Semiconductor Device

• US 20080150475A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Furutani, Kazuma, Kato, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

A semiconductor device which can operate normally even when the communication distance is extremely short, and which stores excess electric power which is not needed for circuit operation of the semiconductor device when a large amount of electric power is supplied thereto. The following are included: an antenna; a first AC/DC converter circuit which is connected to the antenna; a second AC/DC converter circuit which is connected to the antenna through a switching element; a detecting circuit which controls operation of the switching element in accordance with the value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit; and a battery which stores electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit. When the switching element is operated, electric power supplied from outside is at least partly supplied to the battery through the second AC/DC converter circuit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a first AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna;

a second AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna through a switching element;

a detecting circuit configured to control operation of the switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit; and

a battery configured to store electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit.

3. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a first AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna;

a second AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna through a switching element;

a detecting circuit configured to control operation of the switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit;

a battery configured to store electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit; and

a logic circuit configured to receive a first electric power from the antenna through the first AC/DC converter circuit and a second electric power from the battery.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the logic circuit includes an encoding circuit, a controller circuit, a judging circuit, and a memory.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a first AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna;

a second AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna through a first switching element;

a first detecting circuit configured to control operation of the first switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit;

a battery configured to store electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit;

a second detecting circuit configured to control a second switching element and a third switching element in accordance with the value of the voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit; and

a logic circuit configured to receive a first electric power from the antenna through the first AC/DC converter circuit and the second switching element and a second electric power from the battery through the third switching element.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the logic circuit includes an encoding circuit, a controller circuit, a judging circuit, and a memory.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna,

a first AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna;

a second AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna through a first switching element;

a first detecting circuit configured to control operation of the first switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit;

a battery configured to store electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit;

a constant voltage circuit electrically connected to the first AC/DC converter circuit and electrically connected to the battery through a second switching element; and

a second detecting circuit configured to control operation of the second switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the constant voltage circuit.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein the constant voltage circuit includes a reference circuit and a differential amplifier circuit.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a first AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna;

a second AC/DC converter circuit electrically connected to the antenna through a first switching element;

a second switching element electrically connected to the antenna through an electrical element;

a battery electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit and configured to store electric power supplied from the antenna;

a first detecting circuit configured to control operation of the first switching element in accordance with a value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit and to control operation of the second switching element in accordance with the voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit and a charging state of the battery;

a third switching element electrically connected to the battery; and

a second detecting circuit configured to control operation of the third switching element in accordance with the voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a first AC/DC converter circuit configured to convert electric power supplied from an outside through the antenna into a direct-current voltage;

detecting circuit configured to compare electric power output from the first AC/DC converter circuit to a reference electric power;

a switching element configured to operate in accordance with an output from the detecting circuit;

a second AC/DC converter circuit configured to convert electric power supplied through the switching element into a direct-current voltage; and

a battery configured to store electric power output from the second AC/DC converter circuit, wherein when the switching element is operated, electric power supplied from the outside is at least partly supplied to the battery through the second AC/DC converter circuit.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the battery is electrically connected to the second AC/DC converter circuit through a charge controller circuit.