Alternatively powered low power IC

• US 20070229262A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• 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 low power integrated circuit (IC) includes a power supply module, first circuitry, and second circuitry. The power supply module is coupled to receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC, derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal, and convert the electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage. The first circuitry is coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the supply voltage. The second circuitry is coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry via powered by the supply voltage.

Claims

1. A low power integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC;

derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal; and

convert the electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage;

first circuitry coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the supply voltage; and

second circuitry coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry via powered by the supply voltage.

2. The low power IC of claim 1 comprises:

the first circuitry including a radio frequency (RF) receiver section coupled to convert inbound RF signals into inbound baseband or low intermediate frequency (IF) signals based on a receive local oscillation; and

the second circuitry including an RF transmitter section coupled to convert output baseband or low IF signals into outbound RF signals based on a transmit local oscillation.

3. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to produce the receive local oscillation and the transmit local oscillation from a reference oscillation, wherein the local oscillation module is powered via the supply voltage.

4. The low power IC of claim 2, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive the inbound RF signals, wherein the coil derives the electromagnetic signal from the inbound RF signals; and

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into the supply voltage.

5. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a receive baseband processing module coupled to convert the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data, wherein the receive baseband processing module is powered via the supply voltage; and

a transmit baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals, wherein the transmit baseband processing module is powered via the supply voltage.

6. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a power supply pin coupled to a baseband processing IC, wherein the power supply module provides an off-chip supply voltage to the baseband processing IC via the power supply pin, wherein the off-chip supply voltage is derived from the supply voltage, and wherein the baseband processing IC converts the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data and converts outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals.

7. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives the electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer; and

rectifying circuitry coupled to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal.

8. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive a reference radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the coil derives the electromagnetic signal from the reference RF signal; and

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into the supply voltage.

9. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

10. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive the power source signal and to produce therefrom the electromagnetic signal;

conversion circuitry coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a first voltage; and

a photodiode array module coupled to convert received light into a second voltage, wherein the supply voltage is derived from the first and second voltages.

11. A low power integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the RFIC, wherein the power source signal includes at least one of light and a source electromagnetic signal; and

convert the power source signal into a supply voltage;

first circuitry coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the supply voltage; and

second circuitry coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry via powered by the supply voltage.

12. The low power IC of claim 11, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives an electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the primary electromagnetic signal corresponds to the source electromagnetic signal; and

rectifying circuitry coupled to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal.

13. The low power IC of claim 11, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive a reference radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the coil derives an electromagnetic signal from the reference RF signal, wherein the reference RF signal corresponds to the source electromagnetic signal; and

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into the supply voltage.

14. The low power IC of claim 11, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

15. The low power IC of claim 14 comprises:

at least one power supply pin to provide at least one of the supply voltage, the analog supply voltage, the digital supply voltage, and the input/output supply voltage off chip.

16. The low power IC of claim 11, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive the source electromagnetic signal and to produce therefrom an electromagnetic signal;

conversion circuitry coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a first voltage; and

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into a second voltage, wherein the supply voltage is derived from the first and second voltages.

17. The low power IC of claim 11, wherein the power supply module comprises at least one of:

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into the supply voltage; and

a thermocouple device coupled to convert heat into the supply voltage.

18. A low power radio frequency integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the RFIC, wherein the power source signal includes at least one of light and a source electromagnetic signal; and

convert the power source signal into a supply voltage;

a radio frequency (RF) receiver section coupled to convert inbound RF signals into inbound baseband or low intermediate frequency (IF) signals based on a receive local oscillation, wherein the RF receiver section is powered via the supply voltage; and

an RF transmitter section coupled to convert output baseband or low IF signals into outbound RF signals based on a transmit local oscillation, wherein the RF transmitter section is powered via the supply voltage.

19. The low power RFIC of claim 18 comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to produce the receive local oscillation and the transmit local oscillation from a reference oscillation, wherein the local oscillation module is powered via the supply voltage.

20. The low power RFIC of claim 18 comprises:

a receive baseband processing module coupled to convert the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data, wherein the receive baseband processing module is powered via the supply voltage; and

a transmit baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals, wherein the transmit baseband processing module is powered via the supply voltage.

21. The low power RFIC of claim 18 comprises:

a power supply pin coupled to a baseband processing IC, wherein the power supply module provides an off-chip supply voltage to the baseband processing IC via the power supply pin, wherein the off-chip supply voltage is derived from the supply voltage, and wherein the baseband processing IC converts the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data and converts outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals.

22. The low power RFIC of claim 18, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives an electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the primary electromagnetic signal corresponds to the source electromagnetic signal; and

rectifying circuitry coupled to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal.

23. The low power RFIC of claim 18, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive at least one of the inbound RF signals and a reference radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein the coil derives an electromagnetic signal from the at least one of the inbound RF signals and the reference RF signal, wherein the at least one of the inbound RF signals and the reference RF signal corresponds to the source electromagnetic signal; and

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into the supply voltage.

24. The low power RFIC of claim 18, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

25. The low power RFIC of claim 24 comprises:

at least one power supply pin to provide at least one of the supply voltage, the analog supply voltage, the digital supply voltage, and the input/output supply voltage off chip.

26. The low power RFIC of claim 18, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a coil coupled to receive the source electromagnetic signal and to produce therefrom an electromagnetic signal;

conversion circuitry coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a first voltage; and

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into a second voltage, wherein the supply voltage is derived from the first and second voltages.

27. The low power RFIC of claim 18, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into the supply voltage.