Semiconductor device

• US 8,977,203 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Kiyoshi, Tadokoro, Asami
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US13/047,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 455/41.3, 455/343.1, 455/572, 235/492, 235/451
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/02 responsive to excess current current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025

Abstract

Of a wireless communication system, an RF tag which can operate normally even when a communication distance is extremely short, like the case where the RF tag is in contact with a reader/writer, whereby the reliability is improved. The RF tag which communicates data by wireless communication includes a comparison circuit which compares electric power supplied from outside with reference electric power and a protection circuit portion which is operated when the electric power supplied from outside is higher than the reference electric power in the comparison circuit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a protection circuit comprising a transistor;

a resistor and a diode connected in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of the protection circuit; and

a first capacitor electrically connected between a gate of the transistor and one of the first terminal and the second terminal of the protection circuit,

wherein one terminal of the resistor and an anode of the diode are directly connected to a node,

wherein the gate of the transistor is configured to be supplied with an electric potential in accordance with an electric potential of the node, and

wherein one terminal of the transistor and a cathode of the diode are directly connected to the second terminal of the protection circuit.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a load electrically connected in series with the transistor between the first terminal and the second terminal of the protection circuit.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the load comprises at least one of a second capacitor, a second resistor, and an inductor.

4. An RF tag comprising a semiconductor device according to claim 1.

5. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna;

a rectifier circuit electrically connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of the antenna;

a protection circuit comprising a transistor, the protection circuit electrically connected to the first terminal and to the second terminal of the antenna;

a resistor and a diode connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal of the antenna; and

a first capacitor electrically connected between a gate of the transistor and one of the first terminal and the second terminal of the antenna,

wherein one terminal of the resistor and an anode of the diode are directly connected to a node,

wherein the gate of the transistor is configured to be supplied with an electric potential in accordance with an electric potential of the node, and

wherein one terminal of the transistor and a cathode of the diode are directly connected to the second terminal of the antenna.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising a load electrically connected in series with the transistor between the first terminal and the second terminal of the antenna.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the load comprises at least one of a second capacitor, a second resistor, and an inductor.

8. An RF tag comprising a semiconductor device according to claim 5.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a protection circuit comprising a switch;

a comparison circuit configured to compare a voltage supplied by a rectifier circuit with a reference voltage and comprising;

a diode, an anode of the diode being electrically connected to a node p, the node p being electrically connected to a first terminal of the comparison circuit and a cathode of the diode being electrically connected to a second terminal of the comparison circuit;

a first transistor, a gate of the first transistor being electrically connected to the node p, and one of a source and a drain of the first transistor being electrically connected to the first terminal of the comparison circuit;

a second transistor, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor being electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor at a node q, and the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor being electrically connected to the second terminal of the comparison circuit;

wherein the gate of the second transistor is configured to be set at the reference voltage; and

wherein the switch of the protection circuit is configured to control a passage of current in the protection circuit according to an electric potential of the node q.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a load electrically connected in series with the switch between the first terminal of the comparison circuit and the second terminal of the comparison circuit.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 9,

wherein the switch is a third transistor;

and

wherein the gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the node q.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a resistor electrically connected between the node p and the first terminal of the comparison circuit.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a capacitor electrically connected between the node q and the second terminal of the comparison circuit.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a constant voltage source circuit, an output of the constant voltage source circuit being electrically connected to the gate of the second transistor.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a charging mechanism control portion and a battery electrically connected thereto, an output of the charging mechanism control portion being electrically connected to the gate of the second transistor.

16. An RF tag comprising a semiconductor device according to claim 9.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a rectifier circuit;

a first transistor;

a second transistor;

a resistor; and

a first diode between a first node and a second node,

wherein an input portion of the rectifier circuit is electrically connected to a first terminal adapted to be electrically connected to an antenna,

wherein an output portion of the rectifier circuit is electrically connected to a second terminal,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal,

wherein one terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to the second terminal,

wherein the other terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to the first node,

wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first node,

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor so that a switching operation of the second transistor is controlled depending upon a potential of the output portion of the rectifier circuit, and

wherein one of a source and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the input portion of the rectifier circuit so that a potential of the input portion is controlled by the switching operation of the second transistor.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a third transistor; and

a constant power source circuit configured to supply a reference voltage,

wherein the reference voltage is supplied to a gate of the third transistor,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor, and

wherein the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to the second node.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a second diode,

wherein the first diode and the second diode are connected in series between the first node and the second node.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, wherein the rectifier circuit comprises:

a first capacitor;

a second capacitor;

a second diode; and

a third diode,

wherein one terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the first terminal,

wherein one terminal of the second capacitor and one terminal of the second diode are electrically connected to the second terminal,

wherein the other terminal of the first capacitor, the other terminal of the second diode, and one terminal of the third diode are electrically connected to one another, and

wherein the other terminal of the second capacitor is electrically connected to the other terminal of the third diode.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a load,

wherein the one of the source and the drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal through the load.