Semiconductor device, communication system, and method of charging the semiconductor device

• US 20080122401A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sato, Takehisa, Osada, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0701 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for power management
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• 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: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/27 characterised by the type of receiving antennas, e.g. rectennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

An object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device including a battery that can be wirelessly charged, in which the battery can be charged even when the semiconductor device is not put close to a power feeder. Such a semiconductor device has a structure including an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is externally wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit, and an oscillator circuit to wirelessly feed electric power via the antenna circuit. In addition, the battery in the semiconductor device is wirelessly charged and the semiconductor device externally feeds electric power wirelessly to a chargeable battery in another semiconductor device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna circuit;

a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit;

a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit; and

an oscillator circuit which wirelessly feeds electric power to another semiconductor device via the antenna circuit.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit, the battery and the oscillator circuit are provided over a substrate.

3. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

4. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

5. A semiconductor device comprising:

an antenna circuit;

a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit;

a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit;

a comparison arithmetic circuit to compare a state of charge of the battery and a state of charge of a battery of a wireless communication sender; and

an oscillator circuit which wirelessly feeds electric power to the battery of the wireless communication sender.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a data converter circuit to convert a state of charge of the battery into a digital value,

wherein the digital value is inputted into the comparison arithmetic circuit.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit, the battery, the comparison arithmetic circuit and the oscillator circuit are provided over a substrate.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 5,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

10. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first antenna circuit;

a second antenna circuit;

a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the first antenna circuit;

a battery to be charged with electric power wirelessly fed via the second antenna circuit;

a comparison arithmetic circuit to compare a state of charge of the battery and a state of charge of a battery of a wireless communication sender; and

an oscillator circuit which wirelessly feeds electric power to the battery of the wireless communication sender via the second antenna circuit.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a data converter circuit to convert a state of charge of the battery into a digital value,

wherein the digital value is inputted into the comparison arithmetic circuit.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 10,

wherein a shape of a first antenna provided in the first antenna circuit and a shape of a second antenna provided in the second antenna circuit are different from each other.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 10,

wherein one of a shape of the first antenna and the second antenna has a coil-shape.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 10,

wherein the first antenna circuit, the second antenna circuit, the communication control circuit, the battery, the comparison arithmetic circuit and the oscillator circuit are provided over a substrate.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 10,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

16. A semiconductor device according to claim 10,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

17. A communication system comprising:

a first semiconductor device; and

a second semiconductor device,

wherein each of the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor includes an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit device and a means for giving and receiving a power of the battery.

18. A communication system according to claim 17, wherein the means includes a comparison arithmetic circuit and an oscillator circuit.

19. A communication system according to claim 17,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit and the battery are provided over a substrate.

20. A communication system according to claim 17,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

21. A communication system according to claim 17,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.

22. A battery charge method of a plurality of semiconductor devices wherein each of the semiconductor devices includes an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit, the steps of comprising:

comparing a differences between voltages of the batteries of semiconductor devices communicating each other;

feeding and receiving electric power of the battery between the semiconductor devices communicating each other.

23. A battery charge method according to claim 22,

wherein the antenna circuit, the communication control circuit and the battery are provided over a substrate.

24. A battery charge method according to claim 22,

wherein the communication control circuit includes a demodulation circuit, a modulation circuit, a logic circuit and a memory circuit.

25. A battery charge method according to claim 22,

wherein the battery is any one of a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery and a double-layer electrolytic capacitor.