An object of the invention is to provide a reader which can read transponders having different communication standard protocols with a minimum loss of demodulation speed performance and with the least amount of additional components.

An transponder arrangement (10) for use with tires (20) is described. The arrangement (10) includes an antenna (14) which is mounted about the tire's (20) perimeter. The antenna (14) preferably has a coupling coil (16) at one end. A transponder (12) is preferably located close to the coupling coil (16) and is preferably loosely coupled to the coupling coil (16). The RF-ID efficiency of the arrangement (10) is generally optimized for this type of application by the long but narrow antenna solution and by the simple fact that coupling an antenna (14) to a transponder (12) amplifies the emission of the transponder's signal relative to the noise, thus improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the RF-ID system. The degree of coupling between the antenna (14) and the transponder (12) is not particularly critical. The antenna (14) acts to extend the reading range for the interrogator (24) to be generally, radially symmetric about the tire (20). Other arrangements are disclosed.

An interrogation unit which has a control circuit and an RF oscillator is described. The interrogation unit further has a transmitter which receives the output of the RF oscillator and transmits at least one RF interrogation pulse of a first frequency for interrogating the responder unit, causing the responder unit to return read data in the form of a RF response. Also in the interrogation unit is a switch for disabling the output of said transmitter and enabling reception of the RF response upon termination of the RF interrogation signal. The interrogation unit still further has a receiver for receiving the RF response upon termination of the RF interrogation pulse and an interrogation unit demodulator for demodulation of the read data from said RF response.

A system and method for securing a Radio Frequency (RF) transaction using a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transaction device are provided. A random number is transmitted from an RFID reader to an RFID transaction device, an RFID transaction device authentication tag is created in the RFID transaction device, using at least the random number, a routing number associated with a transaction account, and a stored counter value. The RFID transaction device authentication tag is transmitted to the RFID reader, the stored counter value in the RFID transaction device is incremented, and a transaction request for verification, which comprises the RFID transaction device authentication tag and the stored counter value, is transmitted and processed. Either the RFID transaction device authentication tag or the stored counter value, or both, are verified.

A transponder-reader payment system includes a RFID reader for interrogating a transponder, and a fob including a transponder which is associated with fob data file funded by one or more funding sources. In exemplary operation, the fob identifying information may be presented to the RFID reader for completion of a transaction request. The transaction request may be provided to a fob issuer system which may process the transaction request in accordance with a funding protocol wherein the transaction request is satisfied according to a fob issuer predefined funding criteria relative to the multiple funding sources.