US5640004A — Portable object including an electronic circuit p…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

A portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, the object including a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object and, inside the housing and facing said pierceable zone, a plurality of contact areas connected to power supply lines for the electronic circuit, said areas being suitable for being put into contact with electrically conductive spikes connected to an external power supply circuit and pushed through the pierceable zone so as to power the electronic circuit of the object, thereby making good any exhaustion or failure of the internal battery, to give access to said data memory.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 127 words

A portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, the object including a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object and, inside the housing and facing said pierceable zone, a plurality of contact areas connected to power supply lines for the electronic circuit, said areas being suitable for being put into contact with electrically conductive spikes connected to an external power supply circuit and pushed through the pierceable zone so as to power the electronic circuit of the object, thereby making good any exhaustion or failure of the internal battery, to give access to said data memory.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

The portable object of claim 1, in which the plurality of areas includes two areas situated on the same power supply line and separated by a destroyable conductor element so that destruction of said element serves to isolate the exhausted or failed internal battery from the electronic circuit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

The portable object of claim 2, in which the destroyable conductor element is a fuse element that is destroyable by passing an electrical current that is considerably greater than the nominal operating current of the electronic circuit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The portable object of claim 1, in which the pierceable zone is the push face of a pushbutton, and is made of flexible material.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of externally powering a portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, said object including a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object, the method consisting in: pushing a plurality of electrically conductive spikes through the pierceable zone until the spikes come into contact with a corresponding plurality of contact areas in the object and connected to power supply lines of the electronic circuit; then applying a voltage between said spikes so as to power the electronic circuit, thereby making good any exhaustion or failure of the internal battery, to provide access to said data memory.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 128 words

A method of externally powering a portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, said object including a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object, the method consisting in: pushing a plurality of electrically conductive spikes through the pierceable zone until the spikes come into contact with a corresponding plurality of contact areas in the object and connected to power supply lines of the electronic circuit; then applying a voltage between said spikes so as to power the electronic circuit, thereby making good any exhaustion or failure of the internal battery, to provide access to said data memory.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method of claim 5, in which the plurality of contact areas in the object includes two areas situated on a common power supply line and separated by a destroyable conductor element, a step of destroying the destroyable element being provided prior to application of the power supply voltage so as to isolate the exhausted or failed internal battery from the electronic circuit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 6, in which the destroying step is performed by causing electrical current to pass through the destroyable element via the spikes in contact with said contact areas situated on a common power supply line, which current is considerably greater than the nominal operating current of the electronic circuit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 7, in which there is provided, prior to destroying the destroyable element, a step consisting in measuring the voltage across the terminals of the internal battery and in applying the same voltage between said terminals via the spikes, the applied voltage being maintained at least throughout the time during which the element-destroying current is passing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 117 words

An external power supply and data transfer apparatus for co-operating with a portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrically conductive spikes; means for pushing the spikes through a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object until the spikes come into contact with a corresponding plurality of contact areas in the object that are connected to power supply lines of the electronic circuit; means for applying a power supply voltage between the spikes; and means for accessing said data memory.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 117 words

An external power supply and data transfer apparatus for co-operating with a portable object containing an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, the object being, of the type that enables data to be interchanged with the outside without making contact, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrically conductive spikes; means for pushing the spikes through a pierceable zone forming a region of the housing of the object until the spikes come into contact with a corresponding plurality of contact areas in the object that are connected to power supply lines of the electronic circuit; means for applying a power supply voltage between the spikes; and means for accessing said data memory.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 9, further including means for applying current suitable for destroying a destroyable element in the object between said spikes that are in contact with contact areas of the object that are situated on a common power supply line.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 9, further including means for use prior to destroying the destroyable element to measure the voltage across the terminals of the internal battery, and means for applying the same voltage across said terminals via the spikes and for maintaining the applied voltage at least throughout the time said means for applying said element-destroying current are active.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-06-16	2000-12-16	2001-06-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-06-16	2004-12-16	2005-06-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-06-16	2008-12-16	2009-06-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Portable object including an electronic circuit powered by an internal battery and having a data memory, a method and apparatus for externally powering said object and for transferring data therefrom

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