Patents by Inventor Franz Amtmann

Franz Amtmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070168623
    Abstract: In a method for storing and/or changing state information in a memory (2) containing a plurality of memory cells (3), wherein the memory cells (3) assume an irreversible memory state as a result of a programming step, wherein the state information is represented by a number and/or position of memory cells (3) that are in an irreversible memory state or are programmed, the state information (S3, S13) is determined by checking the memory state of the memory, and then, after selecting (S4, S14) an unprogrammed memory cell (3) the selected memory cell is programmed during or for changing the state information (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20070149161
    Abstract: In a data carrier (1), there are provided modification means (19) for modifying, as a function of the distance between the data carrier (1) and the base station (4), the ratio of the duration of a load period (TB) to the duration of an off-load period (TE), at which ratio the data carrier (1) load-modulates the electromagnetic field (HF) generated by a base station (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Peter Raggam, Michael Rauber
  • Publication number: 20070114282
    Abstract: A portable device includes an active device (communication station) configuration for contactless communication with at least one external data carrier and a passive device (data carrier) configuration for contactless communication with at least one external communication station. A detection circuit is provided to detect the presence of an external data carrier and/or the presence of an external communication station in a communication zone of the internal active device configuration and/or the internal passive device configuration. An activation circuit is coupled to the detection circuit to enable one of the two configurations based on the detection result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Klemens Breitfuss, Holger Kunkat, Reinhard Meindl, Stefan Posch
  • Patent number: 7185813
    Abstract: A portable device (1) includes a communication station configuration (10) for contactless communication with at least one external data carrier (13) and a data carrier configuration (11) for contactless communication with at least one external communication station (14), wherein a detection circuit (32) is provided which is designed to detect the presence of an external data carrier (13) and the presence of an external communication station (14) in a communication zone of the internal communication station configuration (10) and the internal data carrier configuration (11) designed for contactless communication, and wherein an activation circuit (33) cooperating with the detection circuit (32) is provided, by means of which activation circuit (33) one of the two configurations (10, 11) can be activated as a function of the detection result (INFO1, INFO2, INFO3) supplied in each case by the detection circuit (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Klemens Breitfuss, Holger Kunkat, Reinhard Meindl, Stefan Posch
  • Publication number: 20070021077
    Abstract: Circuit for a data carrier, which circuit is capable of supplying identification information to a communications arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Ewald Bergler, Roland Brandl, Hubert Watzinger
  • Patent number: 7126994
    Abstract: In a method of communication between a communication station (1) and a plurality of data carriers (2) an interrogation signal (IDB) is generated with the aid of interrogation signal generating means (7) in order to start an interrogation cycle (IPER) and is supplied to all the data carriers (2) and with the aid of response signal generating means (63) each data carrier (2) generates a response signal (RDB), of which response signals (RDB) some of the response signals (RDB) are received separately and some are received non-separately, and the communication station (1) detects each separately received response signal (RDB) and consequently identifies the relevant data carrier (2), and an acknowledge signal (QDB) is supplied to each identified data carrier (2) whose response signal (RDB) has been received separately by the communication station (1), which acknowledge signal (QDB) is detected with the aid of acknowledge signal detection means (59) in each data carrier (2) and thus sets each identified data carrie
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Patent number: 7116677
    Abstract: Each data carrier of multiple data carriers is assigned a time slot within which to communicate with a base station. The base station allocates the time slots by acknowledging receipt of a data carrier's unique identifier during the assigned time slot. Each data carrier stores its assigned time slot, and communicates only when a time-slot counter indicates the occurrence of the assigned time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20060148521
    Abstract: In a transponder (1) and its integrated circuit (2), there is provided a processcontrolling circuit (14) for controlling an inventory-making process for making inventories in a communication station, which process-controlling circuit (14) contains transmnissionparameter selecting means (31) that select a transmission parameter, preferably a time slot, by using a hash value (HV) and by using a part (byte x) of a distinguishing dataset (SN), the generation of the hash value (HV) taking place in the transponder (1) or in its integrated circuit (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Peter Raggam, Werner Zettler
  • Publication number: 20060109086
    Abstract: In a method of inventorying a plurality of transponders (2) by means of a communication station (1) communicating with the transponders (2) in contactless manner, the communication station (1) emits an unmodulated carrier signal (NMCS) in a communications range of the communication station (1) and each transponder (2) on entering the communications range then emits a presence-signaling signal (PRES) and the communication station (1) on receiving a presence-signaling signal (PRES) then emits an inventorying command signal (INVS) and each transponder (2) on receiving the inventorying command signal (INVS) then emits a response signal (RESPS) permitting inventorying of the transponder (2) and the communication station (1) on correctly receiving a response signal (RESPS) then undertakes inventorying of the relevant transponder (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Patent number: 7049934
    Abstract: A data carrier is configured to monitor the power of a received signal from a base station, and to vary its “Aloha” transmission based on the power of the received signal. The time period, or repetition frequency, associated with the Aloha transmission is controlled based on the received power, such that a higher received power provides a longer time period between transmissions. In this way, transmitters that are farther away from the base station are provided more frequent opportunities to have their transmissions received without collisions than transmitters that are closer to the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20060097851
    Abstract: A communication station (1) and a transponder (2) are designed in such a way that an inventorizing operation can be performed using various memory areas (36, 37, 38, 39, 40), which are provided in an addressable memory (35) of the transponder (2), and in which different identification data (UIDDATA, USERDATA) is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Michael Cernusca
  • Patent number: 7032826
    Abstract: A data carrier for contactless communication with a communication station has a substrate and a communication resonant circuit connected to the substrate and consisting of a communication coil and of a capacitor configuration and having a resonant frequency which should have a nominal value, whereby enabling resonant frequency to be changed from an initial value both to higher frequency values and to lower frequency values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Thomas Burger
  • Publication number: 20060077043
    Abstract: Using a method of recognizing whether a transponder (2) designed for communicating with a communication station (1) belongs to one of at least two groups (GR1, GR2, GR3, GRn) of transponders (2), firstly, for each group (GR1, GR2, GR3, GRn) of transponders (2), a check data block (CRC1, CRC2, CRC3, CRCn) that is significant for the group (GR1, GR2, GR3, GRn) of transponders (2) is generated, and, secondly, the data from the check data block (CRC1, CRC2, CRC3, CRCn) that is significant for the group (GR1, GR2, GR3, GRn) of transponders (2) is evaluated for the recognition of whether the transponder (2) belongs to a group (GR1, GR2, GR3, GRn) of transponders (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: KONINLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Michael Cernusca, Christian Scherabon
  • Patent number: 6995651
    Abstract: A communication station (1) and a transponder (2) are designed in such a way that an inventorizing operation can be performed using various memory areas (36, 37, 38, 39, 40), which are provided in an addressable memory (35) of the transponder (2), and in which different identification data (UIDDATA, USERDATA) is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Michael Cernusca
  • Publication number: 20050243935
    Abstract: A data carrier (2) that is developed for contactless receiving of a signal, wherein the data carrier (2) can be supplied with energy and information by the signal, provides data carrier transmission means (12) for transmitting the signal and signal evaluation means (17), which, with energy input, are developed to evaluate the signal occurring at the data carrier transmission means (12) with regard to information that can be transmitted by the signal, and energy supply means (16), which, using the signal occurring at the data carrier transmission means (12), are developed to supply the signal evaluation means (17) with energy, wherein the signal evaluation means (17) are developed to evaluate a self-clocking signal (S), which self-clocking signal (S) forms the signal that can be fed to the circuit (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20050218230
    Abstract: A portable device (1) comprises a communication station configuration (10) for contactless communication with at least one external data carrier (13) and a data carrier configuration (11) for contactless communication with at least one external communication station (14), wherein a detection circuit (32) is provided which is designed to detect the presence of an external data carrier (13) and the presence of an external communication station (14) in a communication zone of the internal communication station configuration (10) and the internal data carrier configuration (11) designed for contactless communication, and wherein an activation circuit (33) cooperating with the detection circuit (32) is provided, by means of which activation circuit (33) one of the two configurations (10, 11) can be activated as a function of the detection result (INFO1, INFO2, INFO3) supplied in each case by the detection circuit (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Klemens Breitfuss, Holger Kunkat, Reinhard Meindl, Stefan Posch
  • Publication number: 20050212662
    Abstract: A transponder (10) which is combined with a product and contains a product code which is significant for the product can be set to a first safety state when the product undergoes a transfer from a first product location area to a second product location area, via a safety state activation zone which includes a communication station, and can be set to a second safety state if the transponder has been set to the first safety state. A transponder (10) set to the second safety state can be permanently deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V. GROENEWOUDSEWEG 1
    Inventors: Franz Amtmann, Josef Preishuber-Pflugl, Michael Cernusca
  • Patent number: 6946952
    Abstract: A data carrier (1) for contactless communication with the communication station comprises firstly a reception stage (3) for receiving an interrogation signal (IS), secondly a generation stage (17) for generating a response signal (RS) upon reception of the interrogation signal (IS), thirdly a processing circuit (18) for processing the response signal (RS) into a transmission signal (MCRS) suitable for transmission to the communication station, fourthly a determination device (22) for determinating at least one representative value (REP1, REP2), the representative value (REP1, REP2) representing the field strength of the field acting on the data carrier (1), and fifthly a control connection (25) between the determination device (22) and the processing circuit (18), wherein the processing circuit (18) is influenced via the control connection (25) in order to vary a transmission parameter of a transmission signal generated by the processing circuit (18) as a function of the at least one representative value (REP
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Josef Preishuber-Pfluegl, Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20050173526
    Abstract: In a method of inventorizing a plurality of data carriers (2) with the aid of a communication station (1) communicating in a contact-free way with the data carriers (2), a set (TS(1), TS(2), . . . TS(N), TS(N+1), . . . (TS(K)) of transmission parameters, preferably of time slots (TS) is available, which set comprises a first subset (TS(1) . . . TS(N)) and a second subset (TS(N+1) . . . (TS(K)) wherein inventorizing procedures (MP1, MP2, MP3, . . . ) are performed consecutively and wherein uninventorized data carriers (2) transmit their identification data (ID) to the communication station (1) for the purpose of inventorization only using transmission parameters contained in the first subset and wherein already inventorized data carriers (2) transmit their identification data (ID) to the communication station (1) only using transmission parameters contained in the second subset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventor: Franz Amtmann
  • Publication number: 20050164676
    Abstract: In a method of releasing communication between at least two communication devices (4, 5, 6, 7, 8), a data carrier (36), that is able to be read from in a non-contacting manner and that contains an authorization code (AUC), is brought into the vicinity of communication devices (4, 5, 8) that are to be released, and the authorization code (AUC) is read out in a non-contacting manner by a reading device (21, 22, 25) contained in the relevant communication device (4, 5, 8) and is fed by the reading device (21, 22, 25) to a releasing device (40, 41, 44) that, after analyzing the authorization code (AUC), is responsible for releasing communication between the communication devices (4, 5, 8) to be released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Holger Kunkat, Reinhard Meindl, Stefan Posch, Klemens Breitfuss, Franz Amtmann, Peter Thueringer