NFC device emulated in card mode comprising a digital phase locked loop, and corresponding communication method

1. A near-field communication (“NFC”) device using active load modulation, wherein the NFC device is configured to communicate, in card emulation mode, with a reader, and wherein the device comprises:

a digital phase-locked loop or frequency-locked loop configured to generate a clock signal, wherein the digital phase-locked loop or frequency-locked loop comprises:

an oscillator configured to generate the clock signal in accordance with an analog control signal;

a feedback circuit configured to generate a digital control signal;

a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the digital control signal into the analog control signal; and

an integrator configured to integrate the analog control signal.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit is configured to generate the digital control signal using thermometric coding for the digital-to-analog converter.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit is configured to generate the digital control signal to compensate a phase offset or frequency offset in the clock signal with respect to a reference signal, wherein the feedback circuit comprises a digital filter in order to stabilize the digital control signal, and wherein the digital filter has unity gain at zero frequency.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the integrator comprises a capacitive element configured to accumulate charge resulting in a voltage for controlling the oscillator.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate the analog control signal comprising a variable-strength current having a strength that is controlled by the digital control signal for a fixed duration.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate the variable-strength current comprising a first negative-strength current for a first half of the fixed duration, and a second positive-strength current for a second half of the fixed duration.

7. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the fixed duration is measured based on a frequency of the clock signal.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate the analog control signal comprising a fixed-strength current for a variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate the fixed-strength current comprising a first fixed negative-strength current for a first variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal, and a second fixed positive-strength current for a second variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the variable duration is measured based on a frequency of the clock signal.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the digital-to-analog converter is configured to cyclically charge an intermediate capacitive element to a variable pre-charging voltage that is controlled by the digital control signal, and to switch the intermediate capacitive element charged to the pre-charging voltage on the integrator.

12. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmission stage configured to modulate a subcarrier signal extracted from the clock signal, and to communicate in accordance with NFC Type A 106 kbps protocol with intra-frame synchronization.

13. A near-field communication (“NFC”) method using active load modulation, comprising:

communicating, by a device in card emulation mode, with a reader;

generating a clock signal controlled by an analog control signal;

feeding back a digital control signal;

performing digital-to-analog conversion comprising converting the digital control signal into the analog control signal; and

integrating the analog control signal.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the digital control signal is coded using thermometric coding for the digital-to-analog conversion.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the feeding back the digital control signal comprises generating the digital control signal to compensate a phase offset or frequency offset in the clock signal with respect to a reference signal, and comprises stabilizing the digital control signal by a digital filter having unity gain at zero frequency.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the integrating comprises accumulating charge resulting in a voltage configured to control the generating of the clock signal.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the performing the digital-to-analog conversion comprises generating the analog control signal comprising a variable-strength current having a strength controlled by the digital control signal for a fixed duration.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the variable-strength current comprises a first negative-strength current for a first half of the fixed duration, and a second positive-strength current for a second half of the fixed duration.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the fixed duration is measured based on a frequency of the clock signal.

20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the performing the digital-to-analog conversion comprises generating the analog control signal comprising a fixed-strength current for a variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the fixed-strength current comprises a first fixed negative-strength current for a first variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal, and a second fixed positive-strength current for a second variable duration that is controlled by the digital control signal.

22. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the variable duration is measured based on a frequency of the clock signal.

23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the performing the digital-to-analog conversion comprises cyclically charging an intermediate capacitive element to a variable pre-charging voltage that is controlled by the digital control signal, and switching the intermediate capacitive element charged to the pre-charging voltage in order to integrate the analog control signal.

24. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising modulating a subcarrier signal extracted from the clock signal, to communicate in accordance with NFC Type A 106 kbps protocol with intra-frame synchronization.