Detector circuit, transponder and method for detecting signal amplitudes

摘要

A transponder circuit for receiving and processing an ASK signal having modulated communication information is provided. The transponder circuit includes a data receiver configured to receive the ASK signal. A reference clock extractor coupled to the data receiver is configured to extract a reference clock signal from the ASK signal. An amplitude determination unit is coupled to the data receiver and the reference clock extractor, and is configured to determine at least one amplitude value of the received ASK signal in at least one clock cycle of the extracted reference clock signal based on the extracted reference block. A processing unit, which is coupled to the amplitude determination unit, processes the amplitude value such that the communication information is retrieved.

主权项

1. A detector circuit for detecting at least one amplitude value of varying amplitude data, the detector circuit comprising:
a data receiver configured to receive the varying amplitude data; a reference clock extractor coupled to the data receiver and configured to extract a reference clock signal from the varying amplitude data; and an amplitude determination unit coupled to the data receiver and the reference clock extractor, the amplitude determination unit configured to divide a half-period of the extracted reference clock signal into a plurality of equal time width sample intervals and to detect an amplitude value of the varying amplitude data within one of the equal time width sample intervals, wherein the amplitude determination unit further comprises a maximum detector, wherein the maximum detector is configured to detect a maximum value of the received varying amplitude data by detecting an amplitude value of the varying amplitude data only within the equal time width sample interval that coincides with an occurrence of a maximum in the varying amplitude data for each half-period of the extracted reference clock signal; a processing unit coupled to the amplitude determination unit and configured to process the amplitude value such that the communication information is retrieved; and a threshold adapter configured to adjust at least one of a low threshold value and a high threshold value used by the processing unit.