Registers – Records – Conductive
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-26
2004-12-14
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
Conductive
C343S870000, C343S895000, C343S741000, C343S804000, C343S866000, C343S867000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830193
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a non-contact IC card for use in a radio frequency Identification (RFID) system. More particularly, this invention relates to a non-contact IC card for use in a non-contact IC card system in which personal data is read in non-contact condition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A non-contact IC card disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-312445 (1998) is known as a conventional non-contact IC card.
FIG. 17
is a block diagram of the conventional non-contact IC card.
In
FIG. 17
, non-contact IC card
19
permits its stored information to be read in non-contact condition. Proximity type non-contact unit
20
is constructed of proximity type antenna
21
and proximity type communication controller
22
. Proximity type antenna
21
transmits and receives a radio wave in communication with a nearby external device or in reception of electric power from the nearby external device. Proximity type communication controller
22
includes proximity modulator/demodulator
23
and proximity power supply
24
. Proximity modulator/demodulator
23
has the function of controlling data communication with the nearby external device, and proximity power supply
24
has the function of converting the radio wave, which is incident on proximity type antenna
21
from the nearby external device, to the electric power.
Remote type non-contact unit
25
is constructed of remote type antenna
26
and remote type communication controller
27
. Remote type antenna
26
transmits and receives a radio wave in communication with a remote external device or in reception of electric power from the remote external device. Remote type communication controller
27
includes remote modulator/demodulator
28
and remote power supply
29
. Remote modulator/demodulator
28
has the function of controlling data communication with the remote external device, and remote power supply
29
has the function of converting the radio wave, which is incident on remote type antenna
26
from the remote external device, to the electric power.
Microprocessor (MPU)
30
includes information storage unit
31
, which stores a program for processing information within non-contact IC card
19
in response to an external instruction, and information processing unit
32
, which runs the program stored in information storage unit
31
in accordance with the external instruction to perform information processing such as operation on data.
Power storage unit
33
stores the electric power, which is transmitted from proximity and remote power supplies
24
,
29
, temporarily and supplies the electric power to effect the operation of information processing unit
32
.
By having the structure described above, one non-contact IC card
19
is usable both in proximate and remote modes. Moreover, a program for automatically discriminating between the proximate mode and the remote mode based on the received radio wave is stored in information storage unit
31
. When the radio wave is received, information processing unit
32
runs this program, so that internal processing in IC card
19
can be set automatically, the proximity type function can be performed in a field requiring high security, and the remote type function can be performed in a field requiring convenience.
Because above-described conventional non-contact IC card
19
includes the antenna and the communication controller for each of the proximate and remote modes, it is difficult to reduce the size and cost of IC card
19
. Since it has been desired recently that a non-contact IC card be small, low-cost and usable both in a long-distance non-contact IC card system (e.g. an entry and exit system) and in a noncontact IC card system (e.g. a financial system) requiring high security, reduced size and reduced cost are demanded of the non-contact IC card.
Conventional non-contact IC card
19
is hard to use in the non-contact IC card system that requires contact use for high security because the setting of whether IC card
19
is used at great distance or in contact condition depends on the radio wave received from the external device.
Further, a non-contact IC card incorporating many services is on its way to becoming mainstream. Accordingly, it is desired that its IC chip be usable both in the long-distance non-contact IC card system and in the non-contact IC card system used for the service requiring high security and be low-cost and small.
The above-described conventional non-contact IC card, however, uses an IC chip, the size and cost of which are hard to reduce, because this conventional IC card requires antennas
21
,
26
of proximity and remote types, communication controllers
22
,
27
of proximity and remote types and others for use in the long-distance non-contact IC card system and in the non-contact IC card system requiring the contact use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A non-contact IC card includes:
an information storage unit for storing information;
a communication controller for controlling communication with an external device;
a loop antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio wave to and from the external device; and
a changeover switch for changing a communication distance between the external device and the card.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5198647 (1993-03-01), Mizuta
patent: 5337063 (1994-08-01), Takahira
patent: 5585617 (1996-12-01), Ohbuchi et al.
patent: 5940043 (1999-08-01), Canipe et al.
patent: 6343744 (2002-02-01), Shibata et al.
patent: 6398116 (2002-06-01), Kreft
patent: 6424029 (2002-07-01), Giesler
patent: 2319993 (2001-03-01), None
patent: 19645083 (1998-05-01), None
patent: 1 087 332 (2001-03-01), None
patent: 10-105660 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 10-312445 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 2000-172812 (2000-06-01), None
patent: WO 98/20450 (1998-05-01), None
patent: WO 01/43064 (2001-06-01), None
patent: WO 01/84492 (2001-11-01), None
Supplemental International Search Report for Application No. PCT/JP02/12429 mailed Jun. 20, 2003.
Partial International Search Report for PCT/JP02/12429, dated Apr. 2, 2003.
Frech Karl D.
RatnerPrestia
Walsh Daniel
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