Semiconductor Device and RFID Tag Using the Semiconductor Device

• US 20100085030A1
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Inoue, Hiroki, Takahashi, Kei
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/312
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/24 wherein the transistors are of the field-effect type only G05F3/205, G05F3/26, G05F3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

A semiconductor device monitors a voltage between a reference potential and an input potential and obtains a constant output potential regardless of a value of the voltage, after the voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage in such a manner that the semiconductor device divides a voltage between the reference potential and the input potential using a plurality of first non-linear elements and at least one linear element to constantly generate a first bias voltage regardless of a value of the voltage, divides a voltage between the reference potential and the input potential using a plurality of second non-linear elements with reference to the first bias voltage to constantly generate a second bias voltage regardless of a value of the voltage, and determines the output potential with reference to the second bias voltage.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first terminal to which a reference potential is applied;

a second terminal to which an input potential is applied;

a first voltage divider which includes a plurality of first nonlinear elements provided between the first terminal and the second terminal and at least one linear element, and outputs a first bias potential divided by the plurality of the first nonlinear elements and the at least one linear element;

a second voltage divider which includes a plurality of second nonlinear elements provided between the first terminal and the second terminal, and outputs a second bias potential divided by the plurality of the second nonlinear elements based on the first bias potential; and

a voltage regulator that determines and outputs a constant output potential regardless of a voltage between the reference potential and the input potential after the second bias potential exceeds a threshold voltage thereof.

2. A regulator circuit comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 1; and

a voltage regulator that outputs a potential in accordance with the output potential.

3. An RFID tag comprising the regulator circuit according to claim 2.

4. A semiconductor device that monitors a voltage between a reference potential and an input potential and obtains a constant output potential regardless of a value of the voltage after the voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage, comprising:

a first to sixth transistors and a resistor, in which;

a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor,

either a source or a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring and the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to either a source or a drain of the third transistor,

either a source or a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to either a source or a drain of the fourth transistor,

a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor,

a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor,

the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring,

a gate of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to either the source or the drain of the third transistor,

one terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fourth transistor and the other terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to the second wiring,

a gate of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor,

either a source or a drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the first wiring and the other of the source and the drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to either a source or a drain of the sixth transistor,

a gate of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to either the source or the drain of the sixth transistor and the other of the source and the drain of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to the second wiring.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein:

the input potential is applied to the first wiring,

the reference potential is applied to the second wiring,

the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor generates a first bias voltage, and

the other of the source and the drain of the fifth transistor extracts the output potential.

6. A regulator circuit comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 4; and

a voltage regulator that outputs a potential in accordance with the output potential.

7. An RFID tag comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 6.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the first transistor is a p-channel transistor.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the second transistor is a p-channel transistor.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the third transistor is an n-channel transistor.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the fourth transistor is an n-channel transistor.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the fifth transistor is a p-channel transistor.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 4 wherein the sixth transistor is an n-channel transistor.

14. A regulator circuit comprising:

a reference power supply terminal;

an input power supply terminal;

a bias circuit;

a first transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is connected to the input power supply terminal;

a second transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is connected to the input power supply terminal, and a gate of the first transistor is connected to a gate of the second transistor;

a third transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is connected to the input power supply terminal, and the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is connected to the other one of the source and the drain of the first transistor;

a fourth transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor, and a gate of the fourth transistor is connected to the other of the third transistor;

a resistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one terminal of the resistor is connected to the input power supply terminal, and the other terminal of the resistor is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor;

a fifth transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein a gate of the fifth transistor is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor, and one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor is connected to the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor;

a sixth transistor provided in the bias circuit wherein one of a source and a drain of the sixth transistor is connected to the input power supply terminal, and the other of the source and the drain of the sixth transistor is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the fifth transistor, and a gate of the sixth transistor is connected to the other of the source and the drain of the sixth transistor, and a constant potential is outputted with respect to the reference power supply terminal by the bias circuit;

an output terminal; and

a voltage regulator for outputting a potential to the output terminal in accordance with the constant potential.

15. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein a same current flows through the first transistor and the second transistor.

16. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the first transistor is a p-channel transistor.

17. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the second transistor is a p-channel transistor.

18. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the third transistor is an n-channel transistor.

19. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the fourth transistor is an n-channel transistor.

20. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the fifth transistor is a p-channel transistor.

21. A regulator circuit according to claim 14 wherein the sixth transistor is an n-channel transistor.

22. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first terminal to which a reference potential is applied;

a second terminal to which an input potential is applied;

a first voltage divider which includes a plurality of first nonlinear elements provided between the first terminal and the second terminal and at least one linear element, and outputs a first bias potential divided by the plurality of the first nonlinear elements and the at least one linear element;

a second voltage divider which includes a plurality of second nonlinear elements provided between the first terminal and the second terminal, and outputs a second bias potential divided by the plurality of the second nonlinear elements based on the first bias potential; and

a voltage regulator that determines and outputs an output potential after the second bias potential exceeds a threshold voltage thereof.

23. A regulator circuit comprising:

the semiconductor device according to claim 22; and

a voltage regulator that outputs a potential in accordance with the output potential.

24. An RFID tag comprising the regulator circuit according to claim 23.