Abstract: The present invention relates to a contactless integrated circuit reader operating by inductive coupling, comprising an antenna circuit for sending an alternating magnetic field, circuits for applying an alternating excitation signal to the antenna circuit and circuits for modulating the amplitude of an antenna signal present in the antenna circuit according to data to be sent. The reader includes circuits for simulating the operation of a contactless integrated circuit, arranged to inhibit the application of the excitation signal to the antenna circuit and to apply a load modulation signal to the antenna circuit when data is to be sent. The load modulation signal is capable of disturbing a magnetic field sent by another contactless integrated circuit reader and of being detected by the other contactless integrated circuit reader.

Abstract: The invention relates to a chip card reader (10) comprising a central processing unit (20) comprising means (MP2, MEM2, PG20, 23) for emitting and receiving, on a communication bus (60), binary messages with a first format determined by a communication protocol for contact chip card, a card receiving device (40) comprising a contact card connector (42) connected to the central processing unit (20) by means of the communication bus (60), and a read head (30) for contactless chip card (53) comprising a serial interface (31). According to the invention, the serial interface (31) of the contactless read head (30) is directly connected at least to a data wire (I/O) of the communication bus, and the contactless read head (30) is arranged in a hardware and/or software way so that it does not respond to a contact chip card activation command and responds to a specific activation command (ACTIV) different from a contact chip card activation command.

Abstract: An electronic tag (30, 40) is provided comprising a contactless integrated circuit (10) and a main coil antenna (Ls) comprising at least two distinct non-coplanar and/or non-coaxial windings (Ls1-Ls4) arranged in series. Applications to the reading of a tag from any face of a three-dimensional object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pipeline microprocessor (MP) comprising a first pipeline stage (ST1) comprising means IPC, MMU, PC, B2, DEC1) for reading and decoding instructions (CODEOP, ADRs, ADRd) of a program recorded in a memory (MEM), and a second pipeline stage (ST2), contiguous to the first pipeline stage, comprising two sectors (ST21, ST22) activated one after the other during complementary half-cycles of a clock signal (H1) of the microprocessor. The first sector reads data contained in two registers (Rd, Rs) of a bank of registers (BANK1, BANK2) of the microprocessor and carries out an operation on the data according to an instruction (CODEOP, ADRs, ADRd) received at the previous clock cycle. The second sector (ST22) comprises means (B4, DEC1) to record the result of the operation in a register of the bank of registers (BANK1, BANK2). Application especially to chip cards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (40) comprising a combination of at least two contactless integrated circuits (45), each integrated circuit being connected to an individual antenna coil (46) to send and/or receive data by inductive coupling. According to the present invention, the device comprises a collective antenna coil (42) that is larger in size than the individual antenna coils of the integrated circuits, and means (41) for arranging the individual antenna coil of an integrated circuit proximate to the collective antenna coil, at least when data are to be read and/or written in the integrated circuit, so that the individual antenna coil of the integrated circuit is inductively coupled to the collective antenna coil. Application to smart cards, electronic badges or electronic labels.

Abstract: A method for modulating the amplitude of an antenna signal applied to an inductive-type antenna circuit by a control circuit having binary ports that can be set to high impedance and with a non-zero internal resistor. The signal providing the electric power supply of the antenna circuit is delivered by at least two ports of the control circuit, and the amplitude of the antenna signal is modulated by changing the output state of at least one of the ports. Particularly applied to contactless smart card readers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microprocessor (10) comprising a counter (TMR) to measure a time interval as a function of a counting instruction value (VAL) and a counting clock signal (H2). According to the invention, the microprocessor (10) comprises wired logic detection means (EVTDET) for the detection of at least one awaited event (E1, E2, E3), these means being arranged for the immediate application of a signal (LOAD) for the loading of a counting instructed value (VAL1, VAL2) to said counter when the awaited event takes place. Application especially to the management of a transmission of asynchronous data at a high bit rate in contactless chip cards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pipeline microprocessor (MP1, MP2) comprising a program counter (PC), means (MUX, ADD) for the incrementation of the program counter (PC), instruction decoding means (PREDEC, DEC1, DEC2, DEC3) comprising means (PREDEC) to decode a conditional jump instruction (JMPc) of the program counter, a bank of registers (REGBANK), a computation unit (ALU) comprising a first output (S1) to deliver a result and a second output (S2) to deliver status bits (C, N, P, Z) of the result. According to the invention, the computation unit (ALU) and the means (PREDEC, DEC3) for decoding the conditional jump instruction (JMPc) are laid out in two neighboring pipeline stages (ST1, ST2), and the means (PREDEC) for decoding the conditional jump instruction (JMPc) are connected to the second output (S2) of the computation unit (ALU).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contactless integrated circuit reader operating by inductive coupling, comprising an antenna circuit for sending an alternating magnetic field, circuits for applying an alternating excitation signal to the antenna circuit and circuits for modulating the amplitude of an antenna signal present in the antenna circuit according to data to be sent. The reader includes circuits for simulating the operation of a contactless integrated circuit, arranged to inhibit the application of the excitation signal to the antenna circuit and to apply a load modulation signal to the antenna circuit when data is to be sent. The load modulation signal is capable of disturbing a magnetic field sent by another contactless integrated circuit reader and of being detected by the other contactless integrated circuit reader.

Abstract: A method for decoding a pulsed signal coded by phase jumps, in which each bit is coded by N pulses of the coded signal and a change of the value of a bit in relation to the previous bit is coded by an inversion of the coded signal phase. The method has steps of sampling the coded signal by a pulsed strobe of the same frequency as the coded signal, with a sampling window the duration of which is less than the duration of one pulse of the coded signal. For each group of N pulses of the coded signal, the number of sampled pulses resulting from the sampling of the coded signal is counted, and then the value of the bit coded by the group of N pulses is deduced from it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic tag (30, 40) comprising a contactless integrated circuit (10) and a main coil antenna (Ls) comprising at least two distinct non-coplanar and/or non-coaxial windings (Ls1-Ls4) arranged in series. Applications to the reading of a tag from any face of a three-dimensional object.

Abstract: An inductive coupling data receiving device having an inductive-type antenna circuit that has a coil through which an antenna signal passes, and a control circuit having binary ports that can be set to high impedance. The device has at least two filters arranged to receive a charge modulation signal that is present in the antenna signal on a first terminal, each connected by their other terminal to a control circuit port. The control circuit is arranged to select one of the filters by setting the port connected to the filter to be selected to “1”, and by setting the port connected to the other filter to high impedance state. Particularly applied to contactless smart card readers.

Abstract: A method for selecting an electronic module from a plurality of at least two modules (M1, M2, M3) capable of emitting messages simultaneously, includes the steps of sending a general query message (ACTIVALL) to the modules, and selecting (AFI, SELECT-ID) the module having responded first, the modules, on receiving a query message (ACTIVALL, ACTIV), determining a random time interval (P) and sending a responding message (ID, R) when the said time interval (P) has elapsed. A module is set in idle position (IDL) when it receives a message (MESS) before the time interval (P) preceding the sending of a response (ID, R) has elapsed. The idle position (IDL) is at least characterized by the fact that one module does not respond, subsequently, to a complementary query message (ACTIV). This invention is particularly useful for contactless smart card readers and for terminals for electronic labels.

Abstract: An electronic micromodule includes a support wafer, and an integrated circuit chip on the support wafer. The integrated circuit chip includes electrical connector areas, and at least one insulation layer is on the support wafer and the integrated circuit chip. The insulation layer includes openings to the electrical connector areas. At least one flat winding defining a coil is on the insulation layer and is connected to the electrical connector areas. A conducting material is in in each of the openings through the insulation layer for connecting the coil to the electrical zconnector areas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microprocessor (MP) comprising means to decode (DEC1) a compact instruction (BMV) for the concatenation of at least one bit (bi) of a first binary word (W1) with at least one bit of a second binary word (W2), and means (REGBANK, MUX, BSHIFT) to process this instruction in one clock cycle. Advantages: fast processing of a concatenation operation. Application especially to chip cards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a random signal generator (10) comprising means (11, 12, 13) for converting an electronic noise (N, N1, N2) into a logic signal (RS) whose value depends on the random fluctuations of the electronic noise (N). According to one embodiment, the generator (10) comprises at least two delay lines (11, 12) having initially balanced time constants (T). The two delay lines (11, 12) receive a pulsed reference signal (Hr) at input and at least one of the delay lines (11, 12) receives an electronic noise (N1, N2) causing its time constant (T) to fluctuate (&Dgr;t). The temporal lag between the two pulsed signals (S1, S2) is detected by a circuit (13) delivering a logic signal (RS) whose value is a function of the relative lag between the two pulsed signals (S1, S2). Advantageously, the electronic noise (N1, N2) is a differential noise taken at two points (GND1, GND2) of a ground plane or two points (PV1, PV2) of an electrical supply plane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recording a binary word (BW) by means of electrically erasable and programmable type memory cells (Ci,j) organized in word lines (Wli), in which there are provided at least two word lines (WLi, XWLi) that can be erased or programmed independently of each other, the binary word is recorded in one of said word lines (XWLi) and, simultaneously, the other word line (XWLi) is erased. The invention is applied to the making of a memory system (10), a binary counter and an abacus counter that are secured.

Abstract: An authentication method for a wired-logic microcircuit mounted on a support and a microcircuit reading terminal. The microcircuit is provided with a memory which has data readable by the terminal. A secret code of the microcircuit is arranged in a region of the memory that is not readable by the terminal. The microcircuit generates an authentication code from the data in the memory that is readable by the terminal, the secret code and a random code. The terminal generates an authentication code from the data in the microcircuit memory that is readable by the terminal, a secret code provided to the terminal by a microcircuit user and random code, and the authentication code generated by the microcircuit is compared with the authentication code generated by the terminal.

Abstract: A logic machine and a circuit for producing an authentication code for authenticating smart cards which include a cycle of steps wherein a bit word is read out of a secret memory with a plurality of bit words, and words read out during previous cycles are combined. The result of the combination is used as a generator word for generating the address of the word to be read out in the next cycle.

Abstract: To reduce the risks of erroneous data writing into an electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile memory (10) (EEPROM) when a failure in the memory (10) voltage supply (Vcc) occurs during a programming or erasing operation, the memory (10) comprising means (30) of generating programming or erasing high voltage (Vpp), means (SW.sub.i, TI.sub.i,) are provided for maintaining the high voltage (Vpp) supply to the cells (C.sub.i,j) of the memory and capacity (Chv, CR.sub.2) of sufficient power to maintain the high voltage (Vpp) during the time required for the programming or erasing operation. The invention is useful particularly for EEPROM memories mounted on chip cards and electronic labels.