A method for demodulating a voltage which has been ASK modulated by changing the amplitude between a low level and a high level, in particular for use during contactless data transmission from a card reader/writer to a smart card, is described. The method is distinguished, in that, in an initialization phase, a first mean value is produced from the high voltage level and a stored partial voltage derived therefrom in order to detect a change to a low voltage level. The change to the low voltage level represents a start value and is detected by a subsequent comparison of the modulated voltage with the first mean value. In a subsequent demodulation phase, a second mean value is produced from the detected low voltage level and the high voltage level in order to demodulate the modulated voltage by comparing the modulated voltage with the second mean value.