# US 8,570,151 B2 · Semiconductor device

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- Number: US 8,570,151 B2
- Document ID: US8570151B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/003,702
- Filed: 2007-12-31
- Published: 2008-07-10
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-01-10
- Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Yoshifumi Tanada
- Inventors: Yoshifumi Tanada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570151B2

## CPC

- H04B 5/22: Capacitive coupling
- H04B 5/26: using coils
- H04B 5/77: for interrogation
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor device, such as a RFID tag, which receives and transmits data wirelessly and generates electric power using carrier waves, where the semiconductor device is configured to generate a desired power supply voltage even when the power of the carrier waves is insufficient. The semiconductor device comprises a storage capacitor portion formed of a plurality of capacitor portions, where the plurality of capacitor portions are charged in the state of parallel connection, and a high voltage is extracted from part of or all of the plurality of capacitor portions by interconverting the parallel connection to a series connection when a circuit in the semiconductor device is operated. Accordingly, even when the power of carrier waves is reduced a voltage that is necessary for the circuit operation can be assured.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device comprising:
an antenna configured to generate an AC voltage from carrier waves;
a rectifier circuit configured to generate and output a DC voltage from the AC voltage;
a function portion configured to conduct processing in response to a command included in the carrier waves; and
a storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit, the storage capacitor portion comprising:
a first terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the function portion;
a second terminal;
first to n-th capacitor elements; and
a plurality of switches,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a first mode,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to m-th capacitor elements in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a second mode,
wherein n is natural number larger than 1,
wherein m is natural number larger than 1 and smaller than or equal to n,
wherein a potential of the second terminal is fixed, and
wherein a switch is connected between the first terminal and the rectifier circuit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the storage capacitor portion comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the antenna is formed over the substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein the function portion comprises a rewritable memory element group, and
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to enter the second mode when a data included in the carrier waves is written in the rewritable memory element group.

### Claim 6

A semiconductor device comprising:
an antenna configured to generate an AC voltage from carrier waves;
a rectifier circuit configured to generate and output a DC voltage from the AC voltage;
a function portion configured to conduct processing in response to a command included in the carrier waves; and
a storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit, the storage capacitor portion comprising:
a first terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the function portion;
a second terminal;
first to n-th capacitor elements; and
a plurality of switches,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a first mode,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a second mode,
wherein n is natural number larger than 1,
wherein a potential of the second terminal is fixed, and
wherein a switch is connected between the first terminal and the rectifier circuit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the storage capacitor portion comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the antenna is formed over the substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor device according to claim 6,
wherein the function portion comprises a rewritable memory element group, and
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to enter the second mode when a data included in the carrier waves is written in the rewritable memory element group.

### Claim 11

A semiconductor device comprising:
an antenna configured to generate an AC voltage from carrier waves;
a rectifier circuit configured to generate and output a DC voltage from the AC voltage;
a first function portion configured to conduct first processing in response to a first command included in the carrier waves;
a second function portion configured to conduct second processing in response to a second command included in the carrier waves;
a first storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit, the first storage capacitor portion comprising:
a first terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the first function portion;
a second terminal;
first to n-th capacitor elements; and
a plurality of switches, and
a second storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage;
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a first mode,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to m-th capacitor elements in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a second mode,
wherein the second storage capacitor portion is connected between the rectifier circuit and the second function portion,
wherein n is natural number larger than 1,
wherein m is natural number larger than 1 and smaller than or equal to n,
wherein a potential of the second terminal is fixed, and
wherein a switch is connected between the first terminal and the rectifier circuit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein at least one of the first storage capacitor portion and the second storage capacitor portion comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the antenna is formed over the substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The semiconductor device according to claim 11,
wherein the first function portion comprises a rewritable memory element group, and
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to enter the second mode when a data included in the carrier waves is written in the rewritable memory element group.

### Claim 16

A semiconductor device comprising:
an antenna configured to generate an AC voltage from carrier waves;
a rectifier circuit configured to generate and output a DC voltage from the AC voltage;
a first function portion configured to conduct first processing in response to a first command included in the carrier waves;
a second function portion configured to conduct second processing in response to a second command included in the carrier waves;
a first storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit, the first storage capacitor portion comprising:
a first terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the first function portion;
a second terminal;
first to n-th capacitor elements; and
a plurality of switches, and
a second storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage;
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a first mode,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a second mode,
wherein the second storage capacitor portion is connected between the rectifier circuit and the second function portion,
wherein n is natural number larger than 1,
wherein a potential of the second terminal is fixed, and
wherein a switch is connected between the first terminal and the rectifier circuit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor device according to claim 16, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor device according to claim 16, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein at least one of the first storage capacitor portion and the second storage capacitor portion comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor device according to claim 16, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the antenna is formed over the substrate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor device according to claim 16,
wherein the first function portion comprises a rewritable memory element group, and
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to enter the second mode when a data included in the carrier waves is written in the rewritable memory element group.

### Claim 21

A semiconductor device comprising:
an antenna configured to generate an AC voltage from carrier waves;
a rectifier circuit configured to generate and output a DC voltage from the AC voltage;
a first function portion configured to conduct first processing in response to a first command included in the carrier waves;
a second function portion configured to conduct second processing in response to a second command included in the carrier waves;
a first storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage output from the rectifier circuit, the first storage capacitor portion comprising:
a first terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the first function portion;
a second terminal;
first to n-th capacitor elements; and
a plurality of switches, and
a second storage capacitor portion configured to store the DC voltage, the second storage capacitor portion comprising:
a third terminal connected to the rectifier circuit and to the second function portion;
a fourth terminal; and
plurality of capacitor elements connected in parallel between the third terminal and the fourth terminal;
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to n-th capacitor elements in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a first mode,
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to connect the first to m-th capacitor elements in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, in a second mode,
wherein n is natural number larger than 1,
wherein m is natural number larger than 1 and smaller than or equal to n,
wherein a potential of the second terminal is fixed, and
wherein a switch is connected between the first terminal and the rectifier circuit.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The semiconductor device according to claim 21, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The semiconductor device according to claim 21, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein at least one of the first storage capacitor portion and the second storage capacitor portion comprises a thin film transistor over the substrate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The semiconductor device according to claim 21, further comprising:
a substrate having an insulating surface,
wherein the antenna is formed over the substrate.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The semiconductor device according to claim 21,
wherein the first function portion comprises a rewritable memory element group, and
wherein the plurality of switches are configured to enter the second mode when a data included in the carrier waves is written in the rewritable memory element group.