CA1274299A

CA1274299A - Identification system

Info

Publication number: CA1274299A
Application number: CA000530921A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Henry S. Katzenstein
Original assignee: Brooktree Corp
Current assignee: Idesco Oy
Priority date: 1986-03-14
Filing date: 1987-03-02
Publication date: 1990-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-18
Also published as: AU6996187A; EP0245605A3; KR940007613B1; EP0245605B1; ATE77477T1; EP0245605A2; DE3779811D1; JPS62271078A; JP2519237B2; KR870009304A; US4752776A; AU587313B2; DE3779811T2

Abstract

IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
Abstract of the Disclosure A reader identifies information, such as the identity of an object at a transponder, provided in binary form by the transponder. The reader initially generates a pulse which activates the transponder into transmitting a series of signals, such as by magnetic induction, to the reader. Upon each count of a particular number of signals in the reader, the reader generates an additional pulse which causes the transponder to transmit a new series of signals to the reader.
The generation of the pulses by the reader may occur through the charge and discharge of energy in a storage member such as a capacitance. The series of signals produced by the transponder may have either a first frequency or a second frequency. The signals may be generated in each sequence at the first and second frequencies in an order dependent upon (a) the binary code identifying the object at the transponder and (b) the polarity of the pulse produced by the transponder in such sequence. The signals may be generated at the second frequency by connecting a capacitance across a coupling coil at the transponder. The reader then identifies the information by demodulating the signals received by it at the first and second frequencies. The reader is able to interrupt at any time the generation of the sequences of signals at the transponder when it does not receive the signals transmitted by the transponder.
The reader then operates on a free running basis to generate pulses of opposite polarity at a relatively low frequency. In this way, the reader is constantly prepared to activate the transponder when the transponder becomes subsequently disposed within the effective range of the reader.
* * * * * * * *

Description

~ ~ 7 4~ ~g 1 This invention relates to a system ~or identifying an

2 object and more particularly relate~ to a 5ystem for identifying

3 an object accurately and reliably in a minimal period of time.

4 The invention further relates to a system which is immune to high levels of extraneous noise or small obstacles in the path 6 of data transmission and which operates on a self-synchronous 7 basis without any need to provide a source o energy a~ the 8 object. The invention is also ~uite ~imple so that the 9 transponder at the o~ject can be incorporated into a single integrated chip and the reader displaced from the object ~an 11 also be incorporated into a single integrated circuit chip.

13 As our socie~y becomes increasingly complex, it 1.4 be~omes increasingly important to be able to identify different objects. For example, ln a~ aircraft plant for manufacturing a ~6 jet airplane, thousands, and even tens of thousand3, of 17 different tool~ are required to ~anufacture the different parts 18 incorporated into the airplane. It i5 accordingly important to 19 be able to identify the individual tools quickly and reliably.
One reason i~ that a fast and reliable ide~tification of each 21 individual tool ~s cost-ef~iclent because it minimizes the time 22 needed to ident~fy ~uch tool. Another reason is $ha~ a fast and 23 reliable identifi~ation of each ~ndlvidual tool m~nimizes the 24 po~siblility that the wrong tool will be sele~ted and used on a w~rXp;ece, thereby causlng the workplece to be ruined or 26 damaged.

2~ It ha~ been Xnown Qr an ~xtended period of time that 29 it would bo de~irable to provide a ~y~tem o~ obtaining a ~st and rellabl~ lndication ot ob~ect~ ~uch as toQls. ~n extensive ~il 4~

1 effort has accordingly been made by a wide variety of different 2 yarties to provide a satisactory system. Such efforts have not 3 been productive for a number of reasons. As a result, a 4 satis~actory system still doPs not exist ~or identifying objects such as tools.
7 The systems now i~ use are unde~irable for a number of 8 reasons. They are not fast. For example, some of the systems 9 use at the object a transponder which stores energy received from a remote reader and which then generates a code after such 11 storage of energy. m e energy is-stored by charging a 12 capacitance at the transponder. Other systems sweep a range oE
13 frequencies and detect the perturbations produced at individual 1~ frequencies in such freguency range. As will be appreciated~
both types of- systems are relatively slow.
~6 17 The systems now ;n use have other severe limitations.
18 The systems are not self synchronous~ In other words~ the 19 systems do not operate on the basi~ of clock signals internally generated in the system. As a resul~, the systems sometimes 21 provlde the reader with false ~nd inaccurate indications of the 22 code identifying the ob~ect at the transponder. Thl8 causes an 23 improper ob~ect to be identi~ied sometlmcs at ~he reader, The systems now in use also have other ~ritical 28 limitations. For exampl~, the systems now in use are sometimes 27 respon~ive to extraneou~ 9ignals. Furthermore~ in the systems 28 now in use, members in the path between the transponder and the 29 reader sometimes bloak the reception by the reader o~ the iden~1P~ing ~ignal~ tran~mitted by the transponder. This .,.,,., ~ ~.

~ ~ 7~'9~

1 bloc~age has occurred even when the members in the path are 2 relatively small. These problems have been exacerbated by the 3 fact that the system~ now in use are not ~elf-synchronous. This 4 has caused the systems now in use to identify objects

5 improperly.
7 The systems now in use are also relatively 8 complicated. This has cau~ed the systems now in use to be 9 excessively large from the stanapoint o the space occupied by such system~. It has also prevented the systems now in use from 11- ta~ing advantage o integrated circuit technology~ For example, 12 it would be desirable to dispose the transponder on a single 13 integrated circuit chip and to dispose all, or at least 1~ substantially all, o the reader components on another integrated circuit chip.
~6 17 This invention provide~ a sy5tem which overcomes the 18 above disadvantagesO The system is fast~ accurate and reliable.
19 It oper~tes on a se~-synchronous and passive basis. It is immune to extraneous si~nals ana it i~ eff~ctive even when small 21 members are d~sposed between the transponder and th~ reader 3 It 22 i5 simple and compact such that the tran8ponder i8 disposed on a 23 single integrated circuit chip and all, or sub9tantially all, of 24 the reader circuit is di~posed on another slngle lntegrated ~5 circuit chip. It i~ quite toler~nt of variations ln the value~
26 of components so that it can be produced economcal-y in 27 quantitY.
2~
29 In one embodiment o the invention, a reader ~which can al30 be consldered to be an interrogator) idelnti1e~

:.,".'.'........ ~ -:

~ ~ 7~ 9~

1 information, such as the identity of an object at a transponder, 2 provided in binary orm at the transponder~ The reader 3 initi~lly generates a pulse which activates the transponder into 4 transmitting a series of signals, such as by magnetic induction, to the reader.

7 Upon each count of a part~cular number of signal3 in the reader, the reader generates a new pulse which causes the 9 transponder to produce a new ser~e~ of signals. The generation of the pulses by ~he reader may occur through the charge and 11 discharge~ o~ energy in a storage member suc~ as a capacitance.

13 The series of signals produced by the transponder may 14 have either a first frequency or second frequency. m e signals may be generated at the first and second frequencies in each 16 sequence in an order dep~ndent upon ~a) the binary code provided 17 at the transpo~der and lb) the polari~y of the pulse produced by 18 the transponder in such sequence. Th~ s~gnals may be generated 19 at the ~econd fre~uency by connecting a capacitance across a coupling coil at the transponder. The reader then identifies 21 the informatio~ by demodulat~ng the ~ignals received by it at 22 the first and second frequenc~e~.

24 ~he reader is able to interrupt at any time the generation of the sequences o~ signal8 at the transponder when 26 it does not receive the signals transmitted by the transponder.
27 The reader then operates on a ~ree running bas~s to generate 28 pulses o~ oppo~te polar~ty at ~ relatively low ~requency. In 29 this way, the reader i~ con~tantly prepared to actlvate .the : . ., : . .
. .: .::................ ., ~Z74~9~3 l transponder when the transponder ~ecomes subsequently disposed 2 within th@ efective ranga o the reader.

4 In the drawings:

6 Figure 1 is a simplified bl~ck diagram of a system

7 constituting one embodiment of this invention for 9enerating at

8 a transponder in~ormation such as the ldentification of an

9 object, transmitting this information t:o a reaaer and identifying the information at the reader;
11 . .
12 Figure 2 is a circuit diagram, partly in block form, 13 of the reader included ir~ the ~ystem shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a circuit diagram schematically ~6 illustrat~ng ~he construction of additlonal fea~ures in the 17 reader shown in Figure 1;
18 .
19 Figure 4 is a circult diagram, partly in block form, of the transponder included ~n the system shown in Figure 1;

22 Figure S is a sect~onal view, in front elevation, 23 illustrating ~he ~or~struction o~ on~ of the members, including 24 cores and coils with magnetic propertie8, which are lncluded ln 2$ the reader and transponder ~o provide a magnetic coupl~ng 26 between the reader and the transponder7 2~ ~'igure 6 ls a view in side elevation o~ the m~gnetic 29 m~mber ~hown ;Ln Figure 5;
~1 ~2 -- S --~ 99 1 Figure 7 i5 one form of truth table illustrating the 2 operation of a format generator include~d in the transponder 3 shown in Figure 4;

Figure 8 illustrates wave orms of signals generated 6 by the reader and the transponder;

8 Figure ~ illustrates the characteristlcs of signal~
9 generated in the reader;

igure 10 schematically ~llustrates an integrated 12 circuit chip which incorporate~ substant~ally all o~ the 13 componentY of tbe reader; and Figure 11 ~chematically ~llustrate~ an integrated ~6 circuit chip which incorporate~ substantially all o~ the 17 components of the transponder.
18.
19 Figure 1 SllOwS a simplified diagram of one embsdiment of a system ~onstituting this invention. The embodiment shown 21 in Figu~e 1 include~ a pul~e generator 10 connected to a coil 12 22 at a reader generally indl~ated at 14. A freguency detector 16 23 is coupled to the coil 12 and output indicakion~ from the 24 ~requency detector are introd"ce~ to a line 18. A transponder generally indicated at 20 ~nclude~ a coil 22r A capaci~ance 24 26 exists across the coil 22. A switch 26 and a capac~tance 28 are 27 also connected ln serie~ across the coil 22 29 ~he coils 12 ~nd 22 are constructed so l:h~t they are magneticnlly coupled to ~ach other t~rough a inlte distarlce, ~ $.

~2~ 9 1 Ih;s distance may ~e in the order of a few milliinches to a few .2 feet. The coil~ 12 and ~2 are further constructed so tha~ they 3 will not be respons-ive to magnetic 8i gnals extraneous to those 4 generated by the coils 12 and ~2.

6 . To initia~e the operation of the system shown in 7 Figure 1~ the pulse generator produces a pulse indicated at 30 8 in Fi~ure 8. ~his pul~e i~ coupled as by magnetic induction 9 through the coil 12 to the coll 22 which produc~s a plurality of signals 32. These signals are limited in amplitude to produce ll signals 4~ having rectangular characteristics. When the switch 12 26 is open, the coil 22 and the capacitance 24 form a re~onant 13 circuit which causes the s~gnals 34 to have a f~rst frequency 14 such as three (3~ megahertz. However, when the switch 24 becomes ~losed~ the capacitance 28 becom28 conn cted in parallel l6 with each of the coil 22 and ~he capacitanc~ 24. As a result~
17 the signals generated by the transponder 20 have a second 18 freguency such as two ~2) ~egahertz.

ZO The information, such as ~he identification of the 2l object, ls transmitted ~n the form of a binary code constituting 22 a plurality of bit~ each represented by a binary ~1~ or a binary 23 ~0~ For each binary bit, a sequence of signal~ at both the Z4 fir~t and ~econd frequencie~ is generated at the transponder 20.
The order of generating the signals at ~he first and second 26 frequencies in each sequence relative to the pulses such as the 27 pulse 30 i~ dep~ndent, at least in part~ on the val~le o~ the 2~ binary bi~ belng identl~ied ~n that sequence.
2g ., ~ 2 ~

1 The si9nals, such as the si9nals 32, generated in each 2 plurality are magnetically coupled by the coil 22 to the coil 3 12 as by magnetic induction. The reader- 14 then counts these 4 signals. When the count reaches a particular value such as ten (101, the pulse generator 10 in Figure i generates a new pulse 6 such as that indicated at 34 in Figure 8. This pulse has a 7 polarity opposite to that of the pulse :30. This causes a 8 plurality of signals, such a5 th~se indicated at 36 in Figure 8 9 to be produced. ~he signals 36 correspond to the signals 32 except that they have a frequency ~iferent from the frequency 11 of the signal~ 32. For example, the signals 36 have the second 12 ~requency if the signals 32 have the first frequency.
13 Similarily the signals 36 have the f irst frequency if the 14 signals 32 have the second frequency.
... . .
~6 The signals 3S are then tran~mitted to the reader 14 17 and are counted at the reader. When the count rea~hes the 18. particular value such a~ ten (~0), the pulse generator 10 19 generates a pulse 40 (Figure 8) in the coil 12. This pulse has ~he same polarity as the pulse 30. The generat~on of the pulse 21 40 causes the transponder 20 to generate a plurality of signals 22 at one of the ~irst and second ~re~uencies~ I~ this way, ~he 23 reader 14 and the transpo~der 20 interact to provide for the 2~ generation of pulses~ such a~ the pulse8 30, 3~ and 40, at the reader 14 and the generat~on of a plurality o s~gnals at the 26 transponder 20 in respon~e to each o~ ~hese pulse~.

2~ A~ wlll be appreciated, each se~uence of ~ignals is ~9 ~ormed Prorn a partlaular number ~such as ten (10)~ o~ slgnals at the ~lr~t Prequency ~nd the partlcular number o~ ~Yllgnals at the e~

~ ~ 7~ 9~

l second requency~ ~li8 means that the time required to produce 2 each of the successive sequence~ is constant. In each se~uence, 3 the particular order o~ the signals at the first frequency and 4 the signals at the second ~re~ency con~rols the value of the binary bit represented by the seq~encP. This order is 6 determined by the frequency detector 16 which demodulates the 7 ~ignals produced in the coil 12 at the first and second 8 frequencies~ The ~emodulated si9nal is indicated at 42 in 9 Figure 8. As will be seen t the demodulated si~nal ~n each sequence has two time portions of unequal duration. The ll duration of the time portion corresponding to the signals at the 12 first freguency (e.~. 3 megahertz3 ls shorter than the duration 13 of the time portion corresponding to the ~ignals at the second 14 frequency ~e.g. 2 megahertz).

16 Figure 2 indicates additional details of the reader 14 17 shown in Figure 1~ he reader 14 showll in Figure 3 lncludes a 18 power source 50, such as a battery, constructed ~o provide a l9 direct voltage. One terminal oP the power source 50 may be ~0 connected to a refere~ce potential such as ground. The 21 stationary contact~ of a switch 52 are connected to the opposite 22 term~nal~ of the power sour~e 50. A connection is made from the 23 movable arm of the sw~tch 52 thro~gh a resistance 53 to one 24 terminal o~ a capacitance 54. Although ~he switch 52 is shown as being mechanicalD it wi}l be appreciated that the switch 52 26 may be formed rom electronic component8 such a~
27 seffli conductor~, a~ will be seen in Figure 3.

29 ~he co~ connected in Fi~ure 2 be~ween the second terminal o~ the capaaltance 54 ~nd th~ grounded terminal .... , ~ .

~ ~ 7 ~ 9 l Of the power source 50. The coll 12 and the resistance 53 may 2 be constructed to damp any pulses, following such as ~he pulses 3 30, 34 and 40, produced in the coil 12. The coil 12 is also 4 constructed ~o direct to the coil 22 ma.gnetic flux prod~ced in the coil 12 wlth a ~inimal leaXage of flux in any other 6 direction than in the direction toward the coil 22. By limiting 7 the leakage of flux from the coil 12 tv occur substantially only 8 in a direction toward ~he coil 22, the coil 12 is substa~tially 9 immune to stray magnetic field~. The coil 12 is al~o immune to interaction with magnetic or electrically conductive material ll which is not disponed in the path o~ the flux produced by the 12 coil.

14 ~he two terminals of the coil 12 are connected to input terminalg of a ILmiting ampl~f~er 56. The output signals 16 from the amplifier S6 are introduced to one input terminal of an l7 ~excluslve or" network, another input terminal o~ which receives 18. sugnals rom an output terminal of ~n astable multivibrator 19 generally indicated at fiO. The output signals from the ~exclusive or~ network 57 pass to the lnput terminal of a 21 counter 58, the output from wh~ch passes to the input terminals 22 of the clo~ked ~stable multivibrator 60~ The multivibrator 60 23 has two (2) ~ubstantially identi~al inputs and a cloc~ input, 24 one of the iaentical input~ may be desiqnated a~ a "set~ input (~Sa) and the other of such identical inputs may be designated.
26 as a ~resetq input (nR~. The signal8 introduced to each input 27 in the multivibrator 60 control th~ operat~on o an associated 28 skage in th¢ multivibrator~

Pir~t ~erminal3 o~ re~ ance~ 6~ and fi4 are 31 respectiv¢ly connected ~rom ~he outpu~ termlnal o~ each stage in :. 2 :~74~g9 1 the multivibrator 60 to the input termlnal of the other stage in 2 the multivibrator. Connections are respectively ma~e from the 3 second terminals o~ the resistances 62 and 64 to first terminal~
4 of capacitances 66 and 68, second terminals of which receive the reference potential such as ground. The signals on the output 6 terminals o the two stages in the multivibrator control the 7 position of the movable arm of the switch 52. The movable arm 8 of the switch 52 is moved ~lternately upwardly and downwardly in 9 accordance with the signals produced on the output terminals of the two stages in the multivibrator 60.

11 .
12 - The transponaer 20 is shown ;n additional detail in 13 Figure 4. It includes the coil 22 which is also shown in Figure 14 1. A capacitance 24 is shown in broken lines as being connected across the coil 22. The capacitance is show~ in broken lines ~6 because it may be considered ~o be ~ormed from distributed 17 capacitances in the coil 22 and in other elements in the 18 circuitry shown in Figure 4. If necessary, a discrete 19 capacitance can be connected across the coil 22 and can be considered to be included in the distrib--ted capacitance 24.
21 The coil 22 and the capacitance 24 form a circuit which is 22 resonant at the first ~requency such as three (~) megahertz.
23 This resonant circui~ generates ~gnal9 on a ringiny basis in 24 response to each pulse from the coil 12.
26 me drain o~ a transistor 7~ i5 connected to a irst 27 terminal o~ the coil 22 and the 50urce o~ the tran3istor 72 is 2~ connected to one terminal of a capacltance 74, the other 29 kerminal o~ whlch i~ common to the ~ecolld torminal of the coil 30 22. The ~lr~t termin~l o~ the ~oil 22 i~ also con~n~n with the 31 gate o~ a transistor 76 ~nd the drain o~ ~ tran5istor 78.
32 Connection~ arc made ~rom the second terminal oE tho coil 2~ to 7~9~

l the drain of the transistor 76 and the gate of the transistor 2 78. The sources of the translstors 74 and 76 are common with 3 the reference potential such as ground. The transistors 74 and 4 76 may be field effect transis~ors.

6 A voltage limiter 80 is connected across the coil 22.
7 The signals from the voltage limiter 80 are respectively 8 introduced through lines 81 and 83 to the two (2) input ~ terminals of a clock separator 82. The clock seperator 82 has a first output alternately providing first clock signals ll representing a positive polarity in the excitation pulses such 12 as the pulses 30, 34 and 40 and ha~ a second ou~put alternately 13 producing second signals representing a negative polarity in 14 such excitation pulses. The signals from the clock separator 82 are introduced to input terminals of a format gen~rator 84 and a ~6 multiplexer 86. Tùe output from the ~ormat generator 84 is 17 introduced to the gate of the transistox 72. The format 18 generator 84 also receives input signals from the multiplexer l9 86. Binary inpu~ information identifying the object to be identified may be lntroduced to input terminals of the 21 multiplexer 86 and may be stored in the multiplexer.

23 When the movable arm o the switch 52 engages the 24 upper stat$onary contact of the switch as shown in Figure 2t a circuit i~ es~ablished which includes the power source 50, the 26 switch 52, the resistance 53, the capacitance 54 and the coil 2~ 12. This cause~ a surge of current to flow throu~h the coil 12 28 to produce the pulse 30. The pulse is considerably dampeA, as 29 indicated at 90 in Fi~ure ~; because o~ the construction o~ the coil 12 and the InclusIon o~ the resi~tance S3.

~4~

1 The generation o~ the pulse 30 in~the coil 12 causes 2 the s.ignals 32 to be produced in the tr~nsponder 20. These 3 signals, in turn, ca~se signals to be coupled magnetlca~ly back into coil 12. These signals are l;mite~d in amplitude by the amplifier 56 and are then introduced through the "exclusive or"
6 network 57 to the counter 58. When the counk in the counter 58 7 reaches a particular value such as ten ( 10 ), the counter 8 produces a signal to trigger the multivibrator 60 from one state 9 of operation to the other. This causes a signal to be introduced to the switch 52 to act~ate the movable arm of the 11 switch from engagement with the upper stationary contact of the 12 switch to engagement with the lower stationary contact of the 13 swi~ch.

When the movable ar,~ of the switch 52 engages the 16 lower stationary contact o~ the switch, the capacitance 54 17 becomes discharged through a circuit including the capacitance, 18 the coil 12, the ~witch 52 and the resistance 53. As will be 19 seen, the current flows through the coil 12, as a result of the 20 discharge of the capacitance 54, is in an opposite direction 21 from the current ~k>wing through the coil 12 as a result of a 22 char~ing of the capacitance. The pulse 34 generated in the coll 23 12 as a re~ult o~ the discharge of the capacitance 54 24 accordingly ha~ a polarity opposite to the polarity oE the pulse 32. In th~s way, the pulses generated by the coil 12 26 alternately have one polarity and then the opposite 27 polarity. Ihis is indicateA in Figure 8 by a posit.ive polarity 28 for the pulses 30 and 40 and a ne~ative ~ olarity 1Eor the pulse 29 34.

~ 13 -.'',"

~ ~ 7~

l The tr~nsponder 20 produces a pulse, as by magnetic 2 induction, corresponding to each i~ the pulses, such as the 3 pulses 30, 34 and 40, produced in the reader 14. As previously 4 discussedr the transponder 20 also generates a plurality of signals every time that the reader 14 glenerates a pulse such as 6 the p~lse 30 or ~he pulse 34. Since the successive pulses such 7 as the pulses 30 and 34 have opposite polarities, the 8 pluralities of signals, such as the signals 32 and the signals 9 36~ generated by the ~ransponder 20 also have opposite polaritieS-12 The transistor 78 operates to pass to yround the13 negative swings of the signals produced on the upper terminal of 14 the coil 22 in Figure 4 so that only the positive swings of these signals pass to the voltage limiter 80 through the line ~6 81. In like manner, the transistor 78 operates to ground the 17 negative portions of the signals proauced on the lower terminal 18 of the coil 22 in Figure 4 so that only the positive swings of l9 such signals pass to the vol~age li~iter 80 through the line 83.
~1 22 The amplitudes of the signals introduced to ~he Z3 voltage lirni'cer 80 are l~mited to produce signals, 85 in Figure 24 8 and are then introduced to the clock separator 82. The clock separator 82 determines the polarity o~ the reader pulse 26 associated with each plurality o~ the signals produced in the 27 coil 2Z, such as the si~nals 32 or the s~9nals 36, and generates 28 a clock signal on ~ particular one of it5 out~uts in synchronlsm 29 with the occur~ence o~ 5uch pulse. As will be seen, ~ach 30 successive clock ~gnal colncide~ ln time wlth the pul.qe rom 31 ~he coll 22 and the polarity o~ this pulse is oppoSite to the 32 polarity of the prevlous uulse sinoe the pulseg 30, 34 and 40 ~ 7~ 9~

l have alternate polarities. Cloc~ signals, such as a clock 2 9ignal 96 in Figure 8, coincident in time with a positive 3 polarity in the pulse from the coil 22 are ~ntroauced from one 4 output line of the clock separator B2 to the format generator 84. Clock signals, such as a clock signal 98 in Figure 8, 6 coincident in time with a negative polarity in the pulse from 7 the coil 22 are introduced from the other output line of the 8 clock generator 82 to the format generator 84.

In addition to receiving the clocX signals from the ll clock separator 82, the format generator 84 also receives 12 signals from the multiplexer 86. The multiplexer 86 stores a 13 plurality of binary signals each hav; ng first and second logic 14 levels respectively coding for a binary ~1 n and a binary "0".
~he binary signals in th2 plurality have a unique code to ~6 identify each individual object. For example, the code may have 17 a pattern such as 011010110101 to identify an individual tool 18 from thousands o~ other tools, the least significant bit in the l9 plurality being at the right.
21 The succes5ive bits of information stored ln the 22 multiplexer 86 are introduced by the multiplexer to ~he format 23 generator 84 in synchronism with the clock si9nals o~ a 24 particular polarity from the clock separator ~. For example, when the first pulse in each s~quence, su~h as the pulse 30 or 26 the pulse 40, ha9 a positive polarity, the next bit in the code 27 rom the multiplexer 86 i8 introducec1 to the ormat generator 84 2~ upon the generation o a pulse o~ positlve polarity ln the coil 2~ 12. Since the multiplexer E36 operates at the be~innln~ o~ each se~uence to ~hlEt into the Eormat ~ollerator 84 t:he next bit o~
31 the code ident.l.~yln~ the ob~eat, the mult~plex~?l~ l3~ o~rates, in 32 e~ect, a~ a ~h~t re~ster~

""~

9~

1 The format generator 84 produces signals in accordance 2 with the truth table illustrated in Fiyure 7. Under certain 3 sets of conditions as specified in the truth table, ~he format 4 generator 84 generates a signal which causes the transistor switch 72 to become opened (or non-concluct~ve), This will cause 6 the coil 22 to generate signals at the first frequency such as 7 three (3) megahertz. Under other sets of conditions as 8 speeifiea in the trut~ table, the format generator 84 will 9 generate a signal which will cause the transistor switch 72 to become closed (or conductive~. This will connect the 11 capacita~ce 74 across the coil 22. As a result, the coil 22 12 will generate signals at the second frequency such as two (2) 13 megahertz.

Figure 7 illustrates one form of a truth table to show 16 how the format generator 84 responds to the polarity of the 17 clock signals from the clock generator 82 and ~he binary bits of 18 information ~rom the multiplexer 8~ to determine the order in 19 which the signals are generate~ at the first and second frequencies in each sequence. For example, as indicated in 21 Figure 7, when a binary "1" is provi~ed by the multiplexer 85 2Z and the polarity o the first clock signal in each sequence i9 23 positive, the format generator B4 initially opens the switch 72 24 in the sequence for times following a positiYe clocX signal.
This is indicated by the letter ~0~ in Figure 7 to show that the 26 switch 72 is inltially opened in the sequence. This causes the 27 signal~ at the irst freq~ency to be generated in the sequence 28 before the ~ignal~ at the second ~re~uency are generated in the Z9 ~equence~ Similarly, i~ n binnry "O" i~ to be 9enerated in a ~equenco nn~ the polarlt~ o~ t~ ir~t clock ~i~nal. in the ~ 9~

l sequence is negative, the switch 72 is initially opened in the 2 sequence and is subsequently closed in the sequence. ~Jis is 3 indicated by the letter "0" in Figure 7 for this set of 4 conditions. In Figure 7, the letter "C" for a set of conditions indicates that the switch 72 is initially closed in a sequence 6 and is then opened in the sequence.

8 As previously described, the successi~e pluralities of 9 signals generated by the transpon~er 20 are received by the reader 14. These signals are demodulated by the frequency ll detector and demodulator 16 and the demodulated signals are 12 introduced to the line 18. ~he pattern of the binary 1's and 13 binary O's in the multiplexer 86 can accordingly be detected by 14 determining the relative time duration of the positive and neqative portions of the demodulated signals in each sequence l6 and the polarity of the pulses such as the pulses 30 and 40 at 17 the beginning of each se~uence. Xn effect, the truth table 18 shown in Figure 7 is reconstructed.

The demodulated signals ~also shown at 42 in Figure 8 2l for one sequence) are illustrated at 96 in Figure 9 in relation 22 to the excitation pulses such as the pulses 30, 34 and 40. The 23 detection by the frequency detector and demodulator i6 of the 24 pattern of the ~inary 1's and bi~ary O's in the multiplexer 86 is facilitated by the fact that the duration of time between 26 successive pulses of the same polarity/ such as the pulses 30 27 and ~0, i~ substantially constant regardless of the order in 28 whlch the signal~ at the ~irst and 8econd ~requencies i9 29 genera~ed. For examplQ~ tho sum oP the duration o time between the pulses 30 and 3~ and betweon the pul~e 34 and tl1e succes~ive , ~ ~ 7 ~ ~9 l pulse 40 (all constituting one sequence) is equal to the sums of 2 the duration of time between the initial pulses in successive 3 sequences.

It may sometimes happen that the magnetic coupling 6 between the coil 12 in the rea~er 14 an~ the coil 22 in the 7 transponder 20 may be interrupted in the middle o~ the 8 generation of the sequences of signals to identify the object 9 associated with the transponder. This may occur for several reasons. For example, tbe transponder 20 may be moved out of ll the effective range of the reader 1~ or a member of relatively 12 large size may be disposed between the reader and the 13 transponder to block any magnetlc induction between the reader l~ and the transponder. The circu~try shown in Figure 3 is included in the reader 14 to operate under such circumstances.
16 The cir~uitry shown in Figure 3 includes a resistance 106, the 17 resistance 53, the capacitance 54 and the coil 12 shown in 18 Figure 2. It also includes a pair of transistors 100 and 102 l9 which may collective1y comprise the switch 52.

21 The transistor 100 may comprise à p-channel ~ield 22 effect transistor and t~e transistor 102 may comprise an 23 n-channel field efect transistor. The source o~ the p~channel 24 transistor 100 is connected to the power source 50. ~he drain of the transistor 100 and the drain o~ the transistor 10~ l1ave 26 common connections with the resistance 53 and with one terminal 27 oE the re~istance 106, the other terminal o which receives the 28 re~erence potential such as ground. ~he source o~ th~
29 transistor 102 also receive~ the re~arence potential suc11 as ~round.

"',''''' .'~ '~

~ 7 ~

l A connection is made from the gate of the transistor 2 100 to the output termin~l o~ one stage in the astable 3 multivibrator 60. The gate of the transistor 1~2 receives the 4 output si~nals from an "and" ~ate 108, One input terminal of the "and" gate 1~8 receives the Yoltage on the same output 6 terminal of the multivibrator 60 as i~troduces si~nals to the 7 gate of the transister 100. A second inpLlt ~erminal of the 8 "and" gate 108 receives signals produced on a ~ine 110.

When a signal having a logic level representing a ll binary "1~ is produced on the line 110, the system described 12 above operates to aetect at the reader 14 the binary code 13 provided in the multiplexer 8~ at the transponder ~0, However, 14 when the generation of the sequences of signals from the transponder 20 to the reader 14 is interrupted as by an 16 interrup~ion in the magnetic coupl~ng between the coils 12 and 17 22, the multivibrator 60 starts to operate on a free running 18 basis at a relatively low frequency~ For example, when the 19 slgnal on the output line from the multivi~rator 60 is low, the transistor 100 become~ conductive. This causes a current to 21 flow through a cir~uit including the voltage source ~0, the 22 transistor 100, the res~stance 53t the capacitance 54 and the 23 coll 12. Thi8 current charges the capacitance 53 After the capacita~ce 54 has become charged, it 26 discharge~ slowly through ~ circuit includln~ the capacitance, 27 the resistance 53, the resistance 10~ and the coil 12. When ~he 2~ ~ignal on the output llne rom ~he multivlbrAtor 60 becomes 29 high, thi~ nal pa~es through th~ "an~ ate lOB an~ causes ~he ~r~n~is~or 102 to b~come con~uctive, The remair~ charcle . . ~

~ 7~

l in the capacitance 54 is then discharged through a circuit 2 ~ncluding the capacitor, the re5istanc~! 53, the translstor 102 3 and the coil 12. In this way, the multivibrator ~0 operates on 4 a free running basis at a relatively low freq~ency. This causes the coil 12 to generate pulses at the relatively low frequency 6 to activate the ~ransponder ~0 when the transponder is moved 7 relative to the reader within magnetically inductive range 8 relative to the reader 14.

It may sometimes be desired to interrupt the dialog ll between the reader 14 and the transponder 20 while the reader 12 and the transponder are in the middle of this dialog, To 13 provide such an interruption, a signal having a logic level of 14 "on is produced on the line 110. This inactivates the "and"
gate 108. mis causes the char~e produced in the capacitance 54 16 to discharge slowly through the clrcuit including the coil 54, 17 the resistances 53 and 106 and the coil 12. Becuase of this 18 slow discharge, negative pulses corresponding to the pulse 34 in l9 Figure 8 are not produced in the ~oils 12 and 22.
2l A re~et generator 99 is connected between the clock 22 separator 82 and the multiplexer 86 in Figure 4. The reset ~3 generator 99 is responsive to the production of clock signals o~
24 alternate polarity by the lock separator 82. ThU5, when a negative pulse ~uch a~ the pul5e 34 is not ~enera$ed by the 26 coils 12 and ~2 for a particular period of time such as a period 27 , greater than the period between the pulse5 30 and 40 (but less Z~ than twice thl~ period), the re~et ~enerntion g9 operates to 29 reset the multiplexer ~, In thl~ way, a new oper~tion ln - ~0 -. . ~ . ~ ~3 ~L2742~9 1 identifying the object individual to tl-e code in the multiplexer 2 86 can be initiated.

4 The coil 12 produces a pulse every time that the capacitance 54 charges or discharges thro~gh the coil as 6 disc~ssed in the previous paragraph. These pulse~ interrogate 7 the area within the effec~ive range of the coil 12. I~ there is 8 any transponder within thi~ area and the coil 12 in the reader 9 14 points toward this transponder, an electronic dialog is instituted between the reader and such transponder, as discussed 11 in detail above, to determine the identity o~ the object at such 12 ~ransponder. Io thi~ way, by producin~ pulses at a relatively 13 low freguency as di5cussed above, the circuitry ~hown in Figure ~4 4 is ready at any instant to i~itiate an identification of the object at the transponder 14 i~ accordance with the unique code ~6 provided in the multiplexer 86. This identification is 17 initiated by providing on the line 110 a signal having a logic 18 level coding for a binary n 1 n .

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the construction of the 21 magnetic members, including the coil 12~ at the reader t4. A
22 similar construction may be provided for the magnetic members, 23 including the coil 22, at the transponder 20. A~ the reader 14, 24 the coil 12 is wound on a core 130 having an E-shape in section.
The coil 12 is di~posed on the middle leg of the core 130 and is 26 shialded within the end legs. In thi9 wa~, when the coil 12 i9 27 energized, it produce~ lea~age flux indlcated at 132 ln Figure 2~ 5. rrhi~ l¢aka~e ~lux ~xtend~ ~rom the core 130 ~n a controlled 29 direction. Irh~ leakage Elux -~9 ma9netlcally coupled to the coil 22 at the tr~n~pond~r ~0 ~O ~nduca si~nal~l:In ~he coil ~2 3~

~2 ~

l when the coil 22 at the transponder is within the effective 2 range o the coil 12 at the reader 14.

4 The reader coil t2 is included in a circui~ which incl~des the resistance 53. This causes the pulses, such as thc 6 pulses 32 and 36, prod~ced in the coil 22 to be damped. On the 7 other hand, the coil 22 i5 connected in a resonant circult which 8 includes the capacitance 2i ~and an additional capacitance if 9 necessary) to generate the signals at the first frequency and which includes the capacitances 24 and 74 to generate the ll - signals at the second frequency. Furthermore, the signals 12 produced by the coil 22 are not damped by any added resistance. -13 The coil 22 is also loosely coupled to the coil 12. For these 14 reasons, the coil 22 is able to generate a plurality of signals every time that the coil 12 generate~ a pulse.
1~
17 The system described ~bove is self synchronou~. This l8 results from the fact that the reader 14 produces clock signals, l9 such as the cloc~ signals 96 and 98, at a particular time in each of the pluralities o~ signals generated by the coil 22. It 21 also results from the fact that each ~eguence of signals 22 generated at the first and ~econd frequencies has the same time 23 duration. It al~o result8 from the fact that the coil 12 24 respond~ to the signals produced i~ the coll 2~ to produce a new pulse af~er each particular count of such signals and that the 26 coil 22 responds to each pulse generated by the coil 12 to 27 generate the plurality of signals. The 8ystem i8 ~ccordingly 28 self synchronou~ even ~hou91- no cloek qignals are externally 29 generat~d~
~1 ~ ~2 -~ 99 l l~e system shown in the drawings and described above 2 also has other important advantages. For example, the 3 transponder 20 does not require an ext~ernal source of energy 4 since it receives its energy from the pulses, gener~ted by the coil 12. Fur~hermore, the reader 14 receives a minimal amoun~
6 of energy since the pulses such as the pul5es 32, 36 and 40 have 7 a relatively short duration compared to the relatively long 8 interval ~etween successive pairs of pulses.
g The system is also advantageous because it is 11 relatively immune to extraneous noises and to small obstacles in 12 the transmission path. m is results from several factors. For 13 example, the coil~ 12 and 22 are responsive only to magnetic 14 signals emanating directly toward the openings in the cores upon which they are wound. Furthermore, the in~ormation is 5enerated ~6 in the form of fre~uency modulated code~ at speciflc frequencie~
17 such as the first and second fre~uencies. Another factor is 18 that the reader 14 generates each pulse only after it has l9 cou~ted a particular number of signal5 generated at each of the 20 first and second frequencies by the coil 22.
~1 .
22 The system shown in the drawings and described above 23 i5 also relat~vely fa5t. This results partly from the fact that 24 the transponder 20 responds instantaneously to the pul~es generated in the reader 14. It also results from the act that 26 the reader 14 responds instantaneously to the signals generated 27 by the transponder 20. It ~urther results from the fact tha~
28 ~ubs~antially all o~ the components in the reader 14 can be 29 di~poscd on a ~ir~t inte~rated circuit chip lOt) and that this chip i~ o~ relatiYely small æize. Anothcr cont:ributing factor s.

1 is that substantially all of the componentY in the reader 20 can 2 be disposed ~n an integrated circui~ chip 102 and that this chip 3 is of relatively small size.

The ~ystem described above i~ Also quite tolerant of 6 variations in component values. Thi~ ~ncilitates tlle relative 7 ease with which the reader 12 and the transponder 22 can be 8 manufactured in quantity. The relative ease of manufacture is 9 enhanced by the man~lfacture of the reader 14 on the integrated circuit chip 100 (Figure 10) and the manufacture of the 11 t.ransponder 22 on the integrated circuit chip 102 ~Figure 11~.

13 Although the system has been described above wi~h 14 reference to identifying an ob ject ~ the system can be used to generate any type of information~ This can be accomplished by ~6 eliminating the multiplexer 86 and introducin9 directly to the 17 format generator 84 signals generated externally to the 18 transponder in binary coded form to represent the information to 19 be identified. Alternatively, the externally generated information c~n be i~troduced to the multiplexer 86, which 21 stores such information an~ then introauce such information to ~2 the format generator ~4 by operating as a shift register.

24 The system shown in the drawings and descrlbed above is also advantageous because v~rtually ~11 of the components in 26 the reader can be disposed on integrated ci rcuit chip 100 in 27 ~igure I 0. ~he integrated ci rcuit chip 100 in Figur~ 10 is 2a illustrated only schematically nnd c~n be con~idelred to include 29 all o~ the componentg in ~i~ures 2 and 3 except ~or tl~e coil 1~
3~ and, in some cases, the~ cnpacltance 54. Tl~e capaclt;lllco 54 may ~ ~ 7 ~ 9~

l not be considered to be included in the inte~rated circuit chip 2 lO0 becau5e it is a chargil1g capacitor and accordingly has a 3 relatively high value.

Similarly, virtually all of the components in the 6 transponder 20 can be disposed on the integrated chip 102 in 7 Figure 11. ~he integrated circuit chip 10~ in Figure 11 is also 8 illustrated schematically. All o the components shown in 9 Figure 4 (except for the coil 22) are included in the integrated circuit chip 102.

12 By disposing virtually all of the components in the 13 reader 14 on the integrated circuit chip 100 and all of the l4 components in the transponder 20 on the integrated circuit chip 102, the reader and the t~ansponder can occupy minimal spaces~
~6 This allows the transponder 2~ to be disposed inconspicuously on 17 an object to be identif~ed. It also allows the reader 14 to be 18 carried conveniQntly in a pocket until lt is desîred ~o be used.
19 The disposition o~ the reader 14 and the transponder 20 on integrated circuit chips also allow~ the reader and the 21 transponder to be duplicated with ~ubstantially indentical 22 characteristics and to operate at relatively high ~reguencies.

24 Although this invent~on has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiment~, the 26 principle~ involved are susceptible ~or use in numerous other 27 embodiments which will be apparent to persons skilled in the 28 art. The invention i9, tl-ere~ore, to be limited orly as 29 indicated by the ~cope o~ the appended claims,

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In combination for generating information, a reader disposed at a first position, a transponder disposed at â second position displaced from the first position, means magnetically coupling the reader and the transponder, means in the reader for producing magnetic pulses to initiate a sequence of cyclic inter-actions between the reader and the transponder.
means in the transponder for providing a binary code identifying the information, means in the transponder for producing in each of the cyclic inter-actions signals having each of first and second frequencies in a sequence dependent upon the binary code in the transponder, and means responsive to the signals produced by the transponder at one of the first and second frequencies in each of the cyclic inter-actions for producing a pulse in the magnetically coupling means to initiate in the reader the signals in the other one of the first and second frequencies in such cyclic inter-actions.

2. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, means responsive to the signals produced by the transponder at the first and second frequencies for alternately producing the pulses in the coupling means with first and second opposite polarities in the successive cycles of inter-actions, and means responsive at the transponder to the polarities of the pulses in the successive cycles of operations and to the binary code identifying the information for producing in each cycle of inter-actions the signal at the first and second frequencies in a particular order relative to the successive pulses.

3. In a combination as recited in claim 2 wherein, the information identifies an object and wherein the binary code means provides a pre-selected binary code for identifying the object and wherein means are included for demodulating the signals at the first and second frequencies in each sequence to provide a signal having characteristics identifying the object.

4. In combination for generating information, a reader disposed at a first position, a transponder disposed at a second position displaced from the first position, means at the reader for producing a first pulse, means responsive at the transponder to the first pulse from the reader for producing a series of signals having an individual one of first and second frequencies dependent upon the polarity of the first pulse and upon the information being generated, means responsive at the reader to the series of signals having an individual one of the first and second frequencies from the transponder for producing a pulse of an opposite polarity to the first pulse produced by the reader, and means responsive at the transponder to the pulse of the opposite polarity for producing signals with the other one of the first and second frequencies in the sequence, the pulse means and the signal means specified above being operative to obtain the generation of successive sequences of the signal with the first and second frequencies to identify the information.

5. In combination as set forth in claim 4, the pulse means at the reader including means for counting, in each sequence, a particular number of signals at the first frequency and a particular number of signals at the second frequencies before initiating the next sequence.

6. In a combination as set forth in claim 4, means at the reader for demodulating the signals at the first and second frequencies in each sequence to produce a pulse demodulated signal, and means responsive to the pulse-demodulated signal for recovering the information.

7. In combination for identifying an object, a reader displaced from the object, a transponder at the object, first means at the reader for producing a pulse, second means at the transponder for providing indications in binary form to identify the object, third means responsive at the transponder to the indications from the second means and to the pulse for obtaining the production of signals having an individual one of first and second frequencies, fourth means responsive at the reader to the signals at the individual one of the first and second frequencies for producing a pulse having a polarity opposite to that of the first pulse, and fifth means responsive at the transponder to the pulse of opposite polarity for obtaining the production of the signals at the other one of the first and second frequencies.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, the third, fourth and fifth means being operative through a plurality of sequences to obtain the production of the signals at the first and second frequencies in each of such sequences in an older dependent upon the code in the binary form.

9. In a combination as set forth in claim 8, means responsive at the reader to the order of the signals at the first and second frequencies in each sequence for providing an indication of the unique code at the transponder.

10. In combination for identifying an object, a transponder at the object, a reader displaced from the object, means at the transponder for providing in binary coded form a sequence of binary coded indications in a unique pattern identifying the object, means at the reader for producing a pulse, means responsive at the transponder to each pulse from the reader for producing a plurality of signals having one of two individual frequencies, means responsive at the reader to each plurality of signals from the transponder for producing a pulse of a polarity opposite to the polarity of the previous pulse produced at the reader, and means responsive to the polarity of each pulse from the reader and to each binary coded indication in the sequence for providing controlled productions of signals at the two individual frequencies in each sequence in an order representative of the binary coded indications.

11. In a combination as set forth in claim 10, means at the reader for interrupting the generation of the signals in the sequences at the first and second frequencies upon a failure of the reader to receive the signals from the transponder and for subsequently obtaining the initiation of new sequences in the generation of the signals at the first and second frequencies.

12. In a combination as set forth in claim 11, means at the reader for counting a particular number of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies before obtaining the production of the next pulse at the reader, and means at the reader for demodulating the signals at the first and second frequencies to indicate the sequence of the binary coded indications at the transponder.

13. In combination at a transponder for identifying an object in accordance with a sequence of pulses; of opposite polarities from a reader, means responsive to the pulses from the reader for identifying the polarities of the pulses, means for providing a code identifying the object in binary coded form, means responsive to the pulses from the reader for generating a plurality of signals at a first frequency, a capacitance, switching means having first and second states of operation and connected to the signal-generating means and the capacitance for operation of the switching means between the first and second states to obtain a change in the frequency of the generated signals to a second frequency different from the first frequency, and means responsive to the identifying code and to the polarity of each of the pulses from the reader for controlling the operation of the switching means to the first and second states to obtain the generation of signals at the first and second frequencies in sequences indicative of the identifying code.

14. In a combination as set forth in claim 13, means magnetically responsive to the pulses and constructed to generate the plurality of signals at the transponder at an individual one of the first and second frequencies in response to each pulse from the reader.

15. In a combination as set forth in claim 14, means responsive to the signals generated at the transponder at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies for producing clock signals of opposite polarities at particular times in such generation of the signals at the transponder and the controlling means being responsive to the polarities of such clock signals to obtain the generation of the signals at the first and second frequencies in the sequences indicative of the identifying code.

16. In combination at a reader for use with a transponder in identifying an object where the transponder produces sequences of signals at first and second frequencies, means at the reader for generating a pulse, means responsive at the reader to the sequences of signals produced in the transponder at each of the first and second frequencies for counting the numbers of signals at such one of the first and second frequencies, means responsive at the reader to a particular count in the number of signals at each of the first and second frequencies in each sequence for obtaining the generation at the reader of a pulse having a polarity opposite to that of the previous pulse, means at the reader for demodulating the signals at each of the first and second frequencies to obtain an identification of the object, and means at the reader for obtaining a transmission of the pulses to the transponder to control the generation of the signals at each of the first and second frequencies at the transponder.

17. In a combination as set forth in claim 16, means at the reader for interrupting the generation of the pulses at the reader at any time in the middle of the generation of such pulses when the reader fails to receive the signals from the transponder, and means at the reader for instituting a new sequence of generation of pulses after the interruption in the generation of the pulses in the previous sequences.

18. In a combination as set forth in claim 16, means responsive at the reader to the interruption in the generation of the pulses upon the failure of the reader to receive the signals from the transponder for thereafter generating pulses at a frequency less than the frequency of generating of the pulses at the reader in response to the signals at the first and second frequencies.

19. In combination at a reader for use with a transponder in identifying an output member at the transponder where the transponder produces sequences of signals at first and second frequencies, energy storage means, switching means having first and second operative relationships, means including the energy storage means and the switching means for providing a storage of energy in the energy storage means in the first operative relationship of the switching means and for providing a discharge of the energy in the energy storage means in the second operative relationship of the switching means, means for producing a pulse of a first polarity for transmission to the transponder upon each charge of energy in the energy storage means and for producing a pulse of a second polarity for transmission to the transponder upon each discharge of the energy storage means, and means responsive to the signals of the first and second frequencies for obtaining an operation of the switching means alternately in the first and second relationships.

20. In a combination as set forth in claim 18, means at the reader for counting to a particular count the signals generated at each of the first and second frequencies at the transponder.

the signal-generating means being operative at each particular count in the counting means to operate the switching means to the alternate relationship from that in which the switching means has previously been operative, means responsive at the reader to the signals at the first and second frequencies for demodulating such signals to produce signals identifying the object.

21. In a combination as set forth in claim 20, means for interrupting the generation of the pulses when the count of the signals at the first and second frequencies fails to reach the particular count, and means for generating pulses, upon an interruption in the generation of the pulses in accordance with the failure of the count of the signals at each of the first and second frequencies to reach the particular count, at a frequency lower than the frequency of the pulses generated during the count of the signals at each of the first and second frequencies to the particular count.

22. In combination at a reader for use with a transponder in identifying an object at the transponder where the transponder produces sequences of signals at first and second frequencies, energy storage means, switching means having first and second operative relationships, means including the energy storage means and the switching means for providing for a storage of energy in the energy storage means in the first operative relationship of the switching means and for providing for a discharge of the energy in the energy storage means in the second operative relationship of the switching means, means for producing a pulse of a first polarity for transmission to the transponder upon each charge of energy in the energy storage means and for producing a pulse of a second polarity upon each discharge of energy in the energy storage means, astable multivibrator means operatively coupled to the switching means and associated with the switching means for alternately obtaining the operation of the switching means in the first and second operative relationship, means responsive at the reader to the signals at the first and second frequencies from the transponder in the coupled relationship with the transponder for producing signals at such frequencies at the reader, the astable multivibrator means being operative in response to the signals at the first and second frequencies at the reader during the coupling of the transponder to the reader to obtain the alternate operation of the switching means in the first and second operative relationships at a particular rate, means associated with the switching means and the astable multivibrator means to obtain the operation of the switching means alternately in the first and second operative relationships, in the absence at the reader of the signals at the first and second frequencies, at a rate less than the particular rate, and means for identifying the object at the transponder in accordance with the relative times between the generation at the reader of the successive pulses during the coupling of the transponder to the reader.

23. In a combination as set forth in claim 22, means for interrupting the generation of the pulses at the particular rate when the reader fails to receive the signals at the first and second frequencies from the transponder, and means for thereafter initiating a new sequence in the generation of the pulses at the particular rate in response to the reception at the reader of the signals from the transponder at one of the first and second frequencies.

24. In a combination as set forth in claim 23, means at the reader for counting a particular number of signals at each of the first and second frequencies during the coupling of the transponder to the reader, and means responsive to the particular count in the signals at the first and second frequencies for alternately producing the pulses of opposite polarities, the identifying means being operative to demodulate the signals at the first and second frequencies.

25. In combination for providing an identification of an object, a reader, a transponder displaced from the reader, a first coil at the reader, the first coil being constructed to provide a considerable damping in pulses produced by such coil, a second coil disposed at the transponder in magnetically coupled relationship to the first coil, the second coil being constructed to respond to each pulse from the first coil to generate a series of signals at a particular one of first and second frequencies, means at the reader for producing pulses in the first coil to obtain a generation of series of signals in the transponder at the first and second frequencies, means responsive to each generation of a series of signals by the second coil for obtaining the generation of the next pulse by the first coil, means operatively coupled at the transponder to the second coil for obtaining the generation of a series of signals individual ones of the first and second frequencies, means for providing in binary form at the transponder code identifying the object, means responsive at the transponder to the binary code for controlling the sequences in which the series of signals are generated at the first and second frequencies at the transponder, and means responsive at the reader to the sequences of signals at the first and second frequencies for demodulating the signals to identify the object.

26. In a combination as set forth in claim 25, means at the reader for storing and discharging energy, means at the reader for obtaining the charge of the energy-storing means after the generation of alternate pulses at the reader, and for discharging such energy after the generation of the other pulses at the reader, to obtain the production of the pulses by the first coil alternately with opposite polarities, and means at the transponder for controlling the sequences of the production of the signals at the first and second frequencies in accordance with the polarities of the pulses produced by the first coil and in accordance with the binary code.

27. In a combination as set forth in claim 26, means at the reader for counting a particular number of signals at each of the first and second frequencies, and means responsive at the reader to each particular count in the signals at each of the first and second frequencies for obtaining the operation of the energy-storing means in the alternate one of the charging and discharging modes.

28. In combination for identifying an object, a reader, a transponder displaced from the reader and disposed at the object, first means disposed at the reader and including an E-shaped core and a coil wound on the core, the first means being constructed to provide a damped generation of pulses.

second means disposed at the transponder and including an E-shaped core and a coil wound on the core, the second means being constructed to be disposed in magnetically coupled relationship to the E-shaped core at the reader, the second means being constructed to generate a series of signals in response to each pulse from the first means, means disposed at the transponder and responsive to the pulses generated by the first means for obtaining the production of signals by the second means at individual ones of first and second frequencies, means at the transponder for providing a binary code identifying the object, means disposed at the transponder and responsive to the binary code for controlling the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence, means disposed at the reader and responsive to the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence for obtaining the generation of the pulses by the first means, and means disposed at the reader and responsive to the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence for recovering the binary code.

29. In a combination as set forth in claim 28, means at the reader for providing for the generation of alternate ones of the pulses with polarities opposite to those of the other generated pulses, the sequence-controlling means at the transponder being responsive to the polarities of the generated pulses and to the binary code for controlling the order in which the signals at the first and second frequencies are generated in each sequence.

30. In a combination as set forth in claim 28, means at the reader for obtaining an interruption in the generation of the pulses by the first means when the first means fails to receive the sequences of the signals at the first and second frequencies from the second means, and means disposed at the reader and associated with the interrupting means for initiating the generation of a new sequence of pulses by the first means.

31. In combination for providing an identification of an object, a reader, a transponder displaced from the reader in an operatively coupled relationship to the reader, means at the reader for generating a series of pulses in the reader, means disposed at the transponder and responsive to each pulse generated at the reader for generating a series of signals in the transponder at an individual one of first and second frequencies, means disposed at the reader and responsive to each generation of the series of signals in the transponder at the individual one of the first and second frequencies for obtaining the generation of another pulse in the series, means for providing in binary form at the transponder a code identifying the object, means responsive at the transponder to the binary code for controlling the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence, and means responsive at the reader to the sequences of signals generated at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence for demodulating the signals to identify the object.

32. In a combination as set forth in claim 31, the pulse-generating means at the reader providing for the alternate generation of pulses of a first polarity and then of a second polarity, and the controlling means being responsive to the signals from the last mentioned means and to the binary code for controlling the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence.

33. In a combination as set forth in claim 32, means at the reader for counting the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence, and means at the reader for obtaining the generation of another pulse in the series upon each occurrence of a particular count of the signals by the last mentioned means.

34. In combination at a reader for use with a transponder in identifying information where the transponder produces, at a first rate, signals alternately at first and second frequencies to identify the object, means at the reader for obtaining a generation of pulses having a second rate less than the first rate, means associated at the reader with the pulse-generating means for transmitting the pulses at the first rate to the transponder and for receiving the signals at the first and second frequencies from the transponder, means responsive at the reader to the signals at the first and second frequencies from the transponder for adapting the operation of the pulse-generating means to obtain a generation of the pulses at the first rate, means responsive at the reader to the signals received at the first and second frequencies for demodulating such signals to obtain an identification of the information, and means for producing the pulses at the second rate when the reader fails to receive the signals from the transponder.

35. In a combination as set forth in claim 34, the pulse generating means being operative to generate the pulses at the first rate, and at the second rate, alternatively with one polarity and then with the opposite polarity, and means for counting the number of signals received at the reader at each of the first and second frequencies and for obtaining the generation of another pulse upon each occurrence of a particular count.

36. In a combination as set forth in claim 5, means at the reader for interrupting the generation of the pulses at the first rate when the reader fails to receive the particular count of the signals at each of the first and second frequencies from the transponder.

37. In combination at a transponder for generating information in accordance with a sequence of pulses of alternating polarity from a reader, means for receiving the pulses from the reader and for generating a plurality of signals in response to each of such received signals, means responsive to the received pulses for indicating the polarity of such received pulses, means for providing in binary coded form signals identifying the information, and means responsive to the signals in the coded form and to the indications of the polarity of the received pulses for producing, in successive sequences, signals as first and second frequencies in an order dependent upon the binary code and the polarity of the received pulses, the pulse-receiving means also being operative at the transponder to transmit the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies to the reader.

38. In a combination as set forth in claim 37, means responsive at the transponder to the received pulses for generating clock signals, the signal-producing means being operative to produce the signals in synchronism with the clock signals, each of the sequences including signals at the first frequency and signals at the second frequency, the signal-generating means being operative to produce the signals at the first frequency and at the second frequency in a particular order for a binary "1" upon the reception of a positive pulse and to produce the signals at the first frequency and at the second frequency in a reverse order for a binary "1" upon the reception of a negative pulse.

39. In a combination as set forth in claim 38, the receiving means including a coil, and the signal-generating means including a capacitance and switching means having open and closed relationship, the receiving means, the signal-generating means and the capacitance being connected in a circuit to provide for the generation of the signals at the first frequency with the switch in the open relationship and for the generation of the signals at the second frequency with the switch in the closed relationship.

40. In combination at a transponder for identifying an object in accordance with a sequence of pulses from a reader, the transponder including a coil for receiving the pulses from the reader and for generating a plurality of signals at an individual one of a first frequency and a second frequency upon each generation of a pulse at the reader, an integrated circuit chip, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for identifying the polarity of the pulses received by the coil at the transponder.

means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for identifying the object in a binary code, and means disposed on the integrated circuit chip and responsive to the polarity of the received pulses and the binary code for controlling the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in sequences identifying the object.

41. In a combination as set forth in claim 40, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for resetting the identifying means upon a completion of the generation of the signals by the transponder at the first and second frequencies to identify the binary code or upon an interruption of the transmission of the pulses from the reader.

42. In a combination as set forth in claim 40, the frequency-controlling means including a capacitance disposed on the integrated circuit the to control the generation of the signals at the first and second frequencies and further including a format generator disposed on the integrated circuit chip for controlling the generation of the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence.

43. In a combination as set forth in claim 42, the binary code means being constructed to provide a binary code in a plurality of binary bits and to provide a shift in the binary bit controlling the operation of the format generator in controlling the generation of the signals at She individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence when the signals at the individual ones of the first and second frequencies in each sequence has been generated.

44. In combination at a reader for use with a transponder in identifying an object where the transponder generates signals at first and second frequencies and where the reader includes a coil for generating pulses and for receiving the signals generated at the first and second frequencies, an integrated circuit chip, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for counting the number of signals received by the reader at each of the first and second frequencies, a capacitance, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for obtaining a charging of the capacitance, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for obtaining a discharge of the capacitance, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for controlling the charge and discharge of the capacitance, and means responsive to each particular count of the signals at the first and second frequencies for changing the operation of the controlling means to obtain alternately a charge and a discharge of the capacitance.

45. In a combination as set forth in claim 44, means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for providing for an alternate charging and discharging of the capacitance at a relatively low frequency when the reader doe not receive the particular count of the signals at the first and second frequencies.

46. In a combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein, the transponder generates the signals at the first and second frequencies in an order representative of information identifying the transponder and wherein the reader includes means disposed on the integrated circuit chip for demodulating the signals at the first and second frequencies to identify the transponder.

47. In a combination as set forth in claim 46 wherein, the demodulating means on the integrated circuit chip includes an astable multivibrator having first and second states of operation and wherein the astable multivibrator is associated with the counting means and is responsive to the particular count of the signals by the counting means at each of the first and second frequencies to become operative alternatively in the first and second states and wherein the astable multivibrator is associated with the capacitance to obtain a charging of the capacitance in the first state of operation and to obtain a discharge of the capacitance in the second state of operation.