Communication method and communication system

• US 9,875,381 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohshima, Kazuaki, Kobayashi, Hidetomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahase, Pameshanand
• Application Number:
  US15/342,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20170061173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10158 methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A command sequence is restarted from the middle even when supply of power supply voltage to an internal circuit in a wireless tag is temporarily stopped (a power flicker occurs). A register or a cache memory included in a signal processing circuit in the wireless tag continues to retain data even after the supply of power supply voltage is stopped. After the power flicker occurs, the signal processing circuit in the wireless tag is returned to the state before the supply of power supply voltage is stopped and can restart signal processing. Consequently, the command sequence can be restarted from the middle.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a reader/writer; and

a semiconductor device having a power supply circuit being configured to supply power supply voltage and a signal processing circuit including a storage circuit,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.

6. A communication system comprising:

a reader/writer configured to transmit a command and receive a response; and

a semiconductor device configured to receive the command and transmit the response, the semiconductor device having a power supply circuit configured to supply power supply voltage and a signal processing circuit,

wherein the signal processing circuit comprises a storage circuit,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

8. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

9. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

10. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.

11. A communication system comprising:

a reader/writer configured to transmit a command and receive a response; and

a semiconductor device configured to receive the command and transmit the response, the semiconductor device having a power supply circuit configured to supply power supply voltage and a signal processing circuit,

wherein the signal processing circuit comprises a flip-flop and a storage circuit configured to store data retained in the flip-flop,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store the data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

13. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

14. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

15. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.

16. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power supply circuit configured to supply power supply voltage; and

a signal processing circuit including a storage circuit,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein when the supply of power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.

21. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power supply circuit configured to supply power supply voltage; and

a signal processing circuit,

wherein the semiconductor device is configured to receive a command and transmit a response,

wherein the signal processing circuit comprises a storage circuit,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.

26. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power supply circuit configured to supply power supply voltage; and

a signal processing circuit,

wherein the semiconductor device is configured to receive a command and transmit a response,

wherein the signal processing circuit comprises a flip-flop and a storage circuit configured to store data retained in the flip-flop,

wherein the storage circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor having a channel comprising an oxide semiconductor,

wherein one of electrodes of the capacitor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor via a holding node, and

wherein the storage circuit is configured to store the data after a signal potential corresponding to the data is input to the holding node, the transistor is turned off, and the holding node is set in a floating state.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, the signal processing circuit is configured to revert to a state before the supply of the power supply voltage is stopped and restart signal processing.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein when supply of the power supply voltage from the power supply circuit to the signal processing circuit is temporarily stopped, a ground potential is input to a gate of the transistor.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the semiconductor device is a passive wireless tag.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 26, wherein the oxide semiconductor comprises at least one of indium and gallium.