AM data recovery circuit

• US 7,379,726 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Sterling, Yung, Henry Tin-Hang
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/779,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 455/227, 455/229, 455/254, 455/280, 455/284, 455/287, 455/291, 455/293, 455/313, 455/314, 455/323, 455/325, 455/333, 455/337, 455/343.1, 323/312, 323/313, 323/315
• US Class Current: 455/313
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/142 Contactless power supplies, e.g. RF, induction, or IR
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a passive RFID chip with on-chip charge pumps for generating electrical power for the chip from radio frequencies. The passive RFID chip comprises an analog portion and a digital portion. The analog portion primarily comprises a voltage sensor and an AM data detector. The digital portion comprises a state machine digital logic controller. Incoming RF signals enter the chip via external antennas. The RF signals are converted into regulated DC signals by RF-DC converters with the voltage sensor. The RF-DC converters provide power for all the on-chip components and hence the chip does not require external power supply. The incoming RF signals are demodulated by demodulators and enter the AM data detector where the envelope transitions are detected. A voltage alarm is provided to ensure the voltage level does not drop below an operational level of the chip. The logic signals and programming data are controlled by the state machine digital logic controller and the timing signals are provided by an on-chip oscillator.

Claims

1. A radio data recovery circuit, comprising:

a first antenna with a first orientation for receiving an RF signal;

a second antenna with a second orientation for receiving said RF signal;

a first demodulator coupled to said first antenna for converting said RF signal to a first voltage signal; and

a second demodulator coupled to said second antenna for converting said RF signal to a second voltage signal,

wherein the larger one of said first voltage signal and said second voltage signal is coupled to an output node.

2. The radio data recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a current-mode data detector for converting the voltage signal upon said output node into a current signal such that a demodulated signal can be generated.

3. The radio data recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first antenna and said second antenna are orthogonally arranged.

4. A radio frequency identification (RFID) semiconductor chip, comprising:

a first pad for connecting a first antenna for receiving an RF signal;

a second pad for connecting a second antenna for receiving said RF signal;

a first demodulator coupled to said first pad for converting said RF signal to a first voltage signal; and

a second demodulator coupled to said second pad for converting said RF signal to a second voltage signal,

wherein the larger one of said first voltage signal and said second voltage signal is coupled to an output node.

5. The RFID semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a current-mode data detector for converting the voltage signal upon said output node into a current signal such that a demodulated signal can be generated.

6. The RFID semiconductor chip as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first pad and said second pad are arranged for connecting said first antenna and said second antenna, respectively, which have different orientations.