Semiconductor device, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, tire, and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035386-B2
Application number	US-201615149324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2016
Priority date	May 11, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

To provide a circuit with low power consumption, a semiconductor device with low power consumption, a highly reliable semiconductor device, a tire whose performance is controlled, a moving object whose performance is controlled, or a moving object with a high degree of safety. A tire provided with a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a circuit portion, an antenna, and a sensor element. The circuit portion includes a transistor. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The sensor element is configured to measure the air pressure of the tire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tire comprising a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising:
a first circuit portion comprising an analog-to-digital converter circuit and a sample-and-hold circuit;
an antenna electrically connected to the first circuit portion; and
a sensor element electrically connected to the first circuit portion,
wherein the sensor element is configured to measure an air pressure of the tire,
wherein the sample-and-hold circuit comprises a buffer circuit and a second circuit portion,
wherein the second circuit portion comprises a transistor and a capacitor,
wherein an analog potential is supplied to one of a source and a drain of the transistor through the buffer circuit,
wherein charge corresponding to the analog potential is held at the other of the source and the drain of the transistor and in the capacitor by turning off the transistor, and
wherein supply of a power supply voltage to the buffer circuit is stopped when the charge corresponding to the analog potential is held.

2. The tire according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

3. The tire according to claim 1 ,
wherein the semiconductor device is capable of wireless communication.

4. The tire according to claim 1 ,
wherein the semiconductor device is positioned on a side surface of the tire.

5. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first circuit portion comprising an analog-to-digital converter circuit and a plurality of sample-and-hold circuits;
an antenna electrically connected to the first circuit portion; and
a plurality of sensor elements electrically connected to the first circuit portion,
wherein each of the sample-and-hold circuits comprises a buffer circuit and a second circuit portion,
wherein the second circuit portion comprises a transistor and a capacitor,
wherein an analog potential is supplied to one of a source and a drain of the transistor through the buffer circuit,
wherein, in the second circuit portion, charge corresponding to the analog potential is held at the other of the source and the drain of the transistor and in the capacitor by turning off the transistor,
wherein supply of a power supply voltage to the buffer circuit is stopped when the charge corresponding to the analog potential is held, and
wherein the plurality of sensor elements are configured to measure two or more of a pressure, a temperature, strain, and acceleration.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the semiconductor device is disposed in a sealed space.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter circuit comprises a comparator, a successive approximation register, and a digital-to-analog converter circuit.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

9. A tire comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 5 .

10. A moving object comprising:
the semiconductor device according to claim 5 ; and
an interrogator,
wherein the semiconductor device is positioned inside a tire, and
wherein the interrogator is positioned outside the tire.

11. A moving object comprising:
the semiconductor device according to claim 5 ; and
an interrogator,
wherein a distance between the semiconductor device and the interrogator is greater than or equal to 5 cm and less than or equal to 2 m.

12. A method for driving a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising a wireless circuit comprising a circuit portion, an antenna, and m sensor elements, wherein the circuit portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter circuit and n sample-and-hold circuits, and wherein an x-th sensor element is connected to a corresponding sample-and-hold circuit of the n sample-and-hold circuits, the method comprising:
a first step in which analog potentials output from the m sensor elements are each input to a corresponding sample-and-hold circuit of the n sample-and-hold circuits,
a second step in which the analog potentials input to the n sample-and-hold circuits are held, and
a third step in which the analog potentials output from first to n-th sample-and-hold circuits are sequentially input to the analog-to-digital converter circuit,
wherein m is an integer,
wherein n is an integer, and
wherein x is an integer of greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m.

13. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 12 ,
wherein a y-th sample-and-hold circuit comprises a buffer circuit and a y-th circuit,
wherein y is an integer of greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n,
wherein the y-th circuit comprises a y-th transistor and a y-th capacitor,
wherein an analog potential is supplied to one of a source and a drain of the y-th transistor through the buffer circuit,
wherein charge corresponding to the analog potential is held at the other of the source and the drain of the y-th transistor and in the y-th capacitor by turning off the y-th transistor,
wherein supply of a power supply voltage to the buffer circuit is stopped when the charge corresponding to the analog potential is held, and
wherein the y-th transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

14. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 12 ,
wherein n is greater than or equal to m.

15. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 12 ,
wherein the semiconductor device is mounted on a tire, and
wherein at least one of the m sensor elements is configured to measure an air pressure of the tire.

16. The method for driving a semiconductor device, according to claim 12 ,
wherein the semiconductor device is positioned on a side surface of a tire.

Assignees

• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Atsumi Tomoaki
• Sakakura Masayuki
• Ohshima Kazuaki

Classifications

• B60C23/0454

  Means for changing operation mode, e.g. sleep mode, factory mode or energy save mode · CPC title

• B60C23/0452 Primary

  Antenna structure, control or arrangement (vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241) · CPC title

• B60C23/009

  having wheels on a trailer · CPC title

• B60C23/0428

  using passive wheel mounted resonance circuits · CPC title

• H01L29/7869

  Electricity · mapped topic