Patent · US Expired

Programmable output devices for controlling signal levels in an RF/ID transponder

US5926110A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 30, 1995
Grant dateJul 20, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 30, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K19/0723
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A single integrated circuit for an RF/ID transponder includes a nonvolatile memory portion, which is ideally a ferroelectric memory, digital logic, digital interface circuitry, and differential analog driver circuitry for driving an antenna that is contained within the RF/ID transponder, but external to the integrated circuit. In series with each leg of the differential analog driver circuitry, and also fabricated on the single integrated circuit, are two groups of serially connected resistors. All circuit nodes associated with the resistors are connected to a signal level control logic block that is in communication with the on-chip digital logic block. The signal level control logic block is used to selectively control the output resistance of the driver circuitry such that a proper balance between incoming and outgoing signal levels is achieved. The output resistance can be programmed to several different levels, the granularity of the levels being determined by the number of serially connected resistors used. An optimum code corresponding to the optimum output resistance is stored in a small portion of the on-chip nonvolatile memory. The code can be externally programmed and up…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.