Multiple antenna reading system suitable for use with contactless transaction devices

1. A multiple antenna reading system suitable for use with contactless transaction devices, said system comprising:

at least one reader;

at least first and second antennas having at least some inductive coupling therebetween and being coupled to said at least one reader; and

antenna function disabling circuitry automatically operative, in response to receiving a control signal from said at least one reader upon activation of at least a first one of said at least first and second antennas, to disable antenna function of at least a second one of said at least first and second antennas by at least one of short circuiting said second one of said at least first and second antennas, changing the resonant frequency of said second one of said at least first and second antennas and changing the Q factor of said second one of said at least first and second antennas, said control signal being at least one of a rectified RF signal output and a signal routed from said at least one reader superimposed on an RF signal via a single cable to said at least first and second antennas.

2. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said activation of one of said first and second antennas comprises generation of an RF field by said one of said first and second antennas as a result of an RF signal generated by said reader.

3. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one reader also comprises at least one of communication, computation and logic functionalities.

4. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said at least first and second antennas are arranged to communicate with a smart card.

5. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least first and second antennas are associated with access control functionality.

6. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least first and second antennas are associated with identification functionality.

7. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least first and second antennas are associated with payment functionality.

8. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein each of said at least first and second antennas comprises an antenna coil and antenna matching circuitry.

9. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 8 and wherein said antenna function disabling circuitry is operative to selectably effectively short circuit said antenna coil.

10. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 8 and wherein said antenna function disabling circuitry is operative to selectably change a resonant frequency of said antenna coil.

11. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 8 and wherein said antenna function disabling circuitry is operative to selectably change the Q-factor of said antenna coil.

12. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 8 and wherein said antenna function disabling circuitry is operative to selectably prevent generation of an RF field by said antenna coil.

13. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said control signal comprises a rectified RF signal output.

14. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said control signal is routed from said at least one reader to said at least first and second antenna via a dedicated line.

15. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said control signal is routed from said at least one reader superimposed on said RF signal via a single cable to said at least first and second antenna.

16. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 15 and wherein said reader comprises at least first and second low pass filters operative to prevent said RF signals from being attenuated.

17. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 15 and wherein each of said at least first and second antennas also comprises a low pass filter.

18. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 17 and wherein said low pass filter comprises an inductor, a resistor and a capacitor connected in series.

19. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one reader comprises a microcontroller and at least a first and a second RF transceivers.

20. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least first and second antennas comprise more than two antennas and antenna function disabling circuitry operates with said more than two antennas such that more than one antenna may be activated simultaneously and more than one antenna may be deactivated simultaneously.

21. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one reader comprises multiple readers connected to multiple ones of said at least first and second antennas and more than one antenna may be activated simultaneously and more than one antenna may be deactivated simultaneously.

22. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein:

said at least one reader comprises multiple readers;

said at least first antenna is coupled to a first reader of said multiple readers; and

said at least second antenna is coupled to a second reader of said multiple readers.

23. A multiple antenna reading system according to claim 1 and wherein:

said at least one reader comprises one reader; and

said at least first antenna and said at least second antenna are coupled to said one reader.