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US 9,430,729 B2Granted
Broadband progressive tag
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorsRachid El Waffaoui, Christian Weidinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, an RFID apparatus is provided, which includes an input circuit that has an input impedance used for receiving RF signals. An RF-signal converter provides an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals. An impedance circuit provides and selects impedance values in response to at least one select signal provided by a state-machine logic circuit. The state-machine logic circuit provides the select signal(s) in response to the apparatus-operating power signal for selecting the impedance values and therein permit the input impedance to be changed for tuning the RFID apparatus.
Claims19
An RFID apparatus, comprising:
- an input circuit having an input impedance used for receiving RF signals;
- an RF-signal converter configured and arranged to provide an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals;
- an impedance circuit configured and arranged to provide and select impedance values in response to at least one select signal;
- a state-machine logic circuit configured and arranged to provide said at least one select signal, in response to the apparatus-operating power signal, for selecting the impedance values and therein permit the input impedance to be changed for tuning the apparatus;
- an attenuator connected between the RF-signal converter and the state-machine logic circuit;
- and
- a charge pump circuit coupled in parallel with the attenuator and the impedance circuit, wherein the charge pump circuit is configured to assist the RF-signal converter in providing an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals during a read mode of operating the RFID apparatus and configured to be turned off during a write mode of operating the RFID apparatus,
- wherein the impedance circuit includes a selectable capacitance circuit having a plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches in which unit capacitance is changed by increasing or decreasing a threshold voltage of at least one MOS device from the plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches.
5 more elements
An RFID apparatus having an input impedance which is susceptible to change due to environmentally-based impedance influences, the apparatus comprising:
- an input circuit having an input impedance used for receiving RF signals;
- an RF-signal converter configured and arranged to provide an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals;
- a capacitance circuit configured and arranged to provide and select capacitance values in response to at least one select signal;
- a state-machine logic circuit configured and arranged to provide said at least one select signal, in response to the apparatus-operating power signal, for selecting the impedance values, and therein permitting the input impedance to be changed by tuning the apparatus in order to compensate for the environmentally-based impedance influences;
- an attenuator connected between the RF-signal converter and the state-machine logic circuit;
- and
- a charge pump circuit coupled in parallel with the attenuator and the capacitance circuit, wherein the charge pump circuit is configured to assist the RF-signal converter in providing an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals during a read mode of operating the RFID apparatus and configured to be turned off during a write mode of operating the RFID apparatus,
- wherein the capacitance circuit includes a selectable capacitance circuit having a plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches in which unit capacitance is changed by increasing or decreasing a threshold voltage of at least one MOS device from the plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing an RFID circuit with an input circuit having an input impedance used for receiving RF signals, and with an RF-signal converter for providing operating power in response to receiving the RF signals;
- using an impedance circuit to provide and select impedance values in response to at least one select signal;
- using a state-machine logic circuit, responsive to the RF-signal converter by providing operating power during a start-up mode, to generate at least one select signal that selects the impedance values to change the input impedance, and thereby tuning the apparatus;
- performing signal attenuation using an attenuator connected between the RF-signal converter and the state-machine logic circuit;
- and
- assisting the RF-signal converter by using a charge pump circuit coupled in parallel with the attenuator and the impedance circuit in providing an apparatus-operating power signal in response to receiving the RF signals during a read mode of operating an RFID apparatus and turning off the charge pump circuit during a write mode of operating the RFID apparatus,
- wherein using the impedance circuit to provide and select the impedance values comprises changing unit capacitance using a selectable capacitance circuit of the impedance circuit having a plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches by increasing or decreasing a threshold voltage of at least one MOS device from the plurality of nonvolatile MOS-device switches.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.