Patent ID: 7957473

Claim:
An apparatus for communicating data with a data carrier by transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the data carrier without contact therebetween, the apparatus comprising: detecting means for detecting a period of generation of noise contained in the signal received by the apparatus; estimating means for estimating a time required from a start of communication scheduled next to an end of the communication, the start of the communication being a start of transmission of a command from the apparatus to the data carrier, and the end of the communication being an end of receiving a response from the data carrier; deciding means for deciding a start time instant of the communication on the basis of the detected period of generation of the noise and the estimated time; and performing means for performing the communication so as to be started at the decided start time instant; and means for determining whether or not the communication has been ended successfully, wherein the deciding means comprises means for determining whether or not the detected period of generation of the noise is over a period of time obtained by doubling the estimated time.