High Sensitivity RFID TAG Integrated Circuits
First Claim
1. A charge pump circuit comprising:
- a first diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with a first power source and a second electrode connected with a first node;
a first capacitor connected between the first node and a second power source;
a second diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with the first node and a second electrode connected with a second node; and
a second capacitor connected between the second node and the first power source, wherein at least one of the first and second diode-connected transistors has a substantially zero threshold voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for an ultra-high sensitivity, low cost, passive (no battery) low-power energy harvesting data transmitting circuit energy, such as a RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag integrated circuit “chip.” By using combinations of special purpose design enhancements, the low-power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit, such as the RFID tag chip, operates in the sub-microwatt power range. The chip power should be derived from a low-microwatt per square centimeter RF field radiated to the RFID tag antenna from the tag reader (interrogator) or derived from a suitable low signal source, such as a sonic transducer (e.g., a piezoelectric transducer or a low level DC source, such as a bimetallic or chemical source).
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A charge pump circuit comprising:
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a first diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with a first power source and a second electrode connected with a first node;
a first capacitor connected between the first node and a second power source;
a second diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with the first node and a second electrode connected with a second node; and
a second capacitor connected between the second node and the first power source, wherein at least one of the first and second diode-connected transistors has a substantially zero threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A low-power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit comprising:
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a primary inductor;
a charge pump having an input capacitance and an alternating input terminal, the input terminal being connected between the primary inductor and the input capacitance; and
a modulator electrically coupled to the charge pump through the primary inductor to back scatter an energy, wherein the energy is supplied to the primary inductor, and wherein the primary inductor has an inductance selected to resonate with the input capacitance at a frequency of a signal applied to the alternative input terminal to boost a voltage supplied to the alternating input terminal of the charge pump. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A low-power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit comprising:
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a first controlled current source connected with a second controlled current source via a common control node and a common power sink node; and
a ring oscillator adapted to be supplied with a current from the first controlled current source via a supplied node connected between the first controlled current source and the ring oscillator. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of designing a low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of logic and memory functions to represent a network of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit;
minimizing coincident logic transitions including data handling transitions and memory transitions to spread the plurality of logic, data handling, and memory functions with a grey code type logic to reduce peak energy drain; and
designing the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit to include the network in accordance with the logic, data handling, and memory functions with the minimized coincident logic, data handling, and memory transitions to minimize a power supply ripple of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit.
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31. A method of designing a low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of self-timed logic functions to represent a network of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit; and
designing the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit to include the network in accordance with the self-timed logic functions to eliminate a clock distribution and reduce an operating voltage of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit.
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32. A method of designing a low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of low-voltage logic functions to represent a network of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit; and
designing the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit to include the network in accordance with the low-voltage logic functions to reduce an operating voltage of the low-transient power energy harvesting passive data transmitting circuit, wherein the operating voltage is not greater 800 mV and targeted at 500 mV for typical parameters and operating conditions. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A charge pump circuit comprising:
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a first diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with a first power source and a second electrode connected with a first node;
a first capacitor connected between the first node and a second power source;
a second diode-connected transistor having a first electrode connected with the first node and a second electrode connected with a second node; and
a second capacitor connected between the second node and the first power source, wherein at least one of the first and second capacitors is formed using a transistor having a substantially zero threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification