Semiconductor device

• US 8,521,120 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kurokawa, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US13/295,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/127.1, 455/572, 455/571, 455/13.4, 340/572.8, 235/380
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• 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 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/142 Contactless power supplies, e.g. RF, induction, or IR
• 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 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/103 Containing passive elements (capacitively coupled) which are ordered in cascade on one source

Abstract

In an RF tag, a mask ROM or a flash memory is used for storing data such as an ID number. Although the mask ROM can be realized at a low price, rewriting is not possible. In addition, in the flash memory, although electric rewriting is possible, production cost increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide an RF tag by which data rewriting is possible at a low price. An RF tag is provided with a power supply circuit having a function to generate a power supply voltage from a weak radio signal and a memory which can hold data stored in a data holding portion by the power supply voltage. With the above structure, a high-performance RF tag capable of rewriting data such as an ID number after production can be provided at a low price.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the first coil and a first device;

a first power supply circuit electrically connected to the first coil;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the second coil and a second device; and

a second power supply circuit electrically connected to the second;

coil,

wherein the second coil is lateral to the first coil, and

wherein the second coil does not overlap with the first coil.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory circuit comprising a data holding portion and a write control portion,

wherein the first power supply circuit is configured to generate a first voltage from a first radio wave received by the first coil,

wherein the second power supply circuit is configured to generate a second voltage from a second radio wave received by the second coil,

wherein the data holding portion is configured to operate using the first voltage, and

wherein the write control portion is configured to operate using the second voltage.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

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

5. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the first coil and a first device;

a first circuit electrically connected to the first coil, the first circuit comprising a first capacitor and a first diode;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the second coil and a second device; and

a second circuit electrically connected to the second coil, the second circuit comprising a second capacitor and a second diode,

wherein the second coil is lateral to the first coil, and

wherein the second coil does not overlap with the first coil.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising a memory circuit comprising a data holding portion and a write control portion,

wherein the first circuit is configured to generate a first voltage from a first radio wave received by the first coil,

wherein the second circuit is configured to generate a second voltage from a second radio wave received by the second coil,

wherein the data holding portion is configured to operate using the first voltage, and

wherein the write control portion is configured to operate using the second voltage.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

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

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the first coil and a first device;

a first circuit electrically connected to the first coil, the first circuit comprising a first capacitor and a first diode;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that an electromagnetic induction is generated between the second coil and a second device; and

a second circuit electrically connected to the second coil, the second circuit comprising a second capacitor and a second diode,

wherein the substrate comprises a first region and a second region,

wherein the first circuit is located over the first region,

wherein the first coil is located over a periphery of the first region so that the first coil does not overlap with the first circuit,

wherein the second circuit is located over the second region, and

wherein the second coil is located over a periphery of the second region so that the second coil does not overlap with the second circuit.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

11. An RF tag comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 9.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that a first energy transmission between the first coil and a first device is caused by an electromagnetic induction;

a first power supply circuit electrically connected to the first coil;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that a second energy transmission between the second coil and a second device is caused by an electromagnetic induction; and

a second power supply circuit electrically connected to the second coil,

wherein the second coil is lateral to the first coil, and

wherein the second coil does not overlap with the first coil.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a memory circuit comprising a data holding portion and a write control portion,

wherein the first power supply circuit is configured to generate a first voltage from a first radio wave received by the first coil,

wherein the second power supply circuit is configured to generate a second voltage from a second radio wave received by the second coil,

wherein the data holding portion is configured to operate using the first voltage, and

wherein the write control portion is configured to operate using the second voltage.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein a first energy is supplied from the first device to the first coil in the first energy transmission.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, wherein a second energy is supplied from the second device to the second coil in the second energy transmission.

17. An RF tag comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 12.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that a first energy transmission between the first coil and a first device is caused by an electromagnetic induction;

a first circuit electrically connected to the first coil, the first circuit comprising a first capacitor and a first diode;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that a second energy transmission between the second coil and a second device is caused by an electromagnetic induction; and

a second circuit electrically connected to the second coil, the second circuit comprising a second capacitor and a second diode,

wherein the second coil is lateral to the first coil, and

wherein the second coil does not overlap with the first coil.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, further comprising a memory circuit comprising a data holding portion and a write control portion,

wherein the first circuit is configured to generate a first voltage from a first radio wave received by the first coil,

wherein the second circuit is configured to generate a second voltage from a second radio wave received by the second coil,

wherein the data holding portion is configured to operate using the first voltage, and

wherein the write control portion is configured to operate using the second voltage.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein a first energy is supplied from the first device to the first coil in the first energy transmission.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 18, wherein a second energy is supplied from the second device to the second coil in the second energy transmission.

23. An RF tag comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 18.

24. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first coil over a substrate, the first coil being configured so that a first energy transmission between the first coil and a first device is caused by an electromagnetic induction;

a first circuit electrically connected to the first coil, the first circuit comprising a first compacitor and a first diode;

a second coil over the substrate, the second coil being configured so that a second energy transmission between the second coil and a second device is caused by an electromagnetic induction; and

a second circuit electrically connected to the second coil, the second circuit comprising a second capacitor and a second diode,

wherein the substrate comprises a first region and a second region,

wherein the first circuit is located over the first region,

wherein the first coil is located over a periphery of the first region so that the first coil does not overlap with the first circuit,

wherein the second circuit is located over the second region, and

wherein the second coil is located over a periphery of the second region so that the second coil does not overlap with the second circuit.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein each of the first coil and the second coil is an antenna circuit.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein a first energy is supplied from the first device to the first coil in the first energy transmission.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 24, wherein a second energy is supplied from the second device to the second coil in the second energy transmission.

28. An RF tag comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 24.