Alternatively powered low power IC

• US 7,668,528 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• 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)
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US11/527,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.33, 340/10.34, 340/572.1, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340 104- 1042, 340/572.4, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 235/492, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/343.2, 455/343.3, 327530-540, 363 60- 61
• US Class Current: 455/343.3
• 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 low power integrated circuit (IC) includes a power supply module, first circuitry, and second circuitry. The power supply module is coupled to receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC, derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal, and convert the electromagnetic signal into a supply voltage. The first circuitry is coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the supply voltage. The second circuitry is coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry via powered by the supply voltage.

Claims

1. A low power integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module includes;

a coil coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC;

derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal;

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a direct current (DC) supply voltage, wherein the power generating circuit includes a plurality of cells, wherein a first one of the cells converts the electromagnetic signal into a first DC voltage that is further increased by a remainder of the plurality of cells to produce the DC supply voltage, 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 electromagnetic signal;

a first transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the control node and the 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 the 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 a DC output of the cell;

first circuitry coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the DC supply voltage; and

second circuitry coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry is powered by the DC supply voltage.

2. The low power IC of claim 1 comprises:

the first circuitry including a radio frequency (RE) receiver section coupled to convert inbound RF signals into inbound baseband or low intermediate frequency (IF) signals based on a receive local oscillation; and

the second circuitry including an RE transmitter section coupled to convert output baseband or low IF signals into outbound RE signals based on a transmit local oscillation.

3. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to produce the receive local oscillation and the transmit local oscillation from a reference oscillation, wherein the local oscillation module is powered via the supply voltage.

4. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a receive baseband processing module coupled to convert the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data, wherein the receive baseband processing module is powered via the DC supply voltage; and

a transmit baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals, wherein the transmit baseband processing module is powered via the DC supply voltage.

5. The low power IC of claim 2 comprises:

a power supply pin coupled to a baseband processing IC, wherein the power supply module provides an off-chip supply voltage to the baseband processing IC via the power supply pin, wherein the off-chip supply voltage is derived from the DC supply voltage, and wherein the baseband processing IC converts the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data and converts outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals.

6. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises:

the coil is a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives the electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer.

7. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module further comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the DC supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

8. The low power IC of claim 1, wherein the power supply module further comprises:

the power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a first voltage; and

a photodiode array module coupled to convert received light into a second voltage, wherein the DC supply voltage is derived from the first and second voltages.

9. A low power integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module includes;

a plurality of power conversion circuits to produce a plurality of voltages from a plurality of power source signals, wherein the plurality of voltages are combine to produce a direct current (DC) supply voltage, wherein one of the plurality of power conversion circuits includes;

a coil coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC;

derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal;

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a DC voltage of the plurality of voltages, wherein the power generating circuit includes a plurality of cells, wherein a first one of the cells converts the electromagnetic signal into a first DC voltage that is further increased by a remainder of the plurality of cells into the DC voltage, 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 electromagnetic signal;

a first transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the control node and the 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 the 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 a DC output of the cell;

first circuitry coupled to produce a first resultant from a first stimulus, wherein the first circuitry is powered via the DC supply voltage; and

second circuitry coupled to produce a second resultant from a second stimulus, wherein the second circuitry is powered by the DC supply voltage.

10. The low power IC of claim 9, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives an electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer; and

rectifying circuitry coupled to produce one of the plurality of voltages from the electromagnetic signal.

11. The low power IC of claim 9, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the DC supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

12. The low power IC of claim 11 comprises:

at least one power supply pin to provide at least one of the DC supply voltage, the analog supply voltage, the digital supply voltage, and the input/output supply voltage off chip.

13. The low power IC of claim 9, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into one of the plurality of voltages.

14. The low power IC of claim 9, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a thermocouple device coupled to convert heat into the supply voltage.

15. A low power radio frequency integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a power supply module includes;

a plurality of power conversion circuits to produce a plurality of voltages from a plurality of power source signals, wherein the plurality of voltages are combine to produce a direct current (DC) supply voltage, wherein one of the plurality of power conversion circuits includes;

a coil coupled to;

receive a power source signal from a source external to the low power IC;

derive an electromagnetic signal from the power source signal;

a power generating circuit coupled to convert the electromagnetic signal into a DC voltage of the plurality of voltages, wherein the power generating circuit includes a plurality of cells, wherein a first one of the cells converts the electromagnetic signal into a first DC voltage that is further increased by a remainder of the plurality of cells into the DC voltage, 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 electromagnetic signal;

a first transistor having a control node, a source node, and a return node, wherein the control node and the 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 the 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 a DC output of the cell;

a radio frequency (RE) receiver section coupled to convert inbound RE signals into inbound baseband or low intermediate frequency (IF) signals based on a receive local oscillation, wherein the RF receiver section is powered via the DC supply voltage; and

an RF transmitter section coupled to convert output baseband or low IF signals into outbound RF signals based on a transmit local oscillation, wherein the RF transmitter section is powered via the DC supply voltage.

16. The low power RFIC of claim 15 comprises:

a local oscillation module coupled to produce the receive local oscillation and the transmit local oscillation from a reference oscillation, wherein the local oscillation module is powered via the DC supply voltage.

17. The low power RFIC of claim 15 comprises:

a receive baseband processing module coupled to convert the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data, wherein the receive baseband processing module is powered via the DC supply voltage; and

a transmit baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals, wherein the transmit baseband processing module is powered via the DC supply voltage.

18. The low power RFIC of claim 15 comprises:

a power supply pin coupled to a baseband processing IC, wherein the power supply module provides an off-chip supply voltage to the baseband processing IC via the power supply pin, wherein the off-chip supply voltage is derived from the DC supply voltage, and wherein the baseband processing IC converts the inbound baseband or low IF signals into inbound data and converts outbound data into the outbound baseband or low IF signals.

19. The low power RFIC of claim 15, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a secondary winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the secondary winding section derives an electromagnetic signal from a primary electromagnetic signal provided by a primary winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer; and

rectifying circuitry coupled to produce one of the plurality of voltages from the electromagnetic signal.

20. The low power RFIC of claim 15, wherein the power supply module comprises:

a DC-DC converter coupled to convert the DC supply voltage into at least one of;

an analog supply voltage, a digital supply voltage, and an input/output supply voltage.

21. The low power RFIC of claim 20 comprises:

at least one power supply pin to provide at least one of the DC supply voltage, the analog supply voltage, the digital supply voltage, and the input/output supply voltage off chip.

22. The low power RFIC of claim 15, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into one of the plurality of voltages.

23. The low power RFIC of claim 15, wherein a second one of the plurality of power conversion circuits comprises:

a photodiode array module coupled to convert the light into one of the plurality of voltages.