JP2006245657A - Wireless communication apparatus, and non-contact ic card reader/writer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wireless communication apparatus capable of preventing the degradation of its communication performance. <P>SOLUTION: The wireless communication apparatus capable of making communication with a plurality of kinds of wireless communication media whose resonance frequencies differ from each other includes: a modulation circuit for modulating transmission data; an output line circuit for outputting a signal modulated by the modulation circuit; a transmission/reception antenna for transmitting the signal from the output line circuit to the wireless communication media and receiving the signal from the wireless communication media; an input line circuit for receiving the signal from the transmission/reception antenna; a phase control circuit for controlling the phase of the signal from the input line circuit; and a demodulation circuit for demodulating an output from the phase control circuit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a wireless communication device and a non-contact IC card reader / writer device for transmitting information to and receiving information from a wireless communication medium such as a non-contact IC card and a mobile phone. .

  In recent years, non-contact IC cards that can be used in a non-contact manner have been spreading from the viewpoint of information safety and portability, and various proposals for non-contact information transmission / reception using such non-contact IC cards. (See Patent Document 1).

  For example, a reader / writer provided with one loop antenna common to transmission and reception is known. The resonance frequency of such a transmission / reception common loop antenna is uniquely determined by the capacitance of the capacitor connected to the transmission / reception common loop antenna.

  The control unit of the reader / writer and the loop antenna are connected by a two-wire cable via a connector. Thus, the reader / writer can communicate with the IC card via the loop antenna.

  The reader / writer described above can adjust the antenna resonance frequency by adjusting the value of the capacitor connected to the transmission / reception common loop antenna, and can provide stable communication characteristics with an IC card and a wide communication area (presumed predetermined range). The purpose is to ensure good communication characteristics in the communication range.

It is possible to respond to fixed IC resonance frequency for specific IC card such as transportation system for station service or electronic money system or IC card which has different resonance frequency on the IC card side (several tens of kHz). Thus, it was possible to obtain good communication characteristics.
Japanese Patent No. 3579899 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-194785)

  For specific IC cards or IC cards that have different resonance frequencies in the small range (about several tens of kHz), it is possible to deal with fixed antenna resonance frequencies and obtain good communication characteristics. there were. However, it is difficult to secure a communicable area that does not include an incommunicable area for all cards with respect to IC cards having greatly different antenna resonance frequencies (several hundred kHz to several MHz).

  The cause is that a phase inversion point that occurs when coupling occurs between the reader / writer and the IC card antenna occurs in the communication area. As a result, the received signal cannot be accurately demodulated, and an incommunicable area occurs as a null point. As a result, an error occurs in the middle of communication, and the reader / writer has a communication characteristic that communication is not completed or has a high communication error rate.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication device and a non-contact type IC card reader / writer device capable of preventing a reduction in communication performance.

  The wireless communication device and the non-contact type IC card reader / writer device of the present invention are configured as follows.

  (1) The present invention is a wireless communication apparatus that enables communication with a plurality of types of wireless communication media having different resonance frequencies, and includes a modulation circuit that modulates transmission data, and a signal modulated by the modulation circuit. An output line circuit that outputs, a transmission / reception antenna that transmits a signal from the output line circuit to a wireless communication medium and that receives a signal from the wireless communication medium, and an input line circuit that inputs a signal from the transmission / reception antenna And a phase control circuit that controls the phase of the signal from the input line circuit, and a demodulation circuit that demodulates the output from the phase control circuit.

  (2) The present invention is a non-contact type IC card reader / writer device that performs transmission and reception of data with an IC card by wireless communication and performs predetermined data processing, and modulates and transmits transmission data to the IC card. A transmission circuit that outputs a signal, and a first resonance frequency that resonates in resonance with the resonance frequency of the IC card within a predetermined communication range with the IC card, and outputs from the transmission circuit to the IC card. The phase of the antenna unit to transmit and the received signal from the IC card received by the antenna unit to control the phase so as to be non-resonant with respect to the resonance frequency of the IC card within a predetermined communication range with the IC card. A control circuit, a receiving circuit for demodulating the output from the phase control circuit into received data, and transmitting / receiving data to / from the IC card via the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit. Is a non-contact IC card reader-writer apparatus characterized by comprising a control circuit for management.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the radio | wireless communication apparatus and non-contact-type IC card reader / writer apparatus which can prevent the fall of communication performance can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a reader / writer according to an example of a non-contact type IC card reader / writer device and a wireless communication device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the reader / writer includes a reader / writer control unit 1, a connection unit 2, and an antenna unit 3.

  The reader / writer control unit 1 includes a control circuit 11, a transmission circuit 12, a reception circuit 13, a phase control circuit 14, a transmission signal line 15, a reception signal line 16, and a connector 17. The transmission circuit 12 includes a modulation circuit 121, an amplification circuit 122, and a matching circuit 123. The reception circuit 13 includes a rectification circuit 131, a low-pass filter circuit 132, a reception signal amplification circuit 133, and a binarization circuit 134. The phase control circuit 14 includes capacitors C 1 and C 2 between the reception signal line 16 and the ground circuits 141 and 142, and includes a capacitor C 3 between the reception signal lines 16.

  The connection unit 2 includes connectors 21 and 22, a transmission signal line 23, and a reception signal line 24.

  The antenna unit 3 includes a loop antenna 31, a capacitor C0, and a connector 32. The antenna unit 3 is a circuit that is tuned by a capacitor C0 at a frequency near 13.56 MHz.

  The reader / writer control unit 1 and the antenna unit 3 are connected via a connection unit 2 with a four-pole cable. That is, the two-polar transmission signal line 15 of the reader / writer is connected via the connector 17 (transmission signal output line circuit) of the reader / writer control unit 1, the connector 21 of the connection unit, the connector 22 of the connection unit, and the connector 32 of the antenna unit. The loop antenna 31 is connected to both ends. Also, the two-pole reception signal line 16 of the reader / writer is connected via the connector 17 (reception signal input line circuit) of the reader / writer control unit 1, the connector 21 of the connection unit, the connector 22 of the connection unit, and the connector 32 of the antenna unit. The loop antenna 31 is branched and connected from both ends of the antenna.

  That is, the reader / writer control unit 1 has a circuit configuration in which the transmission signal line and the reception signal line are independent. Further, by adjusting the values of the capacitors C1, C2, and C3, the phase of the received signal can be changed (controlled) only on the receiving circuit side.

  Next, the operation of the reader / writer described above will be described.

  The reader / writer control unit 1 and the antenna unit 3 are connected by a four-pole cable, and the loop antenna 31 of the antenna unit 3 is a resonance circuit having a resonance frequency f1 by a capacitor C0. The reader / writer communicates with a plurality of types of IC cards (wireless communication media) having different resonance frequencies as targets, and the resonance frequencies that resonate in synchronization with the resonance frequencies of these wireless communication media are those described above. The resonance frequency f1.

  In addition, the phase control circuit 14 including the capacitors C1, C2, and C3 has several resonance frequencies f2 (for example, a resonance frequency f1 of 13.56 MHz) with respect to the antenna tuning (resonance frequency f1) by the capacitor C0. It has a resonance frequency f2) separated by 100 MHz or more and does not affect the antenna tuning frequency (resonance frequency f1).

  Note that the reader / writer of the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and may be configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the reception line 16 may be branched from the transmission line 15 of the reader / writer control unit 1.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the resonance frequency f1 and resonance frequency f2 of the reader / writer and the resonance frequency fa of the target IC card a and the resonance frequency fb of the IC card b. As described above, the resonance frequency f2 is set to several hundred MHz or more with respect to the resonance frequency f1 of about 13.56 MHz. Thus, assuming that the resonance frequency fa of the target IC card a is about 16 MHz to 17.5 MHz and the resonance frequency fb of the IC card b is about 18 MHz to 19 MHz, the resonance frequency f2 is Becomes non-resonant.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, the problem of the generation of the communication incompetent area due to the strong coupling and the exclusion of the incommunicable area which is the effect of the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a reader / writer that may cause an incommunicable area within the communicable area. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining exclusion of an incommunicable area, which is an effect of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an incommunicable region that occurs due to strong coupling.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a reader / writer equipped with one loop antenna common to transmission and reception is assumed. The resonance frequency of such a transmission / reception common loop antenna is uniquely determined by the capacitance of the capacitor connected to the transmission / reception common loop antenna. The loop antenna and the reader / writer control unit are connected by a two-pole cable. Since the receiving circuit of the reader / writer control unit has high impedance, it is not connected when viewed from the transmitting circuit side of the reader / writer control unit. However, when viewed from the receiving circuit side, the signal (including noise and the like) from the transmitting circuit can be seen.

  The reader / writer shown in FIG. 4 is compatible with a specific IC card or an IC card that has different resonance frequencies on the IC card side (several tens of kHz) with a fixed antenna resonance frequency. Communication characteristics can be obtained. However, since the antenna resonance frequency on the reader / writer side is fixed for an IC card having greatly different antenna resonance frequencies (several hundred kHz to several MHz), the characteristics are better than the IC card a having the resonance frequency fa. Even if the antenna circuit constant of the reader / writer, the resonance frequency, etc. are adjusted, the performance cannot be obtained for the IC card b having another resonance frequency fb. When adjusted, it is difficult to make settings so that both cards obtain good characteristics, such as the communication characteristics of the IC card a falling.

  Waveforms (a) to (g) on the upper side of FIG. 5 are diagrams showing an example of a phase change of a received signal at point A of the reader / writer shown in FIG. As shown in the upper side of FIG. 5, a phase inversion point occurs in the communicable range between the transmission / reception shared antenna and the IC card. That is, an incommunicable range (see FIG. 6) in which accurate demodulation cannot be performed occurs within the communicable range. As a result, the reader / writer shown in FIG. 4 cannot obtain good communication characteristics depending on conditions.

  Of the waveforms (a) to (g) on the upper side of FIG. 5, the waveforms (a) and (g) are ideal received signal waveforms. The waveforms (a) and (g) are waveforms that can reliably determine “1” and “0” as compared to the threshold level. That is, the waveforms (a) and (g) are waveforms that can be converted into “1” and “0” signals by the binarization circuit and can be demodulated by the control circuit.

  The waveforms (b), (c), (e), and (f) are slightly corrupted compared to the ideal waveform. However, these waveforms (b), (c), (e), and (f) are also waveforms that can determine “1” and “0” as compared with the threshold level. That is, the waveforms (a) and (g) are waveforms that can be converted into “1” and “0” signals by the binarization circuit and can be demodulated by the control circuit.

  The waveform in (d) is a phase inversion point, and the signal amplitude is close to 0V. This state is a phenomenon that occurs when the antenna for the reader / writer shared antenna and the IC card antenna approach the range that causes electromagnetic induction. When the waveform (d) occurs within the communicable range, the received signal cannot be accurately demodulated at the location where the waveform (d) occurs. That is, the reader / writer shown in FIG. 4 may generate the waveform (d) in the communicable region, and good communication characteristics can be obtained at the location (d) where the waveform (d) occurs. Disappear.

  Waveforms (a) to (g) on the lower side of FIG. 5 are diagrams showing an example of a phase change of a received signal at point A of the reader / writer shown in FIG. By adjusting the values of the capacitors C1, C2, and C3 of the reader / writer shown in FIG. 1, the waveform of the signal received from the IC card by the loop antenna 31 can be changed (controlled). As a result, the phase inversion point (communication impossible region) can be driven out of the communicable region, and stable communication can be performed within the communicable region. In other words, the incommunicable area can be excluded from the communicable area by the reader / writer shown in FIG. 1, and as a result, good communication characteristics can be obtained.

  The effects of the reader / writer according to the present invention will be summarized below.

  The reader / writer according to the present invention has a configuration in which the transmission signal line and the reception signal line are made independent, and the transmission circuit and the reception circuit are separated from each other. Further, capacitors C1, C2, and C3 are inserted between the reception signal line, the ground circuit, and the reception signal line. As a result, by adjusting the capacitors C1, C2, and C3, it is possible to adjust the communication characteristics of the receiving circuit alone.

  The reader / writer of the present invention shifts the phase of the received signal that enters the receiving circuit by adjusting the values of C1, C2, and C3, and shifts the phase inversion point (communication non-communication area) outside the communicable area, thereby making communication impossible. A communicable area that does not include the area can be obtained.

  In addition, by inserting capacitors C1, C2, and C3, it is possible to adjust the matching between the transmission / reception shared antenna and the receiving circuit, and the impedance on the receiving side is lowered to prevent the cable of the receiving line from becoming an antenna. The effect of suppressing noise radiated from the cable can be obtained.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, the embodiments may be appropriately combined as much as possible, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the column of the effect of the invention Can be obtained as an invention.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the reader / writer which concerns on an example of the radio | wireless communication apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the modification of the reader / writer which concerns on an example of the radio | wireless communication apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the resonant frequency f1 of the reader / writer, the resonant frequency f2 of the IC card a used as a target, and the resonant frequency fb of the IC card b. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the reader / writer which may cause a communication impossible area | region within a communicable area | region. It is a figure for demonstrating exclusion of the communication impossible area | region which is an effect of this invention. It is a figure which shows the communication impossible area | region which generate | occur | produces by strong coupling.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Reader / writer control part, 2 ... Connection part, 3 ... Antenna part, 11 ... Control circuit, 12 ... Transmission circuit, 13 ... Reception circuit, 14 ... Phase control circuit, 15 ... Transmission signal line, 16 ... Reception signal line, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 17 ... Connector, 21, 22 ... Connector, 23 ... Transmission signal line, 24 ... Reception signal line, 31 ... Loop antenna, 32 ... Connector DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 121 ... Modulation circuit, 122 ... Amplifier circuit, 123 ... Matching circuit, 131 ... Rectifier circuit, 132 ... Low pass filter circuit, 133 ... Received signal amplifier circuit, 134 ... Binarization circuit, 141 ... Ground circuit, 142 ... Ground circuit, C0, C1, C2, C3 ... capacitors

Claims (8)

A wireless communication device that enables communication with a plurality of types of wireless communication media having different resonance frequencies,
A modulation circuit for modulating transmission data;
An output line circuit for outputting a signal modulated by the modulation circuit;
A transmission / reception antenna for transmitting a signal from the output line circuit to a wireless communication medium and receiving a signal from the wireless communication medium;
An input line circuit for inputting a signal from the transmission / reception antenna;
A phase control circuit for controlling the phase of a signal from the input line circuit;
A demodulation circuit for demodulating the output from the phase control circuit;
A wireless communication apparatus comprising:   The phase control circuit is different from a first resonance frequency of the transmission / reception antenna that resonates in synchronization with a resonance frequency of a wireless communication medium, and is a second resonance frequency that is non-resonant with respect to the resonance frequency of the wireless communication medium. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein the resonance frequency of the wireless communication device is controlled.   The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second resonance frequency is a frequency that is 10 times or more the first resonance frequency.   The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the phase control circuit includes a capacitor disposed between the input line circuit and the demodulation circuit.   The phase control circuit includes a capacitor disposed between the input line circuit and the demodulation circuit, and a capacitor disposed between the input line circuit and a ground circuit. The wireless communication device described.   The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output line circuit and the input line circuit each include a connection part to which the transmission / reception antenna can be attached and detached. A non-contact type IC card reader / writer device that performs transmission and reception of data with an IC card by wireless communication and performs predetermined data processing,
A transmission circuit that modulates transmission data to the IC card and outputs a transmission signal;
An antenna unit that has a first resonance frequency that resonates and resonates with the resonance frequency of the IC card in a predetermined communication range with the IC card, and that transmits the output from the transmission circuit to the IC card;
A phase control circuit that inputs a reception signal from the IC card received by the antenna unit and performs phase control so as to be non-resonant with respect to the resonance frequency of the IC card in a predetermined communication range with the IC card;
A receiving circuit for demodulating the output from the phase control circuit into received data;
A control circuit for performing predetermined data processing by transmitting and receiving data to and from the IC card via the transmission circuit and the reception circuit;
A non-contact type IC card reader / writer device comprising:   The non-contact type IC card reader / writer device according to claim 7, further comprising a connection unit that allows the antenna unit to be attached to and detached from the transmission circuit and the phase control circuit.

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