Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of a transponder in its vicinity is provided, which comprises an antenna, a pulse generation unit, a unit adapted to feed the antenna with the pulses and a unit for measuring the damped oscillations of the antenna as a consequence of being fed with the pulses, the unit for measuring the damped oscillations of the antenna determining whether a transponder is present or not in the vicinity of the antenna on the basis of the characteristics of the damped oscillations.