Low pin count wireless power IC

• US 8,436,491 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walley, John, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza), Seshadri, Nambirajan, Van Der Lee, Reinier
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/793,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20110127844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0715 the arrangement including means to regulate power transfer to the integrated circuit
• 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: G06K 7/10207 parameter settings related to power consumption of the interrogator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A low pin count IC includes a wireless power receive coil, a rectifying circuit, an output circuit, circuit modules, a power management unit (PMU), a die, and a package substrate. The wireless power receive coil generates an AC voltage from a wireless power electromagnetic signal and the rectifying circuit generates a rectified voltage from the AC voltage. The output circuit generates a DC voltage from the rectified voltage. The PMU manages distribution of the DC voltage to the circuit modules. The die supports the circuit modules and the PMU, wherein the die includes return pads for coupling to circuit return nodes and a PMU return node. The package substrate supports the die and includes return pins for coupling to the return pads, wherein at least one of the die and the package substrate support the wireless power receive coil, the rectifying circuit, and the output circuit.

Claims

1. A low pin count integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a wireless power receive coil operable to generate an AC voltage from a wireless power electromagnetic signal;

a rectifying circuit operable to generate a rectified voltage from the AC voltage;

an output circuit having an output circuit return node, wherein the output circuit is operable to generate a DC voltage from the rectified voltage;

a plurality of circuit modules, wherein each of the plurality of circuit modules includes a circuit return node;

a power management unit (PMU) having a PMU return node, wherein the PMU is operable to manage distribution of the DC voltage to the plurality of circuit modules,

a die that supports the plurality of circuit modules and the PMU, wherein the die includes return pads for coupling to the plurality of circuit return nodes and the PMU return node; and

a package substrate that supports the die and includes return pins for coupling the return pads to a ground plane disposed external to the IC to reduce pin count for the IC, and wherein at least one of the die and the package substrate support the wireless power receive coil, the rectifying circuit, and the output circuit, in which wireless delivery of power is to be achieved without use of a supply voltage pin to reduce pin count for the IC.

2. The low pin count IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the wireless power receive coil including a first terminal and a second terminal;

the package substrate having the wireless power receive coil implemented thereon and including a first pin and a second pin coupled to the first and second terminals, respectively;

the rectifying circuit including a first node and a second node; and

the die having the rectifying circuit implemented thereon and including a first pad and a second pad coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively.

3. The low pin count IC of claim 1, wherein the output circuit comprises:

a capacitance circuit operable to generate an unregulated DC voltage from the rectified voltage.

4. The low pin count IC of claim 1, wherein the output circuit comprises:

a capacitor coupled to filter the rectified voltage to produce a DC rail voltage; and

a regulation circuit operable to generate a regulated DC voltage from the DC rail voltage.

5. The low pin count IC of claim 1 further comprises:

a plurality of wireless power receive coils operable to generate a plurality of AC voltages from one or more wireless power electromagnetic signals, wherein the plurality of wireless power receive coils includes the wireless power receive coil;

a plurality of rectifying circuits operable to generate a plurality of rectified voltages from the plurality of AC voltages, wherein the plurality of rectifying circuits includes the rectifying circuit; and

a plurality of output circuits operable to generate a plurality of DC voltages from the plurality of rectified voltages, wherein the plurality of output circuits includes the output circuit, wherein the PMU manages distributing of the plurality of DC voltages to the plurality of circuit modules.

6. The low pin count IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the return pins for coupling to the ground plane of a supporting substrate of the package substrate such that the die does not include the ground plane and the package substrate does not include the ground plane.

7. The low pin count IC of claim 1 further comprises:

the DC voltage powers the PMU and the plurality of circuit modules as distributed by the PMU such that the die does not include supply voltage pads and the package substrate does not includes supply voltage pins.

8. The low pin count IC of claim 1, wherein the wireless power receive coil comprises:

a first winding; and

a second winding coupled to the first winding, wherein a common node of the first and second windings is coupled to a coil return pin of the package substrate.

9. The low pin count IC of claim 1 further comprises:

a regulation module operable to;

sense a voltage level of the DC voltage;

compare the voltage level to a reference voltage to produce a comparison signal; and

output the comparison signal to a transmit wireless power unit such that the transmit wireless power unit adjusts the wireless power electromagnetic signal based on the comparison signal to regulate the DC voltage to a desired voltage level.

10. A low pin count integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a wireless power receive coil operable to generate an AC voltage from a wireless power electromagnetic signal;

a rectifying circuit operable to generate a rectified voltage from the AC voltage;

a capacitance circuit operable to generate a DC voltage from the rectified voltage;

a regulation module operable to;

sense a voltage level of the DC voltage;

compare the voltage level to a reference voltage to produce a comparison signal; and

output the comparison signal such that a transmit wireless power unit adjusts the wireless power electromagnetic signal based on the comparison signal to regulate the DC voltage to a desired voltage level;

a die; and

a package substrate that supports the die, wherein at least one of the die and the package substrate support the wireless power receive coil, the rectifying circuit, and the capacitance circuit, in which wireless delivery of power is to be achieved without use of a supply voltage pin to reduce pin count for the IC, and the package substrate includes return pins for coupling the return pads to a ground plane disposed external to the IC to reduce pin count for the IC.

11. The low pin count IC of claim 10 further comprises:

a plurality of wireless power receive coils operable to generate a plurality of AC voltages from one or more wireless power electromagnetic signals, wherein the plurality of wireless power receive coils includes the wireless power receive coil;

a plurality of rectifying circuits operable to generate a plurality of rectified voltages from the plurality of AC voltages, wherein the plurality of rectifying circuits includes the rectifying circuit; and

a plurality of capacitance circuits operable to generate a plurality of DC voltages from the plurality of rectified voltages, wherein the plurality of capacitance circuits includes the capacitance circuit, and wherein the regulation module generates a plurality of comparison signals, which includes the comparison signal.

12. The low pin count IC of claim 10 further comprises:

a plurality of circuit modules;

a power requirements module operable to output information regarding power requirements for the plurality of circuit modules; and

a plurality of power controlling modules operably coupled to;

receive one or more power control signals; and

control power to the plurality of circuit modules based on the one or more power control signals.

13. The low pin count IC of claim 12 further comprises:

the DC voltage powers the plurality of circuit modules as controlled by the plurality of power controlling modules such that the die does not include supply voltage pads and the package substrate does not includes supply voltage pins.

14. The low pin count IC of claim 10 further comprises:

the wireless power receive coil including a first terminal and a second terminal;

the package substrate having the wireless power receive coil implemented thereon and including a first pin and a second pin coupled to the first and second terminals, respectively;

the rectifying circuit including a first node and a second node; and

the die having the rectifying circuit implemented thereon and including a first pad and a second pad coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively.

15. The low pin count IC of claim 10 further comprises:

the package substrate includes return pins for coupling to the ground plane of a supporting substrate of the package substrate and the die includes return pads coupled to the return pins such that the die does not include the ground plane and the package substrate does not include the ground plane.

16. The low in count IC of claim 10, wherein the wireless power receive coil comprises:

a first winding; and

a second winding coupled to the first winding, wherein a common node of the first and second windings is coupled to a coil return pin of the package substrate.

17. A low pin count integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a wireless power receive circuit coupled to receive a transmission of an electromagnetic signal and convert the electromagnetic signal to a DC voltage;

a power management unit (PMU) to manage distribution of the DC voltage to a plurality of circuit modules;

a die that supports the circuit module and the PMU, wherein the die includes return pads for coupling to a power return of the PMU and a power return of the circuit; and

a package substrate that supports the die and includes return pins for coupling the return pads to a ground plane disposed external to the IC to reduce pin count for the IC, and wherein at least one of the die and the package substrate support the wireless power receive circuit, in which wireless delivery of power is to be achieved without use of a supply voltage pin to reduce pin count for the IC.

18. The low pin count IC of claim 17, wherein the ground plane is disposed on a component on which the package substrate is disposed upon.

19. The low pin count IC of claim 17, wherein the package substrate is disposed upon a circuit board and the ground plane is disposed on the circuit board.

20. The low pin count IC of claim 19, wherein the circuit board further includes a projected artificial magnetic mirror to increase magnetic coupling of the electromagnetic signal.