# US 2021/0279540 A1 · Circuitry for use in smart cards and other applications

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- Number: US 2021/0279540 A1
- Document ID: US20210279540A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/261,369
- Filed: 2019-07-22
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-20
- Assignees: Drayson Technologies (Europe) Limited
- Applicants: Drayson Technologies (Europe) Limited
- Inventors: Alison LLOYD; Vitor FREITAS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210279540A1

## CPC

- 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}
- G06K 19/07756: {the connection being non-galvanic, e.g. capacitive}
- G06K 7/0008: {General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer}
- H02J 50/12: of the resonant type
- H04B 5/26: using coils
- H04B 5/266: {One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils}
- H04B 5/45: Transponders
- H04B 5/77: for interrogation
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

A smart card comprising rectification circuitry arranged to receive an alternating electrical signal from a near field RF communications antenna of the smart card, and convert it into DC electrical energy for powering an auxiliary circuit. The rectification circuitry comprises a first inductor arranged so that the alternating electrical signal flows through the first inductor and a second inductor arranged for inductive coupling with the first inductor to provide the alternating electrical signal to a near field RF communicator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A smart card comprising:
rectification circuitry arranged to receive an alternating electrical signal from a near field RF communications antenna of the smart card, and convert it into DC electrical energy for powering an auxiliary circuit, wherein the rectification circuitry comprises a first inductor arranged so that the alternating electrical signal flows through the first inductor;
a second inductor arranged for inductive coupling with the first inductor to provide the alternating electrical signal to a near field RF communicator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The smart card of claim 1 wherein the first inductor is arranged to provide impedance matching between the rectification circuitry and the near field RF communications antenna.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The smart card of claim 1, wherein the rectification circuitry comprises:
a rectifying element connected in a shunt configuration to an input connection for connecting a near field RF communications antenna thereby to provide a one way conduction path between the connection and a reference voltage connection, and
wherein the first inductor is connected between the input connection and an output of the rectifier for providing DC electrical energy based on the first alternating RF voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The smart card of claim 1 wherein the first inductor and the second inductor comprise tracks of conductive material carried on a dielectric substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The smart card of claim 4 wherein the first inductor and the second inductor are disposed on opposite surfaces of the substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The smart card of claim 4 wherein the first inductor surrounds the second inductor, and the smart card comprises:
a chip assembly comprising a near field RF communications chip, and the second inductor connected to the near field RF communications chip; and
a smart card blank comprising a chip seat for seating the chip assembly in the card blank,
wherein the first inductor is disposed adjacent the chip seat for inductive coupling with the second inductor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The smart card of claim 1 comprising a first switching element connected between the first inductor and a DC output of the rectification circuitry.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The smart card of claim 7, wherein at least one of
(i) the near field RF communicator; and
(ii) auxiliary circuitry carried by the smart card;
is arranged to control the first switching element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The smart card of claim 1 comprising a second switching element connected between the second inductor and a signal input of the near field RF communicator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The smart card of claim 9 wherein at least one of
(i) the near field RF communicator; and
(ii) auxiliary circuitry carried by the smart card;
is arranged to control the second switching element.

### Claim 11

A power splitter comprising:
an input connection for connecting to an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide a first alternating RF voltage at the connection; and
a rectifier comprising:
a rectifying element connected in a shunt configuration to the input connection thereby to provide a one-way conduction path between the connection and a reference voltage connection, and
a first inductor connected between the input connection and an output of the rectifier for providing DC electrical energy based on the first alternating RF voltage;
a second inductor, arranged for inductive coupling with the first inductor thereby to provide a second alternating RF voltage across the second inductor for connection to a near field RF communicator to enable said near field RF communicator to perform near field RF communications via the inductive coupler.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The splitter of claim 11, wherein components of the splitter are disposed on a substrate for integration into a smart card.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The splitter of claim 11, wherein the first inductor and the second inductor comprise laminar structures comprising tracks of conductive material carried on the substrate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The splitter of claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises a sheet-like dielectric interposed between the first inductor and the second inductor.

### Claim 15

(canceled)

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The splitter of claim 11 comprising a capacitor connected between the output of the rectifier and the reference voltage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The splitter of claim 11 wherein the reference voltage connection comprises one of: (a) a connection to a virtual ground, and (b) a second connection to the inductive coupler.

### Claim 18

A smart card blank comprising:
an inductive coupler for coupling inductively with a radio frequency, RF, H-field to provide a first alternating RF voltage; and
a rectifier comprising:
a rectifying element connected in a shunt configuration to the inductive coupler thereby to provide a one-way conduction path between a connection to the inductive coupler and a reference voltage connection, and
a first inductor connected between the connection and an output of the rectifier for providing DC electrical energy based on the first alternating RF voltage;
wherein the smart card blank further comprises a chip seat, for seating a chip assembly in the card blank, and the first inductor is disposed adjacent the chip seat for inductive coupling with a second inductor carried by a chip assembly thereby to provide a second alternating RF voltage across the second inductor for connection to a near field RF communications chip in said chip assembly.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The smart card blank of claim 18 comprising an auxiliary circuit arranged to be powered by the DC electrical energy from the rectifier.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The smart card blank of claim 18 wherein the first inductor comprises a coiled track of conductive material which surrounds the chip seat, and the card blank comprises a first dielectric substrate and the chip seat comprises a recess in the first dielectric substrate.

### Claim 21

(canceled)

### Claim 22

(canceled)

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

the smart card blank of claim 18 and a chip assembly configured to be seated in the chip seat for the manufacture of a smart card,
wherein the chip assembly comprises a near field RF communications chip and said second inductor connected to the near field RF communications chip.

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25

(canceled)