Power generating circuit

• US 7,595,732 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), De Flaviis, Franco, Shameli, Amin
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US11/394,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/572.1, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 235/492, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 343/850, 343/860, 343/861, 323/223, 323/225
• US Class Current: 340/572.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 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 power generating circuit includes a rectifying module and a tuning module. The rectifying module is operably coupled to convert a radio frequency (RF) signal into a voltage. The tuning module is operably coupled to tune the rectifying module in accordance with the RF signal.

Claims

1. A power generating circuit comprises:

an antenna operably coupled to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal;

a rectifying module operably coupled to convert the RF signal into a voltage, wherein the rectifying module includes a plurality of cells, wherein a first one of the cells converts the RF signal into a first voltage that is further increased by a remainder of the plurality of cells into the voltage; and

a tuning module operably coupled to tune the rectifying module in accordance with the RF signal to obtain a desired frequency response of the power generating circuit, wherein a cell of the plurality of cells includes;

a first capacitor having a first connection and a second connection, wherein the first connection is coupled to receive the RF signal;

a first transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the control node and source node of the first transistor are coupled to the second connection of the first capacitor;

a second transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the source node of the second transistor is coupled to the second connection of the first capacitor; and

a second capacitor having a first connection and a second connection, wherein the second connection of the second capacitor is coupled to the control node and return node of the second transistor and the first connection of the second capacitor is coupled to the return node of the first transistor to produce an output of the cell.

2. The power generating circuit of claim 1 further comprises:

impedance matching circuit operably coupled to the rectifying module and to the tuning module to provide a desired impedance of the power generating circuit.

3. The power generating circuit of claim 2, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises at least one of:

an inductor-capacitor filter having a resonant frequency based on the desired impedance; and

a capacitor-inductor filter having a resonant frequency based on the desired impedance.

4. The power generating circuit of claim 2 comprises:

the impedance matching circuit including a capacitor-inductance filter having a resonant frequency based on the desired impedance; and

the tuning module including an inductance, wherein an inductor provides the inductance of the capacitor-inductance filter and the inductance of the tuning module.

5. The power generating circuit of claim 4 comprises:

the capacitor-inductance filter and the inductance of the tuning module including at least one of a variable inductor and a variable capacitor.

6. The power generating circuit of claim 1, wherein the tuning module comprises at least one of:

an inductor; and

a capacitor, wherein the inductor has an inductance based on effective capacitance and effective resistance of the rectifying circuit and wherein the capacitor has a capacitance based on the effective capacitance and effective resistance of the rectifying circuit.

7. The power generating circuit of claim 6 further comprises:

an integrated circuit substrate, wherein the rectifying module and tuning module are fabricated on the integrated circuit substrate and wherein the inductor functions as an antenna to receive the RF signal.

8. The power generating circuit of claim 6 comprises:

the inductor fabricated on a surface of an integrated circuit substrate, wherein the inductor includes a winding having an open area, wherein the capacitor and at least one component of the rectifying module are fabricated on the surface within the open area.

9. The power generating circuit of claim 1, wherein the rectifying module comprises:

a second plurality of plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells generates a positive leg of the voltage and the second plurality of cells generates a negative leg of the voltage.

10. A power generating circuit comprises:

an adjust module operably coupled to adjust a radio frequency (RF) signal to produce an adjusted RF signal; and

conversion module operably coupled to convert the adjusted RF signal into a voltage, wherein the adjust module has a frequency response combined with a frequency response of the conversion module to provide a desired frequency response of the power generating circuit and wherein the rectifying module includes a plurality of cells, wherein a first one of the cells converts the RF signal into a first voltage that is further increased by a remainder of the plurality of cells into the voltage, and wherein a cell of the plurality of cells includes;

a first capacitor having a first connection and a second connection, wherein the first connection is coupled to receive the RF signal;

a first transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the control node and source node of the first transistor are coupled to the second connection of the first capacitor;

a second transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the source node of the second transistor is coupled to the second connection of the first capacitor; and

a second capacitor having a first connection and a second connection, wherein the second connection of the second capacitor is coupled to the control node and return node of the second transistor and the first connection of the second capacitor is coupled to the return node of the first transistor to produce an output of the cell.

11. The power generating circuit of claim 10, wherein the adjust module further functions to provide:

a desired impedance of the power generating circuit.

12. The power generating circuit of claim 11, wherein the adjust module comprises:

a capacitor-inductance filter having a resonant frequency to provide the desired impedance of the power generating circuit; and

a tuning inductance to provide the desired frequency response, wherein an inductor provides the inductance of the capacitor-inductance filter and the tuning inductance.

13. The power generating circuit of claim 12 comprises:

the capacitor-inductance filter and the tuning inductance including at least one of a variable inductor and a variable capacitor.

14. The power generating circuit of claim 10, wherein the adjust module comprises at least one of:

an inductor; and

a capacitor, wherein the inductor has an inductance based on effective capacitance and effective resistance of the rectifying circuit and wherein the capacitor has a capacitance based on the effective capacitance and effective resistance of the rectifying circuit.

15. The power generating circuit of claim 14 further comprises:

an integrated circuit substrate, wherein the rectifying module and the adjust module are fabricated on the integrated circuit substrate and wherein the inductor functions as an antenna to receive the RF signal.

16. The power generating circuit of claim 14 comprises:

the inductor fabricated on a surface of an integrated circuit substrate, wherein the inductor includes a winding having an open area, wherein the capacitor and at least one component of the conversion module are fabricated on the surface within the open area.

17. The power generating circuit of claim 10, wherein the conversion module comprises:

a second plurality of plurality of cells, wherein the plurality of cells generates a positive leg of the voltage and the second plurality of cells generates a negative leg of the voltage.