Semiconductor device, communication system, and method of charging the semiconductor device

• US 7,830,113 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sato, Takehisa, Osada, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/987,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 320/106, 320/107, 320/108, 320/113, 320/115, 320/128, 307/17, 307/104, 307/107, 702/62, 702/63, 702/64, 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• 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: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

An object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device including a battery that can be wirelessly charged, in which the battery can be charged even when the semiconductor device is not put close to a power feeder. Such a semiconductor device has a structure including an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is externally wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit, and an oscillator circuit to wirelessly feed electric power via the antenna circuit. In addition, the battery in the semiconductor device is wirelessly charged and the semiconductor device externally feeds electric power wirelessly to a chargeable battery in another semiconductor device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna circuit;

a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit;

a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit;

a comparison arithmetic circuit to compare a state of charge of the battery and a state of charge of a battery of a wireless communication sender; and

an oscillator circuit which wirelessly feeds electric power to the battery of the wireless communication sender.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data converter circuit to convert the state of charge of the battery into a digital value,

wherein the digital value is inputted into the comparison arithmetic circuit.

3. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit, the battery, the comparison arithmetic circuit and the oscillator circuit are provided over a substrate.

4. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first antenna circuit;

a second antenna circuit;

a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the first antenna circuit;

a battery to be charged with electric power wirelessly fed via the second antenna circuit;

a comparison arithmetic circuit to compare a state of charge of the battery and a state of charge of a battery of a wireless communication sender; and

an oscillator circuit which wirelessly feeds electric power to the battery of the wireless communication sender via the second antenna circuit.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a data converter circuit to convert the state of charge of the battery into a digital value,

wherein the digital value is inputted into the comparison arithmetic circuit.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein a shape of a first antenna provided in the first antenna circuit and a shape of a second antenna provided in the second antenna circuit are different from each other.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 8,

wherein one of the shape of the first antenna and the shape of the second antenna has a coil-shape.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein the first antenna circuit, the second antenna circuit, the communication control circuit, the battery, the comparison arithmetic circuit and the oscillator circuit are provided over a substrate.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 6,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

13. A battery charge method for a plurality of semiconductor devices wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor devices includes an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit, the battery charge method comprising steps of:

comparing a difference between voltages of each of the batteries of the plurality of semiconductor devices communicating with each other;

feeding and receiving electric power of the battery between the plurality of semiconductor devices communicating with each other.

14. A battery charge method according to claim 13,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit and the battery are provided over a substrate.

15. A battery charge method according to claim 13,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

16. A battery charge method according to claim 13,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.