series with an inductor and a loss resistance. Synchronous frequency switching for data modulation is thus performed at a zero crossing of the voltage on each capacitor. This makes it possible to use loop antennas with a high quality factor Q and to avoid any transient response during the modulation state transition.

Advantageously, the transmission device of the present invention makes it possible to carry out a transition of symbols or modulation states in the modulated signals having a cosine form. This makes it possible to have an advantageous influence on the spectral efficiency. transmitted signals.

To this end, the invention also relates to a method of actuating a data signal transmission device and / or control, which comprises the characteristics defined in the independent claim 16.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The purposes, advantages and characteristics of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals according to the invention, and its activation method, will appear better in the following description of non-limiting embodiments. illustrated by the drawings in which: <tb> fig. 1 <SEP> generally represents the various components of a device for transmitting data and / or control signals according to the invention, <tb> fig. 2 <SEP> represents a time diagram of signals transmitted by the antennas for the amplitude modulation of data and / or control of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals according to the invention, <tb> fig. 3 <SEP> represents a first embodiment of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals according to the invention, <tb> fig. 4 <SEP> represents a second embodiment of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals according to the invention, and <tb> figs. 5a and 5b <SEP> represent two comparative graphs of the amplitude modulation spectrum of the data in the signals transmitted by a synchronous switching antenna to the current flow through 0A, and by antenna arrangements according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, all the elements of the data signal transmission device and / or control, which are well known to those skilled in this technical field, will be reported in a simplified manner.

FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of a transmission device 1 for data and / or control signals. This transmission device 1 can be used for the transmission of data and / or control signals to a set of transponders for a sports competition for example or radio stations. Each transponder equipped with a side antenna may be carried by a competitor in particular so as to receive information from the transmission device 1 of the present invention. Preferably, the data and / or control signals transmitted by the transmission device 1 may have a carrier frequency located in the low frequency domain. This carrier frequency may be of the order of 128 kHz. The data rate transmitted in the signals can be of the order of 16.5 kbit / s. The signals are transmitted with a bandwidth of the order of 4 kHz, which is suitable for a transponder system.

The transmitting device 1 transmits amplitude modulated signals data and / or control. The amplitude modulation can be of the all-or-nothing type (ON-OFF Keying in English terminology) or at two defined amplitude levels (Amplitude Shift Keying in English terminology). To do this, it is planned to carry out amplitude modulation of the data and / or control directly via two or three antennas A1, A2, A3 of the transmission device by combination or addition of the signals transmitted by each antenna. The antennas are controlled independently of each other. The superposition of the transmitted signals can be destructive as a function of the phase shift of the signals depending on the data and / or control state to be transmitted. This allows, by combination or addition, signals transmitted in phase or out of phase to obtain amplitude modulation of the data and / or control to be transmitted. Any loss of transmission power is also reduced by using all of the antennas, which act in addition to the radiation of the electromagnetic signals as a data modulator and / or control assembly to be transmitted.

In general, the transmission device 1 comprises a synchronization circuit 2, a first signal generator 3 for controlling a first antenna arrangement 6, a second signal generator 4 for controlling a second antenna arrangement 7, and a third signal generator 5 for controlling a third antenna arrangement 8. An oscillator, not shown, is also provided for synchronously synchronizing the three signal generators 3, 4, 5. This oscillator can be part of the signal generator circuit. synchronization 2, which in this case controls the three signal generators, but preferably the oscillator is included in the second signal generator 4, If the oscillator is included in the second signal generator, a synchronous timing signal is provided from the second signal generator 4 to the first signal generator 3 and the third signal generator 5.

Without any amplitude modulation of the data and / or control or in a stable state of modulation, all sinusoidal waveform signals transmitted by the antenna arrangements 6, 7 and 8 are at the same carrier frequency f0. For amplitude modulation of the data and / or control, the frequency of the signals supplied by the first and third generators 3, 5 is temporarily modified with respect to the carrier frequency of the signals of the second generator 4 during each state transition. modulation. The frequency modification of the signals supplied by the first and third signal generators 3, 5 takes place temporarily during the transition phase from a first state to a second state of the data modulation and / or control. A first state may define a state "1", while a second state may define a state "0", or vice versa.

During each modulation state transition phase, the signals supplied to the first antenna arrangement 6 by the first signal generator 3 are temporarily at a frequency equal to f1 = f0-Δf for a certain number of cycles. signals of the second signal generator 4, which remain at a carrier frequency equal to f0. The signals supplied to the third antenna arrangement 8 by the third signal generator 5 are also temporarily at a frequency equal to f3 = f0 + Δf for a number of cycles of the signals of the second signal generator 4. After this number of cycles, the frequency of the signals supplied by the three generators are restored to the same carrier frequency f0.

The synchronization circuit 2, explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided for managing the synchronous switching of the signals provided by the signal generators. To do this, the frequency f1 must be equal to f0 · (n-0.5) / n, while the frequency f3 must be equal to f0 · (n + 0.5) / n, where n is an integer defining the number of cycles at frequency f0 for each modulation state transition phase. For a carrier frequency f 0 chosen at 128 kHz, the number n must be equal to 8, which gives a first frequency f1 equal to 120 kHz and a third frequency f3 equal to 136 kHz. It can also be defined that the ratio f0 / Δf is equal to N, which is an even integer, where it is necessary to count N / 2 cycles at the frequency f0 of the signals supplied by the second signal generator 7 for each phase transition state of modulation.

For the generation of a second modulation state "0", the signals transmitted by the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 must be out of phase by 180 "in principle with respect to the signals transmitted by the second transmission arrangement. On the other hand, for the generation of a first modulation state "1", all the signals transmitted by the antenna arrangements 6, 7 and 8 are in phase. Preferably, the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the first antenna arrangement 6 and the third antenna arrangement 8 can be adapted to be half the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the second antenna arrangement 7. Thus with a phase shift of 180 ° of the signals transmitted by the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 with respect to the signals transmitted by the second antenna arrangement 7, the combination or addition of the three transmitted signals becomes zero after the transition phase of a first state "1" to the second state "0".

In FIG. 2, there is shown the signals transmitted by the antennas A1, A2, A3 of the three antenna arrangements 6, 7, 8, which are normally sinusoidal signals, as well as the combined signals SD, in which the amplitude modulation of the data is operated. We can notice on this fig. 2, that the amplitude of the combined data signals SD are a maximum amplitude, when the three signals transmitted by the antennas are in phase, whereas this amplitude becomes zero, when the signals transmitted by the antenna 1 and the antenna 3 are the signals transmitted by the antenna 2 are 180 ° out of phase. Thus it is possible to define a first modulation state "1" and a second modulation state "0" by combining the three signals transmitted by the antennas of the transmission device . It is also possible to notice each phase of modulation state transition, in particular for the transition from a state "1" to a state "0" and for the transition from a state "0" to a state "1" after 8 cycles counted signals from the second antenna.

Of course, it can also be envisaged to use only two antennas A1 and A2 to be able to perform amplitude modulation of the data. Under these conditions, only two signal generators connected respectively to two antenna arrangements are necessary. Preferably, the amplitude of the signals of each antenna can be identical, which makes it possible to produce a state "1", when the two signals transmitted by the two antennas are in phase and a state "0", when the two signals transmitted by the two antennas are 180 ° out of phase.

It should also be noted that the amplitude of the first and third signals of the antennas A1 and A3 may be different from half the amplitude of the signals of the antenna A2. However, the resultant amplitude of the addition of the first and third signals of the antennas A1 and A3 must always be equal to or less than the amplitude of the signals of the antenna A2, even if the amplitude of the signals of the antenna A1 is also different from the amplitude of the signals of the antenna A3.

In principle the detection of the combined signals with amplitude modulation of data Sa, as shown, are appropriately picked up by a receiver device, such as a transponder at a distance of at least 2, 10 or 15 m. It is necessary that the loop antennas A1, A2, A3 used for the transmission device 1 of FIG. 1, are arranged so as to be oriented in the same direction with their parallel axis with respect to each other. The dimension of each antenna in the plane can be identical and 60 cm by 60 cm or diameter of the order of 60 cm.

Each loop antenna, not shown, may comprise 14 turns of an insulated wire winding so as to obtain an inductance of the order of 370 μH. A spacing between each insulated wire can be set at 1 mm. The maximum current flowing through each antenna can be of the order of at least 1.2 A, or even up to 2.5 A with a field strength generated at 10 m of the order of 66 dBμA / m. The transmission device 1 can be powered by a voltage source of 5 V.

These antennas may overlap in part so that the inductive coupling between the antennas A1 and A2, and the inductive coupling between the antennas A2 and A3 is minimal. The antennas may also be arranged next to each other in the same plane or may be arranged one above the other. However, the size of the area occupied by the three antennas A1, A2 and A3 must be generally well below the wavelength of the signals transmitted by each antenna. For a carrier frequency f0 at 125 kHz, for example, the wavelength is of the order of 2400 m. For near-field transmission applications, the area occupied by the three antennas A1, A2 and A3 must be much smaller than the transmission distance or the measurement distance of the magnetic / electric field, which is defined in national standards and international.

In each stable state of modulation, the resonance frequency of each antenna arrangement 6, 7 and 8 is determined according to the signals provided by each signal generator 3, 4 and 5 at a carrier frequency f0. However, since the frequency of the signals is temporarily modified for the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8, it is still necessary to adapt the resonance frequency dynamically during the modulation state transition phase for each of these antenna arrangements 6 and 8. By adapting dynamically and synchronously with respect to the phase of the carrier frequency signals f0, the resonant frequency of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8, it is possible to realize each arrangement. An antenna with a high quality factor Q. This high quality factor Q may be greater than 100 to maintain a bandwidth well above 10% at the same time. This makes it possible to reduce the power losses, in particular during each phase of transition of the modulation state, and to have no transient response, if the switching of the antennas is performed synchronously at a specific time.

In each antenna arrangement 6, 7 and 8, it can be provided inductive or capacitive elements that can be combined to adapt the resonance frequency of the antenna according to the frequency of the signals provided by each generator of In principle, only the first antenna arrangement 6 and the third antenna arrangement 8 comprise such complementary inductive or capacitive elements for the adaptation of the resonant frequency during each transition phase. modulation status.

The first antenna arrangement 6 may comprise in series between the output of the first signal generator 3 and a ground terminal, a loss resistor R1, an inductor A1 defining the first antenna and at least a first capacitor C11. A second capacitor C12 can be placed in parallel with the first capacitor C11 of the first antenna arrangement via a first switch 9 to adapt the resonance frequency. This first switch is controlled synchronously by a first control signal STI of the synchronization circuit 2. This first switch can be composed traditionally of a MOS transistor, such as an NMOS transistor, whose source and drain terminals are connected between a terminal of the second capacitor C12 and the ground terminal. The gate terminal of this NMOS transistor is provided to receive the first control signal STi. If this first control signal Sn is in the high state, the NMOS transistor is turned on and the second capacitor C12 is placed in parallel with the first capacitor C11. On the other hand, if this first control signal ST is in the low state, for example at 0 V, the NMOS transistor is non-conductive and only the first capacitor C11 is connected in series with the inductor A1 and the loss resistor R1.

The second antenna arrangement 7 may comprise only in series between the output of the second signal generator 4 and a ground terminal, a loss resistor R2, an inductance A2 defining the second antenna and at least one capacitor C21. It is not necessary for this second antenna arrangement 7 to adapt the resonance frequency during the modulation state transition phase. The elements which make up this second antenna arrangement 7 are initially determined in such a way that the resonance frequency corresponds to the carrier frequency f 0 of the signals supplied by the second signal generator 4.

The third antenna arrangement 8 may comprise in series between the output of the third signal generator 5 and a ground terminal, a loss resistor R3, an inductor A3 defining the first antenna and at least a first capacitor C31. A second capacitor C32 may be placed in parallel with the first capacitor C31 of the third antenna arrangement via a second switch 10 to adapt the resonance frequency. This second switch is controlled synchronously by a second control signal ST, which is the inverse of the first command signal STI. The second control signal is provided by the synchronization circuit 2. This second switch 10 can be composed as the first switch 9, of a MOS transistor, such as an NMOS transistor, whose source and drain terminals are connected between a terminal of the second capacitor C32 of the third antenna arrangement 8 and the ground terminal. The gate terminal of this NMOS transistor is provided to receive the second control signal ST. If this second control signal ST is high, the NMOS transistor is turned on and the second capacitor C32 is placed in parallel with the first capacitor C31. On the other hand, if this second control signal ST is in the low state, for example at 0 V, the NMOS transistor is non-conductive and only the first capacitor C31 is connected in series with the inductor A3 and the loss resistor R3.

As a numerical example, the loss resistors R1, R2 and R3 can each be set at a resistive value equal to 3 ohms. Each inductance A1, A2 and A3 may be of a value of 370 μH. The first capacitor C11 of the first antenna arrangement 6 may be of a capacitive value equal to 4.183 nF, just like the capacitor C21 of the second antenna arrangement 7. The second capacitor C12 of the first antenna arrangement 6 may be of value capacitive equal to 576 pF. The first capacitor C31 of the third antenna arrangement 8 may be of a capacitive value equal to 3,705 nF, and the second capacitor C32 of the third antenna arrangement 8 may be of a capacitive value equal to 478 pF. These numerical values are defined for operation of the transmission device 1 with signals transmitted at a carrier frequency f 0 equal to 128 kHz, and for temporarily modified frequencies of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 equal to 120 kHz and 136 kHz. For the modified frequencies, the first switch 9 is temporarily closed to have a capacitive value of 4.759 nF with the first capacitor C11mis in parallel with the second capacitor C12, while the second switch 10 is open with a capacitive value of the first capacitor C31 to 3.705 nF.

When each modulation state is well established after each modulation state transition phase, the signals transmitted by the three antennas A1, A2 and A3 are at a carrier frequency f0, which may be equal to 128 kHz. In each stable state of modulation, the first switch 9 is always open by the first control signal STI provided by the synchronization circuit 2, while the second switch 10 is always closed, because controlled by the second control signal ST. On the other hand during the phase of transition of modulation state, the first switch 9 is temporarily closed, while the second switch 10 is temporarily open. In order to be able to switch the frequencies of the signals supplied by the first and third signal generators 3 and 5, it is necessary to perform this switching synchronously and at the appropriate instant with respect to the phase of the carrier frequency signals f0 to avoid any transient response.

The modulation state transition phase can last 8 cycles of the sinusoidal signals of the second antenna arrangement 7. By adapting the resonant frequency of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8, it is necessary to operating each frequency switching of the signals supplied by the first and third signal generators 3 and 5 by detecting the zero crossings of the sinusoidal signals of the second antenna arrangement. To do this, the connection node between the inductor A2 and the capacitor C21 of the second antenna arrangement 7 is connected to the synchronization circuit 2, which comprises a zero crossing detector of the voltage. The resonance frequency adaptation must occur at the moment when the voltage on the capacitor C21 of the second antenna arrangement 7 is at 0 V without stored electrical energy to avoid any transient response. At the same time, the voltage at the beginning and at the end of each transition phase on each of the capacitors C11 and C31 must necessarily be at 0 V.

Each zero crossing detected by the detector may be counted by a counter in the synchronization circuit so as to control the closing or opening of the first and second switches 9 and 10. Likewise, the first control signal Sn can be used to control the frequency switching of the first and third signal generators 3 and 5. The frequency switching of the antenna arrangements 6 and 8 also occurs at a zero crossing of the signals transmitted by the first antenna A1 and the third A3 antenna. However, the frequency switching occurs once with a phase shift of 180 ° with respect to the signals of the second antenna arrangement 7 for the second modulation state, and in phase for the first modulation state. Thus, each modulation state transition is operated synchronously with a dynamic modification of each resonance frequency of the antenna arrangements. This makes it possible to operate a continuous and softened transition without loss of energy by a passage of the raised cosine or cosine stall type from one state to another state of modulation. On the other hand with two antennas, the modulation state transition on the OOK-type modulation signals can not be done cosine-shaped, but with a change which introduces a bend in the transmitted modulation signals. This brings a very bad behavior in terms of spectral efficiency.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a first embodiment of a slightly more detailed transmission device 1. It should be noted that the elements of this fig. 3, which correspond to those of FIG. 1, bear identical reference signs. As a result of simplification, the description of all these elements will not be repeated. The resonant frequency matching of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 is performed capacitively as for the general form shown in FIG. 1. To do this, a second complementary capacitor C12, C32can be placed in parallel with a first capacitor C11, C31 through a first switch 9 or a second switch 10 invertedly controlled.

The second signal generator 4 preferably comprises an oscillator 40 capable of generating a signal oscillating at a frequency, which may be chosen greater than the MHz, for example at 32.64 MHz. The oscillating signal may be sinusoidal, but preferably composed of rectangular shaped pulses. The frequency of the oscillating signal is divided into a frequency divider 41, which thus provides a divided frequency signal to a driving circuit 42. On the basis of the divided frequency signal, the driving circuit 42 provides frequency signals. determined at the second antenna arrangement 7. The determined frequency may be a carrier frequency f0 equal for example to 128 kHz. Under these conditions, the frequency divider 41 must divide the oscillating signal by a factor equal to 255.

It should be noted that the drive circuit 42 also has the task of adapting the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the antenna A2 of the second antenna arrangement 7. To do this, the drive circuit 42 can be controlled by a microprocessor processing unit not shown. This drive circuit 42 may be composed of a nonlinear amplifier or may also include a well known pulse width modulator. This pulse width modulator is controlled by the microprocessor processing unit on the basis of a measurement of a voltage or a current carried out at the output of the drive circuit 42, until the amplitude is obtained. desired signals transmitted by the antenna A2.

The first signal generator 3 is composed of a programmable frequency divider 31 followed by a drive circuit 32, which supplies the frequency signals adapted to the first antenna arrangement 6. The frequency divider receives the oscillation signal of an oscillator 40 of the second signal generator 4. On the basis of this oscillating signal, the frequency divider 31 divides the frequency of the oscillating signal by the factor 255, when a stable state of data modulation is defined or when no data modulation is performed. On the other hand, during a transition phase of modulation state for the transition from a state "1" to a state "0", or vice versa, the frequency of the oscillating signal is divided by the factor 272. In this way, the driving circuit 32 supplies signals at a frequency temporarily equal to 120 kHz to the first antenna arrangement 6. The first command signal STI, provided by the synchronization circuit 2, can be used to control the change of the transmission factor. division of the frequency divider 31.

The third signal generator 5 is composed of a programmable frequency divider 51 followed by a drive circuit 52, which supplies the frequency signals adapted to the third antenna arrangement 8. The frequency divider receives the oscillation signal of the oscillator 40 of the second signal generator 4. On the basis of this oscillating signal, the frequency divider 51 divides the frequency of the oscillating signal by the factor 255, when a stable state of data modulation is defined or when no data modulation is performed. On the other hand, during a phase of transition of modulation state for the transition from a state "1" to a state "0", or conversely, the frequency of the oscillating signal is divided by the factor 240. In this way, the drive circuit 52 supplies signals at a frequency temporarily equal to 136 kHz to the third antenna arrangement 8. The first control signal STI, supplied by the synchronization circuit 2, can also be used to control the change of the factor division of the frequency divider 51.

It should be noted that the division factor of each frequency divider 31, 41, 51 can be determined as a function of the desired carrier frequency f0 and the frequency difference Δf. For a division factor equal to N, which is an integer, the signals divided at the output of the frequency dividers are at a carrier frequency f 0 determined as a function of the frequency of the oscillating signal of the oscillator. For frequency signals f0-Δf for the first antenna arrangement 6, the division factor of the frequency divider 31 is equal to N · (1 + Δf / f0). For frequency signals f0 + Δf for the third antenna arrangement 6, the division factor of the frequency divider 51 is equal to N · (1-Δf / f0).

The drive circuits 32 and 52 of the first and third signal generators 3 and 5 may also be controlled by the microprocessor processing unit to adapt the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the first and third arrangements of antenna 6 and 8. The amplitude of the signals of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 may be adapted to be half the amplitude of the signals of the second antenna arrangement 7.

The synchronization circuit 2 comprises a first D-type flip-flop 21 for receiving the input of the Smod modulation signal, which may be composed of rectangular shaped pulses representing the data or at least one command to be transmitted. The non-inverted output Q of the first flip-flop 21 is connected to a first input of an exclusive-OR gate 23, whereas the inverted output Qb of the first flip-flop is connected to the input of a counter by n 22. where n is an integer greater than 1. The output of this counter 22 is connected to a second input of the exclusive-OR gate 23. The output of this exclusive-OR gate 23 is connected to the input a second D-type flip-flop 24, which is capable of supplying in particular the first control signal STI at an inverted output Qb and the second control signal ST at a non-inverted output Q. These STet STI control signals are thus used partly to control the opening or closing of the switches 9 and 10 of the antenna arrangements 6 and 8.

The first and second D-type flip-flops 21 and 24 are clocked by a timing signal from a zero crossing detector 25. This zero crossing detector 25 detects the zero crossings of the sinusoidal voltage at the level of zero. of the connection node between the inductor A2 and the capacitor C21 of the second antenna arrangement 7. This sinusoidal voltage represents the shape of the signals transmitted from the second antenna arrangement 7. The sinusoidal voltage is thus transformed through the detector of passages through zero in a timing signal composed of successive rectangular pulses at the same frequency f0 as the sinusoidal voltage.

The counter by n 22 is normally also clocked on the basis of the rising edges of the timing pulses provided by the zero crossing detector 25. During an inverted output state change

Qb of the first flip-flop 21, the new state of the output Qb is transmitted at the output of the counter 22 after n clocking pulses provided by the zero crossing detector 25. These n pulses correspond to the number n of cycles of the sinusoidal voltage on the capacitor C21or of the signals transmitted by the antenna A2 of the second antenna arrangement 7. For a duration corresponding to n clocking pulses, the exclusive-OR gate only provides a state "0" at the input of the second flip-flop 24. The first control signal STI at the inverted output Qb of the second flip-flop 24 is therefore at a high level "1" for the duration corresponding to the n clocking pulses, which correspond to the phase of modulation state transition. During this phase of transition of modulation state, the resonant frequencies of the first antenna arrangement 6 and the third antenna arrangement 8 are adapted according to the modified frequencies of the signals supplied by the first and third signal generators 3 and 5.

In FIG. 4, there is shown a second more detailed embodiment of the transmission device 1. It should be noted that the elements of this FIG. 4, which correspond to those of FIGS. 1 and 3, bear identical reference signs. As a result of simplification, the description of all these elements will not be repeated. The resonant frequency matching of the first and third antenna arrangements 6 and 8 is performed capacitively as for the general form shown in FIG. 1 and the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

The second signal generator 4 preferably comprises an oscillator 40 capable of generating a signal oscillating at a frequency, which corresponds to the carrier frequency of the signals to be transmitted by the second antenna arrangement 7. The frequency of the oscillating signal can therefore be chosen for example at 128 kHz, as the carrier frequency f0 signals to be transmitted by the second antenna arrangement 7. The oscillating signal can be sinusoidal, but preferably composed of rectangular shaped pulses provided directly to the circuit 42. The drive circuit 42 thus supplies the carrier frequency signals f0 to the second antenna arrangement 7.

The second signal generator 4 further comprises a frequency multiplier 43 connected directly to the oscillator 40. This frequency multiplier is used to multiply the frequency of the oscillating signal by a factor n1, which is an integer greater than 1 The frequency signal multiplied in the frequency multiplier 43 is supplied to the first and third signal generators 3 and 5. For a carrier frequency f0 signals to be transmitted by the antenna A2, selected at 128 kHz, the multiplication factor n1 can be chosen equal to 255.

The first signal generator 3 comprises first and second division branches of the frequency of the frequency-multiplied signal received from the frequency multiplier 43. In the first division branch, the frequency is divided by the factor n1 so as to outputting the first signal generator 3, signals at the carrier frequency f0. In the second division branch, the frequency is divided by a factor n2, which is an integer greater than 1. This factor n2 is chosen so that the first signal generator temporarily provides signals to the first antenna arrangement 6, a frequency f1 = f0-Δf during the modulation state transition phase. The frequency f1 is therefore determined by f0 · n1 / n2. To obtain the frequency f1 equal to 120 kHz for example, the factor n2 must be equal to 272.

The first signal generator 3 therefore comprises, for the first division branch, a first inverter 30, which receives the first control signal STI coming from the synchronization circuit 2. This first control signal STIis in the "1" state. during the modulation state transition phase and at the "0" state for each stable modulation state before and after the transition phase. The first branch is therefore used, when the first control signal STIis in the state "0", while the second branch is used, when the first control signal STIis in the state "1".

The output of the first inverter 30 of the first branch is connected to a first input of a first AND gate 33, which receives at a second input the frequency-multiplied signal of the frequency multiplier 43. The frequency-multiplied signal is transmitted to a first counter by n1 35, if the output of the first inverter 30 is in the state "1". This makes it possible to divide the frequency of the frequency signal multiplied by the factor n1. The output of the first counter 35 is connected to a second AND gate 37, which receives at a second input the output signal of the first inverter 30. The output of the second AND gate 37 is connected to a first input of an OR gate 39 to provide the carrier frequency signal f0 to the drive circuit 32. This drive circuit 32 is of a configuration similar to that of FIG. 3 to provide carrier frequency signals f0 to the first antenna arrangement 6, outside the modulation state transition phase.

For the second division branch, the first control signal STI is supplied directly to a first input of a third AND gate 34, while the second input of the AND gate 34 receives the frequency multiplied signal of the frequency multiplier. 43. The multiplied frequency signal is transmitted to a second counter by n2 36, if the first control signal STI is in state "1". This makes it possible to divide the frequency of the signal at frequency multiplied by the factor n2. The output of the second counter 36 is connected to a fourth AND gate 38, which receives at a second input the first command signal STI. The output of the fourth AND gate 38 is connected to a second input of the OR gate 39 to supply the adapted frequency signal f1 = f0-Δf to the drive circuit 32. This adapted frequency f1 may therefore be equal to 120 kHz for this embodiment of the transmission device 1.

The third signal generator 5 also comprises first and second division branches of the frequency of the frequency-multiplied signal received from the frequency multiplier 43. In the first division branch, the frequency is divided by the factor n1 to provide at the output of the third signal generator 5, signals at the carrier frequency f0 at the third antenna arrangement 8. In the second division branch, the frequency is divided by a factor n3, which is an integer greater than 1. This factor n3 is selected so that the third signal generator temporarily provides signals to the third antenna arrangement 8, at a frequency f3 = f0 + Δf, during the modulation state transition phase. The frequency f3 is therefore determined by f0 · n1 / n3. To obtain the frequency f3 equal to 136 kHz for example, the factor n3 must be equal to 240.

The third signal generator 5 therefore comprises, for the first division branch, a second inverter 50, which receives the first control signal STI coming from the synchronization circuit 2. This first control signal STIis in the "1" state. during the modulation state transition phase and at the "0" state for each stable modulation state before and after the transition phase. The first branch is used, when the first control signal STIis in the state "0", while the second branch is used, when the first control signal STIis in the state "1".

The output of the second inverter 50 of the first branch is connected to a first input of a first AND gate 53, which receives at a second input the frequency-multiplied signal of the frequency multiplier 43. The frequency-multiplied signal is transmitted to a first counter by n155, if the output of the second inverter 50 is in the state "1". This makes it possible to divide the frequency of the frequency signal multiplied by the factor n1. The output of the first counter 55 is connected to a second AND gate 57, which receives at a second input the output signal of the second inverter 50. The output of the second AND gate 57 is connected to a first input of an OR gate 59 to supply the carrier frequency signal f0 to the drive circuit 52. This drive circuit 52 is of a configuration similar to that of FIG. 3 to provide carrier frequency signals f0 to the third antenna arrangement 8, outside the modulation state transition phase.

For the second division branch, the first control signal STI is supplied directly to a first input of a third AND gate 54, while the second input of the AND gate 54 receives the frequency multiplied frequency multiplier signal. 43. The multiplied frequency signal is transmitted to a second counter by n356, if the first control signal STI is in the "1" state. This makes it possible to divide the frequency of the frequency signal multiplied by the factor n3. The output of the second counter 56 is connected to a fourth AND gate 58, which receives at a second input the first command signal STI. The output of the fourth AND gate 58 is connected to a second input of the OR gate 59 to provide the adapted frequency signal f3 = f0 + Δf to the drive circuit 52. This adapted frequency f3 can therefore be equal to 136 kHz for this embodiment of the transmission device 1.

It should be noted that the synchronization circuit 2 comprises the same elements described above with reference to FIG. 3. However, the first flip-flop 21 can be clocked directly by the oscillating signal of the oscillator 40, while the second flip-flop 24 remains clocked by the rectangular pulse signal supplied by the zero crossing detector 25.

Figs. 5a and 5b show two comparative graphs of the spectrum of the amplitude modulation of the data in the signals transmitted by a single antenna, and by antenna arrangements according to the present invention. It should be noted that with the transmission device of the present invention and the alternative principle of all the antennas, the harmonic frequencies with respect to the central frequency, which in this case is 128 kHz, are greatly reduced. The strength of the magnetic field of the transmission principle by means of the three antenna arrangements of the invention makes it possible to be in the mask of the spectrum of the regulatory requests as a function of the field of application, such as the field of sport. With the transmission of amplitude modulated signals by means of a single antenna, many harmonics occur which lie outside the required spectrum mask.

From the description that has just been given, several variants of the device for transmitting data and / or control signals, as well as the method of putting the transmission device into action, can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims. It can be expected to use six antenna arrangements controlled respectively by six signal generators. Three first antenna arrangements can transmit data and / or control signals as described above, and three second antenna arrangements of the same configuration as the first three antenna arrangements, transmit signals with a phase shift of 90. In the case of an adaptation of the resonance frequency by means of a complementary inductance, it is possible to use a peak or pass detector by maxima and minima to control the synchronization circuit. Each frequency switching in each modulation state transition phase must be done when the current in the inductance of the second antenna arrangement is equal to 0 A, as well as in the adapted inductances of the other antenna arrangements.

Claims (16)

Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, the device comprising: A first signal generator (3) connected to a first antenna arrangement (6), A second signal generator (4) connected to a second antenna arrangement (7), An oscillator (40) for providing an oscillating signal, for clocking the signal generators to control each antenna arrangement, and A synchronization circuit (2) connected at least to the first signal generator (3) and to the first and second antenna arrangements (6, 7), the synchronization circuit (2) being designed to receive as input a signal of modulating (Smod) the data and / or control and for synchronously controlling the first signal generator (3) and the first and second antenna arrangements (6, 7) to operate amplitude modulation of the data and / or control signal to be transmitted by combining the signals transmitted by the antenna arrangements, a first stable modulation state being defined, when the signals transmitted at a carrier frequency defined f0 by the first and second antenna arrangements are in phase, and a second stable modulation state being defined, when the signals transmitted at a defined carrier frequency f0 by the first antenna arrangement (6) are 180 ° out of phase with the signals transmitted at a carrier frequency defined by the second antenna arrangement (7), characterized in that the synchronization circuit (2) is arranged to temporarily and dynamically switch the first signal generator (3) for signal delivery to the first antenna arrangement (6) at a frequency f1 higher or lower than the frequency carrier f0 in a transition phase from a first modulation state to a second modulation state or vice versa synchronously based on n cycles of the signals at the carrier frequency f0 transmitted by the second antenna arrangement (7) and counted in the synchronization circuit (2), and in that the synchronization circuit (2) is arranged to inductively or capacitively adapt the resonant frequency of the first antenna arrangement (6) to the frequency f1 of the signals supplied by the first signal generator (3) during the modulation state transition phase with respect to the determined resonance frequency at the carrier frequency f0 of the first and second antenna arrangements in a stable modulation state. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a third signal generator (5) connected to a third antenna arrangement (8) , which are synchronously controlled by the synchronizing circuit (2), for modulating the amplitude of the data and / or control to be transmitted by combining the signals transmitted by the first, second and third antenna arrangements (6, 7, 8), a first stable modulation state being defined, when the signals transmitted at a carrier frequency defined f0 by the first, second and third antenna arrangements (6, 7, 8) are in phase, whereas a second stable modulation state being defined, when the signals transmitted by the first and third antenna arrangements are 180 ° out of phase with the signals transmitted by the second antenna arrangement, in that the synchronization circuit (2) is arranged to temporarily and dynamically switch during each modulation state transition phase, the third signal generator (5) for the signal supply to the third antenna arrangement (8) at a frequency f3 = f0 + Δf, while the signals temporarily supplied by the first signal generator (3) to the first antenna arrangement are at a frequency f1 = f0-Δf, where Δf defines a determined frequency deviation such that whereby (f0 / Δf) / 2 defines the number n of cycles of the signals at the carrier frequency f0 transmitted by the second antenna arrangement (7), and in that the synchronization circuit is arranged to inductively or capacitively adapt the resonance frequency of the third antenna arrangement (8) to the frequency f3 of the signals supplied by the third signal generator (3) during the transition phase. modulation status. 3. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 2, characterized in that the synchronization circuit is arranged to adapt inductively or capacitively the resonance frequency of the first and third arrangements. antenna (6, 8) at the frequency f1 and the frequency f3 at a moment when a current is at 0 A for an inductive element or a voltage is at 0 V for a capacitive element. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 2, characterized in that the signals transmitted by the first antenna arrangement (6) are at a frequency f1 = f0 (n -0.5) / n during the modulation state transition phase, while the signals transmitted by the third antenna arrangement (8) are at a frequency f3 = f0 (n + 0.5) / n. 5. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 2, characterized in that the first, second and third antenna arrangements (6, 7, 8) each comprise in series between the output of the first, second and third signal generators (3, 4, 5) and a ground terminal, a loss resistor (R1, R2, R3), an inductance (A1, A2, A3) defining an antenna and minus a first capacitor (C11, C21, C31), in that the first antenna arrangement (6) further comprises a second capacitor (C12) which can be placed in parallel with the first capacitor (C11) of the first antenna arrangement by via a first switch (9) controlled by a first control signal (STI) of the synchronization circuit (2) to adapt the resonance frequency, and in that the third antenna arrangement (8) further comprises a second capacitor (C32) which can be placed in parallel with the first condenser r (C31) of the third antenna arrangement via a second switch (10) controlled by a second control signal (ST) of the synchronization circuit (2) to adapt the resonance frequency. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 5, characterized in that the first control signal (STI) is the inverse of the second control signal (ST), and in that the first control signal is arranged to close the first switch in the modulation state transition phase, while the second control signal is arranged to open the second switch (10) in the state transition phase. modulation. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 5, characterized in that the antennas (A1, A2, A3) of the first, second and third antenna arrangements (6, 7, 8) are arranged so as to be oriented in the same direction with their axis parallel to each other, the size of the area occupied by the three antennas (A1, A2, A3) being smaller than the wavelength of the signals transmitted by the antennas. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 5, characterized in that the synchronization circuit (2) comprises a zero crossing detector (25) connected to a node of connecting the antenna (A2) and the first capacitor (C21) of the second antenna arrangement (7) to detect the zero crossings of the sinusoidal voltage generated on the first capacitor to synchronize the supply of the first and second control signals (STI, ST) at the first and third antenna arrangements (6, 8) for the adaptation of the resonance frequency. 9. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 8, characterized in that the synchronization circuit (2) comprises a first D-type flip-flop (21) for receiving as input a modulating signal (Smod) depending on the data and / or command to be transmitted, a non-inverted output of the first flip-flop (21) being connected to a first input of an exclusive-OR gate (23), whereas an inverted output of the first flip-flop (21) is connected to an input of a counter by n (22), where n is an integer greater than 1 defining the number of cycles from the signals at the transmitted carrier frequency f0 by the second antenna arrangement (7), an output of this counter (22) being connected to a second input of the exclusive-OR gate (23), an output of the exclusive-OR gate (23) being connected to an input of a second D-type flip-flop (24), the second flip-flop (24) is urging the first control signal (STI) to an inverted output, and the second control signal (ST) to a non-inverted output, said second flip-flop (24) being clocked by a timing signal provided by the zero crossing detector (25), while the first flip-flop is clocked either by the oscillating signal of the oscillator (40) or by the timing signal of the zero crossing detector (25). Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals according to one of Claims 2, 5 and 8, characterized in that the first, second and third signal generators (3, 4, 5 ) each comprise a frequency divider (31, 41, 51) for dividing by a first factor the frequency of the oscillating signal of the oscillator (40), in order to supply a divided frequency signal to a driving circuit (32, 42, 52), which controls the supply of f0 carrier frequency signals to the first, second and third antenna arrangements (6, 7, 8), in each stable state of modulation, in that the frequency divider (31) of the first signal generator (3) can be programmed by the first control signal (STI) provided by the synchronization circuit (2), to divide the frequency of the oscillating signal by a second factor different from the first factor, so that the circuit drive (32) of the first signal generator (3) controls the supply of signals at the first frequency f1 = f0-Δf to the first antenna arrangement (6) in a modulation state transition phase, and in that the frequency divider (51) of the third signal generator (5) can be programmed by the first control signal (STI) provided by the synchronization circuit (2), to divide the frequency of the oscillating signal by a third factor different from the first and second factors, so that the circuit drive (52) of the third signal generator (5) controls the supply of signals at the third frequency f3 = f0 + Δf to the third antenna arrangement (8) in a modulation state transition phase. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals according to one of claims 2, 5 and 8, characterized in that the second signal generator (4) comprises the oscillator (40). , a frequency multiplier (43) for multiplying by a factor n1 the frequency of the oscillating signal of the oscillator, to provide a frequency signal multiplied to the first and third signal generators (3, 5), and a circuit of drive (42) receiving the oscillating signal for controlling the supply of carrier frequency signals f0 to the second antenna arrangement (7), in that the first and third signal generators each comprise first and second frequency dividing branches of the frequency-multiplied signal received from the frequency multiplier (43), the first branch or the second branch being selected by the first control signal (STI) provided by the synchronization circuit (2), in the first division branch, the frequency being divisible by the factor n1 so that the drive circuits (32,52) of the first and third signal generators control the supply of carrier frequency signals f0 to the first and third antenna arrangements (6, 8) in a stable state of modulation, whereas in the second division branch, the frequency can be divided by a factor n2 different from the factor n1 in the first signal generator (3) and by a factor n3 different from the factors n1 and n2 in the third signal generator (5), so that the drive circuit (32) of the first signal generator (3) manages the supply of signals at the first frequency f1 = f0-Δf = f0 · n1 / n2 to the first antenna arrangement (6) in the modulation state transition phase, and so that the drive circuit (52) of the third signal generator (5) manages the signal supply to the third me frequency f3 = f0 + .DELTA.f = f0 · n1 / n3 in the third antenna arrangement (8) in the modulation state transition phase. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 11, characterized in that the first division branch of the first and third signal generators (3, 5) each comprises an input inverter (30, 50) to select the first branch in a first state of the first control signal (STI) and the second branch in a second state of the first control signal (STI). Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 12, characterized in that the first division branch of the first and third signal generators (3, 5) comprises a first AND gate. (33), for receiving the output signal of the inverter (30, 50) and the frequency-multiplied signal of the frequency multiplier (43), a first counter per n1 (35, 55) connected to the output of the first AND gate (33, 53), a second AND gate (37, 57) receiving at a first input the output signal of the first counter (35, 55) and the output signal of the inverter (30, 50), a output of the second AND gate (37, 57) being connected via an OR gate (39, 59) to the drive circuit (32, 52) for supplying f0 carrier frequency signals to the first and third antenna arrangements (6, 8), in that the second division branch of the first and third signal generators (3, 5) comprises a third AND gate (34, 54) for directly receiving the first control signal (STI) at a first input and the frequency signal multiplied at a second input, a second counter at n2 (36) for the first generator of signals (3) or a second counter per n3 (56) for the third signal generator (5) each connected to the output of the third AND gate (34, 54), a fourth AND gate (38, 58) receiving at a first input the output signal of the second counter by n2 (36) of the first signal generator or the second counter by n3 (56) of the third signal generator, an output of the fourth AND gate (38, 58) being connected by via the OR gate (39,59) to the drive circuit (32,52) for providing frequency signals f1 for the first antenna arrangement (6) and providing frequency signals f3 for the third antenna arrangement (8) in state transition phase modulation. 14. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to one of claims 10 and 11, characterized in that the drive circuits. (32, 42, 52) are arranged to be each controlled by a processing unit, in order to adapt the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the first, second and / or third antenna arrangements. Device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to claim 14, characterized in that the drive circuit (42) of the second signal generator (4) is arranged to adapt the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the second antenna arrangement (7) to a level twice greater than the amplitude of the signals transmitted by the first and third antenna arrangements (6, 8) and adapted by the driving circuits ( 32, 52) of the first and third signal generators (3, 5), 16. A method of operating the device (1) for transmitting data and / or control signals, according to one of the preceding claims, said method comprising the steps of: Supplying a modulation signal (Smod) of the data and / or of the command to the synchronization circuit (2), - synchronously control via the synchronization circuit (2) at least the first signal generator (3) and / or the third signal generator (5), and the first, second and / or third arrangements of antenna (6, 7, 8) for modulating the amplitude of the data and / or control to be transmitted by combining the signals transmitted by the antenna arrangements, a first stable modulation state being defined, when the signals transmitted to a carrier frequency defined by the first, second and / or third antenna arrangements are in phase, and a second stable modulation state is defined, when the signals transmitted at a carrier frequency defined by the first and / or third arrangements of antenna (6, 8) are phase shifted by 180 ° from the signals transmitted at a carrier frequency defined f0 by the second antenna arrangement (7), - temporarily and dynamically switching the first and / or third signal generators (3, 5) via the synchronization circuit (2) for supplying the first antenna arrangement (6) with signals at a first lower frequency f1 or greater than the carrier frequency f0 and for supplying to the third antenna arrangement (8) signals at a third frequency f3 greater than or less than the carrier frequency f0 and vice versa at the first frequency f1 in a state transition phase modulating and synchronously on the basis of n cycles of signals at the carrier frequency f0 transmitted by the second antenna arrangement and counted in the synchronization circuit (2), and Inductively or capacitively adapt the resonant frequency of the first antenna arrangement (6) to the frequency f1 and / or the resonant frequency of the third antenna arrangement (8) at the frequency f3 during the transition phase. modulation status.