MXPA00001651A

MXPA00001651A - Portable object with contactless communication through two communication channels, inductive and radio wave.

Info

Publication number: MXPA00001651A
Application number: MXPA00001651A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Alain Chesnoy
Original assignee: Regie Autonome Transports
Priority date: 1998-06-16
Filing date: 1999-06-15
Publication date: 2005-07-01
Also published as: WO1999066451A1; FR2779847A1; CA2297797A1; EP1002294A1; FR2779847B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a portable object (10) to be used in a contactless secure automatic electronic transaction system comprising: means for setting up a first communication channel, by induction and short range, between the portable object and a terminal, with first transmitting means (26) and receiving means (26), co-operating with a tuned element (20) so as to pick up a modulated magnetic field coming from a terminal or to produce in response a modulated disturbance of said magnetic field; and means for setting up a second communication channel, long range, between the portable object and a receiver, said means comprising second transmission means (40) co-operating with an antenna (42) so as to radiate a modulated radio frequency wave. The second transmission means are capable of setting up a communication channel separate from the induction channel and of transmitting its own particular data to the remote receiver, and further means (26, 36 PWR) for selectively activating the second transmission means are provided.

Description

PORTABLE COMMUNICATION OBJECT WITHOUT CONTACT THAT FOLLOW TWO WAYS OF COMMUNICATION, INDUCTIVE AND HERTZIAN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention refers to non-contact communication between a terminal and a portable object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION These contactless data exchange systems are well known and, among the applications of this technique, access control and electronic toll collection are found (in a non-restrictive way), for example for access and toll in transports massive In this last example, each user is provided with a portable object of the type "contactless card" or "contactless badge" which is an object capable of exchanging information with a fixed terminal when approximating the nametag to the latter, in order to to allow a non-galvanic coupling. The invention visualizes the case in which the exchange of information consecutive to this coupling operates by varying a magnetic field produced by an induction coil, a technique known as the "induction process". The terminal comprises, for this, a circuit that provides excitation by an alternative signal that produces in the surrounding space a P1060 / 00MX alternative magnetic field. The portable object that is in this space detects this field thanks to a circuit provided at the same frequency and forwards the signals in the direction of the terminal, by coupling modulation, for example, and thus establishes the desired communication dialogue. EP-A-0 565 469 (Innovatron Industries) describes a data exchange system using this technology. By nature, this induction process involves a short range, typically less than 1 meter, preferably less than 20 cm, in order to define well the geometry of the terminal action area, avoid interference between neighboring terminals and prevent the establishment of exchange of untimely data with distant badges.

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes to add to a badge of this type a means of communication of long range (typically a range greater than 10 m, preferably greater than 30 m) that allows to establish a communication path different from the via induction, usable for other purposes. Thus, in the aforementioned application of electronic toll collection for mass transports, it may be annexed to the traditional function of issuing P1060 / 00HX tickets without contact, which is carried out by means of communication by induction, an emergency call function or alarm that is carried out by the same badge, but with circuits and means of common or partially common feeding , and directly by the badge holder. This application is not limitative and the invention can also be carried out, for example, in the field of home automation, the short-range induction communication path used as a key for access or unblocking alarms, and the long communication path. scope that serves for telecommand functions, for example for the opening of a portal or a garage door. In this way the term "card" or "badge" is not in any way limiting and it is understood that other forms of portable objects such as keys, bracelets, etc., are of course within the scope of the invention. The "badge" can also be constituted in the manner in which it is illustrated in the aforementioned EP-A-0 565 469, of a device comprising, in combination, a microcircuit card of the "smart card" type of combined contacts in a flat case, in which these cards are inserted and which comprises the transmission / reception circuits that serve as an interface for communication between this microcircuit card and a distant terminal.

P1060 / 00MX There are system cards, such as those described for example in documents US-A-5 054 112 and EP-A-0 575 013, which combine two modes of data transmission, by short-range induction and by radio (or hyperfrequency) long range.

However, it is a matter of obtaining a redundancy in the emission of data using two techniques to the alternatives according to the propagation conditions, with automatic switching of the induction mode to the radio modus, in case the inductive transmission of any of them.

The two transmission modes are intended to transmit the same data and, therefore, do not form, in a functional sense, more than just one and the same communication channel. More precisely, the invention proposes a portable object of the type shown for example in the document US-A-5 054 112, mentioned above, that is to say comprising: means for establishing a first communication channel, by induction and short-range , between the portable object and a terminal, these means comprise first data transmission means and data reception means, which cooperate with a provided element in order to capture a modulated magnetic field that comes from a terminal or produce in response a modulated disturbance of this magnetic field; and means to establish a second, long-term communication channel between pioeo / ooHx the portable object and a receiving device, these means comprise second means of transmitting data that cooperate with an antenna in order to radiate a modulated radio wave. According to the invention, the second data transmission means are enabled to establish a communication path different from the induction channel and to transmit the proposed data to said remote receiver device, and the object also comprises means for selective activation of the second ones. means of emission. The second communication channel can be a unidirectional way and / or an emergency call channel. According to a certain number of advantageous subsidiary features: the selective activation means are operable at will by the carrier of the portable object and comprise mainly a press button, advantageously with means for detecting a predefined sequence of drives on the press button; the data emitted by the second means of transmitting data comprise a personal identification information of the portable object; the portable object comprises two dissociable elements, of which a first element, mainly in the form of a card, P1060 / OOMX comprises a microcircuit with a memory that contains the necessary data to carry out said electronic transactions and, possibly, carry out the communication protocol through the first and / or the second communication channels, and a second element, mainly in the form of a case, comprising the means for establishing the first and second communication channels, as well as the means for coupling the first element; in the first case, the portable object can further comprise selector means, commanded by the selective activation means, to apply a data signal emitted from the microcircuit of the first element, to an internal circuit of the second element, when the selective activation means they are in the inactive position, or to a data entry of the second data transmission means when the selective activation means are in the active position; the relationship between the long range and the short range is greater than 10: 1, and mainly a short range of less than 1 meter, preferably less than 20 cm, and a long range of more than 10 m, preferably more than 30 m. The invention also relates to a system comprising a plurality of data receiving devices emitted by portable objects as described above, by means of the second way of P1060 / 00MX communication, each of these receiving devices is associated with an area of adequate geographical coverage, characterized in that it also comprises location means to determine, in case of reception of a modulated radio wave coming from a portable object, for the device or devices that have received this wave, in order to allow the identification of the area where this portable object is located. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will arise from reading the detailed description that follows of an embodiment and emplifty of the invention, in relation to the single attached figure, which is a schematic representation of a portable object that incorporates the teachings of this invention. In the figure, reference number 10 designates in general terms a portable object of the "contactless tag" type which is for example (but not in a restrictive form) constituted by a card 12 with microcircuit 14 (contact card) inserted in it. a case 16 integrating the various contactless communication functions, in combination with the microcircuit 14 by means of an interface connector 18. A mixed structure of this type, contact card / case for non-contact communication, is described in EP- A-0 565 469 mentioned above, to which reference will be made to obtain P1O6O / 00MX more extensive details. This structure is advantageous since it allows to distinguish the purely numerical and logical functions of processing a signal, typical of the microcircuit 14 of the card (which can be easily changed or reprogrammed) and the communication hardware functions for non-contact transmission / reception , as well as the means of feeding. It is also possible to provide each user with a microcircuit card that allows carrying out the operations of tele-issuing tickets and also integrating in advance the software or logic suitable for the security call function; the user of the card may, in a second moment, obtain a case that integrates the means that allow to effectively activate this security call. The microcircuit card 12 can optionally be a mixed contacts / non-contact card, which authorizes an exchange of data with the microcircuit memory, regardless of whether it is done by galvanic contacts or by induction by means of circuits incorporated in the card, circuits that are generally powered by the terminal (these two alternative modes of communication, however, do not constitute more than a single "communication channel" in the sense of the invention, since they are intended to transmit essentially the same data). This card 12 of P106O / 00MX mixed type will be inserted into the case 16 to carry out the functions according to the invention. The portable object 10 comprises, for inductive data exchange, a circuit 20 consisting of a coil 22 formed of a printed loop and associated with a capacitor 24, the assembly is provided at a given frequency, for example 13.56 Hz, allowing bidirectional data exchange with a terminal using the technique called "by induction". The portable object also comprises an analog and numerical integrated circuit 26, typically made from a microcontroller and interface circuits, all preferably being conceptualized in the form of a specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The circuit 26 receives on a port 1/0 input / output of data, the information coming from the microcircuit 14 through the interface connector 18, a line 28 and a selector or multiplexer circuit 30, whose function will be explained later. The circuit 26 is also connected to a microcircuit 14 by a bus 32 (clock, zeroed, supply voltage, ground). The circuit 26 is guided by a quartz 34 and is connected to a press button 36 that can be operated externally by the user. Finally, the circuitry of the portable object is powered by one or more batteries 38, for example lithium batteries.

P10S0 / 00 X In a characteristic manner of the invention, the portable object further comprises a data transmission circuit 409 associated with an antenna 42 suitable for emitting a radio wave (hertzian). This emitter is powered by batteries 38 (or possibly a single battery). It can be constituted for example of a single transistor associated with a surface wave filter and a variable capacity diode. The associated antenna is printed on the circuit in order to obtain a compact product. It will be noted that, in order to decrease the cost of the "safety call" function, a unidirectional transmission is selected, that is to say that the circuit 40 is not provided with the reception functions (in the illustrated example). The emission frequency is (in no way restrictive) of 433.92 MHz, with a FSK modulation of 10 kHz (± 20%) of the data applied to the input on the I / O port. The emission power is of the order of 7 mW (5 dBM), for a consumption lower than 10 mA under a supply voltage of 4.5 to 6 V provided by two lithium batteries 38 (or possibly a single battery). The circuit 40 also comprises an activation input port WR on the order of the circuit 26. The sequence of operation is as follows: The first case is that of the input of the P1060 / 0OMX portable object in the field of action of an induction terminal. The circuit 26 then puts voltage on the circuit 14, which will then decide its operation when examining the state register of the circuit 26. The multiplexer 30 directs the signal 1/0 to the circuit 26 to allow the data change by induction, in a manner that is already known and will not be described in detail. It will simply be indicated that the messages exchanged between the portable object and the terminal are by nature subject to numerous interferences or data losses, which implies a message format that allows a very reliable error detection, with protection against noise between the frames. The typical general format is: "Frarae Start / data0 / datai / ... / datan_i / datan / CRLC / CRCH / FrameEend". FrameStart and FrameEnd are particular sequences that can not be recovered in the data, and that vary according to the direction of transmission. Datao / datai / ... / datan-i / datan are N octets of arbitrary data. The maximum length of the frame (typically 80 octets), varies according to the modalities and is limited by the space of RAM available in the portable object. It contains all or part of the information that allows you to carry out a ticketing transaction quickly and safely.

P1060 / 00MX CRCL and CRCH are two octet functions of the N data octets that are generated and verified according to the FCS algorithm of the CCITT specification X25 # 2.2.7 and V42 # 8.1.1.6.1. Functionally, the different orders that are in play are, for a typical transaction of tele-issuance of tickets: initialization of the certificate, mutual control of the certificate, - invalidation, universal reading, universal writing, reading profiles and historical profiles, writing request in a new historical profile with eventual sale of a chip holder, presentation of a non-encrypted key. All this is carried out in the first case mentioned above, that is to say in the communication by induction with a terminal, for example a transport toll validator in common. The second case is that of the actuation of the press button 36. The circuit 26 is placed even more under the voltage of the circuit 14, which detects the operation of the button by reading the status register of the circuit 26. If this drive is confirmed ( for example by keeping the force on the button that can be pressed or by a second actuation of the button after a brief delay of the first), the P1060 / 00MX microcircuit 14 directs the portable object so that it flips in "emergency call issuance" mode. This mode will have the effect of activating the PWR signal, which, on the one hand, will make the multiplexer 30 pass to the position that allows the data emitted from the line 28 to be routed to the input port 1/0 of the emitter circuit 40 and , on the other hand, order the energization of the transmitter. The data suitable for the emergency call sequence are then coded and signaled by the microcircuit 14 and then transmitted by the transmitter to a remote radio receiver device. In a variant, the PWR signal may be generated by the I / O data emitted by the input port of the transmitter 40. In order to secure the call, the message format that contains redundancy and uses an error correction code, allows correct two errors over eight bits. The transmitted data include, for example, the serial number of the card, accompanied by a DES signature for that number: these information allow identifying the memory card and, therefore, the person and the origin of the call. In addition, always for safety, the emergency call message is issued to various recovery devices.

P1060 / 00MX ir'íi ¿i i '' -'mi líiir'iiimán * r1Í-W¾¡ ^ i - ^ - ^ So you can foresee a message formatted or example as follows: 24 octets per frame, 4 frames identical issued on each call, - one frame level, correction code "2 errors over 8 bits" and then detector code "1 error over 4 bits" (4 octets of serial number that generates 20 bytes), 2 frame synchronization words interleaved with the data . In addition, the software or logic program can incorporate a protocol that limits the number of consecutive calls, in order to avoid an abusive use, by means of the rearmament when the portable object enters the field of action of a terminal by induction. The receiver of a classical type comprises steps of receiving, demodulating and decoding the signal. In a variant, the receiver is of the type called "scanning", which scans the band of predictable emission frequencies and which is automatically adjusted over the effective frequency. The receivers or "beacons" are arranged in various suitable environments (eg subway platforms and corridors) in order to cover the widest possible area, with a range in the order of 60 to 70 m). The system advantageously carries means of P1060 / 00MX íii nf í-É '| "i ¾triliSi i iT iT iT iT il il il Wi Wi Wi Wi' '' '' '' '' '' '' '' discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación discriminación emergency call signal, this in order to locate the person who has issued this call If several receivers have simultaneously picked up the call, it comes from a point located in the region where the action areas of these issuers overlap The identification of the person who has issued the call will be made through a serial number on 4 octets of the card, contained in the frame received by the receiver, it is not necessary to transmit other information of the portable object to the receivers.

PIOSO / OOMX

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A portable object to be used in a system of automatic electronic transactions insured without contact, comprising: means for establishing a first communication path, by induction and short range, between the portable object and a terminal, these means comprise various means of data transmission and data receiving means cooperating with an element provided with the In order to capture a modulated magnetic field that comes from a terminal or to produce, in response, a modulated perturbation of this magnetic field; and means for establishing a second, long-range communication path between the portable object and a receiving device, these means comprise second means of transmitting data that cooperate with an antenna for the purpose of radiating a radio-modulated wave, the portable object it is characterized in that: the second data transmission means are enabled to establish a communication channel different from the induction channel and to transmit the appropriate data to said channel P1C60 / OOMX distant receiving device, and comprises means for selective activation of the second emission means. 2. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the second communication path is a unidirectional path. The portable object according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second communication path is an emergency call path. ^ LO 4. The portable object according to claim 1 to 3, wherein the means for selective activation can be actuated at will by the carrier of the portable object and mainly comprise an oppressive button. 5. The portable object according to claim 4, wherein the selective activation means comprises means for detecting a predefined sequence of oppressive button operations. 6. The portable object according to claim 1 to 5, wherein the data emitted by the second data transmission means comprise a suitable identification information for the portable object. 7. The portable object according to claim 1 to 6, comprising two dissociable elements, the first of which, namely in the form of a card, comprises a microcircuit with a memory P1060 / OOMX that connects the necessary data to carry out said electronic transactions and, eventually, to carry out the communication protocol through the first and / or the second communication channels, and a second element, namely in the form of a case , comprising the aforementioned means for establishing the first and second communication channels, as well as the coupling means to the first element. The portable object according to claim 7, further comprising selecting means, commanded by the selective activation means, for applying a data signal emitted from the microcircuit of the first element, either an internal circuit of the second element, when the means of Selective activation is in the inactive position, or either to a data input of the second data transmission means, when the selective activation means are in the activated position. 9. The portable object according to claim 1 to 8, wherein the ratio between the long range and the short range is greater than 10: 1. The portable object according to claim 9, wherein the short range is less than 1 m, preferably less than 20 cm, and the long range is greater than 10 m, preferably greater than 30 m 11. A system that carries a plurality of P1060 / 00MX data receiving devices issued by portable objects, according to one of claims 1 to 10, by means of the second communication channel, each of the receiving devices is associated with an area of adequate geographical coverage, characterized in that it comprises also means of location to determine, in case of reception of a modulated electromagnetic wave coming from a portable object, that or those devices that have received this wave, in order to allow the identification of the area where this portable object is located . P1060 / O0MX