DEVICE AND CORRESPONDING METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING WITH A TRANSPONDER AND SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATION

Abstract

Device (1) for communicating with a transponder (2), wherein the device (1) comprises a transmitting device (10), a receiving device (11) and an evaluation device (12), wherein the transmitting device (10) is designed to send a transmit signal (Cs) to the transponder (2), wherein the receiving device (11) is configured to receive a received signal (Fs) from a signal (Ds) emitted by the transponder (2), and wherein the evaluation device (12) is designed to evaluate the received signal (Fs) with respect to data errors using the transmitted signal (Cs) and / or a signal component (As, Bs) of the transmitted signal (Cs).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for communicating with a transponder and to a system for communicating. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for communicating with a transponder.

[0002] When data is transmitted contactlessly, especially wirelessly, e.g., via electromagnetic waves, interference can be introduced due to noise or crosstalk from other signals, which may even influence or alter the transmitted data. To ensure the security of data transmission, it is therefore common practice to transmit data redundantly, for example, by transmitting checksums along with the actual data. If the received data deviates from the checksum, a transmission error has obviously occurred. The signals are transmitted from a transponder to a receiver or, more generally, to a device for communicating with a transponder.

[0003] It is known in the art to equip objects with RFID transponders (radio frequency identification) or RFID tags – one example of the aforementioned transponders. RFID readers can read identification data from the RFID transponders or transmit data (e.g., measurement data) from an object connected to the transponder (e.g., a measuring device or a sensor) to the reader.

[0004] The increasingly common high-frequency RFID transponders of the state of the art are typically passive and are excited or activated by a high-frequency electromagnetic field. These RFID transponders generally have little or no energy resources of their own. The transponder therefore uses the transmission signal from the reader and, in response to the excitation, sends a modulated signal back to the reader. The modulated signal is usually a backscatter signal, so that the signal emitted by the transponder results from a modulation of the transmission signal received from the reader with a data signal from the transponder. This response signal contains information from the transponder via the data signal, which can be evaluated by the reader.

[0005] Therefore, if data integrity—that is, the secure and error-free transmission of the data signal—is to be ensured with RFID transponders, the state of the art requires redundant transmission of the data originating from the transponder. However, the increased data volume is disadvantageous, especially in the case of RFID transponders with limited energy resources.

[0006] Document D1 (US 2008 / 0231425 A1) relates to a quadrature demodulation device that uses a quadrature detection result to increase demodulation efficiency.

[0007] US 2005 / 0232369 A1 refers to back-scatter-based transponders and proposes the use of frequency hopping to transmit data.

[0008] US 5,952,922 A relates to a radio communication system with one or more tags and refers in column 13 to how operating modes can be changed.

[0009] The object of the invention is to monitor the integrity of the transmitted data during wireless data transmission while avoiding redundancy with regard to the data transmitted by the transponder.

[0010] The invention solves the problem by a device for communicating with a transponder, by a system for communicating and by a method for communicating.

[0011] The invention solves this problem by providing a device for communicating (i.e., unidirectional or bidirectional data transmission) with a transponder. The device comprises a transmitting device, a receiving device, and an evaluating device. The transmitting device is configured to transmit a transmitted signal to the transponder. The receiving device is configured to receive a received signal based on a signal transmitted by the transponder. Finally, the evaluating device is configured to evaluate the received signal for data errors based on the transmitted signal and / or a signal component.

[0012] The device emits a transmission signal to the transponder—e.g., in its direction and / or at a frequency receivable by the transponder and / or with a transmission power sufficient to reach the transponder—which, in one embodiment, results from two signal components. In one embodiment, two signals are combined for this purpose, e.g., modulated together.

[0013] The transmission signal is preferably received by the transponder and is sent back to the device, for example, by backscattering. In one embodiment, the transponder modulates the transmission signal, in particular, so that it contains data. After it has passed through the space between the device and the transponder and after any interference or interference with other signals has occurred, it is then received by the receiving device of the device.

[0014] An evaluation device then evaluates the received signal based on the transmitted signal or at least one signal component (in one embodiment, this refers to data that allows a description of the transmitted signal) of the transmitted signal. Since, in one embodiment, the received signal results from a modulation of the transmitted signal with a data signal from the transponder, the received signal in one embodiment at least partially comprises the transmitted signal.

[0015] The evaluation device therefore determines in one embodiment whether there are any deviations in the received signal from the transmitted signal or from one of the - in one embodiment at least two - signal components of the transmitted signal. If, for example, the received signal should carry a signal component of the transmitted signal, but differences in form, frequency or general signal progression occur (e.g. due to interruptions), this means that the signal from the transponder to the device has been damaged and that the data signal extracted from the received signal may be faulty. Therefore, the transmitted signal allows data errors in the received signal to be detected during the evaluation of the received signal. It is therefore detected whether the transmission of the data was faulty. The evaluation device is therefore preferably designed in such a way that, based on the transmitted signal ora signal component of the transmission signal to determine whether a data signal from the transmitter has been transmitted correctly or whether interference can be detected.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the transmission signal has two different signal components.

[0017] In one embodiment, communication is carried out with a transponder that transmits signals according to the backscatter principle. Thus, a coupling by modulated backscatter exists between the device and the transponder.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the signal transmitted by the transponder is based on the transmission signal and a data signal of the transponder.

[0019] In one embodiment, the received signal is based on the transponder modulating a data signal onto the transmitted signal it receives.

[0020] The following embodiments relate to the transmission signal and the two signal components from which the transmission signal results according to one embodiment.

[0021] In one embodiment, the signal components originate from two independent signal sources. Therefore, one embodiment provides for the device to have two such signal sources.

[0022] In one embodiment, a first signal component is configured as a carrier. In one embodiment, a second signal component is configured, additionally or alternatively, to suppress the carrier.

[0023] In a further embodiment, it is provided that data, in particular in the form of a data signal, is modulated onto a first signal component.

[0024] One embodiment involves embodying a first signal component as an amplitude-modulated signal. This offers the advantage that demodulation of an amplitude-modulated signal on the transponder side can be implemented very effectively and energy-efficiently.

[0025] According to one embodiment, a first signal component can consist of a temporally repeating information sequence. In a supplementary or alternative embodiment, a second signal component can serve for synchronization.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the second signal component serves to transmit information for controlling carrier suppression.

[0027] In one embodiment, it is provided that a second signal component is designed as a phase-modulated or frequency-modulated signal or is designed as a signal according to an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing method (OFDM).

[0028] According to one embodiment, a signal component of the transmission signal, with which, in one embodiment, no data is transmitted to the transponder, is phase-modulated. Phase modulation has the advantage that synchronization of the received signal with the transmission signal or with the second signal component can be achieved via the phase. This reduces computing power, for example, compared to frequency modulation.

[0029] In one embodiment, the transmission signal, which is transmitted by the device with the transmitting device (possible names for the device are generally also base station or reader), in particular to the transponder, consists of two parts: In one embodiment, this is, on the one hand, an amplitude-modulated part (or transmission portion), with which data is transmitted towards the transponder. On the other hand, this is a phase-modulated part (or signal portion), which is not relevant to the transponder and also carries no data for the transponder, but which is used for carrier suppression after backscatter modulation of the transmission signal in the base station (i.e., the communication device).

[0030] One embodiment consists in the signal components of the transmission signal having the same data rate or different data rates.

[0031] In one embodiment, the signal components are incoherent.

[0032] One embodiment includes the evaluation device being configured to provide a data signal from the transponder based on the received signal. In this embodiment, the evaluation device extracts a data signal from the transponder from the received signal, e.g., by demodulation using the transmitted signal.

[0033] According to one embodiment, synchronization of the transmission signal and the reception signal occurs without demodulation of the two signals.

[0034] In one embodiment, it is provided that a data rate of the transmission signal is specified such that the data rate of the transmission signal is greater than a data rate—to be expected in one embodiment—of a data signal from the transponder. If the transmission signal has two signal components, the transmission signal also has two different data rates in one embodiment.

[0035] If the transmission signal has two signal components (referred to here as the first and second signal components), one embodiment provides that a data rate of a second signal component of the transmission signal is predetermined in such a way that the data rate of the second signal component is greater than a data rate of a data signal of the transponder.

[0036] In this embodiment, the data rate of a transponder data signal is thus lower than the data rate of the transmission signal. By specifying these data rates, a signal—namely the transmission signal or a signal component of the transmission signal—with a higher data frequency in the frequency domain is superimposed on the data signal, which has a lower data frequency. In other words, the transmission signal or a signal component of the transmission signal "sits" on top of the transponder data signal in the frequency domain.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the evaluation device is designed to synchronize the received signal with a synchronization signal.

[0038] In one embodiment, the synchronization signal is predetermined based on the transmission signal and can be identical to the transmission signal in one embodiment.

[0039] In a further embodiment, the evaluation device is designed to synchronize the received signal for demodulation with respect to frequency and / or phase.

[0040] In one embodiment, the transmitting device is designed to transmit the transmitted signal multiple times and / or over a predetermined transmission time period. This embodiment allows, in particular in the case of an RFID transponder, to be continuously supplied with energy. Furthermore, this embodiment results in the transmitted signal of the device interacting with the signal transmitted by the transponder, so that there is an overlap on the transmission path. The transmission time period or the time over which the multiple transmission of the transmitted signal extends is, in one embodiment, so long that the transmitted signal can influence and possibly overlay the signal transmitted by the transponder, i.e., in one embodiment, the modulated backscatter signal.

[0041] In one embodiment, the device allows for multi-receiver capability, as there are no restrictions on point-to-multipoint transmission (broadcast method). Thus, in one embodiment, by announcing the selected coding to specific receivers or transponders, groups are formed that are enabled to receive the device's transmission signal. This results in a simple selection of desired transponders from a larger number of available receivers. This also relies on the fact that a signal component of the transmission signal can serve as a key.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the device is designed as an RFID reader and the transponder is an RFID transponder.

[0043] The invention further relates to a transponder that receives signals, modulates a data signal, and retransmits the received signal modulated with the data signal. In particular, backscatter modulation occurs. The signal transmitted by the transponder can also generally be referred to as the transponder's response signal.

[0044] Furthermore, the invention achieves this objective by providing a communication system. Communication refers in particular to communication between a communication device (as described by way of example in the preceding embodiments) and a transponder.

[0045] The system for communicating comprises a device for communicating with a transponder (in one embodiment, the device is an RFID reader) and such a transponder (for example an RFID transponder).

[0046] The device comprises a transmitting device, a receiving device, and an evaluating device. The transmitting device is configured to transmit a transmitted signal to the transponder. The receiving device is configured to receive a received signal based on a signal transmitted by the transponder. Finally, the evaluating device is configured to evaluate the received signal for data errors based on the transmitted signal and / or a signal component.

[0047] The transponder has a transponder receiving device and a transponder transmitting device. The transponder receiving device is configured to receive a signal from the aforementioned device. The transponder transmitting device is configured to transmit a signal based on the received signal and a data signal—as a response signal, so to speak—to the device.

[0048] In this system, the device transmits a transmission signal with its transmitting device, which is received by the transponder with its transponder receiving device. The transponder transmits a (response) signal to the device with its transponder transmitting device, which is based on the received signal—i.e., the received transmission signal from the device—and a data signal. The device then receives a reception signal with its receiving device, which is based on the signal transmitted by the transponder, and evaluates this signal for data errors. The device thus examines whether the signal transmitted by the transponder arrived error-free. The transmission signal, or at least a signal component of the transmission signal, is used for the evaluation.

[0049] According to an optional embodiment, the transmission signal has at least two signal components. In an alternative embodiment, the transmission signal does not have multiple signal components. In one embodiment, the transmission signal is exclusively phase-modulated. In this case, no data transmission takes place towards the transponder due to the absence of the amplitude-modulated component. The transponder can therefore be designed more simply, so that, for example, no receiving device is required.

[0050] The device for communicating with a transponder is preferably designed according to one of the above embodiments, so that the above explanations also apply to the system. The same applies vice versa.

[0051] In one embodiment, the transponder is designed such that the signal transmitted by the transponder is based on a modulation of the transmitted signal with a data signal from the transponder. The transponder thus performs what is known as backscatter modulation of the signal it receives (i.e., the transmitted signal of the communication device).

[0052] In one embodiment, a data rate of the transmission signal is specified to be greater than a data rate of the data signal of the transponder. In one embodiment, a high-frequency transmission signal can be modulated with a low-frequency data signal.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the transmitting device is configured to transmit the transmission signal multiple times and / or over a predetermined transmission period. Due to the continuous or repeated transmission of the transmission signal, it is possible for the signal transmitted by the transponder to be overlaid by the transmission signal.

[0054] In one embodiment, an analog carrier suppression method is used.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the device is designed as an RFID reader and the transponder is an RFID transponder.

[0056] Furthermore, the invention achieves this objective by providing a method that allows communication with a transponder. In one embodiment, communication involves receiving data from the transponder. In a further, purely optional embodiment, data is also transmitted to the transponder.

[0057] The procedure includes at least the following steps: • a transmission signal is sent to the transponder, • a reception signal that depends on a signal transmitted by the transponder is received, and • Based on the transmitted signal and / or a signal component, the received signal is evaluated with regard to data errors.

[0058] In some configurations this results in: Furthermore, the transponder receives the transmitted signal. The transponder also transmits a signal based on the signal received by the transponder and a data signal. The received signal is based on the signal transmitted by the transponder and any influences that may occur along the radio signal transmission path.

[0059] The above embodiments of the device for communication can also be implemented accordingly by the method, so that the above statements also apply accordingly to the method.

[0060] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for designing and developing the device, system, and method according to the invention. Reference is made, on the one hand, to the patent claims and, on the other hand, to the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a system with a communication device and with a transponder, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of another system and Fig. 3 a schematic signal waveform of a signal received by the device.

[0061] The device 1 for wireless and radio-based communication with a transponder and the transponder 2 form a system for communication between the device 1 and the transponder 2.

[0062] The device 1 has a transmitting device 10 for transmitting a transmission signal Cs in the direction of the transponder 2. For the transmission signal Cs, the transmitting device 10 is connected to two different signal sources 13, 14, each providing a first signal component As and a second signal component Bs, respectively. In one exemplary embodiment, the second signal component Bs allows the transmission of data from the device 1—alternative designations are, for example, base station or reader, depending on the embodiment—to the transponder 2. In another embodiment, no data is transmitted, so that, for example, no multi-part transmission signal Cs is present.

[0063] The transmitted signal Cs thus has two different signal components As, Bs, so that the transmitted signal Cs can also be written as the sum of the two signal components As, Bs: Cs = As + Bs. However, the two signal components refer only to one possible embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, the transmitted signal is a phase-modulated signal that has only one signal component.

[0064] In order to ensure that the transponder 2 is supplied with sufficient energy in the embodiment shown, the transmission signal Cs is continuously transmitted.

[0065] Furthermore, the device 1 has a receiving device 11 for receiving signals transmitted by the transponder 2. The received signal Fs, which depends on a signal Ds emitted by the transponder 2, but possibly also on external radiation or, in this case, on crosstalk of the transmitted signal Cs, is processed by the evaluation device 12. To evaluate the received signal Fs, the evaluation device 12 accesses the transmitted signal Cs or one of the two signal components As, Bs, depending on the design.

[0066] The transponder 2 receives the transmission signal Cs with the transponder receiving device 20 and, in the example shown, also receives its energy from it. The received transmission signal Cs is fed to a modulator 22, which modulates it with a data signal Es, thus generating the signal Ds, which is emitted by the transponder transmitting device 21 to the device 1. The data signal Es is fed to the modulator 22 and relates, for example, to identification data or measurement data.

[0067] The signal Ds to be transmitted by the transponder 2 is thus the result of modulating the transmission signal Cs with the data signal Es of the transponder 2, so that the signal Ds to be transmitted can be written as the product of the transmission signal Cs and the data signal designated Es: Ds = Es * Cs.

[0068] The received signal Fs depends on the signal Ds transmitted by transponder 2. Furthermore, the received signal Fs may depend on the crosstalk of the transmitted signal Cs, so that the received signal Fs can also be described as a sum of signals: Fs = Ds + Cs.

[0069] Since the (response) signal sent by transponder 2 was generated from the transmission signal Cs of the device, it can also be formulated: Fs = Es * Cs + Cs.

[0070] The received signal Fs thus normally includes the transmitted signal Cs. In a further embodiment, the received signal Fs comprises at least one signal component (As, Bs) of the transmitted signal Cs.

[0071] Therefore, the evaluation device 12 is configured to evaluate the received signal Fs to determine whether deviations from the transmitted signal Cs or from at least one signal component As, Bs can be detected. Thus, in one embodiment, the received signal Fs is synchronized with a synchronization signal Gs, wherein the synchronization signal Gs is set equal to the transmitted signal Cs in one embodiment. In the latter embodiment, the received signal Fs is thus synchronized with the transmitted signal Cs.

[0072] In addition, the evaluation device 12 extracts the data signal Es of the transponder 2 from the received signal Fs, e.g. by demodulation.

[0073] Overall, the evaluation device 12 thus provides the data signal Es of the transponder 2 as well as a statement about the data integrity as a result of the wireless data communication.

[0074] In the Fig. 2 again shows a system based on the backscatter modulation principle.

[0075] The communication device 1 is embodied here as a reader and has a transmitting device 10, referred to here as a transmitter. This transmitter 10 receives the two independent signal components As and Bs and transmits the transmitted signal Cs, which is composed of the two signal components As and Bs. This is illustrated here by the formula: As + Bs = Cs. However, the formula only refers to the exemplary embodiment shown. The detection of transmission errors is possible regardless of whether the transmitted signal Cs consists of one or more components.

[0076] In one embodiment, the two signal components As, Bs originate from two different and independent signal sources and are mixed together according to an arbitrarily specified modulation type. In one embodiment, the first signal component As represents the carrier, onto which, in another embodiment, data is modulated for transmission to transponder 2. In one embodiment, the second signal component Bs is an arbitrary signal that is used for carrier suppression.

[0077] The transmitter 10 transmits the transmission signal Cs to the transponder receiver device 20 of the transponder 2. The transponder receiver device 20 is referred to here as a receiver. The transmission device 10 and the transponder receiver device 20 are connected to each other via an air interface, via which the signals are transmitted.

[0078] The transponder receiving device 20 is further designed in such a way that it extracts a signal component - this is the second signal component Bs - from the received transmission signal Cs and transmits it to further components of the transponder 2 - not shown here.

[0079] The received transmission signal Cs travels from the receiver 20 of the transponder 2 to the transponder transmission device 21. The transponder transmission device 21 is referred to here as a transmitter and includes a backscatter modulator that modulates the received transmission signal Cs with a data signal Es from the transponder 2, thereby generating the signal Ds, which the transponder 2 transmits as a response signal. This response signal Ds is described here as the multiplication of the data signal Es by the received transmission signal Cs: Ds = Es * Cs.

[0080] The transmitter 21 of the transponder 2 sends the response signal Ds to the receiving device 11 of the device 1. The receiving device 11 is referred to here as a receiver.

[0081] To supply transponder 2 with sufficient energy, in the embodiment shown, device 1 transmits the transmission signal Cs repeatedly or over a longer period of time. This results in crosstalk 3 between the transmission signal Cs and the response signal Ds of transponder 2 along the air interface.

[0082] Thus, the received signal Fs received by the receiver 11 of the device 1 results from the sum of the response signal Ds and the transmitted signal Cs: Fs = Cs + Ds.

[0083] However, interference may still occur which causes the received signal Fs to differ from the response signal Ds.

[0084] In a further embodiment, there is no continuous or repeated transmission of the transmission signal Cs, so that the mentioned crosstalk 3 does not occur and the reception signal Fs results directly from the signal Ds transmitted by the transponder 2 or possible interference.

[0085] In order to detect such errors or malfunctions, the receiving device 11 is designed in such a way that it contains the evaluation device.

[0086] In the illustrated embodiment, the received signal Fs is first synchronized in terms of frequency and phase for the best possible demodulation. The synchronized received signal Fs is then synchronized with a synchronization signal Gs, which is equal to the transmitted signal Cs (represented by Gs = Cs). Furthermore, the receiver 11 also provides the data signal Es of transponder 2—e.g., via a backscatter demodulator.

[0087] In the embodiment shown, the receiver 11 of the device 1 thus determines, based on the transmission signal Cs, whether the reception signal Fs contains errors.

[0088] In the Fig. Figure 3 shows a signal waveform of a data signal Es (dotted line) and a second signal component Bs (solid, thinner line), which, for example, belongs to a received signal. The data signal Es has a significantly lower frequency than the second signal component Bs, so that the bits of the second signal component Bs sit on the waveform of the data signal Es.

[0089] Thus, if a received signal Fs, which has the second signal component Bs and the data signal Es as components, is compared with the second signal component Bs that was used to generate the transmitted signal Cs, if the second signal component Bs extracted from the received signal Fs deviates from the original second signal component Bs, it can be concluded that the response signal Ds emitted by the transponder has been disturbed, so that the integrity of the data signal Es is also questionable.

[0090] Above all, error detection is possible without redundantly transmitting the transponder data or the data signal. This reduces the transponder's energy consumption and extends the range between the transponder (e.g., an RFID transponder) and the communication device 1 (e.g., an RFID reader).

[0091] In further embodiments, additional redundancies are added to the raw data streams of data sources A, Bs and Es.

[0092] Although some aspects have been described in the context of a device, it should be understood that these aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, so that a block or component of a device can also be understood as a corresponding method step or as a feature of a method step. Analogously, aspects described in the context of or as a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block, detail, or feature of a corresponding device. Some or all of the method steps may be performed by (or using) a hardware apparatus, such as a microprocessor, a programmable computer, or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, some or more of the key method steps may be performed by such an apparatus.

[0093] Depending on specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the invention may be implemented in hardware or in software, or at least partially in hardware or at least partially in software. The implementation may be carried out using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, or a FLASH memory, a hard disk, or other magnetic or optical storage device on which electronically readable control signals are stored that can interact or interact with a programmable computer system such that the respective method is carried out. Therefore, the digital storage medium may be computer-readable.

[0094] Some embodiments according to the invention thus comprise a data carrier having electronically readable control signals capable of interacting with a programmable computer system such that one of the methods described herein is carried out.

[0095] In general, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product having a program code, wherein the program code is effective to perform one of the methods when the computer program product is run on a computer.

[0096] The program code can, for example, also be stored on a machine-readable medium.

[0097] Other embodiments include the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein, wherein the computer program is stored on a machine-readable medium. In other words, one embodiment of the method according to the invention is thus a computer program that has program code for performing one of the methods described herein when the computer program is executed on a computer.

[0098] A further embodiment of the method according to the invention is thus a data carrier (or a digital storage medium or a computer-readable medium) on which the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein is recorded. The data carrier or the digital storage medium or the computer-readable medium is typically tangible and / or non-transitory.

[0099] A further embodiment of the method according to the invention is thus a data stream or a sequence of signals that represents the computer program for carrying out one of the methods described herein. The data stream or the sequence of signals can be configured, for example, to be transferred via a data communication connection, for example, via the Internet.

[0100] A further embodiment comprises a processing device, for example a computer or a programmable logic device, which is configured or adapted to carry out one of the methods described herein.

[0101] A further embodiment comprises a computer on which the computer program for performing one of the methods described herein is installed.

[0102] A further embodiment according to the invention comprises a device or system designed to transmit a computer program for performing at least one of the methods described herein to a recipient. The transmission can be electronic or optical, for example. The recipient can be, for example, a computer, a mobile device, a storage device, or a similar device. The device or system can, for example, comprise a file server for transmitting the computer program to the recipient.

[0103] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (e.g., a field-programmable gate array, an FPGA) may be used to perform some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field-programmable gate array may interact with a microprocessor to perform any of the methods described herein. In general, in some embodiments, the methods are performed by any hardware device. This may be general-purpose hardware such as a computer processor (CPU) or method-specific hardware such as an ASIC.

[0104] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be apparent to others skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the following claims and not by the specific details presented in the description and explanation of the embodiments herein.

Claims

[1] Device (1) for communicating with a transponder (2), the device (1) comprising a transmitting device (10), a receiving device (11) and an evaluating device (12), wherein the transmitting device (10) is designed to transmit a transmission signal (Cs) to the transponder (2), wherein the receiving device (11) is designed to receive a received signal (Fs) based on a signal (Ds) transmitted by the transponder (2), and wherein the evaluation device (12) is designed to evaluate the received signal (Fs) with respect to data errors using the transmitted signal (Cs) and / or a signal component (As, Bs) of the transmitted signal (Cs). [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the signal (Ds) transmitted by the transponder (2) is based on the transmission signal (Cs) and a data signal (Es) of the transponder (2). [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission signal (Cs) has two different signal components (As, Bs). [4] Device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the signal components (As, Bs) originate from two mutually independent signal sources (13, 14). [5] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the evaluation device (12) is designed to provide a data signal (Es) of the transponder (2) based on the received signal (Fs). [6] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a data rate of the transmission signal (Cs) is predetermined such that the data rate of the transmission signal (Cs) is greater than a data rate of a data signal (Es) of the transponder (2). [7] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the evaluation device (12) is designed to synchronize the received signal (Fs) with a synchronization signal (Gs), and wherein the synchronization signal (Gs) is predetermined based on the transmission signal (Cs). [8] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the transmitting device (10) is designed to transmit the transmission signal (Cs) multiple times and / or over a predetermined transmission time period. [9] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the device (1) is designed as an RFID reader, and wherein the transponder (2) is an RFID transponder. [10] System for communicating, wherein the system comprises a device (1) for communicating with a transponder (2) and a transponder (2), wherein the device (1) comprises a transmitting device (10), a receiving device (11) and an evaluating device (12), wherein the transmitting device (10) is designed to transmit a transmission signal (Cs) to the transponder (2), wherein the receiving device (11) is designed to receive a received signal (Fs) based on a signal (Ds) transmitted by the transponder (2), wherein the evaluation device (12) is designed to evaluate the received signal (Fs) with respect to data errors using the transmitted signal (Cs) and / or a signal component (As, Bs) of the transmitted signal (Cs), wherein the transponder (2) has a transponder receiving device (20) and a transponder transmitting device (21), wherein the transponder receiving device (20) is designed to receive a signal (Cs) from the device (1), and wherein the transponder transmitting device (21) is designed to transmit a signal (Ds) based on the received signal (Cs) and a data signal (Es) to the device (1). [11] System according to claim 10, wherein the transponder (2) is designed such that the signal (Ds) transmitted by the transponder (2) is based on a modulation of the transmission signal (Cs) with a data signal (Es) of the transponder (2). [12] Method for communicating with a transponder (2), wherein a transmission signal (Cs) is sent to the transponder (2), wherein a reception signal (Fs) dependent on a signal (Ds) transmitted by the transponder (2) is received, and wherein the received signal (Fs) is evaluated with respect to data errors using the transmitted signal (Cs) and / or a signal component (As, Bs) of the transmitted signal (Cs).

Images