Inductive antenna coupling for a surface acoustic wave transponder

Apparatus for coupling electrical energy into and/or out of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, such as a transponder, said SAW device having a piezoelectric substrate, at least one transducer arranged on said substrate for converting between electrical energy and SAW energy, and two input/output terminals electrically connected to said at least one transducer, said at least one transducer presenting to said terminals a prescribed capacitance at a given frequency range of operation, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) an inductive formed by at least one turn of an electrical conductor, the two free ends of said loop being electrically connected to said two terminals, respectively, and the inductance of said loop being substantially equal to said prescribed capacitance in said given frequency range;
• and
• (b) an antenna capable of receiving and/or transmitting radiation in said given frequency range, said antenna being inductively coupled to said loop, whereby said loop forms a protective DC short circuit across said two terminals and forms a resonant circuit with said SAW device in said given frequency range of operation.