WO1996012252A1 - Method for operating at least one portable object in a multi-user, portable object operating system, and operating system - Google Patents

Method for operating at least one portable object in a multi-user, portable object operating system, and operating system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1996012252A1
WO1996012252A1 PCT/FR1995/001368 FR9501368W WO9612252A1 WO 1996012252 A1 WO1996012252 A1 WO 1996012252A1 FR 9501368 W FR9501368 W FR 9501368W WO 9612252 A1 WO9612252 A1 WO 9612252A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
transmission
reception
portable object
operating
fixed terminal
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FR1995/001368
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christophe Genevoix
Jean-Christophe Raynon
Jean-Marc Mathieu
Original Assignee
Topcard Monetique S.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Topcard Monetique S.A. filed Critical Topcard Monetique S.A.
Priority to AU38076/95A priority Critical patent/AU3807695A/en
Publication of WO1996012252A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996012252A1/en

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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G07CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07FCOIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F7/00Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
    • G07F7/08Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means
    • G07F7/10Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means together with a coded signal, e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
    • G07F7/1008Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K17/00Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
    • G06K17/0022Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/0008General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/0013Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers
    • G06K7/0021Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/0013Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers
    • G06K7/0056Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers housing of the card connector
    • G06K7/006Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers housing of the card connector the housing being a portable casing
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/10544Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum
    • G06K7/10821Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
    • G06K7/1097Optical sensing of electronic memory record carriers, such as interrogation of RFIDs with an additional optical interface
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06KGRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/12Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06QINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q20/00Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
    • G06Q20/30Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks
    • G06Q20/34Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
    • G06Q20/341Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
    • GPHYSICS
    • G07CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07FCOIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F7/00Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
    • G07F7/08Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means
    • G07F7/0873Details of the card reader
    • G07F7/088Details of the card reader the card reader being part of the point of sale [POS] terminal or electronic cash register [ECR] itself
    • G07F7/0886Details of the card reader the card reader being part of the point of sale [POS] terminal or electronic cash register [ECR] itself the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of operating at least one portable object in a multi-user portable object operating system, and such a system.
  • the present invention relates to a method of operating at least one portable object in a multi-user operating object system.
  • portable multi - user objects and such an operating system.
  • portable object operating systems which comprise a plurality of portable objects and operating equipment such as a data transfer device.
  • Such a system is known in particular from patent FR-B-2 266 222.
  • the greatest commercial development is known with operating systems in which the portable object is in the form of a card carrying an electronic component, which serves as a data medium, and which is accessible electrically by electrical contact terminals, when such a portable object or memory card is inserted, in the data transfer device or data reading and writing device in the memory card .
  • the fact that the data medium is remote from the operating equipment particularly allows greater flexibility in the public use of an operating system using such equipment, for example by allowing multiple accesses , or very fast, between several media present simultaneously or almost, and the operating equipment.
  • a first problem is well known from the state of the art. Indeed, if the direct connection of a data carrier to an operating equipment comprising a read and / or write head, is well known and relatively secure, the remote connection by immaterial link encounters significant technical difficulties the fact that the data carrier should be as compact as possible because the amount of data it must contain must be as high as possible for a given volume, and because the data carrier data must be carried by a user, natural person or mobile machine.
  • portable objects which provide the remote connection function, by immaterial link with the operating equipment.
  • portable objects include a housing in which the data carrier is inserted.
  • a reading and / or writing device is inserted in the portable object, and a remote communications device producing and / or operating an intangible connection is additionally arranged.
  • the portable assembly consisting of the portable object (reader) and its data medium. associated.
  • the organs of the portable object being generally of the electrical type, the electrical consumption necessary for the simple existence of the data medium is increased.
  • the invention therefore also relates to a means for adjusting the operating lobes of the transmission-reception means. present on the portable object and / or on the operating equipment.
  • transmitters and receivers of infrared radiation for the purpose of transmitting data.
  • such devices are already known in the context of remote control devices for electrical devices such as television receivers, and other products of the same kind.
  • the infrared link is essentially unidirectional, the remote control unit comprising a single diode emitting infrared radiation, and the receiver on the controlled device carrying a single phototransistor for detecting the emitted radiation.
  • most of these devices are intended to operate outside of sunlight, and more particularly, in private premises in which the parasitic sources of infrared radiation are extremely reduced.
  • the portable object must be connected in an outdoor or indoor environment, but in general in public places, to one or more fixed terminals constituting the operating equipment of the data medium.
  • the form that the lo-be takes of infrared radiation, both on emission and on reception, and when the portable object is in the vicinity of a transmitter or a receiver of the bidirectional link. is of paramount importance.
  • the use of infrared waves makes it difficult to manage a large number of portable objects.
  • the requester has defined the operating lobe of a transmitting and receiving device as being the space in which two-way infrared communication is possible, that is to say capable of generating in the communications management circuit. connected by means of bidirectional link an electrical signal of reception sufficiently pure to be decodable by the portable object, on the one hand, by the operating equipment, on the other hand.
  • the invention further relates to a device for transmitting and / or receiving infrared radiation, intended to equip a management system associating a plurality of portable objects and at least one piece of equipment for operating the data medium which is associated therewith. associated by an immaterial link using infrared radiation.
  • the invention also relates to a new coding method and a circuit for producing a non-material link suitable for transmitting data by infrared radiation.
  • One of the problems encountered in the transmission of binary data by infrared radiation comes from the limited characteristic of transmission of infrared in air, the transmission channel becoming very quickly saturated with radiation energy if one wants to increase both the range and the speed of transmission. Therefore, infrared links are considered in the prior art known to the applicant as being unfavorable for making information data links which should be executed with high relative speeds.
  • the operating system of the invention is capable of being used for intangible connections (by infrared radiation) called "on the fly".
  • several portable objects are likely to be located simultaneously in the operating lobe of the transmission and reception device of the fixed terminal.
  • the duration during which the portable object is in this operating lobe does not exceed a few seconds, a duration which is not generally felt as an annoyance for users for example of a toll system on the fly when the portable object is used as an electronic toll ticket for urban or public transport.
  • the invention relates to a method for operating at least one portable object or badge, intended for exchanging data with equipment for operating the data medium, the portable object comprising transmission means or transmission-reception means, the operating equipment comprising at least one fixed terminal provided with reception means, or transmission-reception means, characterized in that it mainly consists of:
  • the invention also relates to an operating system implementing the method according to the invention.
  • a system is characterized in that it comprises; at least one operating equipment, such as a fixed terminal, at least one portable object, said fixed terminal and said portable object further comprising a device for transmitting, receiving and / or transmitting reception intended to conform the operating lobes of an infrared immaterial link, said fixed terminal and said portable object further comprising a coding and / or decoding circuit intended for exchanging data by reducing the electrical consumption of the object at least portable ; said fixed terminal further comprising a circuit for allocating a communications channel to each of the portable objects which are located in said operating lobe.
  • - Figure 1 a diagram of an operating system according to the invention
  • - Figures 2 to 8 various diagrams explaining the embodiments of the transmission, reception and / or transmission-reception devices according to the invention, as they are produced in an operating system: portable object or operating equipment such as a fixed terminal
  • - Figure 9 state timing diagrams of a new coding scheme adapted to the infrared link of the invention
  • FIG. 10 a diagram of a communication circuit (reception part) suitable for decoding the coding scheme of Figure 8;
  • - Figures 11 to 13 figures describing the procedure and the means which make it possible, in the bidirectional infrared link studied, to carry out communications with several simultaneous accesses between a fixed terminal and several portable objects by reducing the risks of conflicts between portable objects;
  • FIG. 14 a list of software elements used to perform an application function on a terminal in a system of the invention using several competing portable objects according to the protocol described in FIGS. 11 to 13.
  • operating equipment comprising at least one terminal fixed, exchange of data with a plurality of badges or portable objects via infrared IR links.
  • the badges or portable objects each belong to a user of the operating system.
  • one or more users may come randomly to request an exchange of data with the fixed terminal.
  • the portable object 1 comprises a microcircuit card 2 intended to be inserted in the housing 8 of a portable object 1.
  • the latter is equipped with reading and writing means of the microcircuit 9 of the card 2.
  • the portable object also includes a communications management device which is connected to a transmission-reception device 11 to constitute an intangible link.
  • the transmission-reception device 11 comprises in particular two infrared transmission diodes 12 and an infrared reception diode 13, connected by means of circuitry adapted to the communication management member. and which make it possible to establish a bidirectional intangible link 14, 15 between the portable object 1 and the operating equipment 17 which has its own transceiver device for exchanging data with the transceiver device of the portable object so as to constitute a bidirectional immaterial link.
  • the transmission-reception device of the operating equipment 17 comprises at least one infrared transmission diode 19 and an infrared reception diode 18.
  • the fixed terminal can see in its operating lobe in transmission or reception one or more portable objects, such as portable object 1 or badges provided with the same kind of transmission, reception or transmission device. -reception.
  • FIG 2 there is shown the electronic part of a transmission device for an infrared link used in the invention.
  • the electrical signal carrying the information to be transmitted is transmitted to an input terminal 51 of a circuit 52 for managing communications (transmission).
  • the output of this circuit 52 is connected to a first terminal of a series of n analog switches 53, separately referenced from 53-1 to 53-n.
  • the second terminal of each switch 53-1 to 53-n is connected to a terminal of a suitably polarized infrared emitting diode 54-1 to 54-n, in an array of emitting diodes 54.
  • the electrode control of each switch 53-1 to 53-n is connected to the output of a circuit 55 generating an electronic emission mask.
  • the circuit 55 can receive a configuration in the form of a configuration word 56, for example generated during manufacture by a generator with coding wheels, or received from the operating system in which it is inserted, so as to activate a region predetermined network 54 of emission diodes, so as to conform the operating lobe.
  • a configuration word 56 for example generated during manufacture by a generator with coding wheels, or received from the operating system in which it is inserted, so as to activate a region predetermined network 54 of emission diodes, so as to conform the operating lobe.
  • the circuit of Figure 2 has been shown for an array of transmit diodes. It can be adapted to the case where a plurality of phototransistors is provided at the reception.
  • the diode array 54 is produced in the form of two-dimensional diode arrays emitters, as shown in Figure 3.
  • the Dxy diodes are placed at the x and y intersections of a rectangular grid.
  • the transmission and reception device of the invention has been envisaged for a fixed terminal.
  • the electronic circuits recited in FIG. 2, and still others are mounted on a printed circuit board which is mechanically associated with the substrate on which the two-dimensional network of emitting diodes is mounted.
  • a transmission and reception device has also been produced, constituted on the dual-phase network Dxy of FIG. 3, the reception part being based around a single reception phototransistor PR, placed at the center of the two-dimensional network of emitting diodes. Dxy, or in a position inside the network.
  • the reception signal which comes from the detection signals from each phototransistor, is then obtained according to the embodiments by the following means: voting of the detection signal coming from the phototransistor producing the best characterization in amplitude, or in comparison with a predetermined initialization signal, generated at the start of communication;
  • the portable object which can be constituted by a reader of a removable support or by a badge in which the data support is irremovable, naturally carries a device of emission and reception similar to those which are described for the fixed equipment terminals of the complete management system.
  • FIG. 3 For reasons of reducing the electrical consumption and the mechanical bulk of the portable object, the applicant has studied an embodiment (FIG. 3) in which:
  • the device for transmitting and receiving fixed terminals comprises a network of 24 transmitting diodes in 6 columns of 4 rows and a single receiving phototransistor placed at the center of the network of transmitting diodes;
  • the device for transmitting and receiving each portable object comprises two emitting diodes arranged on either side of a single receiving phototransitor.
  • the device for transmitting and receiving the portable object preferably comprises a collimator constituted by a waveguide arranged on the receiving phototransistor.
  • the guide is unique and is cylindrical.
  • Such a waveguide has been represented with the reference Oe in FIG. 4, which is a top view of the transceiver device, and which is arranged at a horizontal distance along the predetermined axis Ox L3 and at a vertical distance along the predetermined axis Oy L1, the center 0 of the coordinates being arranged at the reception phototransistor PR.
  • mechanical means were used, represented in FIGS. 3 to 6.
  • the configuration of the radiation lobes is ensured by collimation by to screens, masks, blinders or waveguides.
  • the Dxy diodes bordering the outside of the two-dimensional network were covered by a mask Ma, opaque and absorbing infrared radiation. This mask has effects similar to those produced electronically and can be combined with them.
  • the photoreceptor PR is protected by a waveguide or eyepiece Oe, which surrounds it.
  • FIGs 5 and 6 there is shown a front sectional view of part of a transmission or transmission-reception device according to the invention, in which ( Figure 5) we show how to adapt the shape of the lobe asymmetrically or not using the parameters H (height of the waveguide) and L1, L2 (distances from the vertical walls of the waveguide to the center of the photoreceptor, in a first direction of the plane).
  • H height of the waveguide
  • L1, L2 distances from the vertical walls of the waveguide to the center of the photoreceptor, in a first direction of the plane.
  • a cylindrical waveguide has been placed around the photoreceptor PR, and the reception lobe (or total energy received by the photoreceptor PR, as well as the number of portable objects which the fixed terminal equipped with a such a transceiver device can control at the same time) is thus shaped according to the application.
  • the collimation means make it possible in particular to ensure a degree of immunity to the parasitic sources arranged in a given place at the level of the fixed terminal when, during the mounting of the fixed terminal, the relative position of the guide is adjusted. waves and the photoreceptor. It will be understood that these means are made of materials which do not reflect the infrared radiation produced by the emitters.
  • some or all of these mechanical parts are made of a material that absorbs infrared radiation. It has been found, in these embodiments of mechanical collimation means, that the shapes of the operating lobe are entirely determined by trigonometric calculations, and that the shape of the lobe is preferably adjusted with respect to the horizontal plane xOy and with respect to the plane vertical zOy, the carrier of the portable object and the terminal placed in front of him in the immaterial link being most often oriented relative to these two directions. It was noted that thus the operating distance, that is to say, the length of the operating lobe along its axis, was not reduced by these mechanical collimation devices nor by their realization in electronic form (FIG. 2 ), and that they can be combined.
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 two means have been shown for supplementing the collimation means described above so as to adjust the operating distance.
  • a phototransistor 58 of the transceiver device receives infrared radiation 61 and produces a detection signal.
  • the detection signal is connected to a first terminal 62 of a voltage comparator 59.
  • the second terminal 63 of the comparator 59 is connected to the output of a generator 60 of adjustable reference voltage.
  • the output of comparator 59 is produced on terminal 64 as a reception signal and is transmitted for operation by the portable object if the means is implemented on a portable object, or by the fixed terminal, if the means is implemented in a fixed terminal .
  • the reception lobe will in fact be adjusted, because the operating distance is adjusted by a configuration means which fixes the level of the reference voltage by producing a configuration word 65.
  • a configuration means which fixes the level of the reference voltage by producing a configuration word 65.
  • the transmission power is increased as soon as the portable object is detected by the fixed terminal.
  • the detection signal from the phototransistor 58 is connected to the input terminal of a detection signal amplifier 66, which also includes an input for controlling the gain of the amplifier 6.
  • the control signal gain is produced by a gain control generator 68.
  • the amplified detection signal is available at output terminal 70.
  • reception lobe will in fact be adjusted, because the operating distance is adjusted by a configuration means which fixes the gain value of the amplifier by producing a configuration word 69.
  • a configuration means which fixes the gain value of the amplifier by producing a configuration word 69.
  • timing diagram (a) represents the electrical signal representative of the binary word comprised between the start "start” and the end "stop”.
  • the binary word in the example is "01000001".
  • the changes of state of the electrical signal representative of the binary word are detected and we obtain an impulse electrical signal shown in Figure 10 (b).
  • This impulse signal is transmitted to the communications (transmission) management circuit 52 (FIG. 2) of the transmission device to produce the infrared emission radiation by the diodes 54 in the immaterial link with a reception device.
  • the receiving device receives infrared radiation and, using a shaping circuit, obtains a reproduction of the pulse signal of Figure 10 (b).
  • the circuit for shaping the reception device comprises a circuit for dividing the impulse signal by two, so as to reconstruct an electrical signal representative of the message transmitted (FIG. 10 c). As a result, we find in FIG. 10 (d) the message identical to that coded.
  • the pulse width of the signal 10 (b) is calculated so as to minimize the electrical consumption due to the emitting diodes. It is thus easy to implement a coding circuit even on a portable object.
  • the transmission coding circuit comprises means for producing a pulse - each change of state of the binary word to be transmitted, the pulse being of a width proportional to a fraction of the frequency of 1 clock which serializes the binary word.
  • Such a circuit includes a change of state detector (0 to 1, or 1 to 0), the output of which is connected to the terminal of attack of a monostable rocker whose duration is constituted by a fraction of the clock period.
  • FIG. 11 there is shown a diagram representing a reception circuit intended to decode the transmitted message.
  • the detection signal produced by a phototransistor 80 is connected to the input of an amplifier 81 which makes it possible to amplify the detection signal.
  • the amplified detection signal is connected to a first input of a comparator 82, a second input of which receives a predetermined reference voltage produced by a suitable generator 84.
  • the output of comparator 82 is transmitted to the input of a circuit 83 of frequency division by two.
  • the signal produced at the output of circuit 83 (timing diagram 10b) is transmitted to a reception input terminal Rx of a circuit 85 for managing the received message.
  • the circuit 85 is preferably constituted by a standardized reception circuit of the UART type.
  • the coding adopted has an advantageous characteristic in that it intrinsically allows a transmission error to be detected insofar as the code of a byte always has an even number of pulses.
  • the invention therefore comprises a circuit for detecting a transmission error which counts the number of pulses received for a character received or byte received.
  • the output of the pulse counter is connected to the input of a binary number parity detector circuit representing the value of the count.
  • the parity detection circuit tests whether the least significant bit is a binary zero.
  • several portable objects each consisting of a badge or a removable media reader into which a data medium has been inserted, are simultaneously located in the operating lobe of the receiving device of the invention. 'a fixed terminal of an operating system.
  • the system allocates time windows in a programmed manner during each of which a virtual channel is opened and assigned to a portable object during the time of its connection.
  • the management system is master and portable objects are slaves.
  • a first random number is generated by each portable object according to its activation by the user. This activation is produced by pressing a validation key.
  • the validation key is an element of the portable object.
  • the validation key is used both to request a connection with the fixed terminal and to discharge an application function such as the order to execute a transaction in a system for managing paying toll entries. .
  • This first random or random number is transmitted in the response of the portable object to the management system which requests its identification.
  • the management system allocates a connection channel to each portable object.
  • a second random or random number is produced by each portable object, and the management system uses them to resolve any conflict.
  • the second hazard makes it possible to shift the response date of each of the portable objects in conflict by one. number of bits determined in the channel.
  • the operating system is actually capable of processing competing portable objects in the reception lobe of the fixed terminal and at the same time.
  • the automaton implemented to carry out the calculation of the first hazard is based on two events independent of each other, which ensures excellent statistical distribution.
  • the first event is carried out by pressing the object validation button. portaJble, executed by its user, a bit like a signature. This first event triggers a pulse counter of the internal clock of the portable object.
  • a second event which stops counting by the above counter, is carried out by the reception of a special character sent by the operating equipment (fixed terminal 17), which is necessarily located in at least one frame following the response of the portable object.
  • the portable object then emits as a first hazard, or as the basis of calculation for the first hazard, a word representative of the counting result stored in the counter.
  • the automaton determines the hazard and its exploitation to allocate a channel to the portable object.
  • the communications protocol for its start-up, comprises the following steps: The portable object is activated by pressing the validation button. This press starts a counter which will produce the first hazard.
  • the management PLC waits for a character on the immaterial link.
  • the detected character is a "stop" character
  • the initial allocation is carried out by value switching.
  • the automaton waits for allocation of the channel C, C corresponding to the value of the hazard determined when the portable object emits its first response. Then, the automaton then calculates a second hazard on the basis of the reception of the first hazard.
  • the second random is calculated by a circuit comprising a generator of coefficients of CRC16, of a polynomial of degree 16, whose input receives the value of the first random, and whose output is processed by selecting from fixed way three bits to obtain a slot number or time offset in the allocated channel, this being executed for each portable object, when it requests an allocation.
  • the portable object When the portable object then responds, it produces an acknowledgment in the time window corresponding to the time window number (slot) previously calculated.
  • the terminal detects the response slot with an active portable object, then issues a LINK command byte which takes up the slot number associated with this portable object, in which it will respond during the entire connection.
  • the automaton therefore generates two hazards, the second hazard consisting of an offset from the start of the response in the channel. It follows that if 2 portable objects are simultaneously in the same channel allocated by the first random, the terminal will receive a response accumulating the bits of transmission of the messages of the two portable objects. In this case, the fixed terminal does not process the received response which, because of the coding mode is then necessarily different from the only expected response code for portable objects. If the response character is suitable, the fixed terminal in the multi-access management machine responds with a LINK command associated with the calculated time window number. The channel and possibly the slot are then allocated to the portable object and the rest of the procedure takes place for all portable objects: the new ones request their allocation, the old ones exchange the data determined by the application.
  • FIG. 11 there is shown the steps of execution of a multi-access automaton implemented in an operating system of the invention, in a specific application for managing portable objects, for example for electronic toll collection.
  • the request can come from the application software, executed by the fixed terminal, or by a special command issued by one of the portable objects. If no command is to be executed, the automaton goes to the next channel, so as to scan each of the logical channels formed by the aforementioned allocation mechanism.
  • the PLC determines the "Free” or "Busy” state of the newly scanned channel. If the channel is "Busy", during the "Polling” step, the PLC seeks to assign a new channel and tests whether the "Response present in the channel” is correct. If this is the case, the automaton closes the loop by testing the existence of a "command to execute”. If the "Response present in the channel” is incorrect, the PLC performs "Channel release” and tests whether the channel is associated with a logical channel assigned during the above allocation procedure. If no "Channel associated with a logical channel” is found, the PLC returns to the "Command to execute” test.
  • FIG 12 there is shown a table contained in the multi-access management automaton which makes it possible to connect the transmission-reception device to a software application managing several portable objects simultaneously.
  • the transmission-reception device comprises a table of 8 IR link channels which can take one of the states: “Free” or “Disconnected”.
  • the processing device associated with the transmission-reception device and which executes the application software comprises a state table, taken from the states: “closed F”, “open O” or “disconnected D", of the 8 logical channels reserved by the software for working with several portable objects at the same time.
  • the allocation shown associates logical channel 1 with channel 6 and logical channel 5 with channel 1, channels in both of which there is a portable object.
  • the allocation function The bijective of a channel and a logical channel is carried out during the processing of an OpenCom command executed by the application software.
  • the automaton executes the Polling procedure during which the response on 1 byte of the badge is reported to the automaton, the 3 final bits of the response byte translating the channel number with which the portable object has been associated.
  • Figure 13 there is shown an embodiment of the channel allocation procedure according to the invention.
  • the time succession is divided into a plurality of time windows or slots.
  • the multi-access management automaton considers for a logical channel a succession of 10 time slots: A, B and from 1 to 8.
  • the fixed terminal During slot or Period A, the fixed terminal produces an eight-bit code word comprising 5 significant bits to transmit a command and 3 bits coding the number of the current channel.
  • the multi-access management protocol therefore manages 8 separate channels.
  • each portable object present in the emission lobe of the fixed terminal performs the treatments provided for by the command and others, and at the same time produces the first hazard, which corresponds to the channel number in which the mobile wants to respond.
  • period B is sufficient to allow the execution of this calculation whatever the capacity of the calculation means present on the various portable objects, PCCR or MN, depending on the microprocessor which equips them.
  • the temporal succession comprises 8 slots or time windows in which it is possible to exchange approximately 2 characters according to the coding mode used in the invention (see Figures 8 and 9).
  • Figure 14 there is shown a flow diagram of the implementation in software form of a general application using the operating system of the invention.
  • the application function on the fixed terminal consists first of all in opening a specific logical channel.
  • the multi-access management automaton works on 8 logical channels associated bijectively to each of the 8 allocated channels as has been explained previously.
  • the PLC then performs the logic channel test and executes the data transmission according to the buffer address (buffer APDU, defined in standard ISO 7816-4) on the logic channel opened on the fixed terminal by the automaton.
  • buffer APDU defined in standard ISO 7816-4
  • the APDU commands supported in the automaton of the invention are as follows:

Abstract

The operating system comprises a plurality of portable objects (1, 2) of which several may be presented simultaneously before a fixed terminal (17) of an operating device. The invention relates to an operating method and the system using such method wherein the connection between the portable objects is achieved by bidirectional infrared radiation, implementing coding to reduce the electrical consumption of the portable objects, and with a logical path assignment protocol enabling a plurality of portable objects to dialogue or communicate at the same time with the fixed terminal. Application to contact-free smart cards.

Description

Procédé d'exploitation d 'au moins un objet portable dans un système d'exploitation d'objets portables multiutilisateurs , et un tel système La présente invention concerne un procédé d'exploitation d 'au moins un objet portable dans un système d'exploitation d 'objets portables multiutilisateurs, et un tel système d ' exploitation . The present invention relates to a method of operating at least one portable object in a multi-user portable object operating system, and such a system. The present invention relates to a method of operating at least one portable object in a multi-user operating object system. portable multi - user objects, and such an operating system.
Dans l 'état de la technique, on connaît des systèmes d'exploitation d 'objets portables qui comportent une pluralité d 'objets portables et un équipement d'exploitation comme un dispositif de transfert de données. Un tel système est connu notamment du brevet FR- B- 2 266 222. Le plus grand développement commercial est connu avec des systèmes d'exploitation dans lesquels l 'objet portable se présente sous la forme d 'une carte portant un composant électronique, qui sert de support de données, et qui est accessible électriquement par des bornes de contact électrique, quand on insère un tel objet portable ou carte à mémoire, dans le dispositif de transfert de données ou appareil de lecture et écriture de données dans la carte à mémoire.In the prior art, portable object operating systems are known which comprise a plurality of portable objects and operating equipment such as a data transfer device. Such a system is known in particular from patent FR-B-2 266 222. The greatest commercial development is known with operating systems in which the portable object is in the form of a card carrying an electronic component, which serves as a data medium, and which is accessible electrically by electrical contact terminals, when such a portable object or memory card is inserted, in the data transfer device or data reading and writing device in the memory card .
Cependant , le fait que le support de données se trouve à distance de l'équipement d'exploitation permet particulièrement une plus grande souplesse dans l'utilisation publique d'un système d'exploitation utilisant un tel équipement, par exemple en permettant des accès multiples, ou très rapides, entre plusieurs supports présents simultanément ou presque, et l'équipement d'exploitation.However, the fact that the data medium is remote from the operating equipment particularly allows greater flexibility in the public use of an operating system using such equipment, for example by allowing multiple accesses , or very fast, between several media present simultaneously or almost, and the operating equipment.
Un premier problème est bien connu de l'état de la technique. En effet, si la connexion directe d'un support de données à un équipement d'exploitation comportant une tête de lecture et/ ou écriture, est bien connue et relativement sûre, la connexion à distance par liaison immatérielle se heurte à des difficultés techniques importantes du fait que le support de données devrait être aussi compact que possible parce que la quantité de données qu'il doit contenir doit être aussi élevé que possible pour un volume donné, et parce que le support de données doit être porté par un utilisateur, personne physique ou machine mobile.A first problem is well known from the state of the art. Indeed, if the direct connection of a data carrier to an operating equipment comprising a read and / or write head, is well known and relatively secure, the remote connection by immaterial link encounters significant technical difficulties the fact that the data carrier should be as compact as possible because the amount of data it must contain must be as high as possible for a given volume, and because the data carrier data must be carried by a user, natural person or mobile machine.
C'est notamment le cas quand le support de données est entièrement réservé à l'inscription des données comme pour une carte à microcircuit.This is particularly the case when the data carrier is entirely reserved for recording data as for a microcircuit card.
Pour porter remède à ce problème technique, on a déjà développé des objets portables qui assurent la fonction de connexion à distance, par liaison immatérielle avec l'équipement d'exploitation. De tels objets portables comportent un logement dans lequel est inséré le support de données. Un organe de lecture et/ ou d'écriture est inséré dans l'objet portable, et un organe de communications à distance produisant et/ ou exploitant une liaison immatérielle est disposé en plus. Or, si on permet ainsi de loger en surplus de volume des moyens de communications à distance par liaison immatérielle, on augmente en général considérablement l'encombrement de l'ensemble portable constitué de l'objet portable (lecteur) et de son support de données associé. Par ailleurs, les organes de l'objet portable étant en général de type électrique, on augmente la consommation électrique nécessaire à la simple existence du support de données. Cette augmentation de la consommation électrique entraîne le recours à des organes d'alimentation embarqués sur l'objet portable (lecteur) suffisamment puissants pour assurer le fonctionnement interne de l'objet portable et de la communication sur la liaison immatérielle. Par ailleurs, le fait que les objets portables doivent se trouver en concurrence devant l 'équipement d'exploitation, comme une borne fixe, pose des exigences techniques qui ne sont pas aujourd'hui résolues. En effet, les lobes d'émission et de réception, des moyens d'émission, de réception ou encore d 'émission-réception, contenus dans les objets portables et sur la borne fixe doivent être conformés de manière sûre et efficace.To remedy this technical problem, portable objects have already been developed which provide the remote connection function, by immaterial link with the operating equipment. Such portable objects include a housing in which the data carrier is inserted. A reading and / or writing device is inserted in the portable object, and a remote communications device producing and / or operating an intangible connection is additionally arranged. However, if it is thus possible to accommodate in excess volume means of remote communications by immaterial link, it generally increases considerably the size of the portable assembly consisting of the portable object (reader) and its data medium. associated. Furthermore, the organs of the portable object being generally of the electrical type, the electrical consumption necessary for the simple existence of the data medium is increased. This increase in electrical consumption leads to the use of on-board power supply units on the portable object (reader) which are powerful enough to ensure the internal functioning of the portable object and of communication on the immaterial link. Furthermore, the fact that portable objects must be in competition with operating equipment, such as a fixed terminal, poses technical requirements which are not today resolved. Indeed, the transmission and reception lobes, transmission, reception or transmission-reception means, contained in the portable objects and on the fixed terminal must be conformed in a safe and effective manner.
L'invention a donc porté aussi sur un moyen de réglage des lobes de fonctionnement des moyens d'émission-réception présents sur l'objet portable et/ ou sur l'équipement d'exploitation.The invention therefore also relates to a means for adjusting the operating lobes of the transmission-reception means. present on the portable object and / or on the operating equipment.
Dans l'état de la technique, on a déjà proposé d'utiliser des émetteurs et des récepteurs de rayonnement infrarouge dans le but de transmettre des données. En particulier, de tels dispositifs sont déjà connus dans le cadre des dispositifs de commande à distance d'appareils électriques comme des récepteurs de télévision, et d'autres produits du même genre. Dans ce genre d'applications, cependant, la liaison infrarouge est essentiellement unidirectionnelle, le boitier de télécommande comportant une seule diode émettrice de rayonnements infrarouges, et le récepteur sur l'appareil commandé portant un seul phototransistor de détection du rayonnement émis. Par ailleurs, la plupart de ces dispositifs sont destinés à fonctionner en dehors de la lumière solaire, et plus particulièrement même, dans des locaux privés dans lesquels les sources parasites de rayonnements infrarouge sont extrêmement réduites. Or, dans les applications de l'invention, l'objet portable doit être relié en ambiance extérieure ou intérieure, mais en général dans des lieux publics, à une ou plusieurs bornes fixes constituant l'équipement d'exploitation du support de données. De ce fait, la forme que prend le lo-be du rayonnement infrarouge, tant à l'émission qu'à la réception, et quand l 'objet portable se trouve au voisinage d'un émetteur ou d'un récepteur de la liaison bidirectionnelle est d'une importance primordiale. De plus, il est apparu que, contrairement à d'autres types de canaux de transmission immatérielle comme le champ électrique produit par un système inductif, ou les ondes radioélectriques, dans la bande radiofréquence, qui sont faiblement directifs, l ' utilisation des ondes infrarouges rend délicat la question de la gestion d'un nombre élevé d'objets portables. Par exemple, quand l'objet portable est destiné à servir de ticket électronique d'accès et de péage dans un système de gestion de transports publics, des centaines, et parfois davantage, d'objets portables peuvent se trouver dans le champ d'une borne fixe reliée à l 'équipement d 'exploitation . De ce fait, la reconnaissance d'un objet portable particulier s'avère délicate, imprécise, et souvent même, irréalisable en environnement difficile comme c'est le cas des gares de transports publics. De ce fait, le recours aux ondes infrarouges pour réaliser une liaison bidirectionnelle et dans un milieu difficile est, en général et à la connaissance du demandeur, refusé dans l'état de la technique. Or, par le moyen de son invention, le demandeur a constaté des effets très positifs qui évitent les inconvénients précités et permettent même des moyens nouveaux pour la construction d'un système de gestion autour d'un objet portable et d'un équipement d'exploitation selon l'invention. Le demandeur a défini le lobe de fonctionnement d'un dispositif d'émission et de réception comme étant l'espace dans lequel la communication bidirectionnelle infrarouge est possible, c'est-à-dire susceptible d'engendrer dans le circuit de gestion de communications connecté au moyen de liaison bidirectionnelle un signal électrique de réception suffisamment pur pour être décodable par l'objet portable, d'une part, par l'équipement d'exploitation, d'autre part. L'invention porte par ailleurs sur un dispositif d'émission et/ ou de réception de rayonnements infrarouges, destiné à équiper un système de gestion associant une pluralité d'objets portables et au moins un équipement d'exploitation du support de données qui lui est associé par une liaison immatérielle utilisant un rayonnement infrarouge. L'invention porte par ailleurs sur un nouveau procédé de codage et un circuit de réalisation d'une liaison immatérielle adaptée à la transmission de données par un rayonnement infrarouge. L'un des problèmes que l'on rencontre dans le cadre de la transmission de données binaires par rayonnement infrarouge vient de la caractéristique limitée de transmission des infrarouges dans l'air, le canal de transmission devenant très vite saturé en énergie de rayonnement si on veut accroître à la fois la portée et la vitesse de transmission. De ce fait, les liaisons infrarouges sont considérées dans l'état de la technique connu du demandeur comme étant peu favorables pour réaliser des liaisons de données d'information que l'on devrait exécuter avec de hauts débits relatifs. On s'est généralement contenté de ne transmettre que des ordres de télécommande au moyen de rayonnements infrarouges avec des débits (ou vitesse de transmission) limités du fait que l'ordre était généralement codé en quelques bits, puisque un identifiant de l'émetteur et un symbole d'une commande prise parmi quelques commandes possibles sont seulement envisagés.In the prior art, it has already been proposed to use transmitters and receivers of infrared radiation for the purpose of transmitting data. In particular, such devices are already known in the context of remote control devices for electrical devices such as television receivers, and other products of the same kind. In this type of application, however, the infrared link is essentially unidirectional, the remote control unit comprising a single diode emitting infrared radiation, and the receiver on the controlled device carrying a single phototransistor for detecting the emitted radiation. Furthermore, most of these devices are intended to operate outside of sunlight, and more particularly, in private premises in which the parasitic sources of infrared radiation are extremely reduced. However, in the applications of the invention, the portable object must be connected in an outdoor or indoor environment, but in general in public places, to one or more fixed terminals constituting the operating equipment of the data medium. As a result, the form that the lo-be takes of infrared radiation, both on emission and on reception, and when the portable object is in the vicinity of a transmitter or a receiver of the bidirectional link. is of paramount importance. In addition, it appeared that, unlike other types of immaterial transmission channels such as the electric field produced by an inductive system, or radio waves, in the radiofrequency band, which are weakly directive, the use of infrared waves makes it difficult to manage a large number of portable objects. For example, when the portable object is intended to serve as an electronic access and toll ticket in a public transport management system, hundreds, and sometimes more, of portable objects can be found within the scope of a fixed terminal connected to the operating equipment. Therefore, the recognition of a particular portable object turns out to be delicate, imprecise, and often even, impracticable in difficult environment as it is the case of the public transport stations. Therefore, the use of infrared waves to achieve a bidirectional connection and in a difficult environment is, in general and to the knowledge of the applicant, refused in the prior art. However, by means of his invention, the applicant has observed very positive effects which avoid the abovementioned drawbacks and even allow new means for the construction of a management system around a portable object and equipment. operation according to the invention. The requester has defined the operating lobe of a transmitting and receiving device as being the space in which two-way infrared communication is possible, that is to say capable of generating in the communications management circuit. connected by means of bidirectional link an electrical signal of reception sufficiently pure to be decodable by the portable object, on the one hand, by the operating equipment, on the other hand. The invention further relates to a device for transmitting and / or receiving infrared radiation, intended to equip a management system associating a plurality of portable objects and at least one piece of equipment for operating the data medium which is associated therewith. associated by an immaterial link using infrared radiation. The invention also relates to a new coding method and a circuit for producing a non-material link suitable for transmitting data by infrared radiation. One of the problems encountered in the transmission of binary data by infrared radiation comes from the limited characteristic of transmission of infrared in air, the transmission channel becoming very quickly saturated with radiation energy if one wants to increase both the range and the speed of transmission. Therefore, infrared links are considered in the prior art known to the applicant as being unfavorable for making information data links which should be executed with high relative speeds. It has generally been content to transmit only remote control orders by means of infrared radiation with bit rates (or transmission speed) limited by the fact that the order was generally coded in a few bits, since an identifier of the transmitter and a symbol of an order taken from among a few possible orders is only envisaged.
Dans le cas où on fait dialoguer un objet portable et un équipement d'exploitation, comme c'est le cas entre une carte à microcircuit et une borne fixe d'un système d 'exploitation , la quantité de données est plus élevée.In the case where a portable object and an operating equipment are made to dialogue, as is the case between a microcircuit card and a fixed terminal of an operating system, the amount of data is higher.
Par ailleurs, le système d ' exploitation de l'invention est susceptible d'être utilisé pour des connexions immatérielles (par rayonnement infrarouge) dites "à la volée". Dans ce genre d'applications, plusieurs objets portables sont susceptibles de se trouver en même temps dans le lobe de fonctionement du dispositif d'émission et de réception de la borne fixe. Par ailleurs, la durée pendant laquelle l'objet portable se trouve dans ce lobe de fonctionnement ne dépasse pas quelques secondes, durée qui n'est pas en général ressentie comme une gêne pour les usagers par exemple d'un système de péage à la volée quand l'objet portable sert de ticket électronique de péage de transports urbains ou publics. Par ailleurs, l'utilisation de tels dispositifs d'émission et de réception dans des environnements agressifs au point de vue des rayonnements infrarouges exige que le codage utilisé sur le canal de transmission compris entre deux dispositifs d'émission et de réception d'une liaison immatérielle par rayonnement infrarouge soit robuste et relativement autosignalé au point de vue des parasites les plus fréquents. Plus encore, le fait que l'un des dispositifs d'émission et de réception de la liaison bidirectionnelle infrarouge soit sur un objet portable entraîne une contrainte au niveau de la consommation électrique, les diodes émettrices de rayonnement infrarouge étant relativement consommatrices de courant lorsqu'elles travaillent en émission continu.Furthermore, the operating system of the invention is capable of being used for intangible connections (by infrared radiation) called "on the fly". In this type of application, several portable objects are likely to be located simultaneously in the operating lobe of the transmission and reception device of the fixed terminal. Furthermore, the duration during which the portable object is in this operating lobe does not exceed a few seconds, a duration which is not generally felt as an annoyance for users for example of a toll system on the fly when the portable object is used as an electronic toll ticket for urban or public transport. Furthermore, the use of such transmitting and receiving devices in environments which are aggressive from the point of view of infrared radiation requires that the coding used on the transmission channel between two transmitting and receiving devices of an immaterial link by infrared radiation is robust and relatively self-reported from the point of view of the most frequent parasites. Furthermore, the fact that one of the transmitting and receiving devices of the bidirectional infrared link is on a portable object causes a constraint in terms of electrical consumption, the emitting diodes of infrared radiation being relatively current consuming when they work in continuous emission.
En résumé, l 'invention concerne un procédé d 'exploitation d 'au moins un objet portable ou badge, destiné à échanger des données avec un équipement d 'exploitation du support de données, l 'objet portable comportant des moyens d 'émission ou des moyens d 'émission-réception, l 'équipement d 'exploitation comportant au moins une borne fixe doté de moyens de réception, ou de moyens d 'émission-réception, caractérisé en ce qu 'il consiste principalement :In summary, the invention relates to a method for operating at least one portable object or badge, intended for exchanging data with equipment for operating the data medium, the portable object comprising transmission means or transmission-reception means, the operating equipment comprising at least one fixed terminal provided with reception means, or transmission-reception means, characterized in that it mainly consists of:
- à conformer les lobes d 'émission et de réception de l 'objet portable et de la borne fixe, de sorte qu ' une pluralité d 'objets d 'objets portables puissent accéder simultanément à la communication avec la borne fixe ;- to conform the transmission and reception lobes of the portable object and of the fixed terminal, so that a plurality of portable object objects can simultaneously access the communication with the fixed terminal;
- à émettre des impulsions de code de transmission de sorte que la consommation électrique au moins de l 'objet portable soit réduite ;- emitting transmission code pulses so that at least the electrical consumption of the portable object is reduced;
- à attribuer un numéro logique à chaque objet portable présente dans le lobe de réception de la borne fixe de sorte que le canal de communication physique soit établi cycliquement entre une succession déterminée des objezts portables présents dans le lobe de réception .- to assign a logical number to each portable object present in the reception lobe of the fixed terminal so that the physical communication channel is established cyclically between a determined succession of portable objects present in the reception lobe.
L'invention concerne aussi un système d'exploitation mettant en oeuvre le procédé selon l'invention. Un tel système est caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte ; au moins un équipement d'exploitation, comme une borne fixe, au moins un objet portable, ladite borne fixe et ledit objet portable comportant de plus un dispositif d'émission, de réception et/ou d'émission- réception destiné à conformer les lobes de fonctionnement d'une liaison immatérielle infrarouge, ladite borne fixe et ledit objet portable comportant de plus un circuit de codage et/ou de décodage destiné à échanger des données en réduisant la consommation électrique au moins de l'objet portable ; ladite borne fixe comportant de plus un circuit d'allocation d'un canal de communications à chacun des objets portables qui se trouvent dans ledit lobe de fonctionnement. D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention seront mieux compris à l'aide de la description et des dessins annexés qui sont :The invention also relates to an operating system implementing the method according to the invention. Such a system is characterized in that it comprises; at least one operating equipment, such as a fixed terminal, at least one portable object, said fixed terminal and said portable object further comprising a device for transmitting, receiving and / or transmitting reception intended to conform the operating lobes of an infrared immaterial link, said fixed terminal and said portable object further comprising a coding and / or decoding circuit intended for exchanging data by reducing the electrical consumption of the object at least portable ; said fixed terminal further comprising a circuit for allocating a communications channel to each of the portable objects which are located in said operating lobe. Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with the aid of the description and the appended drawings which are:
- la figure 1 : un schéma d'un système d'exploitation selon l'invention ; - les figures 2 à 8 : divers schémas expliquant les modes de réalisation des dispositifs d'émission, de réception et/ ou d'émission-réception selon l'invention, tels qu'ils sont réalisés dans un système d'exploitation : objet portable ou équipement d'exploitation comme une borne fixe ; - la figure 9 : des chronogrammes d'état d'un nouveau schéma de codage adapté à la liaison infrarouge de l'invention ;- Figure 1: a diagram of an operating system according to the invention; - Figures 2 to 8: various diagrams explaining the embodiments of the transmission, reception and / or transmission-reception devices according to the invention, as they are produced in an operating system: portable object or operating equipment such as a fixed terminal; - Figure 9: state timing diagrams of a new coding scheme adapted to the infrared link of the invention;
- la figure 10 : un schéma d'un circuit de communication (partie réception) adapté au décodage du schéma de codage de la figure 8 ; - les figures 11 à 13 : des figures décrivant la procédure et les moyens qui permettent dans la liaison infrarouge bidirectionnelle étudiée, de réaliser des communications à plusieurs accès simultanées entre une borne fixe et plusieurs objets portables en réduisant les risques de conflits entre objets portables ;- Figure 10: a diagram of a communication circuit (reception part) suitable for decoding the coding scheme of Figure 8; - Figures 11 to 13: figures describing the procedure and the means which make it possible, in the bidirectional infrared link studied, to carry out communications with several simultaneous accesses between a fixed terminal and several portable objects by reducing the risks of conflicts between portable objects;
- la figure 14 : une liste d'éléments logiciels utilisés pour réaliser une fonction applicative sur une borne dans un système de l'invention utilisant plusieurs objets portables concurrents selon le protocole décrit aux figures 11 à 13.FIG. 14: a list of software elements used to perform an application function on a terminal in a system of the invention using several competing portable objects according to the protocol described in FIGS. 11 to 13.
Dans un système d'exploitation selon 1 ' invention, un équipement d 'exploitation, comportant au moins une borne fixe, échange des donées avec une pluralité de badges ou objets portables par l 'intermédiaire de liaisons infrarouges IR. Les badges ou objets portables appartiennent chacun à un utilisateur du système d 'exploitation . Selon les circonstances , un ou plusieurs utilisateurs peuvent aléatoirement se présenter pour demander un échange de données avec la borne fixe.In an operating system according to the invention, operating equipment, comprising at least one terminal fixed, exchange of data with a plurality of badges or portable objects via infrared IR links. The badges or portable objects each belong to a user of the operating system. Depending on the circumstances, one or more users may come randomly to request an exchange of data with the fixed terminal.
Une telle situation est constituée quand le système d 'exploitation de 1 ' invention est utilisé pour la gestion d' un réseau de transports publics . Une borne fixe permet de contrôler un point d 'accès au réseau . A ce point d 'accès peuvent se présenter un passager ou plusieurs en même temps . Il faut donc résoudre le problème de la séparation des échanges de données entre plusieurs utilisateurs et une borne unique.Such a situation arises when the operating system of the invention is used for the management of a public transport network. A fixed terminal is used to control a network access point. At this access point, one or more passengers can present themselves at the same time. It is therefore necessary to resolve the problem of the separation of data exchanges between several users and a single terminal.
La solution qui consiste à rétrécir la largeur et la portée de la borne fixe pour qu ' un seul utilisateur se trouve à sa portée rendrait le système complètement innefficace, car l 'exigence principale d ' un système de contrôle d 'accès est de permettre de traiter un flux étendu d ' utilisateurs . Le même problème se pose dans l 'exploitation d 'autres services comme le télépaiement .The solution which consists in narrowing the width and the range of the fixed terminal so that only one user is within its reach would make the system completely ineffective, since the main requirement of an access control system is to allow handle a large user flow. The same problem arises in the operation of other services such as electronic payment.
Dans un mode de réalisation, représenté à la figure 1, l'objet portable 1 comporte une carte à microcircuit 2 destinée à être insérée dans le logement 8 d'un objet portable 1. Ce dernier est équipé de moyens de lecture et d'écriture du microcircuit 9 de la carte 2. L'objet portable comporte aussi un organe de gestion de communications qui est connecté à un dispositif d'émission-réception 11 pour constituer une liaison immatérielle.In one embodiment, represented in FIG. 1, the portable object 1 comprises a microcircuit card 2 intended to be inserted in the housing 8 of a portable object 1. The latter is equipped with reading and writing means of the microcircuit 9 of the card 2. The portable object also includes a communications management device which is connected to a transmission-reception device 11 to constitute an intangible link.
Dans un mode préféré de réalisation, le dispositif d'émission-réception 11 comporte notamment deux diodes d'émission infrarouge 12 et une diode de réception infrarouge 13, connectées par l'intermédiaire d'une circuiterie adaptée à l'organe de gestion de communication et qui permettent d'établir une liaison bidirectionnelle immatérielle 14, 15 entre l'objet portable 1 et l'équipement d'exploitation 17 qui comporte son propre dispositif d'émission-réception pour échanger des données avec le dispositif d'émission-réception de l'objet portable de façon à constituer une liaison immatérielle bidirectionelle. A cet effet, le dispositif d'émission-réception de l'équipement d'exploitation 17 comporte au moins une diode d'émission infrarouge 19 et une diode de réception infrarouge 18.In a preferred embodiment, the transmission-reception device 11 comprises in particular two infrared transmission diodes 12 and an infrared reception diode 13, connected by means of circuitry adapted to the communication management member. and which make it possible to establish a bidirectional intangible link 14, 15 between the portable object 1 and the operating equipment 17 which has its own transceiver device for exchanging data with the transceiver device of the portable object so as to constitute a bidirectional immaterial link. To this end, the transmission-reception device of the operating equipment 17 comprises at least one infrared transmission diode 19 and an infrared reception diode 18.
On constate que la borne fixe peut voir dans son lobe de fonctionnement en émission ou en réception un ou plusieurs objets portables, comme l'objet portable 1 ou encore des badges dotés du même genre de dispositif d'émission, de réception ou d'émission-réception.It is noted that the fixed terminal can see in its operating lobe in transmission or reception one or more portable objects, such as portable object 1 or badges provided with the same kind of transmission, reception or transmission device. -reception.
A la figure 2, on a représentée la partie électronique d'un dispositif d'émission pour une liaison infrarouge utilisée dans l'invention. Le signal électrique portant l'information à transmettre est transmis à une borne d'entrée 51 d'un circuit 52 de gestion des communications (émission). La sortie de ce circuit 52 est connectée à une première borne d'une série de n interrupteurs analogiques 53, séparément référencés de 53-1 à 53-n. La seconde borne de chaque interrupteur 53-1 à 53-n est connectée à une borne d'une diode d'émission infrarouge convenablement polarisée 54-1 à 54-n, dans un réseau de diodes d'émission 54. L'électrode de commande de chaque interrupteur 53-1 à 53-n est connectée à la sortie d'un circuit 55 générateur d'un masque électronique d'émission. Le circuit 55 peut recevoir une configuration sous forme d'un mot de configuration 56, par exemple généré lors de la fabrication par un générateur à roues codeuses, ou reçu du système d'exploitation dans lequel il est inséré, de façon à activer une région prédéterminée du réseau 54 de diodes d'émission, de façon à conformer le lobe de fonctionnement.In Figure 2, there is shown the electronic part of a transmission device for an infrared link used in the invention. The electrical signal carrying the information to be transmitted is transmitted to an input terminal 51 of a circuit 52 for managing communications (transmission). The output of this circuit 52 is connected to a first terminal of a series of n analog switches 53, separately referenced from 53-1 to 53-n. The second terminal of each switch 53-1 to 53-n is connected to a terminal of a suitably polarized infrared emitting diode 54-1 to 54-n, in an array of emitting diodes 54. The electrode control of each switch 53-1 to 53-n is connected to the output of a circuit 55 generating an electronic emission mask. The circuit 55 can receive a configuration in the form of a configuration word 56, for example generated during manufacture by a generator with coding wheels, or received from the operating system in which it is inserted, so as to activate a region predetermined network 54 of emission diodes, so as to conform the operating lobe.
Le circuit de la Figure 2 a été repésenté pour un réseau de diodes d'émission. Il peut être adapté au cas où une pluralité de phototransistors est prévue à la réception.The circuit of Figure 2 has been shown for an array of transmit diodes. It can be adapted to the case where a plurality of phototransistors is provided at the reception.
Dans un mode préféré de réalisation, le réseau de diodes 54 est réalisé sous forme de réseaux bidimensionnels de diodes émettrices, tel qu'il est représenté à la Figure 3. Dans ce réseau bidimensionel, les diodes Dxy sont placées aux intersections x et y d'une grille rectangulaire. Il est clair que des dispositions dans lesquelles les diodes sont arrangées selon d'autres répartitions bidimensionnelles sont possible, notamment dans une configuration de maille rectangulaire, avec une diode supplémentaire disposée au centre de chaque maille. Par ailleurs, le dispositif d'émission et de réception de l'invention a été envisagé pour une borne fixe. Dans ce cas, les circuits électroniques récités à la figure 2, et d'autres encore, sont montés sur une carte imprimée qui est mécaniquement associée au substrat sur lequel est monté le réseau bidimensionel des diodes émettrices. On a aussi réalisé un dispositif d'émission et de réception, constitué sur le réseau bidi ensionnel Dxy de la Figure 3, la partie de réception étant basée autour d'un unique phototransistor de réception PR, disposé au centre du réseau bidimensionnel de diodes émettrices Dxy, ou dans une position intérieure au réseau.In a preferred embodiment, the diode array 54 is produced in the form of two-dimensional diode arrays emitters, as shown in Figure 3. In this two-dimensional network, the Dxy diodes are placed at the x and y intersections of a rectangular grid. It is clear that arrangements in which the diodes are arranged according to other two-dimensional distributions are possible, in particular in a rectangular mesh configuration, with an additional diode placed in the center of each mesh. Furthermore, the transmission and reception device of the invention has been envisaged for a fixed terminal. In this case, the electronic circuits recited in FIG. 2, and still others, are mounted on a printed circuit board which is mechanically associated with the substrate on which the two-dimensional network of emitting diodes is mounted. A transmission and reception device has also been produced, constituted on the dual-phase network Dxy of FIG. 3, the reception part being based around a single reception phototransistor PR, placed at the center of the two-dimensional network of emitting diodes. Dxy, or in a position inside the network.
Dans d'autres modes de réalisation, plusieurs phototransistors sont disposés dans le réseau en des endroits prédéterminés. Le signal de réception, qui est issu des signaux de détection provenant de chaque phototransistor, est alors obtenu selon les modes de réalisation par les moyens suivants : vote du signal de détection issu du phototransistor produisant la meilleure caractérisation en amplitude, ou en comparaison avec un signal d'initialisation prédéterminé, généré en début de communication ;In other embodiments, several phototransistors are arranged in the array at predetermined locations. The reception signal, which comes from the detection signals from each phototransistor, is then obtained according to the embodiments by the following means: voting of the detection signal coming from the phototransistor producing the best characterization in amplitude, or in comparison with a predetermined initialization signal, generated at the start of communication;
- somme pondérée des signaux de détection issus de l'ensemble des phototransistors du dispositif d'émission et de réception.- weighted sum of the detection signals from all the phototransistors of the transmission and reception device.
Par ailleurs, l'objet portable qui peut être constitué par un lecteur d'un support amovible ou par un badge dans lequel le support de données est inamovible, porte bien entendu un dispositif d'émission et de réception semblable à ceux qui sont décrits pour les bornes des équipements fixes du système de gestion complet.In addition, the portable object which can be constituted by a reader of a removable support or by a badge in which the data support is irremovable, naturally carries a device of emission and reception similar to those which are described for the fixed equipment terminals of the complete management system.
Cependant, pour des raisons de réduction de la consommation électrique et de l'encombrement mécanique de l'objet portable, le demandeur a étudié un mode de réalisation (figure 3) dans lequel :However, for reasons of reducing the electrical consumption and the mechanical bulk of the portable object, the applicant has studied an embodiment (FIG. 3) in which:
- le dispositif d'émission et de réception des bornes fixes comporte un réseau de 24 diodes d'émission en 6 colonnes de 4 rangées et un seul phototransistor de réception disposé au centre du réseau de diodes d'émission ;- the device for transmitting and receiving fixed terminals comprises a network of 24 transmitting diodes in 6 columns of 4 rows and a single receiving phototransistor placed at the center of the network of transmitting diodes;
- le dispositif d'émission et de réception de chaque objet portable comporte deux diodes d'émission disposée de part et d'autre d'un unique phototransitor de réception.- The device for transmitting and receiving each portable object comprises two emitting diodes arranged on either side of a single receiving phototransitor.
Le dispositif d'émission et de réception de l'objet portable comporte préférentiellement un collimateur constitué par un guide d'onde disposé sur le phototransistor de réception. Le guide est unique et est cylindrique. On a représenté un tel guide d'onde sous la référence Oe à la Figure 4, qui est une vue de dessus du dispositif d'émission-réception, et qui est disposé à une distance horizontale selon l'axe Ox L3 prédéterminée et à une distance verticale selon l'axe Oy Ll prédéterminé, le centre 0 des coordonnées étant disposé au phototransistor de réception PR. Dans une autre catégorie de moyens pris pour conformer le lobe de fonctionnement, en émission ou en réception, on a utilisé des moyens mécaniques, représenté aux figures 3 à 6. Dans ces solutions, la configuration des lobes de rayonnement est assurée par la collimation grâce à des écrans, des masques, oeillères ou guides d'onde. Notamment, à la Figure 3, les diodes Dxy bordant l'extérieur du réseau bidimensionel ont été couvertes par un masque Ma, opaque et absorbant des rayonnements infrarouges. Ce masque a des effets semblables à ceux réalisés électroniquement et peut être combiné avec eux. A la Figure 4, le photorécepteur PR est protégé par un guide d'onde ou oeillère Oe, qui entoure celui-ci. Aux figures 5 et 6, on a représenté une vue en coupe de face d'une partie d'un dispositif d'émission ou d'émission-réception selon l'invention, dans lequel (Figure 5) on montre comment adapter la forme du lobe de manière asymétrique ou non à l'aide des paramètres H (hauteur du guide d'onde) et Ll, L2 (distances des parois verticales du guide d'ondes au centre du photorécepteur, dans une première direction du plan). De même, on sait configurer le lobe de réception dans une direction du plan, perpendiculaire à la première direction, en utilisant les longueurs L3 et L4 (distances des parois verticales du guide d'ondes au centre du photorécepteur, dans la direction perpendiculaire).The device for transmitting and receiving the portable object preferably comprises a collimator constituted by a waveguide arranged on the receiving phototransistor. The guide is unique and is cylindrical. Such a waveguide has been represented with the reference Oe in FIG. 4, which is a top view of the transceiver device, and which is arranged at a horizontal distance along the predetermined axis Ox L3 and at a vertical distance along the predetermined axis Oy L1, the center 0 of the coordinates being arranged at the reception phototransistor PR. In another category of means taken to conform the operating lobe, in transmission or in reception, mechanical means were used, represented in FIGS. 3 to 6. In these solutions, the configuration of the radiation lobes is ensured by collimation by to screens, masks, blinders or waveguides. In particular, in Figure 3, the Dxy diodes bordering the outside of the two-dimensional network were covered by a mask Ma, opaque and absorbing infrared radiation. This mask has effects similar to those produced electronically and can be combined with them. In Figure 4, the photoreceptor PR is protected by a waveguide or eyepiece Oe, which surrounds it. In Figures 5 and 6, there is shown a front sectional view of part of a transmission or transmission-reception device according to the invention, in which (Figure 5) we show how to adapt the shape of the lobe asymmetrically or not using the parameters H (height of the waveguide) and L1, L2 (distances from the vertical walls of the waveguide to the center of the photoreceptor, in a first direction of the plane). Similarly, it is known to configure the reception lobe in a direction of the plane, perpendicular to the first direction, using the lengths L3 and L4 (distances from the vertical walls of the waveguide to the center of the photoreceptor, in the perpendicular direction).
A la Figure 6, on a disposé autour du photorécepteur PR un guide d'ondes cylindrique, et le lobe de réception (ou énergie totale reçue par le photorécepteur PR, ainsi que le nombre d'objets portables que la borne fixe équipée d'un tel dispositif d'émission-réception peut contrôler en même temps) est ainsi conformé en fonction de l'application. On remarque que les moyens de collimation permettent en particulier d'assurer un degré d'immunité aux sources parasites disposées dans un lieu donné au niveau de la borne fixe quand, lors du montage de la borne fixe on règle la position relative du guide d'ondes et du photorécepteur. On comprendra que ces moyens sont réalisés en des matériaux qui ne réfléchissent pas le rayonnement infrarouge produit par les émetteurs. Dans un mode de réalisation, certaines parties, ou la totalité, de ces pièces mécaniques sont réalisées en un matériau absorbant les rayonnements infrarouges. On a constaté, dans ces modes de réalisation de moyens mécaniques de collimation, que les formes du lobe de fonctionnement sont entièrement déterminées par des calculs trigonométriques, et que la forme du lobe se règle préférentiellement par rapport au plan horizontal xOy et par rapport au plan vertical zOy, le porteur de l'objet portable et la borne disposée en face de lui dans la liaison immatérielle étant le plus souvent orientés par rapport à ces deux directions. On a remarqué qu'ainsi la distance de fonctionnement, c'est à dire, la longueur du lobe de fonctionnement le long de son axe, n'était pas réduite par ces dispositifs de collimation mécanique ni par leur réalisation sous forme électronique (figure 2), et qu'ils peuvent être combinés.In FIG. 6, a cylindrical waveguide has been placed around the photoreceptor PR, and the reception lobe (or total energy received by the photoreceptor PR, as well as the number of portable objects which the fixed terminal equipped with a such a transceiver device can control at the same time) is thus shaped according to the application. It is noted that the collimation means make it possible in particular to ensure a degree of immunity to the parasitic sources arranged in a given place at the level of the fixed terminal when, during the mounting of the fixed terminal, the relative position of the guide is adjusted. waves and the photoreceptor. It will be understood that these means are made of materials which do not reflect the infrared radiation produced by the emitters. In one embodiment, some or all of these mechanical parts are made of a material that absorbs infrared radiation. It has been found, in these embodiments of mechanical collimation means, that the shapes of the operating lobe are entirely determined by trigonometric calculations, and that the shape of the lobe is preferably adjusted with respect to the horizontal plane xOy and with respect to the plane vertical zOy, the carrier of the portable object and the terminal placed in front of him in the immaterial link being most often oriented relative to these two directions. It was noted that thus the operating distance, that is to say, the length of the operating lobe along its axis, was not reduced by these mechanical collimation devices nor by their realization in electronic form (FIG. 2 ), and that they can be combined.
Aux figures 7 et 8, on a représenté deux moyens pour compléter les moyens de collimation décrits ci- dessus de façon à régler la distance de fonctionnement. Aux figures 7 et 8, un phototransistor 58 du dispositif d'émission-réception reçoit un rayonnement infrarouge 61 et produit un signal de détection. Pour régler la distance de fonctionnement, on a trouvé deux moyens électroniques qui sont combinables. A la figure 7, le signal de détection est relié à une première borne 62 d'un comparateur de tension 59. La seconde borne 63 du comparateur 59 est connectée à la sortie d'un générateur 60 de tension de référence réglable. La sortie du comparateur 59 est produite sur la borne 64 comme signal de réception et est transmise pour exploitation par l'objet portable si le moyen est implémenté sur un objet portable, ou par la borne fixe, si le moyen est implémenté dans une borne fixe.In FIGS. 7 and 8, two means have been shown for supplementing the collimation means described above so as to adjust the operating distance. In FIGS. 7 and 8, a phototransistor 58 of the transceiver device receives infrared radiation 61 and produces a detection signal. To set the operating distance, two electronic means have been found which can be combined. In FIG. 7, the detection signal is connected to a first terminal 62 of a voltage comparator 59. The second terminal 63 of the comparator 59 is connected to the output of a generator 60 of adjustable reference voltage. The output of comparator 59 is produced on terminal 64 as a reception signal and is transmitted for operation by the portable object if the means is implemented on a portable object, or by the fixed terminal, if the means is implemented in a fixed terminal .
Le lobe de réception sera en fait ajusté, parce que la distance de fonctionnement est réglée par un moyen de configuration qui fixe le niveau de la tension de référence en produisant un mot de configuration 65 . Un tel moyen de configuration peut être réalisé :The reception lobe will in fact be adjusted, because the operating distance is adjusted by a configuration means which fixes the level of the reference voltage by producing a configuration word 65. Such a configuration means can be implemented:
- en usine lors de la fabrication du dispositif d 'émission- réception ; - lors de l 'installation de la borne fixe ou la personnalisation de l 'objet portable ;- in the factory during the manufacture of the transmission-reception device; - when installing the fixed terminal or personalizing the portable object;
- pendant l 'exploitation par un mécnisme interne d 'étalonnage qui produit un mot de configuration destiné à adapter la portée en fonction de la mesure par exemple d 'une émission de référence, ou d ' une moyenne de mesures d 'émision effectuées précédemment . En particulier, dans un mode de réalisation, la puissance d'émission est augmentée dès que l 'objet portable est détecté par la borne fixe. Cette disposition permet en particulier que, si l 'objet portable est repéré en limite de portée du lobe de fonctionnement, il ne sorte pas en cours de transaction, ce qui aurait des effets destructeurs pour les applications en cours . De même, la puissance de réception peut être adaptée . A la figure 8, le signal de détection issu du phototransistor 58 est connecté à la borne d'entrée d'un amplificateur 66 de signal de détection, qui comporte aussi une entrée de commande du gain de l'amplificateur 6. Le signal de commande de gain est produit par un générateur de commande de gain 68. Le signal de détection amplifié est disponible à la borne de sortie 70.- during operation by an internal calibration mechanism which produces a configuration word intended to adapt the range as a function of the measurement, for example of a reference emission, or of an average of emission measurements carried out previously. In particular, in one embodiment, the transmission power is increased as soon as the portable object is detected by the fixed terminal. This arrangement allows in particular that, if the portable object is located at the limit of range of the operating lobe, it does not come out during the transaction, which would have destructive effects for the applications in progress. Likewise, the reception power can be adapted. In FIG. 8, the detection signal from the phototransistor 58 is connected to the input terminal of a detection signal amplifier 66, which also includes an input for controlling the gain of the amplifier 6. The control signal gain is produced by a gain control generator 68. The amplified detection signal is available at output terminal 70.
Comme précédemment, le lobe de réception sera en fait ajusté, parce que la distance de fonctionnement est réglée par un moyen de configuration qui fixe la valeur du gain de l 'amplificateur en produisant un mot de configuration 69. Un tel moyen de configuration peut être réalisé :As before, the reception lobe will in fact be adjusted, because the operating distance is adjusted by a configuration means which fixes the gain value of the amplifier by producing a configuration word 69. Such a configuration means can be realized :
- en usine lors de la fabrication du dispositif d 'émission- réception ; lors de l 'installation de la borne fixe ou la personnalisation de l 'objet portable ; - pendant l 'exploitation par un mécanisme interne d'étalonnage qui produit un mot de configuration destiné à adapter la portée en fonction de la mesure par exemple d ' une émission de référence, ou d' une moyenne de mesures d 'émission effectuées précédemment, ou encore par un mécanisme connu de contrôle automatique de gain.- in the factory during the manufacture of the transmission-reception device; when installing the fixed terminal or personalizing the portable object; - during operation by an internal calibration mechanism which produces a configuration word intended to adapt the range as a function of the measurement, for example of a reference emission, or of an average of emission measurements carried out previously, or by a known automatic gain control mechanism.
A la figure 9, on a représenté des chronogrammes expliquant le fonctionnement du codage de l'invention. Le chronogramme (a) représente le signal électrique représentatif du mot binaire compris entre le début "start" et la fin "stop". Le mot binaire de l 'exemple est "01000001".In Figure 9, there are shown timing diagrams explaining the operation of the coding of the invention. The timing diagram (a) represents the electrical signal representative of the binary word comprised between the start "start" and the end "stop". The binary word in the example is "01000001".
Selon l'invention, on détecte les changements d'état du signal électrique représentatif du mot binaire et on obtient un signal électrique impulsionnel représenté à la figure 10 (b). Ce signal impulsionnel est transmis au circuit de gestion de communications (émission) 52 (Figure 2) du dispositif d'émission pour produire le rayonnement infrarouge d'émission par les diodes 54 dans la liaison immatérielle avec un dispositif de réception. Le dispositif de réception reçoit le rayonnement infrarouge et, à l'aide d'un circuit de mise en forme, obtient une reproduction du signal impulsionnel de la figure 10 (b). Le circuit de mise en forme du dispositif de réception comporte un circuit de division par deux du signal impulsionnel, de façon à reconstituer un signal électrique représentatif du message transmis (figure 10 c). De ce fait, on retrouve en figure 10 (d) le message identique à celui codé.According to the invention, the changes of state of the electrical signal representative of the binary word are detected and we obtain an impulse electrical signal shown in Figure 10 (b). This impulse signal is transmitted to the communications (transmission) management circuit 52 (FIG. 2) of the transmission device to produce the infrared emission radiation by the diodes 54 in the immaterial link with a reception device. The receiving device receives infrared radiation and, using a shaping circuit, obtains a reproduction of the pulse signal of Figure 10 (b). The circuit for shaping the reception device comprises a circuit for dividing the impulse signal by two, so as to reconstruct an electrical signal representative of the message transmitted (FIG. 10 c). As a result, we find in FIG. 10 (d) the message identical to that coded.
Parmi les avantages de ce codage, la largeur des impulsions du signal 10 (b) est calculée de façon à minimiser la consommation électrique due aux diodes émettrices. On peut ainsi facilement implémenter un circuit de codage même sur un objet portable.Among the advantages of this coding, the pulse width of the signal 10 (b) is calculated so as to minimize the electrical consumption due to the emitting diodes. It is thus easy to implement a coding circuit even on a portable object.
Dans une autre caractéristique qui sera exploitée plus loin, on constate que si deux octets synchrones parviennent à un récepteur en même temps, les impulsions vont s'ajouter. Il en résulte les deux messages simultanés seront brouillés. Seul l'octet codé en hexadécimal par FF ne peut jamais être brouillé. Il en résulte qu'on saura détecter d'après le codage reçu si plus de deux objets portables produisent en même temps des messages et en décider une procédure alternative qui sera décrite plus loin. Dans un autre mode de réalisation, le circuit de codage a l 'émission comporte un moyen pour produire une impulsion -- chaque changement d 'état du mot binaire à transmettre, l 'impulsion étant d'une largeur proportionnelle à une fraction de la fréquence de 1 'horloge qui sérialise le mot binaire.In another characteristic which will be used below, it can be seen that if two synchronous bytes reach a receiver at the same time, the pulses will be added. This results in the two simultaneous messages being scrambled. Only the byte coded in hexadecimal by FF can never be scrambled. As a result, it will be possible to detect from the coding received if more than two portable objects produce messages at the same time and to decide on an alternative procedure which will be described later. In another embodiment, the transmission coding circuit comprises means for producing a pulse - each change of state of the binary word to be transmitted, the pulse being of a width proportional to a fraction of the frequency of 1 clock which serializes the binary word.
Un tel circuit comporte un détecteur de changement d'état (0 vers 1, ou 1 vers 0), dont la sortie est connectée à la borne d'attaque d'une bascule monostable dont la durée est constituée par une fraction de la période d'horloge. A la figure 11, on a représenté un schéma représentant un circuit de réception destiné à décoder le message transmis. Le signal de détection produit par un phototransistor 80 dont le lobe de fonctionnement a reçu le rayonnement infrarouge d'émission, est connecté à l'entrée d'un amplificateur 81 qui permet d'amplifier le signal de détection. Le signal de détection amplifié est connecté à une première entrée d'un comparateur 82 dont une seconde entrée reçoit une tension de référence prédéterminée produite par un générateur convenable 84. La sortie du comparateur 82 est transmise à l'entrée d'un circuit 83 de division de fréquence par deux. Le signal produit en sortie du circuit 83 (chronogramme 10 b) est transmis à une borne d'entrée de réception Rx d'un circuit 85 de gestion du message reçu. Le circuit 85 est préférentiellement constitué par un circuit de réception standardisé de type UART. Le codage retenu présente une caractéristique avantageuse en ce gue il permet de manière intrinsèque de détecter une erreur de transmission dans la mesure où le code d' un octet présente toujours un nombre pair d ' impulsions . L ' invention comporte donc un circuit de détection d 'une ereur de transmission qui compte le nombre d 'impulsions reçues pour un caractère reçu ou octet reçu . La sortie du compteur d 'impulsions est connectée à l 'entrée d 'un circuit détecteur de parité du nombre binaire représentant la valeur du comptage. Dans un codage naturel , le circuit de détection de parité teste si le bit de poids faible est un zéro binaire. Dans un autre aspect de l 'invention, plusieurs objets portables, chacun constitué par un badge ou par un lecteur de support amovible dans lequel un support de données a été inséré, se trouvent en même temps dans le lobe de fonctionnement du dispositif de réception d 'une borne fixe d 'un système d 'exploitation .Such a circuit includes a change of state detector (0 to 1, or 1 to 0), the output of which is connected to the terminal of attack of a monostable rocker whose duration is constituted by a fraction of the clock period. In FIG. 11, there is shown a diagram representing a reception circuit intended to decode the transmitted message. The detection signal produced by a phototransistor 80, the operating lobe of which has received infrared emission radiation, is connected to the input of an amplifier 81 which makes it possible to amplify the detection signal. The amplified detection signal is connected to a first input of a comparator 82, a second input of which receives a predetermined reference voltage produced by a suitable generator 84. The output of comparator 82 is transmitted to the input of a circuit 83 of frequency division by two. The signal produced at the output of circuit 83 (timing diagram 10b) is transmitted to a reception input terminal Rx of a circuit 85 for managing the received message. The circuit 85 is preferably constituted by a standardized reception circuit of the UART type. The coding adopted has an advantageous characteristic in that it intrinsically allows a transmission error to be detected insofar as the code of a byte always has an even number of pulses. The invention therefore comprises a circuit for detecting a transmission error which counts the number of pulses received for a character received or byte received. The output of the pulse counter is connected to the input of a binary number parity detector circuit representing the value of the count. In natural coding, the parity detection circuit tests whether the least significant bit is a binary zero. In another aspect of the invention, several portable objects, each consisting of a badge or a removable media reader into which a data medium has been inserted, are simultaneously located in the operating lobe of the receiving device of the invention. 'a fixed terminal of an operating system.
Le système attribue de façon programmée des fenêtres temporelles pendant chacune desquelles un canal virtuel est ouvert et attribué à un objet portable pendant le temps de sa connexion .The system allocates time windows in a programmed manner during each of which a virtual channel is opened and assigned to a portable object during the time of its connection.
Pour combattre les conflits entre objets portables, le système de gestion est maître et les objets portables sont esclaves . Un premier nombre aléatoire est généré par chaque objet portable en fonction de son activation par l 'utilisateur. Cette activation est produite par l 'actionnement d 'une touche de validation.To combat conflicts between portable objects, the management system is master and portable objects are slaves. A first random number is generated by each portable object according to its activation by the user. This activation is produced by pressing a validation key.
Préférentiellement, la touche de validation est un élément de l 'objet portable. Dans un autre mode de réalisation, la touche de validation sert à la fois à demander une liaison avec la borne fixe et à acquitter une fonction appllicative comme l 'ordre d 'exécution d ' une transaction dans un système de gestion des entrées payantes par télépéage. Ce premier nombre aléatoire ou aléa est transmis dans la réponse de l 'objet portable au système de gestion qui lui demande son identification . En fonction des diverses réponses que les objets portables lui transmettent, le système de gestion alloue un canal de connexion à chaque objet portable. Pour assurer la levée de conflits entre deux badges à qui serait alloué un même canal de communications , un second nombre aléatoire ou aléa est produit par chaque objet portable, et le système de gestion y a recours pour lever le conflit éventuel . Pour lever le conflit éventuel qui survient quand deux objets portables dans le lobe de réception de la borne fixe ont leur touche de validation enfoncée en même temps, le second aléa permet de décaler la date de réponse de chacun des objets portables en conflit d 'un nombre de bits déterminés dans le canal . Il en résulte que le système d'exploitation est réellement capable de traiter des objets portables en concurrence dans le lobe de réception de la borne fixe et en même temps.Preferably, the validation key is an element of the portable object. In another embodiment, the validation key is used both to request a connection with the fixed terminal and to discharge an application function such as the order to execute a transaction in a system for managing paying toll entries. . This first random or random number is transmitted in the response of the portable object to the management system which requests its identification. Based on the various responses that portable objects transmit to it, the management system allocates a connection channel to each portable object. To resolve conflicts between two badges to which the same communication channel would be allocated, a second random or random number is produced by each portable object, and the management system uses them to resolve any conflict. To resolve the possible conflict which arises when two portable objects in the reception lobe of the fixed terminal have their validation key pressed at the same time, the second hazard makes it possible to shift the response date of each of the portable objects in conflict by one. number of bits determined in the channel. As a result, the operating system is actually capable of processing competing portable objects in the reception lobe of the fixed terminal and at the same time.
Dans un mode préféré de réalisation, l 'automate implémentyé pour réaliser le calcul du premier aléa se fonde sur deux événements indépendants l 'un de l 'autre, qui assure une excellente répartition statistique. Le premier événement est réalisé par l 'appui du bouton de validation de l 'objet portaJble, exécuté par son utilisateur, un peu comme une signature. Ce premier événement déclenche un compteur des impulsions de l 'horloge interne de l 'objet portable. Un second événement, qui arrête le comptage par le compteur ci- dessus, est réalisé par la réception d 'un caractère spécial émis par l 'équipement d'exploitation (borne fixe 17) , qui se situe nécessairement dans au moins une trame suivant la réponse de l 'objet portable. L 'objet portable émet alors à titre de premier aléa, ou de base de calcul pour le premier aléa, un mot représentatif du résultat de comptage stocké dans le compteur. L 'automate détermine ensuite l 'aléa et son exploitation pour allouer un canal à l 'objet portable . Dans un mode de réalisation, le protocole de communications, pour son démarrage, comporte les étapes suivantes : L 'objet portable est activé par enfoncement du bouton de validation . Cet appui démarre un compteur qui produira le premier aléa.In a preferred embodiment, the automaton implemented to carry out the calculation of the first hazard is based on two events independent of each other, which ensures excellent statistical distribution. The first event is carried out by pressing the object validation button. portaJble, executed by its user, a bit like a signature. This first event triggers a pulse counter of the internal clock of the portable object. A second event, which stops counting by the above counter, is carried out by the reception of a special character sent by the operating equipment (fixed terminal 17), which is necessarily located in at least one frame following the response of the portable object. The portable object then emits as a first hazard, or as the basis of calculation for the first hazard, a word representative of the counting result stored in the counter. The automaton then determines the hazard and its exploitation to allocate a channel to the portable object. In one embodiment, the communications protocol, for its start-up, comprises the following steps: The portable object is activated by pressing the validation button. This press starts a counter which will produce the first hazard.
L 'automate de gestion se place en attente d 'un caractère sur la liaison immatérielle . Quand le caractère détecté est un caractère de "stop" , on réalise l 'allocation initiale par commutation de valeur.The management PLC waits for a character on the immaterial link. When the detected character is a "stop" character, the initial allocation is carried out by value switching.
Puis, l 'automate entre en attente d'allocation du canal C, C correspondant à la valeur de l 'aléa déterminé lorsque l 'objet portable émet sa première réponse. Puis, l 'automate calcule alors un second aléa sur la base de la réception du premier aléa . Dans un mode de réalisation, le second aléa est calculé par un circuit comportant un générateur de coefficients de CRC16, d ' un polynôme de degré 16, dont l 'entrée reçoit la valeur du premier aléa, et dont la sortie est traitée en sélectionnant de manière fixe trois bits pour obtenir un numéro de slot ou décalage temporel dans le canal alloué, ceci étant exécuté pour chaque objet portable, quand il demande une allocation . Quand l 'objet portable répond ensuite, il produit un acquittement dans la fenêtre temporelle correspondant au numéro de fenêtre temporelle (slot) précédemment calculée . La borne détecte alors le slot de réponse avec un objet portable actif, puis émet alors un octet de commande LINK qui reprend le numéro de slot associé à cet objet portable, dans lequel il répondra pendant toute la connexion . L 'automate génère donc deux aléas, le second aléa consistant en un décalage du début de la réponse dans le canal . Il en résulte que si 2 objets portables sont simultanément dans le même canal attribué par le premier aléa, la borne recevra une réponse cumulant les bits d 'émission des messages des deux objets portables. Dans ce cas, la borne fixe ne traite pas la réponse reçue qui, à cause du mode de codage est alors nécessairement différente du seul code prévu de réponse des objets portables. Si le caractère de réponse est convenable, la borne fixe dans l 'automate de gestion multi-accès répond par une commande LINK associée au numéro de fenêtre temporelle calculée. Le canal et éventuellement le slot sont alors alloués à l 'objet portable et la suite de la procédure se déroule pour l 'ensemble des objets portables : les nouveaux demandent leur allocation, les anciens échangent les données déterminées par 1 'application.Then, the automaton waits for allocation of the channel C, C corresponding to the value of the hazard determined when the portable object emits its first response. Then, the automaton then calculates a second hazard on the basis of the reception of the first hazard. In one embodiment, the second random is calculated by a circuit comprising a generator of coefficients of CRC16, of a polynomial of degree 16, whose input receives the value of the first random, and whose output is processed by selecting from fixed way three bits to obtain a slot number or time offset in the allocated channel, this being executed for each portable object, when it requests an allocation. When the portable object then responds, it produces an acknowledgment in the time window corresponding to the time window number (slot) previously calculated. The terminal then detects the response slot with an active portable object, then issues a LINK command byte which takes up the slot number associated with this portable object, in which it will respond during the entire connection. The automaton therefore generates two hazards, the second hazard consisting of an offset from the start of the response in the channel. It follows that if 2 portable objects are simultaneously in the same channel allocated by the first random, the terminal will receive a response accumulating the bits of transmission of the messages of the two portable objects. In this case, the fixed terminal does not process the received response which, because of the coding mode is then necessarily different from the only expected response code for portable objects. If the response character is suitable, the fixed terminal in the multi-access management machine responds with a LINK command associated with the calculated time window number. The channel and possibly the slot are then allocated to the portable object and the rest of the procedure takes place for all portable objects: the new ones request their allocation, the old ones exchange the data determined by the application.
On voit aux figures 11 à 13, un exemple d 'implémentation d 'un automate de gestion multi- accès, dit multi-acces qui exploite cette possibilité de 1 ' invention . A la figure 11 , on a représenté les étapes d 'exécution d 'un automate multi-accès implémenté dans un sysème d 'exploitation de l 'invention, dans une application déterminée de gestion des objets portables , par exemple pour du télé-péage. Au centre de la boucle de l 'automate, on teste l 'existence d'une commande -- exécuter, la demande pouvant venir du logiciel d 'application, exécutée par la borne fixe, ou par une commande spéciale émise par l 'un des objets portables . Si aucune commande n 'est à exécuter, l 'automate passe au canal suivant, de façon à scruter chacun des canaux logiques constitués par le mécanisme d'allocation précité.We see in Figures 11 to 13, an example of implementation of a multi-access management controller, called multi-access which exploits this possibility of one invention. In FIG. 11, there is shown the steps of execution of a multi-access automaton implemented in an operating system of the invention, in a specific application for managing portable objects, for example for electronic toll collection. At the center of the PLC loop, we test for the existence of a command - execute, the request can come from the application software, executed by the fixed terminal, or by a special command issued by one of the portable objects. If no command is to be executed, the automaton goes to the next channel, so as to scan each of the logical channels formed by the aforementioned allocation mechanism.
Par l 'étape "Lecture status" , l 'automate détermine l 'état "Libre" ou "Occupé" du canal nouvellement scruté. Si le canal est "Occupé" , lors de l 'étape de "Polling" , l 'automate cherche à attribuer un nouveau canal et teste si la "Réponse présente dans le canal " est correcte. Si c 'est le cas, l 'automate referme la boucle en testant l 'existence d'une "commande à exécuter" . Si la "Réponse présente dans le canal " est incorrecte, l 'automate exécute la "Libération du canal " et teste si le canal est associé à une voie logique attribuée lors de la procédure d 'allocation précitée. Si aucun "Canal associé à une voie logique" n 'est trouvé, l 'automate retourne au test "Commande à exécuter" . Si le test "Canal associé à 1 voie logique" est vrai , on en déduit que le 'objet portable détecté n 'a pas répondu et on réalise la déconnexion logique de ce dernier pour libérer sa voie logique et le canal . Si la lecture du status conduit à décider que le canal est libre, on réalise alors la procédure d 'allocation du canal et de la voie logique associés au badge, et l 'automate retourne au test "Commande à exécuter" . Si le test "Commande à exécuter" est positif, l 'automate exécute le traitement associé à la commande et retourne au test d ' une "Commande à exécuter" suivante.By the "Reading status" step, the PLC determines the "Free" or "Busy" state of the newly scanned channel. If the channel is "Busy", during the "Polling" step, the PLC seeks to assign a new channel and tests whether the "Response present in the channel" is correct. If this is the case, the automaton closes the loop by testing the existence of a "command to execute". If the "Response present in the channel" is incorrect, the PLC performs "Channel release" and tests whether the channel is associated with a logical channel assigned during the above allocation procedure. If no "Channel associated with a logical channel" is found, the PLC returns to the "Command to execute" test. If the test "Channel associated with 1 logical channel" is true, we deduce that the 'detected portable object has not responded and we carry out the logical disconnection of the latter to release its logical channel and the channel. If the reading of the status leads to deciding that the channel is free, the procedure for allocating the channel and the logical channel associated with the badge is then carried out, and the automaton returns to the "Command to execute" test. If the "Command to execute" test is positive, the PLC executes the processing associated with the command and returns to the test of a next "Command to execute".
A la Figure 12, on a représenté une table contenue dans l 'automate de gestion multi-accès qui permet de relier le dispositif d 'émission-réception à une application logicielle gérant plusieurs objets portables simultanément .In Figure 12, there is shown a table contained in the multi-access management automaton which makes it possible to connect the transmission-reception device to a software application managing several portable objects simultaneously.
Le dispositif d 'émission-réception comporte une table de 8 canaux de liaison IR qui peuvent prendre l 'un des états : "Libre" ou "Déconnecté" . Le dispositif de traitement associé au dispositif d'émission- réception et qui exécute le logieciel d 'application comporte une table de l 'état, pris parmi les états : "fermé F" , "ouvert O" ou "déconnecté D" , des 8 voies logiques réservées par le logiciel pour travailler avec plusieurs objets portables en même temps. L 'attribution représentée associe la voie logique 1 au canal 6 et la voie logique 5 au canal 1 , canaux dans les deux quels se trouvent un objet portable. La fonction d 'attribution bijective d'un canal et d'une voie logique est réalisée pendant le traitement d'une commande OpenCom exécutée par le logiciel applicatif.The transmission-reception device comprises a table of 8 IR link channels which can take one of the states: "Free" or "Disconnected". The processing device associated with the transmission-reception device and which executes the application software comprises a state table, taken from the states: "closed F", "open O" or "disconnected D", of the 8 logical channels reserved by the software for working with several portable objects at the same time. The allocation shown associates logical channel 1 with channel 6 and logical channel 5 with channel 1, channels in both of which there is a portable object. The allocation function The bijective of a channel and a logical channel is carried out during the processing of an OpenCom command executed by the application software.
En même temps que cette allocation de canaux IR à des voies logiques, l 'automate exécute la procédure de Polling lors de laquelle la réponse sur 1 octet du badge est rapportée à l 'automate, les 3 bits finaux de l 'octet de réponse traduisant le numéro de canal auquel 1 'objet portable a été associé. A la Figure 13, on a représenté un mode de réalisation de la procédure d 'allocation de canal selon 1 ' invention . La succession temporelle est répartie en une pluralité de fenêtres temporelles ou slots. Selon l ' invention, l 'automate de gestion multi-accès considère pour un canal logique une succession de 10 slots de temps : A, B et de 1 à 8.At the same time as this allocation of IR channels to logical channels, the automaton executes the Polling procedure during which the response on 1 byte of the badge is reported to the automaton, the 3 final bits of the response byte translating the channel number with which the portable object has been associated. In Figure 13, there is shown an embodiment of the channel allocation procedure according to the invention. The time succession is divided into a plurality of time windows or slots. According to the invention, the multi-access management automaton considers for a logical channel a succession of 10 time slots: A, B and from 1 to 8.
Lors du slot ou Période A, la borne fixe produit un mot de code sur huit bits comportant 5 bits significatifs pour transmettre une commande et 3 bits codant le numéro du canal en cours. Dans cet exemple de réalisation, le protocole de gestion multi-accès gère donc 8 canaux distincts.During slot or Period A, the fixed terminal produces an eight-bit code word comprising 5 significant bits to transmit a command and 3 bits coding the number of the current channel. In this exemplary embodiment, the multi-access management protocol therefore manages 8 separate channels.
Une fois le code émis par la borne fixe dans la période A, chaque objet portable présent dans le lobe d 'émission de la borne fixe réalise les traitements prévus par la commande et d 'autres encore, et réalise dans le même temps la production du premier aléa, qui correspond au numéro de canal dans lequel le portable veut répondre.Once the code issued by the fixed terminal in period A, each portable object present in the emission lobe of the fixed terminal performs the treatments provided for by the command and others, and at the same time produces the first hazard, which corresponds to the channel number in which the mobile wants to respond.
La durée de la période B est suffisante pour permettre l 'exécution de ce calcul quelque soit la capacité des moyens de calcul présents sur les divers objets portables, PCCR ou MN, selon le microprocesseur qui les équipe.The duration of period B is sufficient to allow the execution of this calculation whatever the capacity of the calculation means present on the various portable objects, PCCR or MN, depending on the microprocessor which equips them.
Puis, la succession temporelle comporte 8 slots ou fenêtres de temps dans lesquels on peut échanger environ 2 caractères selon le mode de codage utilisé dans l 'invention (voir aux Figures 8 et 9) . A la Figure 14 , on a représenté un organigramme de la réalisation sous forme logicielle d 'une application générale utilisant le système d 'exploitation de l 'invention . Dans cet organigramme, la fonction applicative sur la borne fixe consiste tout d 'abord à réaliser l 'ouverture d ' une voie logique déterminée . Dans un mode de réalisation, l 'automate de gestion multi-accès travaille sur 8 voies logiques associées de manière bijective à chacun des 8 canaux alloués ainsi qu 'on l 'a précédemment expliqué.Then, the temporal succession comprises 8 slots or time windows in which it is possible to exchange approximately 2 characters according to the coding mode used in the invention (see Figures 8 and 9). In Figure 14, there is shown a flow diagram of the implementation in software form of a general application using the operating system of the invention. In this flowchart, the application function on the fixed terminal consists first of all in opening a specific logical channel. In one embodiment, the multi-access management automaton works on 8 logical channels associated bijectively to each of the 8 allocated channels as has been explained previously.
L 'automate exécute ensuite le test de la voie logique et exécute la transmission des données en fonction de l 'adresse du tampon (buffer APDU, défini dans la norme ISO 7816-4 ) sur la voie logique ouverte sur la borne fixe par l 'automate.The PLC then performs the logic channel test and executes the data transmission according to the buffer address (buffer APDU, defined in standard ISO 7816-4) on the logic channel opened on the fixed terminal by the automaton.
Les commandes APDU supportées dans l 'automate de l 'invention sont les suivantes :The APDU commands supported in the automaton of the invention are as follows:
- champ données" : vide ;- data field ": empty;
- transmission de 1 à 255 caractères (octets) transmis de la Jor-ne fixe à l 'objet portable dans la voie logique ouverte ;- transmission from 1 to 255 characters (bytes) transmitted from the fixed Jor-ne to the portable object in the open logical channel;
- transmission de 1 à 256 caractères (octets) transmis par l 'objet portable à la borne fixe.- transmission from 1 to 256 characters (bytes) transmitted by the portable object to the fixed terminal.
Une fois la transmission effectuée, l 'automate exécute la déconnexion de la voie logique. La présente description est donnée à titre illustratif. Les revendications annexées déterminent la portée de 1 ' invention . Once the transmission is complete, the PLC executes the disconnection of the logic channel. This description is given by way of illustration. The appended claims determine the scope of the invention.

Claims

REVENDICATIONS 1. Procédé d'exploitation d'au moins un objet portable ou badge, destiné à échanger des données avec un équipement d'exploitation du support de données, l'objet portable comportant des moyens d'émission ou des moyens d'émission- réception, l'équipement d'exploitation comportant au moins une borne fixe doté de moyens de réception, ou de moyens d'émission-réception, caractérisé en ce qu'il consiste principalement : à conformer les lobes d'émission et de réception respectivement de l'objet portable et de la borne fixe, de sorte qu'une pluralité d'objets portables puissent accéder simultanément à la communication avec la borne fixe ; - à émettre des impulsions à l'aide d'un codage de transmission de sorte que la consommation électrique au moins de l'objet portable soit réduite ;CLAIMS 1. Method for operating at least one portable object or badge, intended for exchanging data with equipment for operating the data medium, the portable object comprising transmission means or transmission means - reception, the operating equipment comprising at least one fixed terminal provided with reception means, or transmission-reception means, characterized in that it mainly consists in: conforming the transmission and reception lobes respectively of the portable object and the fixed terminal, so that a plurality of portable objects can simultaneously access the communication with the fixed terminal; - emitting pulses using transmission coding so that at least the electrical consumption of the portable object is reduced;
- à attribuer un numéro logique à chaque objet portable présent dans le lobe de réception de la borne fixe de sorte gue Je canal de communication physique soit établi cycliquement entre une succession déterminée des objets portables présents dans le lobe de réception.to assign a logical number to each portable object present in the reception lobe of the fixed terminal so that the physical communication channel is established cyclically between a determined succession of portable objects present in the reception lobe.
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le codage consiste, d'un premier coté de la liaison : - à produire un signal de transmission sous forme électrique représentant un mot d'une pluralité de bits émis séquentiellement en synchronisme avec une horloge ; à détecter les changements d'état dudit signal de transmission pour chaque mot binaire ; - à produire une impulsion à chaque détection d'un changement d'état binaire, la durée de l'impulsion étant une fraction de la période du signal d'horloge, de façon à engendrer un signal impusionnel ; puis, - à activer un dispositif d'émission de rayonnement infrarouge à l'aide dudit signal impulsionnel. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the coding consists, on the first side of the link: - in producing a transmission signal in electrical form representing a word of a plurality of bits transmitted sequentially in synchronism with a clock ; detecting changes in the state of said transmission signal for each binary word; - producing a pulse on each detection of a change in binary state, the duration of the pulse being a fraction of the period of the clock signal, so as to generate an impulse signal; then, - to activate an infrared radiation emission device using said pulse signal.
3. Procédé selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce qu 'il consiste, de l 'autre extrémité de la liaison :3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that it consists, on the other end of the link:
- à décoder le signal de détection produit par un dispositif de réception tout en conservant un comptage des erreurs de détection.- decoding the detection signal produced by a reception device while keeping a count of detection errors.
4. Procédé selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le décodage du signal codé consiste à réaliser une division en fréquence du signal impulsionnel de détection .4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the decoding of the coded signal consists in performing a frequency division of the detection pulse signal.
5. Procédé selon la revendication 4 , caractérisé en ce que le décodage par division de fréquence est réalisé par division par deux.5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the decoding by frequency division is carried out by division by two.
6. Procédé selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le comptage d'erreurs de détection est réalisé en comptant le nombre d ' impulsions dans une période de transmission du mot d'information, et en testant si le résultat de comptage est un nombre pair.6. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the counting of detection errors is carried out by counting the number of pulses in a period of transmission of the information word, and by testing whether the counting result is a number peer.
7. Procédé selon la revendication 1 , caractérisé en ce que l 'allocation de canal comporte les étapes de : réaliser l 'initialisation de la procédure d 'allocation par une manifestation volontaire de la part du porteur de l 'objet portable placé dans le lobe de fonctionnement de la borne fixe ; calculer un premier aléa de façon à attribuer un numéro de canal à l 'objet portable, la borne fixe produisant un message d ' interrogation ; attendre la réponse du badge ; calculer un second aléa à partir de la réponse de l 'objet portable ; produire un code définissant un numéro de fenêtre temporelle attribué à l 'objet portable.7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel allocation comprises the steps of: carrying out the initialization of the allocation procedure by a voluntary manifestation on the part of the carrier of the portable object placed in the lobe operating the fixed terminal; calculating a first hazard so as to assign a channel number to the portable object, the fixed terminal producing an interrogation message; wait for the badge to respond; calculating a second hazard from the response of the portable object; producing a code defining a time window number assigned to the portable object.
8. Système d 'exploitation mettant en oeuvre le procédé selon l 'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu 'il comporte ; au moins un équipement d'exploitation, comme une borne fixe (17) , au moins un objet portable (1 ) , ladite borne fixe (17) et ledit objet portable (1 ) comportant de plus un dispositif d 'émission, de réception et /ou d'émission-réception destiné à conformer les lobes de fonctionnement d 'une liaison immatérielle infrarouge, ladite borne fixe (17) et ledit objet portable (1) comportant de plus un circuit de codage et /ou de décodage destiné à échanger des données en réduisant la consommation électrique au moins de l 'objet portable ; ladite borne fixe (17) comportant de plus un circuit d 'allocation d 'un canal de communication à chacun des objets portables (1 ) qui se trouvent dans ledit lobe de fonctionnement .8. Operating system implementing the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises; at least one operating equipment, such as a fixed terminal (17), at least one portable object (1), said fixed terminal (17) and said portable object (1) further comprising a transmission, reception and / or transmission-reception device intended to conform the operating lobes of an infrared immaterial link, said fixed terminal ( 17) and said portable object (1) further comprising a coding and / or decoding circuit intended for exchanging data by reducing the electrical consumption at least of the portable object; said fixed terminal (17) further comprising a circuit for allocating a communication channel to each of the portable objects (1) which are located in said operating lobe.
9. Système selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif d'émission ou d'émission-réception comporte une pluralité de diodes infrarouges (Dxy) réparties dans un réseau bidimensionnel doté d ' un moyen de collimation pour conformer le lobe d'émission .9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the transmission or transmission-reception device comprises a plurality of infrared diodes (Dxy) distributed in a two-dimensional network provided with a collimation means to conform the lobe of program .
10. Système selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de réception ou le dispositif d 'émission- réception comporte au moins un phototransistor (PR) , le phototran,sistor étant placé au milieu des diodes d 'émission (Dxy) s 'il s 'agit d' un dispositif d 'émission-réception .10. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the reception device or the transmission-reception device comprises at least one phototransistor (PR), the phototran, sistor being placed in the middle of the emission diodes (Dxy) s 'this is a transceiver device.
11. Système selon la revendication 9 ou 10, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de collimation sont constitué par des masques, écrans ou guides d'onde (Oe, Ma) réalisés en un matériau absorbant les infrarouges, et en ce que les paramètres géométriques (H, Ll , L2 , L3, L4) des moyens de collimation déterminent la forme du lobe de fonctionnement.11. System according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the collimation means consist of masks, screens or waveguides (Oe, Ma) made of a material absorbing infrared, and in that the geometric parameters (H, L1, L2, L3, L4) collimation means determine the shape of the operating lobe.
12. Système selon l 'une au moins des revendications 9 à 11 , caractérisé en ce que les moyens de collimation comportent un circuit composé d 'une pluralité d'interrupteurs (53 ) intercalés entre la sortie d 'un circuit de gestion des communications et chacune des diodes et/ ou phototransistor dont l 'état ouvert ou fermé est commandé par un générateur de masque (55) d'émission ou de réception, configuré par un mot de configuration (56) . 12. System according to at least one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the collimation means comprise a circuit composed of a plurality of switches (53) interposed between the output of a communications management circuit and each of the diodes and / or phototransistor whose open or closed state is controlled by a mask generator (55) for transmission or reception, configured by a configuration word (56).
13. Système selon l 'une au moins des revendications 9 à 12, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de collimation comportent un circuit pour régler la distance de fonctionnement qui comporte un générateur de tension de référence (60) , de niveau réglable par un mot de configuration (65) , en fonction de ladite distance de fonctionnement, et dont la sortie est connectée à une première borne d 'entrée (63) d'un comparateur (59) de signal de réception issu d 'au moins un phototransistor (58) de réception du rayonnement infrarouge, ledit signal de réception étant connecté à une seconde borne d'entrée (62) dudit comparateur (59) .13. System according to at least one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the collimation means comprise a circuit for adjusting the operating distance which comprises a reference voltage generator (60), of level adjustable by a word configuration (65), as a function of said operating distance, and the output of which is connected to a first input terminal (63) of a comparator (59) of reception signal coming from at least one phototransistor (58 ) for receiving infrared radiation, said reception signal being connected to a second input terminal (62) of said comparator (59).
14. Système selon l ' une au moins des revendications 9 à 13, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de collimation comportent un circuit pour régler la distance de fonctionnement qui comporte un générateur (68) d 'un signal de commande du gain d 'au moins un amplificateur de réception (66) dont la borne d 'entrée de signal est connectée à au moins un phototransistor (58) de réception du rayonnement infrarouge, ledit générateur (68) pouvant recevoir un mot de configuration (69) .14. System according to at least one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the collimation means comprise a circuit for adjusting the operating distance which comprises a generator (68) of a signal for controlling the gain of au at least one reception amplifier (66), the signal input terminal of which is connected to at least one phototransistor (58) for receiving infrared radiation, said generator (68) being able to receive a configuration word (69).
15. Système selon l 'une des revendications 12 à 14 , caractérisé en ce que le mot de configuration (56, 65, 69) est produit par un moyen de configuration réalisé :15. System according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the configuration word (56, 65, 69) is produced by a configuration means produced:
- en usine lors de la fabrication du dispositif d 'émission- réception ; lors de l ' installation de la borne fixe ou la personalisation de l 'objet portable ; pendant l 'exploitation par un mécanisme interne d'étalonnage qui produit un mot de configuration destiné à adapter la portée en fonction de la mesure par exemple d'une émission de référence, ou d'une moyenne de mesures d 'émis ion effectuées précédemment, ou encore selon le cas par un mécanisme de contrôle automatique de gain.- in the factory during the manufacture of the transmission-reception device; when installing the fixed terminal or personalizing the portable object; during operation by an internal calibration mechanism which produces a configuration word intended to adapt the range as a function of the measurement, for example of a reference emission, or of an average of emission measurements carried out previously, or as the case may be by an automatic gain control mechanism.
16. Système selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de réception, ou d'émission-réception comporte au moins un phototransistor (PR) , disposé dans le réseau (Dxy) en des endroits prédéterminés, et en ce qu 'il produit un signal de réception , qui est issu des signaux de détection provenant de chaque phototransistor (PR) , obtenu par l 'un au moins des moyens suivants :16. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the reception or transmission-reception device comprises at least one phototransistor (PR), arranged in the network (Dxy) in predetermined locations, and in that it product a reception signal, which comes from the detection signals coming from each phototransistor (PR), obtained by at least one of the following means:
- vote du signal de détection issu du phototransistor produisant la meilleure caractérisât ion en amplitude, ou en comparaison avec un signal d ' initialisation prédéterminé, généré en début de communication ;- voting of the detection signal from the phototransistor producing the best characterization in amplitude, or in comparison with a predetermined initialization signal, generated at the start of communication;
- somme pondérée des signaux de détection issus de l 'ensemble des phototransistors du dispositif d 'émission et de réception .- weighted sum of the detection signals from all the phototransistors of the transmission and reception device.
17. Système selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce qu ' il comporte au moins un circuit de codage par impulsions des transitions des bits du message à émettre par le dispositif d 'émission , un circuit de décodage en division par 2 de la fréquence du signal de détection produit par le dispositif de réception, et/ ou un circuit de détection d 'erreurs de transmission comportant un compteur des impulsions correspondant à un caractère reçu, connecté à un détecteur de parité du résultat de comptage . 17. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one circuit for pulse coding of the transitions of the bits of the message to be transmitted by the transmission device, a decoding circuit in division by 2 of the frequency of the detection signal produced by the reception device, and / or a transmission error detection circuit comprising a pulse counter corresponding to a received character, connected to a parity detector of the counting result.
18. Sysème selon la revendication 7 , caractérisé en ce qu ' il comporte un automate de gestion multi-accès qui comporte un moyen pour générer un premier aléa calculé par l 'appui d ' un bouton de validation de l 'objet portable considéré, de sorte qu ' un numéro de canal soit attribué à l 'objet portable, et un moyen pour générer un second aléa calculé à partir de la réception du premier aléa notamment par un circuit à CRC16, de façon à allouer un numéro de slot différent à deux objets portables dans le même canal , avec un décalage dans le début des réponses des objets portables de même canal , correspondant au numéro de slot affecté . 18. System according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a multi-access management automaton which comprises a means for generating a first hazard calculated by pressing a button for validating the portable object considered, so that a channel number is assigned to the portable object, and a means for generating a second random calculated from the reception of the first random in particular by a circuit at CRC16, so as to allocate a different slot number to two portable objects in the same channel, with an offset in the start of responses from portable objects in the same channel, corresponding to the assigned slot number.
PCT/FR1995/001368 1994-10-17 1995-10-17 Method for operating at least one portable object in a multi-user, portable object operating system, and operating system WO1996012252A1 (en)

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AU38076/95A AU3807695A (en) 1994-10-17 1995-10-17 Method for operating at least one portable object in a multi-user, portable object operating system, and operating system

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FR9412371A FR2725813A3 (en) 1994-10-17 1994-10-17 METHOD FOR OPERATING A DATA MEDIUM, PORTABLE OBJECT AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING THE OPERATING METHOD
FR94/12371 1994-10-17

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AU3807695A (en) 1996-05-06
FR2725813A3 (en) 1996-04-19

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