# US 2019/0173700 A1 · Communication device and communication method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173700 A1 - Document ID: US20190173700A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/257,874 - Filed: 2019-01-25 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-17 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Hiroaki Nakano; Uichiro Omae; Hiroaki Fujita; Masayoshi Abe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173700A1 ## CPC - H04L 27/04: Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits - G06K 19/07: with integrated circuit chips - G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs} - H04B 1/59: Responders; Transponders - H04B 5/266: {One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils} - H04B 5/48: Transceivers - H04L 7/0337: {Selecting between two or more discretely delayed clocks or selecting between two or more discretely delayed received code signals} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A communication device according to the disclosure includes: a signal generator that generates, on the basis of the first signal received from a communication partner through a coil, a second signal that synchronizes with the first signal; a first modulator configured to be able to modulate the first signal on the basis of the second signal; a second modulator configured to be able to modulate the first signal; and a communication controller that selects, on the basis of the first signal, whichever modulator is to be operated, from the first modulator and the second modulator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication device comprising: a signal generator configured to receive a reception signal from a communication partner via a coil, and generate a transmission signal based on the reception signal, the transmission signal being synchronized with the reception signal; a phase adjuster circuitry configured to adjust a phase of the transmission signal based on the reception signal; and a first modulator configured to modulate the transmission signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a second modulator configured to modulate the reception signal based on the transmission signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communication device according to claim 2, further comprising: a communication controller; and a demodulator unit configured to distinguish a communication standard type of the reception signal from the communication partner, and supply a distinction result indicative of the communication standard type to the communication controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the communication standard type is one communication standard type selected from a group consisting of: a Type A standard, a Type B standard, a FeliCa standard, and an ISO15693 standard. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The communication device according to claim 3, further comprising an amplitude detector unit configured to detect an amplitude value VSW based on a voltage signal at a first end of the coil. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The communication device according to claim 5, wherein the amplitude detector unit is further configured to supply the amplitude value VSW to the communication controller, and wherein the communication controller is further configured to select one of an active load modulation or passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication device according to claim 6, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to determine whether the amplitude value VSW is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value Vth1, select the passive load modulation by turning on the first modulator in response to determining that the amplitude value VSW is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the active load modulation by turning on the second modulator in response to determining that the amplitude value VSW is not equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The communication device according to claim 6, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to detect a change in the amplitude value VSW from being equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the active load modulation by turning off the first modulator and turning on the second modulator in response to detecting the change in the amplitude value VSW from being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The communication device according to claim 6, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to detect a change in the amplitude value VSW from being lower than a predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the passive load modulation by turning off the second modulator and turning on the first modulator in response to detecting the change in the amplitude value VSW from being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first modulator is configured to modulate the transmission signal with an amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulation. ### Claim 11 A communication system comprising: a first communication device; and a second communication device including a signal generator configured to receive a reception signal from the first communication device via a coil, and generate a transmission signal based on the reception signal, the transmission signal being synchronized with the reception signal, a phase adjuster circuitry configured to adjust a phase of the transmission signal based on the reception signal, and a first modulator configured to modulate the transmission signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the second communication device further includes a second modulator configured to modulate the reception signal based on the transmission signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The communication system according to claim 12, wherein the second communication device further includes a communication controller; and a demodulator unit configured to distinguish a communication standard type of the reception signal from the first communication device, and supply a distinction result indicative of the communication standard type to the communication controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the communication standard type is one communication standard type selected from a group consisting of: a Type A standard, a Type B standard, a FeliCa standard, and an ISO15693 standard. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The communication system according to claim 13, wherein the second communication device further includes an amplitude detector unit configured to detect an amplitude value VSW based on a voltage signal at a first end of the coil. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The communication system according to claim 15, wherein the amplitude detector unit is further configured to supply the amplitude value VSW to the communication controller, and wherein the communication controller is further configured to select one of an active load modulation or passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The communication system according to claim 16, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to determine whether the amplitude value VSW is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value Vth1, select the passive load modulation by turning on the first modulator in response to determining that the amplitude value VSW is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the active load modulation by turning on the second modulator in response to determining that the amplitude value VSW is not equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The communication system according to claim 16, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to detect a change in the amplitude value VSW from being equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the active load modulation by turning off the first modulator and turning on the second modulator in response to detecting the change in the amplitude value VSW from being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The communication system according to claim 16, wherein, to select one of the active load modulation or the passive load modulation based on the amplitude value VSW, the communication controller is further configured to detect a change in the amplitude value VSW from being lower than a predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1, and select the passive load modulation by turning off the second modulator and turning on the first modulator in response to detecting the change in the amplitude value VSW from being lower than the predetermined threshold value Vth1 to being equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value Vth1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the first communication device includes a coil and a demodulator unit configured to receive data from the second communication device by detecting an amplitude or a phase of a voltage signal at one end of the coil of the first communication device. ### Claim 21 A communication method comprising: receiving, with a coil of a communication device, a reception signal; detecting, with an amplitude detector unit of the communication device, an amplitude value VSW based on a voltage signal of the reception signal at a first end of the coil; generating, with a signal generator of the communication device, a transmission signal that is synchronized with the reception signal; and selecting, with a communication controller of the communication device, one of an active load modulation of the transmission signal or passive load modulation of the transmission signal based on the amplitude value VSW.