Integrated Circuit Providing an External Switching Functionality

• US 20080272893A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Hilgers, Achim
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• 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

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (30) comprising a logic circuit (42) and reception means (34) for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit (42), and it relates to a device coupled to such an integrated circuit and to methods for manufacturing and operating such an integrated circuit and for transmitting control data to a device. In order to provide such an integrated circuit (30) for an extended functionality in comparison with conventional transponders, an integrated circuit (30) comprising a logic circuit (42); at least two external contacts (44a, 44b), switching means (46) connecting said logic circuit (42) to said external contacts (44a, 44b) and reception means (34) for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit (42) is proposed, wherein said integrated circuit (30) is operable in a first operation mode for providing a switching functionality—through said external contacts (44a, 44b) by said switching means (46) for switching an electrical connection between said external contacts (44a, 44b), wherein said switching means (46) are controlled by said logic circuit (42) in response to said received external signals. Further, a corresponding device coupled to such an integrated circuit (30) and corresponding methods for manufacturing and operating such an integrated circuit (30) and for transmitting control data to a device are proposed.

Claims

1. Integrated circuit comprising a logic circuit, at least two external contacts, switching means connecting said logic circuit to said external contacts, and reception means for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit, wherein said integrated circuit is operable in a first operation mode for providing a switching functionality through said external contacts by said switching means for switching an electrical connection between said external contacts, wherein said switching means are controlled by said logic circuit in response to said received external signals.

2. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising mode altering means for alternating between at least two operation modes of said integrated circuit, wherein a second operation mode is provided for performing a functionality test of said integrated circuit by means of said external contacts.

3. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reception means are adapted for providing a power supply for said integrated circuit utilizing energy from said external signals.

4. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising identification means including a substantially unique identifier, wherein said logic circuit controls said switching means in response only to received external signals which correspond to said unique identifier.

5. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reception means are adapted for receiving electromagnetic signals, in particular radio frequency signals.

6. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said logic circuit comprises coding means for controlling said switching means for a sequence of switching operations in order to generate a code signal.

7. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said generated code signal is a binary signal or an analog signal.

8. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said logic circuit comprises input detection means for detecting an external electronic signal applied to said external contacts.

9. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said integrated circuit is part of a radio frequency identification transponder.

10. Integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switching means comprise a transistor, a microelectromechanical switch and/or a piezoelectric microelectromechanical switch.

11. Device coupled to an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a function circuitry, wherein said function circuitry is connected to said external contacts of said integrated circuit which controls said function circuitry by means of said switching means in said first operation mode.

12. Device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising output detection means for detecting said sequence of switching operations forming a code signal.

13. Device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising signal means for applying an electronic signal to said external contacts.

14. Method for operating an integrated circuit comprising a logic circuit, at least two external contacts, switching means connecting said logic circuit to said external contacts and reception means for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit, comprising the steps of:

providing a first operation mode for providing a switching functionality through said external contacts by said switching means,

receiving said external signals and transmitting said external signals to said logic circuit by means of said reception means, and—

controlling said switching means by said logic circuit in response to said received external signals.

15. Method for manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising a logic circuit, at least two external contacts, switching means connecting said logic circuit to said external contacts, for receiving external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit and mode altering means for alternating between at least two operation modes of said integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:

producing said integrated circuit being in a second operation mode,

testing said logic circuit by means of said external contacts, and

altering said integrated circuit to a first operation mode, wherein said logic circuit controls said switching means for providing a switching functionality through said external contacts in said first operation mode of said integrated circuit in response to said received external signals.

16. Method for transmitting control data to a device to be controlled, comprising the steps of:

—

transmitting said control data as external signals to an integrated circuit comprising a logic circuit, at least two external contacts, reception means for receiving said external signals and for transmitting said received external signals to said logic circuit and switching means connecting said logic circuit to said external contacts, wherein said logic circuit controls said switching means for providing a switching functionality through said external contacts in at least one operation mode of said integrated circuit in response to said external signals, and wherein said device is connected to said external contacts,

controlling said switching means by said logic circuit in order to generate a sequence of switching operations representing said control data, and

detecting said sequence of switching operations by said device by means of said external contacts.