Semiconductor device

• US 8,692,653 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shionoiri, Yutaka, Izumi, Konami, Koyama, Jun, Kurokawa, Yoshiyuki, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Atsumi, Tomoaki, Osada, Takeshi, Ikeda, Takayuki, Ishii, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US11/716,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,584 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825, 340/10.1, 3405721-5729, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0705 the battery being connected to a power saving arrangement
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/186 Vibration harvesters

Abstract

Objects of the invention are to provide a semiconductor device including an RFID, which can transmit and receive individual information without a check of remaining capacity of the battery and a change of the battery in accordance with deterioration over time of the battery for a driving power supply; and which maintains a favorable communication state even when electric power, as a power supply for driving, from an external radio wave or electromagnetic wave (carrier wave) is not sufficient. A battery is provided as a power supply for supplying electric power in the RFID, and electric power obtained by a power generation element is charged in the battery.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power generation element;

a battery;

a booster circuit configured to boost an electrical voltage provided by the power generation element to charge the battery with the electrical voltage, the booster circuit including a diode and a variable capacitor having two fixed electrodes and one moveable electrode, the diode being connected in parallel to the variable capacitor;

an antenna circuit;

a signal processing circuit; and

a booster antenna configured to be coupled to the antenna circuit by a magnetic field,

wherein the antenna circuit is configured to receive through the booster antenna a first signal and to transmit through the booster antenna a second signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit; and

wherein the battery is configured to supply electric power to the signal processing circuit.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element is a thermoelectric element.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element is a piezoelectric element.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element is an element utilizing electromagnetic induction.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element includes a coil and a magnetic material which moves in the coil.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is selected from the group consisting of a lithium ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery and a nickel-cadmium battery.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is an electric double layer capacitor.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of an ID label, an ID tag and an ID card.

41. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation element includes a first semiconductor film and the signal processing circuit includes a transistor comprising a second semiconductor film, and the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film are provided on a same insulating surface and include a same material.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power generation element;

a battery;

a booster circuit configured to boost an electrical voltage provided by the power generation element to charge the battery with the electrical voltage, the booster circuit including a diode and a variable capacitor having two fixed electrodes and one moveable electrode, the diode being connected in parallel to the variable capacitor;

an antenna circuit;

a signal processing circuit; and

a booster antenna configured to be coupled to the antenna circuit by a magnetic field,

wherein the power generation element includes a microstructure having a three-dimensional structure;

wherein the antenna circuit is configured to receive through the booster antenna a first signal and to transmit through the booster antenna a second signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit; and

wherein the battery is configured to supply electric power to the signal processing circuit.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the power generation element is a thermoelectric element.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the power generation element is a piezoelectric element.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the power generation element is an element utilizing electromagnetic induction.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the power generation element includes a coil and a magnetic material which moves in the coil.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the battery is selected from the group consisting of a lithium ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery and a nickel-cadmium battery.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the battery is an electric double layer capacitor.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein said semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of an ID label, an ID tag and an ID card.

42. The semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the power generation element includes a first semiconductor film and the signal processing circuit includes a transistor comprising a second semiconductor film, and the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film are provided on a same insulating surface and include a same material.

19. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power generation element;

a battery;

a booster circuit configured to boost an electrical voltage provided by the power generation element to charge the battery with the electrical voltage, the booster circuit including a diode and a variable capacitor having two fixed electrodes and one moveable electrode, the diode being connected in parallel to the variable capacitor;

an antenna circuit;

a signal processing circuit; and

a booster antenna configured to be coupled to the antenna circuit by a magnetic field,

wherein the antenna circuit is configured to receive through the booster antenna a first signal and to transmit through the booster antenna a second signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit;

wherein the battery is configured to supply electric power to the signal processing circuit, and

wherein the antenna circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the booster antenna are formed over one substrate.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element, the antenna circuit, the signal processing circuit, the battery and the booster antenna are formed over the one substrate.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the antenna circuit receives from and transmits to a reader/writer the first signal and the second signal.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element is a thermoelectric element.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element is a piezoelectric element.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element is an element utilizing electromagnetic induction.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element includes a coil and a magnetic material which moves in the coil.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the battery is selected from the group consisting of a lithium ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery and a nickel-cadmium battery.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the battery is an electric double layer capacitor.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein said semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of an ID label, an ID tag and an ID card.

43. The semiconductor device according to claim 19, wherein the power generation element includes a first semiconductor film and the signal processing circuit includes a transistor comprising a second semiconductor film, and the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film are provided on a same insulating surface and include a same material.

30. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power generation element;

a battery;

a booster circuit configured to boost an electrical voltage provided by the power generation element to charge the battery with the electrical voltage, the booster circuit including a diode and a variable capacitor having two fixed electrodes and one moveable electrode, the diode being connected in parallel to the variable capacitor;

an antenna circuit;

a signal processing circuit; and

a booster antenna configured to be coupled to the antenna circuit by a magnetic field,

wherein the power generation element includes a microstructure having a three-dimensional structure;

wherein the antenna circuit is configured to receive through the booster antenna a first signal and to transmit through the booster antenna a second signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit;

wherein the battery is configured to supply electric power to the signal processing circuit, and

wherein the antenna circuit, the signal processing circuit, and the booster antenna are formed over one substrate.

31. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element, the antenna circuit, the signal processing circuit, the battery and the booster antenna are formed over the one substrate.

32. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the antenna circuit receives from and transmits to a reader/writer the first signal and the second signal.

33. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element is a thermoelectric element.

34. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element is a piezoelectric element.

35. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element is an element utilizing electromagnetic induction.

36. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element includes a coil and a magnetic material which moves in the coil.

37. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the battery is selected from the group consisting of a lithium ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery and a nickel-cadmium battery.

38. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

39. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the battery is an electric double layer capacitor.

40. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein said semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of an ID label, an ID tag and an ID card.

44. The semiconductor device according to claim 30, wherein the power generation element includes a first semiconductor film and the signal processing circuit includes a transistor comprising a second semiconductor film, and the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film are provided on a same insulating surface and include a same material.

45. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power generation element;

a battery configured to be charged by the power generation element;

an antenna circuit;

a signal processing circuit; and

a booster antenna configured to be coupled to the antenna circuit by a magnetic field,

wherein the antenna circuit is configured to receive through the booster antenna a first signal and to transmit through the booster antenna a second signal for transmitting data stored in the signal processing circuit; and

wherein the battery is configured to supply electric power to the signal processing circuit.

46. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the power generation element is a thermoelectric element.

47. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the power generation element is a piezoelectric element.

48. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the power generation element is an element utilizing electromagnetic induction.

49. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the power generation element includes a coil and a magnetic material which moves in the coil.

50. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the battery is selected from the group consisting of a lithium ion battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery and a nickel-cadmium battery.

51. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

52. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the battery is an electric double layer capacitor.

53. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein said semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of an ID label, an ID tag and an ID card.

54. The semiconductor device according to claim 45, wherein the power generation element includes a first semiconductor film and the signal processing circuit includes a transistor comprising a second semiconductor film, and the first semiconductor film and the second semiconductor film are provided on a same insulating surface and include a same material.