RFID transponder and RFID transponder chip

• US 20070057771A1
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tomioka, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/022 for recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs

Abstract

A nonvolatile memory is accessed by a memory control circuit and stores temperature information indicating a temperature measured by a temperature sensor. A power supply control circuit supplies a first power supply voltage to the temperature sensor in response to a request for temperature measurement received via an antenna, and supplies a second power supply voltage to the nonvolatile memory and the memory control circuit after the temperature sensor measures the temperature. While the temperature sensor is measuring the temperature, the nonvolatile memory and the memory control circuit do not operate and thus do not generate heat. Therefore, the temperature sensor can accurately measure the temperature without being influenced from the heat generation caused by the operation of circuits in an RFID transponder.

Claims

1. An RFID transponder comprising:

an antenna;

a data control circuit that demodulates reception data received by said antenna and modulates transmission data in order to output the transmission data from said antenna;

a temperature sensor;

a nonvolatile memory that stores temperature information indicating a temperature measured by said temperature sensor;

a memory control circuit that accesses said nonvolatile memory; and

a power supply control circuit that supplies a first power supply voltage to said temperature sensor in response to a request for temperature measurement received via said antenna, and supplies a second power supply voltage to said nonvolatile memory and said memory control circuit after said temperature sensor measures the temperature.

2. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, wherein:

said temperature sensor comprises;

a device having a first electrode through which a current whose value varies according to the temperature flows;

an A/D conversion circuit converting the current value to a digital value; and

a memory circuit holding the digital value resulting from the conversion as the temperature information; and

said memory control circuit reads the temperature information held in said memory circuit to write the read temperature information to said nonvolatile memory.

3. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, wherein:

said temperature sensor comprises;

a device having a first electrode in which a voltage whose value varies according to the temperature is generated;

an A/D conversion circuit converting the voltage value to a digital value; and

a memory circuit holding the digital value resulting from the conversion as the temperature information; and

said memory control circuit reads the temperature information held in said memory circuit to write the read temperature information to said nonvolatile memory.

4. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, further comprising

a rectifier circuit that converts a radio wave received by said antenna to a direct-current voltage and supplies the direct-current voltage resulting from the conversion as a main power supply voltage to said power supply control circuit, and wherein

said power supply control circuit uses said main power supply voltage as the first and second power supply voltages.

5. The RFID transponder according to claim 4, wherein

said data control circuit operates when receiving said main power supply voltage.

6. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, further comprising

a battery outputting a main power supply voltage, and wherein:

said power supply control circuit uses said main power supply voltage as the first and second power supply voltages; and

said data control circuit operates when receiving said main power supply voltage.

7. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, wherein

a distance between said temperature sensor and said data control circuit is longer than a distance between said temperature sensor and at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory.

8. The RFID transponder according to claim 7, wherein

at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory is disposed between said temperature sensor and said data control circuit.

9. The RFID transponder according to claim 1, wherein

a distance between said temperature sensor and said power supply control circuit is longer than a distance between said temperature sensor and at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory.

10. The RFID transponder according to claim 9, wherein

at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory is disposed between said temperature sensor and said power supply control circuit.

12. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, wherein:

said temperature sensor comprises;

a device having a first electrode through which a current whose value varies according to the temperature flows;

an A/D conversion circuit converting the current value to a digital value; and

a memory circuit holding the digital value resulting from the conversion as the temperature information; and

said memory control circuit reads the temperature information held in said memory circuit to write the read temperature information to said nonvolatile memory.

13. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, wherein:

said temperature sensor comprises;

a device having a first electrode in which a voltage whose value varies according to the temperature is generated;

an A/D conversion circuit converting the voltage value to a digital value; and

a memory circuit holding the digital value resulting from the conversion as the temperature information; and

said memory control circuit reads the temperature information held in said memory circuit to write the read temperature information to said nonvolatile memory.

11. An RFID transponder chip comprising:

a data control circuit that demodulates reception data received by an external antenna and modulates transmission data in order to output the transmission data from said antenna;

a temperature sensor;

a nonvolatile memory that stores temperature information indicating a temperature measured by said temperature sensor;

a memory control circuit that accesses said nonvolatile memory; and

a power supply control circuit that supplies a first power supply voltage to said temperature sensor in response to a request for temperature measurement received via said antenna, and supplies a second power supply voltage to said nonvolatile memory and said memory control circuit after said temperature sensor measures the temperature.

14. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, further comprising

a rectifier circuit that converts a radio wave received by said antenna to a direct-current voltage and supplies the direct-current voltage resulting from the conversion as a main power supply voltage to said power supply control circuit, and wherein

said power supply control circuit uses said main power supply voltage as the first and second power supply voltages.

15. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 14, wherein

said data control circuit operates when receiving said main power supply voltage.

16. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, further comprising

a power supply terminal to which an external battery outputting a main power supply voltage is connectable, and wherein:

said power supply control circuit uses said main power supply voltage as the first and second power supply voltages; and

said data control circuit operates when receiving said main power supply voltage.

17. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, wherein

a distance between said temperature sensor and said data control circuit is longer than a distance between said temperature sensor and at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory.

18. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 17, wherein

at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory is disposed between said temperature sensor and said data control circuit.

19. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 11, wherein

a distance between said temperature sensor and said power supply control circuit is longer than a distance between said temperature sensor and at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory.

20. The RFID transponder chip according to claim 19, wherein

at least one of said memory control circuit and said nonvolatile memory is disposed between said temperature sensor and said power supply control circuit.