Wireless power storage device, semiconductor device including the wireless power storage device, and method for operating the same

• US 7,928,697 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Osada, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/948,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 153 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/108, 320/114, 320/115, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 361/18
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0702 the arrangement including a battery
• 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: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/40 Printed batteries , e.g. thin film batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

To simplify charging of a battery in a power storage device which includes the battery. Further, to provide a wireless power storage device which can transmit and receive information without the task of replacing a battery for drive power supply, which becomes necessary when the battery depletes over time, being performed. An antenna circuit, a battery which is electrically connected to the antenna circuit via a rectifier circuit, and a load portion which is electrically connected to the battery are provided. The battery is charged when an electromagnetic wave received by the antenna circuit is input to the battery via the rectifier circuit, and discharged when electrical power which has been charged is supplied to the load portion. The battery is charged cumulatively, and the battery is discharged in pulses.

Claims

1. A wireless power storage device comprising:

an antenna circuit;

a rectifier circuit;

a battery electrically connected to the antenna circuit through the rectifier circuit; and

a discharge control circuit comprising a regulator and a switch,

wherein the battery is electrically connected to a load portion through the discharge control circuit,

wherein the discharge control circuit is configured to control the supply of electrical power stored in the battery to the load portion by turning on the switch when a voltage level of the battery is equal to or higher than a first threshold level and by turning off the switch when the voltage level of the battery is equal to or lower than a second threshold level, and

wherein the first threshold level is higher than the second threshold level.

2. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

3. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a secondary cell.

4. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a charge control circuit.

5. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the load portion is a signal processing circuit.

6. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein an amount of electrical power discharged from the battery per unit time is twice as much or more than an amount of electrical power charged to the battery per unit time.

7. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the regulator is electrically connected to the battery through the switch.

8. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge control circuit further comprises a Schmitt trigger.

9. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a transistor including a semiconductor layer.

10. The wireless power storage device according to claim 1, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a thin film transistor.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first antenna circuit;

a power supply portion electrically connected to the first antenna circuit wherein the power supply portion comprises;

a rectifier circuit;

a battery electrically connected to the first antenna circuit through the rectifier circuit; and

a discharge control circuit comprising a regulator and a switch; and

a load portion electrically connected to the battery through the discharge control circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit is electrically connected to the battery through the rectifier circuit,

wherein the discharge control circuit is configured to control the supply of electrical power stored in the battery to the load portion by turning on the switch when a voltage level of the battery is equal to or higher than a first threshold level and by turning off the switch when the voltage level of the battery is equal to or lower than a second threshold level, and

wherein the first threshold level is higher than the second threshold level.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the battery is a secondary cell.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising a charge control circuit.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the load portion is a signal processing circuit.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising a second antenna circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit receives an electromagnetic wave having a different frequency to an electromagnetic wave which is received by the second antenna circuit.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein an amount of electrical power discharged from the battery per unit time is twice as much or more than an amount of electrical power charged to the battery per unit time.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the regulator is electrically connected to the battery through the switch.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein the discharge control circuit further comprises a Schmitt trigger.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a transistor including a semiconductor layer.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 11, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a thin film transistor.

22. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first antenna circuit;

a power supply portion electrically connected to the first antenna circuit wherein the power supply portion comprises;

a rectifier circuit;

a battery electrically connected to the first antenna circuit through the rectifier circuit; and

a discharge control circuit comprising a regulator and a switch; and

a sensor portion electrically connected to the battery through the discharge control circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit is electrically connected to the battery through the rectifier circuit,

wherein the discharge control circuit is configured to control the supply of electrical power stored in the battery to the sensor portion by turning on the switch when a voltage level of the battery is equal to or higher than a first threshold level and by turning off the switch when the voltage level of the battery is equal to or lower than a second threshold level, and

wherein the first threshold level is higher than the second threshold level.

23. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the battery is a secondary cell.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, further comprising a charge control circuit.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, further comprising a second antenna circuit,

wherein the first antenna circuit receives an electromagnetic wave having a different frequency to an electromagnetic wave which is received by the second antenna circuit.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein an amount of electrical power discharged from the battery per unit time is twice as much or more than an amount of electrical power charged to the battery per unit time.

28. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the regulator is electrically connected to the battery through the switch.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein the discharge control circuit further comprises a Schmitt trigger.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a transistor including a semiconductor layer.

31. The semiconductor device according to claim 22, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a thin film transistor.

32. A method for operating a wireless power storage device, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electromagnetic wave by an antenna circuit;

charging a battery with electrical power of the electromagnetic wave through a rectifier circuit; and

discharging the battery by supplying electrical power stored in the battery to a load portion through a discharge control circuit including a regulator and a switch,

wherein the supply of the electrical power is controlled by turning on the switch when a voltage level of the battery is equal to or higher than a first threshold level and by turning off the switch when the voltage level of the battery is equal to or lower than a second threshold level.

33. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the battery is a capacitor.

34. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the battery is a secondary cell.

35. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the charge of the battery is controlled by a charge control circuit.

36. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the load portion is a signal processing circuit.

37. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein an amount of electrical power discharged from the battery per unit time is twice as much or more than an amount of electrical power charged to the battery per unit time.

38. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the regulator is electrically connected to the battery through the switch.

39. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein the discharge control circuit further comprises a Schmitt trigger.

40. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a transistor including a semiconductor layer.

41. The method for operating a wireless power storage device according to claim 32, wherein each of the rectifier circuit and the discharge control circuit comprises a thin film transistor.