Radio frequency identification transponder with a quadrupler or N-tupler circuit for efficient RF to DC conversion

• US 7,158,091 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Heinrich, Harley Kent, Pillai, Vijay, Martinez, Rene D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer; Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US11/063,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 343/742, 343/860, 343/866, 343/867, 343/895, 343/701, 342/42, 342/44, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 343/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0713 the arrangement including a power charge pump
• 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 multistage voltage multiplying circuit for single chip passive RF tags is provided, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the diodes of each stage of the voltage multiplying circuit is much less than the parasitic capacitance of the diodes of the preceding stage.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a radio frequency transponder which comprises:

an antenna for receiving power and signals from a radio frequency field, and for sending signals by backscattering power from the radio frequency field;

transponder electronics connected to the antenna for receiving signals from the antenna and for controlling the antenna impedance for sending signals;

a transponder power supply for receiving radio frequency power from the antenna;

wherein the radio frequency power is rectified in a rectifier circuit, and wherein the rectifier circuit comprises at least a first rectifier stage for producing a substantial DC voltage, and at least a second rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage substantially greater than the DC voltage produced by the first rectifier stage; and

wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 80% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 30% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second rectifier stage contains a coupling capacitor which has a capacitance C_c, a parasitic capacitance C_pc, and a radio frequency impedance Z_c, and wherein Z_c is less than the radio frequency impedance Z_QUAD of the rectifiers of the second rectifier stage.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transponder electronics and the transponder power supply are contained in a single integrated circuit chip.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transponder power supply is the sole power supply for the transponder electronics, and the transponder power supply receives power solely from the antenna.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is adapted to receive radio frequency energy at high frequencies above two gigahertz.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the diodes of the second rectifier stage are smaller than the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the area of the diodes of the second rectifier stage are not more than about twenty-five percent of the area of the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second rectifier stage provides a performance enhancement by a factor of at least about 1.6 in comparison to that of a simple diode doubler circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the performance enhancement in comparison to a simple diode doubler circuit is by a factor of at least about two.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna is adapted to receive radio frequency energy at high frequencies of about 2.4 gigahertz.

14. An apparatus comprising a radio frequency transponder which comprises:

a coupler for receiving power from a radio frequency field;

a transponder power supply for receiving radio frequency power from the coupler;

wherein the transponder power supply comprises at least a first rectifier stage for producing a substantial DC voltage, and at least a second rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage greater than the DC voltage produced by the first rectifier stage; and

wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the diodes of the second rectifier stage are smaller than the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 80% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than 30% of the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second rectifier stage contains a coupling capacitor which has a capacitance C_c, a parasitic capacitance C_pc, and a radio frequency impedance Z_c, and wherein Z_c is less than the radio frequency impedance Z_QUAD of the rectifiers of the second rectifier stage.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transponder power supply is contained in a single integrated circuit chip.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transponder power supply receives power solely from the coupler.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the coupler is adapted to receive radio frequency energy at high frequencies above two gigahertz.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the diodes of the second rectifier stage are substantially smaller than the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the diodes of the second rectifier stage have not more than about twenty-five percent of the area of the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, and the diodes of the second rectifier stage have substantially smaller area than the diodes of the first rectifier stage.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second rectifier stage provides a performance enhancement by a factor of at least about 1.6 in comparison to a simple diode doubler circuit.

27. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the performance enhancement is by a factor of at least about two in comparison to a simple diode doubler circuit.

28. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the coupler comprises an antenna adapted to receive radio frequency energy at high frequencies of about 2.4 gigahertz.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the range of the transponder is substantially enhanced in comparison to the range of a transponder using a simple diode doubler circuit.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the first and second rectifier stages each comprises a plurality of diodes, wherein the diodes of the second rectifier stage present a radio frequency impedance Z_QUAD and wherein a coupling capacitance couples the antenna with the second rectifier stage and has a radio frequency impedance Z_c substantially less than the radio frequency impedance Z_QUAD.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the second rectifier stage provides a performance enhancement by a factor of at least about 1.6 in comparison to a simple diode doubler circuit.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the transponder power supply is implemented on an integrated circuit with submicron linewidth processes.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the transponder power supply is implemented on an integrated circuit with minimum linewidth of not greater than about 0.35 micron.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least a third rectifier stage wherein the performance enhancement is by a factor of at least about two in comparison to a simple diode doubter circuit.

37. An apparatus comprising a radio frequency transponder which comprises:

a coupler for receiving power from a radio frequency field;

a transponder power supply for receiving radio frequency power from the coupler;

wherein the transponder power supply comprises a first rectifier stage for producing a substantial DC voltage, a second rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage greater than the DC voltage produced by the first rectifier stage, and at least a third rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage;

wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage, and the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than 50% of the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage.

38. An apparatus comprising a radio frequency transponder which comprises:

a coupler for receiving power from a radio frequency field;

a transponder power supply for receiving radio frequency power from the coupler;

wherein the transponder power supply comprises a first rectifier stage for producing a substantial DC voltage, a second rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage greater than the DC voltage produced by the first rectifier stage, and at least a third rectifier stage for producing a DC voltage;

wherein the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage is less than the parasitic capacitance of the first rectifier stage, the parasitic capacitance of the third rectifier stage is less than the parasitic capacitance of the second rectifier stage, and the coupler comprises an antenna adapted to receive radio frequency energy at high frequencies of about 2.4 gigahertz.