RFID tags having a rectifier circuit including a dual-terminal rectifier device

• US 8,428,515 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Impinj, Inc.
• Inventors: Oliver, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/022,115
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/333, 455/334, 4553431-3434, 340/572.1, 340/572.5, 340/572.7, 340/825.62, 340/825.69, 327/389, 327/343, 327/534, 327/535, 363/125, 363/127
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0707 the arrangement being capable of collecting energy from external energy sources, e.g. thermocouples, vibration, electromagnetic radiation G06K19/0702 takes precedence
• 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

Apparatus and method for generating a rectified output signal in a RFID tag from first and second alternating signals. A dual-terminal rectifier device has first and second input terminals to which the first and second alternating signals are applied, and further has a gate configured to form a conductive channel to electrically couple the first and second input terminals to the output terminal in response to a gate voltage. The dual-terminal rectifier device is configured to rectify a combination of the alternating input signals applied to the input terminals of the semiconductor device to generate a rectified output signal at an output terminal.

Claims

1. A method for generating a rectified output signal in a RFID tag, the method comprising:

receiving first and second alternating signals;

rectifying a combination of the first and second alternating input signals to generate the rectified output signal, wherein,

the rectified output signal is generated from a dual-terminal rectifier device having first and second input terminals, an output terminal, and a gate configured to form a conductive channel to electrically couple the first and second input terminals to the output terminal in response to a gate voltage;

rectifying the combination includes applying a first rectified signal to the first input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device and applying a second rectified signal to the second input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device; and

applying the first and second rectified signals comprises rectifying an input signal through a dual-output diode having a first output coupled to the first input of the dual-terminal rectifier device and further having a second output coupled to the second input of the dual-terminal rectifier device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the dual-terminal rectifier device includes a dual-source field effect transistor; and

rectifying the combination includes applying the first and second alternating signals to sources of the dual-source field effect transistor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dual-source field effect transistor has a gate coupled to a drain.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising adding a bias voltage to the gate of the dual-source field effect transistor.

5. A method for generating a rectified output signal in a RFID tag, the method comprising:

receiving first and second alternating signals; and

rectifying a combination of the first and second alternating signals to generate the rectified output signal, wherein,

the rectified output signal is generated from a dual-terminal rectifier device having first and second input terminals, an output terminal, and a gate configured to form a conductive channel to electrically couple the first and second input terminals to the output terminal in response to a gate voltage;

rectifying the combination includes applying a first rectified signal to the first input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device and applying a second rectified signal to the second input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device; and

applying the first and second rectified signals comprises rectifying an input signal through a dual-source field effect transistor having a first source coupled to the first input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device and further having a second source coupled to the second input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dual-source field effect transistor has a gate and the method further comprises providing a bias voltage to the gate.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

applying a first bias current to a source of a first reference transistor having a gate terminal and a source coupled to the gate of the dual-terminal rectifier device, and further having a drain terminal coupled to the output of the dual-terminal rectifier device; and

applying a second bias current to a source of a second reference transistor having a gate terminal and a drain coupled to a gate of the dual-terminal rectifier input stage, and further having a source terminal coupled to the input of the dual-terminal rectifier input stage.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

applying a bias current to a source of a first reference transistor and to a drain of a second reference transistor, the first reference transistor having a gate terminal and a source coupled to the gate of the dual-terminal rectifier device, and further having a drain terminal coupled to the output of the dual-terminal rectifier device, the second reference transistor having a gate terminal and a drain coupled to a gate of the dual-terminal rectifier input stage, and further having a source terminal coupled to the input of the dual-terminal rectifier input stage.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

applying a first gate bias to the gate of the dual-terminal rectifier device; and

applying a second gate bias to a gate of the dual-source field effect transistor.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the dual-terminal rectifier device includes another dual-source field effect transistor; and

rectifying the combination includes applying the first and second alternating signals to sources of the other dual-source field effect transistor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the other dual-source field effect transistor has a gate coupled to a drain.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adding a bias voltage to the gate of the other dual-source field effect transistor.

13. A method for generating a rectified output signal in a RFID tag, the method comprising:

receiving first and second alternating signals; and

rectifying a combination of the first and second alternating signals to generate the rectified output signal, wherein,

the rectified output signal is generated from a dual-terminal rectifier device having first and second input terminals, an output terminal, and a gate configured to form a conductive channel to electrically couple the first and second input terminals to the output terminal in response to a gate voltage;

rectifying the combination includes applying a first rectified signal to the first input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device and applying a second rectified signal to the second input terminal of the dual-terminal rectifier device; and

applying the first and second rectified signals comprises rectifying an input signal through a first diode having an output coupled to the first input of the dual-terminal rectifier device and rectifying the input signal through a second diode having an output coupled to the second input of the dual-terminal rectifier device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the dual-terminal rectifier device includes a dual-source field effect transistor; and

rectifying the combination includes applying the first and second alternating signals to sources of the dual-source field effect transistor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dual-source field effect transistor has a gate coupled to a drain.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adding a bias voltage to the gate of the dual-source field effect transistor.