Sensor interface circuit and sensor module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11954555-B2
Application number	US-202117924250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A sensor interface circuit includes: an RF switch having a control node; a bias circuit electrically connected to the control node and applying, to the control node, a voltage at a first level or a second level corresponding to a linear region of a reflection characteristic; a first variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a first sensor; a second variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a second sensor; and a difference circuit electrically connected between the first variable oscillation circuit and the bias circuit, and between the second variable oscillation circuit and the bias circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor interface circuit comprising:
an RF switch having a control node;
a bias circuit electrically connected to the control node and applying, to the control node, a voltage at a first level or a second level corresponding to a linear region of a reflection characteristic within which the RF switch operates;
a first variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a first sensor;
a second variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to a second sensor; and
a difference circuit electrically connected between the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit, and the bias circuit.

2. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first variable oscillation circuit performs oscillation operation according to a detection value of the first sensor and generates a first signal,
the second variable oscillation circuit performs oscillation operation according to a detection value of the second sensor and generates a second signal,
the difference circuit generates a control signal according to a difference signal between the first signal and the second signal, and
the bias circuit applies the voltage to the control node while switching between the first level and the second level according to the control signal.

3. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third variable oscillation circuit electrically connected to the difference circuit in parallel with the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit.

4. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a third variable oscillation circuit electrically connected to the difference circuit in parallel with the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit, wherein
the third variable oscillation circuit performs oscillation operation according to a channel frequency to be set and generates a third signal,
the difference circuit generates a control signal according to a difference between the first signal and the second signal, and the third signal, and
the bias circuit applies the voltage to the control node while switching between the first level and the second level according to the control signal.

5. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rectification circuit electrically connected between an antenna terminal and a power storage element; and
a power supply control circuit electrically connected to the power storage element.

6. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 5 , wherein
the power supply control circuit interrupts power supply to the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit during a first period, to store electric charge in the power storage element, and supplies power to the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit using electric charge of the power storage element during a second period.

7. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first frequency division circuit electrically connected between the first variable oscillation circuit and the difference circuit; and
a second frequency division circuit electrically connected between the second variable oscillation circuit and the difference circuit.

8. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor interface circuit comprises a semiconductor integrated circuit.

9. The sensor interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit includes:
an inverter chain in which a plurality of stages of inverters are connected in a ring shape;
a resistive element connected in series to the plurality of stages of inverters in the inverter chain; and
a capacitive element connected in parallel with an inverter in the inverter chain and the resistive element, and

a pair of sensor terminals are electrically connected to both ends of the resistive element or both ends of the capacitive element.

10. A sensor module comprising:
an antenna;
a first sensor;
a second sensor; and
a sensor interface circuit comprising:
an RF switch having a control node;
a bias circuit electrically connected to the control node and applying, to the control node, a voltage at a first level or a second level corresponding to a linear region of a reflection characteristic within which the RF switch operates;
a first variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to the first sensor;
a second variable oscillation circuit electrically connectable to the second sensor; and
a difference circuit electrically connected between the first variable oscillation circuit and the second variable oscillation circuit, and the bias circuit,

wherein the sensor interface circuit is electrically connected between the first sensor and the second sensor, and the antenna.

11. The sensor module according to claim 10 , further comprising:
an impedance conversion circuit electrically connected between the antenna and the sensor interface circuit.

Assignees

• Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc
• Tokyo Inst Tech
• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Hiroki
• Sato Masayuki
• Ishihara Noboru
• Murata Shinji

Classifications

• G06K7/10366 Primary

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• H03B5/24

  active element in amplifier being semiconductor device (H03B5/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03B2200/004

  including a variable capacitance, e.g. a varicap, a varactor or a variable capacitance of a diode or transistor · CPC title

• H03K21/00

  Details of pulse counters or frequency dividers · CPC title

• H04B1/59

  Responders; Transponders · CPC title