JP2009089434A - Generating device for trigger signal and receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enlarge the operable distance from a wireless transmitter in a trigger signal generation device which generates a trigger signal so as to shift the state of an appliance through the reception of a radio signal. <P>SOLUTION: A trigger signal generation device comprises: a current generating means for generating a current having an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of an input signal; a current output means for outputting a current that has an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of the current generated by the current generating means and flows from a first power supply potential to a second power supply potential; a signal amplification means including a current mirror circuit for amplifying the current outputted by the current output means; a trigger signal generating means connected to an output terminal of the current mirror for converting the amplified current signal into a voltage signal to generate a trigger signal; and a power source connected to the first power supply potential and the second power supply potential. The current generating means is connected to either one of the first power supply potential and the second power supply potential, and the current output means is connected to the power supply potential to which the current generating means is connected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a trigger signal generating apparatus that receives a radio signal and generates a trigger signal for shifting the state of a device.

Electronic devices such as televisions can generally be turned on and off with a remote control. The electronic device receives an optical signal emitted from the remote controller and turns on the power. In order to perform such a power-on operation, the optical receiving unit and the power control unit are always operable on the electronic device side.
That is, even if the electronic device itself is not in a power-on state, the optical receiver and the power controller operate, so that power is always consumed.

  A remote control or the like generally uses an optical signal. A remote control using an optical signal has an advantage that it can be manufactured at low cost, but communication cannot be performed if there is an obstacle between the remote control and the electronic device. Therefore, a receiving configuration such as an RFID tag using radio waves has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1 below). In the disclosure of this document, in order to reduce power consumption during standby of the electronic device, an activation switch for the electronic device is inserted between the rectifier of the RFID tag and the electronic device. The start switch is supplied with power from an electronic device, and the rectifier is not supplied with power.

  The power supply to the electronic device is controlled to be turned on and off by the output state of the start switch. If the start switch outputs an off signal, the electronic device is turned off and the electronic device does not consume power. On the other hand, when the start switch outputs an on signal, the electronic device is turned on. For example, on a television, the screen is projected and sound is produced. The start switch is supplied with power from an electronic device. For example, it can be constituted by a CMOS inverter, and the nMOS transistor or the pMOS transistor is turned off regardless of the state of the inverter. Can be prevented from flowing.

  The rectifier receives a radio wave emitted from the outside with an antenna and generates a voltage with the electric power. The output voltage increases as the input power increases. Since the rectifier is not supplied with power from the electronic device, the standby power of the rectifier is zero. By connecting the output voltage of the rectifier to the start switch, a signal for controlling on / off of the electronic device can be generated. Therefore, power consumption in the standby state on the electronic device side can be greatly reduced as compared with a remote control using an optical signal.

  However, since the voltage generated by the input power is generally small in the rectifier as described above, the polarity of the output of the start switch cannot be reversed unless large power is input. That is, it is necessary to apply a large amount of electric power to the RFID tag. From another viewpoint, the distance between the electronic device and the remote controller cannot be made too long.

In addition, as a configuration of the rectifier, there are those disclosed in the following Patent Documents 2 and 3 which are improved so that the generated voltage is increased. By utilizing the configurations disclosed in these, it is possible to extend the distance that can be operated by the remote controller to some extent.
JP 2001-197537 A JP 2006-34085 A JP 2006-166415 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a trigger signal generator that can increase the operating distance from the wireless transmission side in a trigger signal generator that receives a radio signal and generates a trigger signal for shifting the state of a device. And

  A trigger signal generation device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a current generation unit that generates a current having an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of an input signal, and an amplitude that corresponds to the magnitude of the current generated by the current generation unit. A signal amplifying means including a current output means for outputting a current flowing from the first power supply potential toward the second power supply potential; and a current mirror circuit for amplifying the current output from the current output means; and Trigger signal generating means connected to the output end for converting the current signal amplified by the signal amplifying means into a voltage signal to generate a trigger signal, and connected to the first power supply potential and the second power supply potential The current generation means is connected to either the first power supply potential or the second power supply potential, and the current output means is connected to the power supply potential to which the current generation means is connected. Is the fact characterized.

  That is, in this trigger signal generator, the current generator generates a current having a predetermined amplitude based on the magnitude of the input signal, and the current output means generates a current corresponding to the magnitude of the current. The current is amplified by signal amplification means including a current mirror circuit. Thereafter, the obtained amplified current is converted into a voltage and used as a trigger signal. Therefore, even when the voltage generated by the current generating means is small, a certain large signal can be obtained as the trigger signal. Such a signal is large enough to shift the state of the device, in other words, the operation distance from the wireless transmission side can be extended.

  The current generation means is connected to either the first power supply potential or the second power supply potential, and the current output means is connected to a power supply potential to which the current generation means is connected. ing. Therefore, since no current flows through the current generation means and the current output means even when these means are off, the power consumption in the standby state of the means in the standby state, and thus the trigger signal generation means, is reduced. Can be suppressed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the trigger signal generator which receives a radio signal and generates the trigger signal for changing the state of an apparatus, it is possible to extend the operation distance from a radio transmitter.

  As an embodiment in the above aspect, the current output unit includes an additional current mirror circuit, and the additional current mirror circuit is connected to a power supply potential to which the current generation unit is connected. According to such a current mirror circuit, it is possible to add a function as a current amplifier to the current generating means by changing the sizes of the transistors constituting the current mirror circuit. Further, since the additional current mirror circuit is connected to the power supply potential to which the current generating means is connected, power consumption does not occur in a state where no current flows (standby state), which is advantageous in terms of power saving. .

  As another embodiment, the signal amplifying means may include two or more stages of current mirror circuits. If there are two or more stages, it becomes easier to gain the gain of current amplification, and the direction of the output current can be set to any direction. What is necessary is just to select according to the structure of the current voltage converter of a next stage.

  As another embodiment, the current generating means may be a rectifier having an nMOS transistor in which a rectified voltage is supplied to the drain and gate and a reference potential is applied to the source. Thereby, a current having a predetermined magnitude can be easily generated by controlling the magnitude of an external input signal.

  In still another aspect of the present invention, the current output means includes a first nMOS transistor and a second nMOS transistor that forms a current mirror circuit with the first nMOS transistor. The mirror circuit comprises a first pMOS transistor having a drain and a gate connected to the drain of the second nMOS transistor and a source supplied with a second reference potential, and a current mirror circuit with the first pMOS transistor. A current amplified by the signal amplification means can be output from the drain of the second pMOS transistor.

  According to such a configuration, the current output means can generate a current flowing from the first power supply potential toward the second power supply potential as described above, and can also amplify the current by the current mirror. That is, a current amplification function can be added to the current output means.

  In another aspect of the present invention, the current output means may include a transistor, and may further include an offset compensation unit that compensates for an offset current flowing in the drain of the transistor.

  According to such a configuration, offset current (leakage current) generated when no rectified voltage is generated and no current is input to the transistor of the current output means can be offset, and the influence on the subsequent operation is eliminated. it can.

  As another embodiment, the trigger signal generating means includes a first nMOS transistor in which the current amplified by the signal amplifying means flows from the drain-gate common connection side to the source side; a second nMOS transistor that forms a current mirror circuit with the nMOS transistor, a pMOS transistor whose drain is connected to the drain of the second nMOS transistor, a reference potential applied to the source, and a drain of the first nMOS transistor A voltage generated between the gate common connection and the source is input, a voltage corresponding to non-linear increase and decrease is generated as an output voltage, the output voltage is supplied to the gate of the pMOS transistor, and a current mirror circuit is included. A bias generator, and the output of the trigger signal is the second It can be made to be made to the drain of the nMOS transistor from a connection node between the drain of the pMOS transistor.

  By generating the bias voltage supplied to the gate of the pMOS transistor by such a bias generator, the resistance value of the pMOS transistor that is the load of the first nMOS transistor can be increased when necessary for operation. The output fluctuation range of the current-voltage converter can be increased. This power supply voltage converter is an input / output inversion current-voltage converter in which the output voltage decreases when the amplified current is input.

  Further, as an embodiment, a power switch capable of transitioning to an on state in response to the trigger signal and maintaining the on state, power supply being controlled by the power switch, and an output level of the current-voltage converter A synchronization circuit that generates a clock signal in synchronization with a fluctuation period, and the power supply is controlled by the power switch, and the output level fluctuation history of the current-voltage converter is obtained by inputting the clock signal as a shift signal. A shift register capable of storing power, a power supply controlled by the power switch, and a memory capable of storing reference information; a power supply controlled by the power switch; and the output level fluctuation history and the reference information And a determination circuit capable of generating a signal indicating that the output level fluctuation history matches the reference information. It can be.

  According to this, for example, the trigger signal is output as the output of the determination circuit, and the ID of the signal from the wireless transmission side can be determined in the preceding stage. That is, it is determined whether or not the operation signal is for the target electronic device, and only when this is the case, a substantial trigger signal can be generated as the output of the determination circuit. Note that the power supply control of the synchronization circuit, the shift register, and the like is performed by the above-described power switch in order to save power during standby.

  Here, the memory stores first reference information and second reference information as the reference information, and a signal indicating that the output level fluctuation history matches the first reference information by the determination circuit. In response to being generated, the signal shifts to an off state and can maintain the off state, and reacts when the determination circuit generates a signal indicating that the output fluctuation history matches the second reference information. And a second power switch capable of shifting to the on state and maintaining the on state.

  According to this, for example, in the specific zone, an operation signal that matches the first reference information is transmitted from the wireless transmission side to turn off the electronic device, and in the non-specific zone, the operation signal that matches the second reference information. It can be used in such a way that the electronic device is turned off by transmitting from the wireless transmission side. For example, when the electronic device is a mobile phone, it can be applied to a case where it is desired to force (or automatically) power off in a specific zone.

  Based on the above, embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a trigger signal generator according to an embodiment. The antenna 22, rectifier 21, and starter circuit 10 in FIG. 1 constitute a trigger signal generator, and the power supply control unit 24 and the electronic device 23 are subject to control such as state transition by the trigger signal output from the trigger signal generator. On the side. In this embodiment, the trigger signal is generated to turn on the power of the electronic device 23 via the power control unit 24. As the electronic device 23, various applications such as a television, a mobile phone, and a network wireless communication device can be applied. In general, not only a trigger signal for turning on the power but also a trigger signal for performing another operation may be used.

  The antenna 22 receives radio waves emitted from a radio transmission device (not shown) on the operation side and outputs an RF signal. The rectifier 21 rectifies the RF signal output from the antenna 22 to generate a rectified voltage (DC voltage) (a kind of voltage generator). That is, the antenna 22 and the rectifier 21 form a power generation unit that generates power by receiving external energy. Note that the rectifier 21 does not need to supply power as shown (specifically described later). However, there is a connection from the starting circuit 10 because only the ground has a potential reference. The startup circuit 10 receives the rectified voltage output from the rectifier 21 and outputs a trigger signal. The trigger signal is supplied to the power supply control unit 24. The power control unit 24 shifts the power of the electronic device 23 to the on state based on the supplied trigger signal.

  The startup circuit 10 includes a current generation unit and current amplification unit 11, a current-voltage converter 12, and a battery power source 13. The current generator corresponds to the nMOS transistor M1, and the rectified voltage output from the rectifier 21 is between the drain-gate common connection side and the source side of the transistor M1 with respect to the ground (reference potential or second reference potential). Current is generated in the current generator. The current amplifying unit corresponds to the nMOS transistor M2 and the pMOS transistors M3 and M4. The transistor M1 and the transistor M2 constituting the current mirror circuit CM1 perform first-stage current amplification. The transistor M3 and the transistor M4 The second stage current amplification is performed by the current mirror circuit CM2 configured as follows.

  The amplified current that is the output of the current generator and the current amplifier 11 is output from the drain of the transistor M4 and is input to the current-voltage converter 12. The current-voltage converter 12 generates a voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the input current. The polarity from the current input to the output voltage can be either positive or negative depending on the configuration of the power supply control unit 24 and thereafter. In the current-voltage converter 12, the ground side is indicated by a solid line, and the power supply (second reference potential or reference potential) side is indicated by a broken line, because connection on the power supply side may not be required. It is. The battery power source 13 functions as a power source for the activation circuit 10 and also functions as a power source for the power control unit 24 and the electronic device 23 in this embodiment.

  There is basically no power consumption from the battery power supply 13 in the start-up circuit 10 when there is no input of the rectified voltage from the rectifier 21. This is because no current flows through the transistor M1 in the state where no rectified voltage is generated, so that no current flows through the current mirror circuits CM1 and CM2, and the current-voltage converter 12 is fixed according to, for example, a CMOS circuit. This is because no current flows. Furthermore, the power consumption in the power supply control unit 24 is the same as that of the current-voltage converter 12. This is because it can be constituted by a CMOS circuit, for example. The power consumption in the electronic device 23 is consumed from the battery power supply 13 if it is turned on via the power supply control unit 24 by the trigger signal that is the output of the activation circuit 10. Naturally, there is no power consumption when the electronic device 23 is off.

  In this embodiment, since the potential difference V1 between the rectifier 21 and the ground is equal to the potential difference V2 between the current mirror circuit CM1 and the ground, no current flows even when these are off, and the power in the standby state is reduced. Consumption can be suppressed more effectively.

  As described above, the trigger signal generator (antenna 22, rectifier 21, and starter circuit 10), power supply control unit 24, and electronic device 23 shown in FIG. 1 basically have no power consumption in the standby state. This is a great advantage in terms of power saving. Power is consumed by the start-up circuit 10 only when a radio wave is received by the antenna 22 and a rectified current is generated at the output of the rectifier 21. After that, when the electronic device 23 is turned on by the trigger signal, power consumption in the electronic device 23 occurs. Even in this state, the trigger signal generator (antenna 22, rectifier 21, The power consumption in the starting circuit 10) and the power supply control unit 24 can be eliminated.

  Although the description has been broken above, in practice, for example, the output of the current-voltage converter 12 is used so that the electronic device 23 can be kept on even when the arrival of radio waves stops and the trigger signal is no longer generated. A set-reset flip-prop (SR flip-flop) may be provided. Such a kind of state storage circuit may be provided in the power supply control unit 24 or may be provided in the electronic device 23. In either case, if, for example, a CMOS circuit is used as the SR flip-flop, there is basically no power consumption in a steady state.

  FIG. 2 shows input / output current characteristics of the current mirror circuits CM1 and CM2 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, in the current mirror circuit, an output current Iout is generally generated in proportion to the input current Iin. In the case of an integrated circuit, the proportional constant can be set by making the size (gate width) ratio of the MOS transistors constituting the current mirror circuit into the proportional constant ratio.

  By such current amplification action of the current mirror circuits CM1 and CM2, the rectified voltage that is the output of the rectifier 21 is converted into current and amplified. Since the amplified current is converted into a voltage by the current-voltage converter 12, the voltage has a sufficient magnitude. That is, even when the incoming radio wave is weak (weak electric field), it is possible to generate a trigger signal that causes the electronic device 23 to change state. In other words, the operation distance from a wireless transmission device (not shown) can be increased. Note that the amplification gain can be further increased if the current mirror circuits are connected in multiple stages.

  In addition, the first stage current mirror circuit CM1 is advantageous in that if the incoming radio wave is strong, if the rectified voltage output from the rectifier 21 is excessive, the voltage value is limited. The reason why the rectified voltage is limited at this time is that the input impedance of the current mirror circuit generally decreases due to the flow of current. By reducing the rectified voltage, the rectification efficiency of the rectifier 21 can be maintained high, and power loss can be suppressed.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the rectifier 21 shown in FIG. The rectifier 21 has a configuration in which nMOS transistors MR1 and MR2 are connected in series, and the gate and the source are short-circuited (that is, the transistors MR1 and MR2 are a kind of diode connection). An RF signal is input from the antenna 22 to the intermediate node via the capacitor C1. Further, in order to generate an output voltage (rectified voltage) between the drain of the transistor MR1 and the source of the transistor MR2, a smoothing capacitor C2 is connected in parallel with them.

  With such a configuration, a half-wave current due to the RF input flows through the path of the transistor MR1, the capacitor C2, and the transistor MR2, and a DC voltage (rectified voltage) is generated across the capacitor C2. Therefore, the lower terminal DC− shown in the figure is connected to the ground, and the upper terminal DC + shown in the figure is connected to the starting circuit 10 as an output terminal of the rectifier 21.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first-stage current mirror circuit CM1 is composed of an nMOS transistor, and operates when an input current is supplied. Therefore, the rectifier 21 connected to the upper terminal (positive terminal) is a rectified voltage output terminal as shown in FIG.

  Contrary to what is shown in FIG. 1, when the first-stage current mirror circuit (corresponding to CM1) is composed of pMOS transistors, the rectifier 21 connected to this is the lower terminal (negative) shown in FIG. Side terminal) DC- becomes the output terminal of the rectified voltage. In this case, the positive terminal DC + is connected to the power supply side potential of the current mirror circuit. As a result, the current mirror circuit can be input in the direction of drawing current, and the current mirror circuit using the pMOS transistor can be operated. In this case, the rectifier (corresponding to 21) and the starting circuit (corresponding to 10) do not consume power during standby.

  When the first-stage current mirror circuit (corresponding to CM1) is composed of pMOS transistors, the configuration in the vicinity of the rectifier 21 and the current amplifying unit 11 in the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 1 is as shown in FIG. It becomes composition.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the power supply control unit 24 shown in FIG. This example is simply an inverter configuration (that is, a CMOS inverter) including a pMOS transistor MS1 and an nMOS transistor MS2. Since it is a CMOS circuit, there is no power consumption in a steady state. In this case, the electronic device 23 connected to the power control unit 24 is configured to turn on and off according to the voltage level output from the power control unit 24.

  FIG. 6 shows a modification of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. This modification is different in that the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. 7, for example, is used instead of the current mirror circuit CM1 in the above example related to FIG. In this example, the same reference numerals and reference characters are used for the same or similar components as those in the above-described example.

  The rectifier 21 and the activation circuit 10 in FIG. 6 constitute a trigger signal generation device, and the power supply control unit 24 and the electronic device 23 are targets on which control such as state transition is controlled by the trigger signal output from the trigger signal generation device. In this embodiment, the trigger signal is generated to turn on the power of the electronic device 23 via the power control unit 24. As the electronic device 23, various applications such as a television, a mobile phone, and a network wireless communication device can be applied. In general, not only a trigger signal for turning on the power but also a trigger signal for performing another operation may be used.

  The rectifier 21 forms a power generation unit that generates power by receiving external energy. The starting circuit 10 receives the generated voltage output from the rectifier 21 and outputs a trigger signal. The trigger signal is supplied to the power supply control unit 24. The power control unit 24 shifts the power of the electronic device 23 to the on state based on the supplied trigger signal.

  The startup circuit 10 includes a current generation unit and current amplification unit 11, a current-voltage converter 12, and a battery power source 13. For example, the current generation circuit CM1 'can have a configuration as shown in FIG. In this case, the current generation unit corresponds to the nMOS transistor MA2 shown in FIG. 7, and the generated voltage output from the rectifier 21 is based on the ground (reference potential or second reference potential) and on the upper pole side and lower side of the capacitor CA1. By being applied between the pole side and the current, a current is generated in the current generator. A capacitor CA2 is provided between the upper electrode of the capacitor CA1 and the gate terminal of the nMOS transistor MA2, and a voltage is applied to the gate terminal of the nMOS transistor MA2 in accordance with the voltage applied to CA1.

  A voltage source VA1 is connected to the gate terminal of the nMOS transistor MA2 via a resistor RA1, and an appropriate voltage is applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2. The current amplifying unit corresponds to an nMOS transistor MA2 and pMOS transistors M3 and M4. The transistor MA2 performs first-stage current amplification, and a current mirror CM2 including the transistors M3 and M4 performs second-stage current amplification. Made.

  The amplified current that is the output of the current generator and current amplifier 11 is output from the drain of the transistor M4 and input to the current-voltage converter 12. The current-voltage converter 12 generates a voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the input current. The polarity from the current input to the output voltage can be either positive or negative depending on the configuration of the power supply control unit 24 and thereafter. In the current-voltage converter 12, the ground side is indicated by a solid line, and the power supply (second reference potential or reference potential) side is indicated by a broken line, because connection on the power supply side may not be required. It is. The battery power source 13 functions as a power source for the activation circuit 10 and also functions as a power source for the power control unit 24 and the electronic device 23 in this embodiment.

  There is basically no power consumption from the battery power source 13 in the start-up circuit 10 in the state where the power generation voltage from the rectifier 21 is not input. This is because no electric charge is applied to the capacitor CA1 in the state where no generation voltage is generated, so that no current flows through the nMOS transistor MA2, no current flows through the current mirror CM2, and the current-voltage converter 12 also has a CMOS circuit, for example. This is because the state is fixed and no current flows. Furthermore, the power consumption in the power supply control unit 24 is the same as that of the current-voltage converter 12. This is because it can be constituted by a CMOS circuit, for example. The power consumption in the electronic device 23 is consumed from the battery power supply 13 if it is turned on via the electronic device 24 by the trigger signal that is the output of the activation circuit 10. Naturally, there is no power consumption in the off state of the electronic device 23.

  Also in this embodiment, since the potential difference V1 between the rectifier 21 and the ground is equal to the potential difference V2 between the current generating circuit CM1 ′, no current flows even when these are off, and power consumption in the standby state Can be more effectively suppressed.

  Next, the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. 7 will be described in detail. An arbitrary voltage can be adjusted and applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2 by the voltage source VA1, but as an example of the adjustment voltage, when a voltage corresponding to the threshold voltage of MA2 is applied, MA2 When there is no current, no current is passed, and when the input signal is input, the threshold voltage is exceeded, so that it is possible to react to a minute signal with high sensitivity. For this reason, it becomes possible to amplify a minute signal.

  Further, the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. 6 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. In this case, as a method of applying a voltage applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2, the nMOS transistor MA3 diode-connected between the current source IA1 connected to the power supply terminal VDD and the ground potential to the gate terminal of the MOS transistor MA2. It is configured to be connected with.

  In this case, an appropriate current is supplied from the current source IA1 to the nMOS transistor MA3, the MA3 generates a voltage corresponding to the current value, and an appropriate voltage is applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2. When the current flowing from the current source IA1 to the nMOS transistor MA3 applies a voltage corresponding to the threshold voltage of the nMOS transistor MA2 as a voltage generated by the MA3, the MA2 does not pass the current when there is no input signal, and the input signal is input. Then, since it exceeds the threshold voltage, it can react to a minute signal with high sensitivity. For this reason, it becomes possible to amplify a minute signal.

  Furthermore, the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. 6 can also have a configuration as shown in FIG. In this case, as a method of applying a voltage applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2, when an input signal is input to the gate of the MOS transistor MA4, the MA4 is turned on, and a current flows through the diode-connected nMOS transistor MA3. Become. MA3 generates a voltage corresponding to the current value, and an appropriate voltage is applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2.

  When the current flowing from the transistor MA4 to the nMOS transistor MA3 applies a voltage corresponding to the threshold voltage of the nMOS transistor MA2 as a voltage generated by the MA3, the MA2 does not pass the current when there is no input signal, and the input signal is input. Since it exceeds the threshold voltage, it can react to a minute signal with high sensitivity. For this reason, it becomes possible to amplify a minute signal.

  Further, the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. 6 may have a configuration as shown in FIG. In this case, as a method of applying a voltage applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2, an input signal is input to the source of the MOS transistor MA4, and a predetermined voltage from the power supply voltage is applied to the gate of MA4. As a result, the input signal is amplified in MA4, and a current corresponding thereto flows in the diode-connected nMOS transistor MA3. MA3 generates a voltage corresponding to the current value, and an appropriate voltage is applied between the gate and source of the nMOS transistor MA2.

  When the current flowing from the transistor MA4 to the nMOS transistor MA3 applies a voltage corresponding to the threshold voltage of the nMOS transistor MA2 as a voltage generated by the MA3, the MA2 does not pass the current when there is no input signal, and the input signal is input. Since it exceeds the threshold voltage, it can react to a minute signal with high sensitivity. For this reason, it becomes possible to amplify a minute signal.

  The trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 6 does not consume power in the standby state, generates a trigger signal when the signal detector 21 detects a signal, and the electronic signal 23 shifts to the on state. Can be provided.

  FIG. 11 shows a modification (with offset current compensation) of the activation circuit 10 shown in FIG. 11, the reference numerals used in FIG. 1 are used as they are for the same equivalents. The description of what is denoted by the same reference numerals will be omitted.

  The starting circuit 10A includes an offset current compensation circuit 11a for the purpose of compensating for an offset current (leakage current) generated by the transistor M2 on the output side when no current flows through the transistor M1 of the current mirror circuit CM1. It is provided. Although the offset current of the transistor M2 is generally small, current amplification is performed by the current mirror circuit CM2. Therefore, if there is no offset current compensation, the circuit operation after the current-voltage converter 12 may be disturbed from normal operation.

  The configuration of the offset current compensation circuit 11a includes transistors M5 and M6 having the same configuration as the current mirror circuit CM1 including transistors M1 and M2, and transistors M7 and M8 having a current mirror circuit configuration. That is, in the transistor M5 corresponding to the transistor M1, the drain and gate are connected to the ground to simulate the state where the rectified voltage is not input to the transistor M1, and the transistor M6 generates an amount corresponding to the offset current generated by the transistor M2. . This current of the transistor M6 flows into the transistor M2 via the transistors M8 and M7. Therefore, current generation in the transistor M3 is canceled out, and the cause of disturbing the circuit operation after the current mirror circuit CM2 can be eliminated.

  The size (gate width) of each transistor is, for example, the same for the transistors M1 and M5, the same for the transistors M2 and M6, and the same for the transistors M3, M8, and M7. The setting of the size is not limited to this, and various sizes can be considered. In short, it is only necessary that the offset current of the transistor M2 can be compensated by the transistor M7. Note that in the integrated circuit, it is preferable that the distance in the layout is made as small as possible to ensure the pair characteristics of the transistors having the same size.

  Next, the components of the trigger signal generator described above will be described in detail. FIG. 12 shows specific examples of the current-voltage converter 12 in the above embodiment. FIG. 12A shows the simplest configuration, in which a resistor RV1 is simply provided between the input node and the ground. The output voltage can be obtained as the voltage across the resistor RV1 with respect to the ground (the product of the input current and RV1). If there is no input current, there is no power consumption.

  The current-voltage converter 12A shown in FIG. 12B inputs a current to the diode-connected nMOS transistor MV1, and generates an output voltage at the drain of the nMOS transistor MV2 that forms a current mirror circuit with the transistor MV1. A resistor RV2 is provided as a load for generating a voltage between the drain of the transistor MV2 and the power supply potential (reference potential). In the case of this configuration, the polarity of the output voltage is opposite to that shown in FIG. It is the same that there is basically no power consumption if there is no input current.

  A current-voltage converter 12B shown in FIG. 12C is a transistor in which a pMOS transistor MV3 is provided instead of a resistor as a load of the transistor MV2 (so-called active load). A fixed potential (in this case, a ground potential) is applied to the gate of the transistor MV3. Since no resistor is required, the layout area is reduced when integrated. It is the same that there is basically no power consumption if there is no input current.

  The current-voltage converter 12C shown in FIG. 12D is configured to increase the gate voltage of the transistor MV3, which is the load of the transistor MV2, in accordance with the current value input to the current-voltage converter 12C. is there. That is, as an operation, the resistor RV3 is connected via the transistor MV1 and the nMOS transistor MV4 constituting the current mirror circuit and further via the pMOS transistors MV5 and MV6 which are current mirror circuits on the power supply potential (second reference potential) side. A current is supplied to (a load of the transistor MV6). As a result, the gate voltage of the transistor MV3 increases.

  FIG. 14 shows the current-voltage characteristics of the pMOS transistor MV3 shown in FIG. In FIG. 14, the large Vgs corresponds to the case of FIG. 12C, and the small Vgs indicates a case where the gate voltage of the transistor MV3 is increased as described above. If the gate-source voltage Vgs decreases as a property of the transistor, the drain current Id decreases. Accordingly, at this time, the DC resistance value Vds / Id increases (in other words, the transresistance from the input current to the output voltage in the current-voltage converter 12C increases), so the configuration shown in FIG. Compared with the configuration of FIG. 12 (c), the output fluctuation is large and preferable. The configuration of FIG. 12D is the same in that basically no power is consumed if there is no input current.

  A current-voltage converter 12D shown in FIG. 12 (e) is one in which an nMOS transistor MV7 is provided instead of the resistor RV3 in the configuration shown in FIG. 12 (d) (so-called active load). Since no resistor is required, the layout area is reduced when integrated. It is the same that there is basically no power consumption if there is no input current.

  A current-voltage converter 12E shown in FIG. 12 (f) is one in which a diode-connected nMOS transistor MV8 is provided in place of the resistor RV3 in the configuration shown in FIG. 12 (d) (this is also a so-called active load). . Since no resistor is required, the layout area is reduced when integrated. It is the same that there is basically no power consumption if there is no input current.

  FIG. 13 shows a specific example of the current-voltage converter 12 in each of the above embodiments. The current-voltage converter 12F shown in FIG. 13 is a diagram in which the unique functions common to the current-voltage converters 12C, 12D, and 12E shown in FIGS. 12D, 12E, and 12F are upgraded. It can also be said. The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those shown in the already described drawings.

  A current is input to the diode-connected nMOS transistor MV1, and the drain of the nMOS transistor MV2 that forms a current mirror circuit with the transistor MV1 becomes an output. A pMOS transistor MV3 whose source is connected to the power supply potential is provided between the power supply potential and the drain of the transistor MV2, and its drain is connected to the drain of the transistor MV2 as an active load of the transistor MV2.

  Further, the variable voltage source Va1 and the variable amplifier Aa1 are connected in series to the input terminal, and the output of the variable amplifier Aa1 is connected to the gate of the pMOS transistor MV3. The variable voltage source Va1 varies the generated voltage according to the magnitude of the voltage generated in the diode-connected nMOS transistor MV1. When the generated voltage increases, the gate voltage of the transistor MV3 increases, and the operation region of the transistor MV3 shifts from the linear region to the saturation region. That is, the variable voltage source Va1 changes the current-voltage characteristic of the transistor MV3.

  When there is no signal at the input terminal, the input side of the variable voltage source Va1 is at the ground potential. Here, since the variable voltage source Va1 has a generated voltage value close to 0V, the absolute value of Vgs of the transistor MV3 becomes large. At this time, the operation region of the transistor MV3 is set to be a linear region (a linear region at a large Vgs in FIG. 14). Even if a noise signal is output from the transistor MV2 in this state, the transistor MV3 has a low impedance as a load, and no noise signal is actually generated at the output. That is, the output voltage is kept at the power supply potential (high).

  When a signal having a minimum input sensitivity or more is input to the input terminal, a certain amount of voltage is generated at the input terminal, and the variable voltage source Va1 generates a bias voltage accordingly. Therefore, the absolute value of Vgs of the transistor MV3 is Small value. In this state, the operation region of the transistor MV3 is set to a saturation region (saturation region when Vgs is small in FIG. 14). Therefore, the transistor MV3 has a large impedance as a load, and the voltage at the output terminal changes to the ground potential. That is, the output voltage is in a low state.

  The variable amplifier Aa1 amplifies the output voltage of the variable voltage source Va1 and further increases the variation in the gate potential of the transistor MV3. As a result, the characteristic variation as the load of the transistor MV3 becomes larger. That is, the series configuration of the variable voltage source Va1 and the variable amplifier Aa1 is a bias generation unit to the gate of the transistor MV3 as a whole, and generates a change on the voltage output side that is steep with respect to a voltage change on the input side. It is a nonlinear element. It is desirable that the variable amplifier Aa1 has a small gain when the input side has a small voltage and a large gain when the signal input increases.

  The configuration shown in FIG. 13 makes it possible to change the output voltage sharply when the input current exceeds a certain threshold value. When there is no input current, power consumption does not occur. As already described, the variable amplifier Aa1 and the variable voltage source Va1 are shown as specific circuit configurations in FIGS. 12D, 12E, and 12F.

  Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 shows a trigger signal generator according to another embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to those shown in FIG. 1, and the description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, instead of the rectifier 21, a signal detection unit 21 </ b> A is used as a voltage generation unit that generates power by receiving external energy.

  Specifically, the signal detection unit 21A is, for example, a rectifier circuit using a diode element or a MOS transistor, or a photoelectric conversion element such as photovoltaic power generation using a PN semiconductor element. That is, the signal detection unit 21A includes at least an element that can generate a DC voltage corresponding to an input signal (for example, an optical signal) from an operating device (not shown).

  When a photoelectric conversion element is used for the signal detection unit 21A, if the photoelectric conversion element is a PN junction element of a Si semiconductor, the P-type semiconductor side is connected to the ground potential, and the N-type is bonded to the P-type semiconductor. The semiconductor side is connected to the activation circuit 10 as an output. When an optical signal is input to the photoelectric conversion element, charge is transferred from the P-type semiconductor to the N-type semiconductor by the photoelectric effect, and thereby the potential of the output is increased. Based on this principle, an optical input signal is detected, and a voltage corresponding to the signal intensity is generated as an output. When no optical signal is input, the photoelectric effect does not occur, so no charge movement occurs, and since both the P-type and N-type semiconductors are at the ground potential, no power consumption occurs in the signal detection unit 21A. Therefore, it is possible to wait for reception of an optical signal without consuming power during standby.

  The activation circuit 10 operates by generating a voltage of the signal detection unit 21A according to an input signal from an operating device (not shown), and outputs a trigger signal. In addition, for example, the activation circuit 10 can output signal data by using a signal sequence based on light emission and extinction of an optical signal.

  Next, another application example of the trigger signal generator described above will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 16, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those shown in the already described drawings, and the description thereof is omitted. In this application example, the battery power supply 13 is charged by the trigger signal.

  In FIG. 16, the power supply to the electronic device 23 </ b> A and the power control unit 24 </ b> A is performed not from the battery power supply 13 but from the AC power supply 25. The charger 26 is also supplied with power from the AC power source 25. When a trigger signal is input from the activation circuit 10 to the power supply control unit 24A, the power supply control unit 24 turns on the power of the electronic device 23A, and at the same time, the power supply control unit 24A also turns on the power supply of the charger 26A. . As a result, charging from the battery charger 26 to the battery power supply 13 is started.

  That is, when a power-on trigger signal is input from the activation circuit 10 to the power control unit 24, the electronic device 23A is activated by the output of the power control unit 24A. In addition, the charger 26 is also activated by the output of the power supply control unit 24 </ b> A, whereby an appropriate voltage is output from the charger 26 and applied to the positive electrode of the battery power supply 13. As a result, the battery power supply 13 is charged to the above voltage. The value of this voltage is normally set to the maximum charging voltage of the battery power supply 13. The electronic device 23A, the power supply control unit 24A, and the charger 26 are supplied from an AC power supply 25 (or an external DC power supply) having a larger output capacity than that of the battery power supply 13, for example.

  When the output trigger signal of the activation circuit 10 outputs an off state, the power control unit 24A is in an off state, and thus the electronic device 23A and the charger 26 are also in an off state, and the power of the AC power source 25 is not consumed.

  In the configuration of this application example, the battery power source 13 is charged from the charger 26 when the electronic device 23A is in a power-on state. As a result, the battery power supply 13 is automatically charged when the electronic device 23A is turned on, and the battery power supply 13 can be made almost unnecessary to be replaced due to the battery being exhausted.

  Next, still another embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 shows a trigger signal generator according to another embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to those shown in FIG. 1, and the description thereof is omitted. This embodiment is designed to prevent an unintended operation from being performed even when a plurality of electronic devices exist within the operable distance by extending the distance that can be operated wirelessly as described above. is there.

  In the trigger signal generator (antenna 22, rectifier 21, and startup circuit 10B) of this embodiment, the startup circuit 10B includes a startup circuit power supply control circuit 31, a synchronization circuit 32, and a flip-flop in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 33, 34, 35, a determination circuit 36, and a memory 27 are provided.

  The start circuit power supply control circuit 31 is a power switch that controls on / off of the power supply of the start circuit 10B. At least the control to turn on is performed when a trigger signal is output from the current-voltage converter 12. Once the trigger signal is input, the power-on state can be maintained. When the activation circuit 10B is turned on, the synchronization circuit 32, the flip-flops 33, 34, and 35, the determination circuit 36, and the memory 37 operate. The power consumption of the current generator and current amplifier 11 and the current / voltage converter 12 is as described above.

The synchronization circuit 32 generates a clock signal having a predetermined frequency and a predetermined timing in synchronization with the output level fluctuation period of the current-voltage converter 12. For example, it has a PLL. For example, when the synchronization circuit 32 is activated by the activation circuit power supply control circuit 31, the output of the current-voltage converter 12 continuously varies in a certain cycle according to the preamble portion of the radio operation signal.
A clock signal is generated in synchronization with this cycle. The clock signal is supplied to at least flip-flops 33, 34, and 35.

  The flip-flops 33, 34, and 35 constitute a shift register. The shift operation is based on a clock signal from the synchronization circuit 32. For example, when the flip-flops 33, 34, and 35 are activated by the activation circuit power supply control circuit 31, the output of the current-voltage converter 12 is manipulated by the ID information portion of the radio operation signal that follows the preamble portion. The output level (high / low) varies corresponding to the ID of the power electronic device. This variation history is stored in the flop flops 33, 34 and 35 which are shift registers. The stored variation history is sent to the determination circuit 36.

  The memory 37 holds ID information (reference information) of the electronic device 23 to be operated in advance in a nonvolatile manner. For example, when the memory 37 is brought into an operable state by the activation circuit power supply control circuit 31, the ID information is read and sent to the determination circuit 36.

  The determination circuit 36 compares the information from the flip-flops 33, 34, and 35 with the information from the memory 37, and if they match, outputs information indicating that they match. This output is supplied to the power supply control unit 24. In practice, for example, the determination circuit 36 may be provided with a set-reset flip-prop (SR flip-flop) on its output side so as to maintain the determination result. The SR flip-flop may be provided in the power supply control unit 24 or may be provided in the electronic device 23.

  In short, as a configuration for confirming at least the ID of the electronic device 23 between the current-voltage converter 12 and the power supply control unit 24 in FIG. 1, the startup circuit power supply control circuit 31, the synchronization circuit 32, the flip-flop 33, 34, 35, a determination circuit 36, and a memory 37 are provided. Note that the number of stages of the flip-flops 33, 34, and 35 (shift register) is not limited to such three stages, and may be further increased depending on the information amount of the ID.

  FIG. 18 shows an operation flow of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 (when the power is turned on). Explaining with time using FIG. 18, first, it waits until a radio wave (wireless operation signal) reaching the detection sensitivity arrives (step 41). When a radio wave reaching the detection sensitivity arrives, the starter circuit power supply control circuit 31 works through the functions of the antenna 22, the rectifier 21, the current generator and current amplifier 11, and the current-voltage converter 12, and the starter circuit 10B is powered on. Turns on (step 42). As a result, the synchronization circuit 32 and the like are in an operating state.

  Next, since the output voltage of the current-voltage converter 12 fluctuates according to the preamble portion of the radio operation signal, the frequency of the synchronizing circuit 32 is set so as to synchronize with this fluctuation period (step 43). Subsequently, since the output voltage of the current-voltage converter 12 fluctuates in accordance with the ID signal part following the preamble part and the signal part to be turned on, this fluctuation history is stored in the shift register such as the flip-flop 33. Receive (step 44). The reason why the “ID signal portion and the signal portion to be turned on” is used here is particularly for the purpose of turning on the power. The memory 37 also holds reference information corresponding to this.

  The determination circuit 36 determines whether the information stored in the shift register matches the contents of the memory 37 (step 45). If they do not match (N in Step 45), the process returns to the standby state. If they match, a voltage is output to the power supply controller 24 to turn on the electronic device 23 (step 46). Although the operation for controlling the electronic device 23 to be on is completed as described above, here, the power supply of the activation circuit 10B is turned off for the subsequent power saving (step 47). For example, it is conceivable that the time during which the start-up circuit power control circuit 31 is turned on is timed by a timer (not shown), and the power is automatically turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed (from step 45 to the standby state). The same is true when returning to).

  FIG. 19 shows an operation flow of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 16 (when the power is off). In FIG. 19, the same processes as those shown in FIG. 18 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. This operation flow corresponds to the case where step 47 is provided in FIG. 18 described above (that is, the case where power is saved after the electronic device 23 is turned on), and the operation for turning off the electronic device 23. Is shown.

  In this case, steps 41 to 43 are the same as in FIG. 18, and in step 54, the output voltage of the current-voltage converter 12 varies depending on the ID signal portion following the preamble portion and the signal portion to be turned off. The variation history is received by storing it in the shift register such as the flip-flop 33 (step 54). Here, the “ID signal portion and the signal portion to be turned off” are used particularly for the purpose of turning off the power. The memory 37 also holds reference information corresponding to this.

  The determination circuit 36 determines whether the information stored in the shift register matches the contents of the memory 37 (step 55). If they do not match (N in step 55), the radio wave standby state is restored. If they match, a voltage is output to the power supply control unit 24 to turn off the electronic device 23 (step 56). Thereafter, the power supply of the activation circuit 10B is turned off by timed management or the like (step 47; the same applies when the standby state is returned from step 55).

  As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, there are two types of information to be determined by the determination circuit 36 (“ID signal portion and signal portion to be turned on” and “ID signal portion and signal portion to be turned off). ]) In some cases, if two determination circuits 36 and two memories 37 are provided in parallel, which information is easily determined. In the case where the activation circuit 10B is configured to perform only the determination of “ID signal portion and signal portion to be turned on” and not to determine “ID signal portion and signal portion to be turned off”, the electronic circuit 23 You may make it provide the power-off function by another remote control means.

  FIG. 20 shows an operation flow of the trigger signal generating device shown in FIG. 17 (however, when the power is turned on, the trigger signal generating device is kept in an on state, and then a power-off wireless operation is input). In FIG. 20, the same steps as those shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The description is omitted. FIG. 20 is substantially the operation of the step appearing in FIG. 19 following the step appearing in FIG. However, the difference is that the power supply of the activation circuit 10B is not shifted off after the electronic device 23 is turned on. Since the power consumption of the activation circuit 10B appears to be relatively small when the electronic device 23 is in the on state, it is considered that such an operation is often sufficient.

  Next, an application example of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 21 shows a configuration when the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 is applied to a mobile phone.

  The cellular phone 70 has a main body 230, an antenna 231, and a battery power source 13, and further includes a power supply control circuit 100 including the antenna 22. The antenna 22 and the power supply control circuit 100 have substantially the same configuration as the trigger signal generator (antenna 22, rectifier 21, and starter circuit 10B) shown in FIG. However, the output of the determination circuit 36 is a control input of the power switch 101, and the power switch 101 is located on a power supply line supplied from the battery power supply 13 to the mobile phone body 230. The power switch 101 is configured to be able to maintain each on or off state.

  According to the above configuration, the power on / off of the mobile phone main body 230 can be freely controlled by the wireless operation signal via the antenna 22. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, in a zone where it is preferable to turn off the mobile phone (for example, in a music hall), the mobile phone 70 is forced or automatically powered by a radio operation signal from the mobile-off base station 700B. Can be turned off automatically. When the user exits the hall, the mobile phone 70 can be automatically turned on by a radio operation signal from the mobile-on base station 700A.

  When the mobile phone 70 is turned off wirelessly, for example, if it happens to be during data transmission / reception or an application being used, a warning that the power is turned off is issued so that the owner recognizes that, Thereafter, a trigger signal at each stage may be generated so that the current setting state and use state are stored and the power is turned off. Further, when the power switch is manually turned on in the power off zone, the power can be turned off again together with a warning. Further, when moving to the power-on zone, the power can be turned on to return to the stored setting state and use state. In addition, when the owner of the mobile phone 70 does not want to turn on the power, it is possible to prevent the automatic power-on from being executed by setting the mode in advance on the mobile phone 70 side.

  In this application example, the power supply control circuit 100 is provided on the power supply line of the mobile phone main body 230. However, some of the functional units of the mobile phone main body 230, such as a ring tone generation unit, a wireless communication unit, a camera function unit, etc. If a control circuit is provided so as to turn on and off, etc., only these functional units can be remotely operated. For example, a mobile phone with a control circuit that controls only the wireless communication unit is useful inside the hospital, and a mobile phone with a control circuit that controls only the camera function unit is useful in the confidential information area.

  Next, another application example of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 23 shows a configuration when the trigger signal generating device shown in FIG. 17 is applied to a wireless communication device (sensor network wireless communication node).

  The wireless communication device 71 has a main body 230A, an antenna 231A, and a battery power supply 13, and further includes a power supply control circuit 100 and a call device 701. The power supply control circuit 100 has substantially the same configuration as the trigger signal generator (the rectifier 21 and the starting circuit 10B excluding the antenna 22) shown in FIG. The power switch 101 is located on a power supply line supplied from the battery power supply 13 to the calling device 701 and the communication device main body 230A. The power switch 101 is configured to be able to maintain each on or off state. The antenna of the power supply control circuit 100 and the antenna of the call device 701 are also used as the 231A of the communication device main body 230A. In this application example, the power supply control circuit 100 is configured to output a specific trigger signal as an instruction signal to the call device 701.

  According to the above, the power on / off of the communication device main body 230A and the call device 701 can be freely controlled by the wireless operation signal via the antenna 231A. The call device 701 is a radio wave radiation device capable of radiating and outputting a radio signal from the antenna 213A. Therefore, when the call device 701 is controlled to be turned on and receives a specific instruction signal from the power supply control circuit 100, the call device 701 The power of another remote wireless communication device (having the same configuration as the wireless communication device 71) can be turned on by a signal radio wave radiated from the device 701. In this way, it is possible to turn on the power of each wireless communication device installed remotely one after another. Similarly, each wireless communication device can be controlled to be off.

  Such an application example is useful as a sensor network wireless communication node. That is, in the state where communication is not performed, the sensor network wireless communication node is stopped without being supplied with power to the communication device main body 230A under the control of the power supply control circuit 100. At this time, the power consumption of the communication node is almost zero, and an ultra-low power consumption state can be maintained. When communicating with a wireless communication node in this state, an activation wireless signal is transmitted to the power supply control circuit 100 of the communication node to activate the communication node. After activation, wireless communication is performed as a normal sensor network device.

  The calling device 701 can activate another communication node when the wireless communication device 71 is activated but is not the target communication node. For example, when the power supply control circuit 100 receives an activation command for another wireless communication device, the power supply control circuit 100 sends an instruction to that effect to the calling device 701. Thus, the transmission power from the calling device 701 can be higher than the output power transmitted by sensor network communication at another transmission. By repeating this communication method at other communication nodes, a start command is relayed through the communication node, and a remote communication node can be started. During such a series of operations, there is no need to activate the communication device main body 230A that is not intended, and a wireless communication network can be established while maintaining low power consumption.

  Note that the call device 701 includes an oscillator having a frequency band suitable for the reception band of the power supply control circuit 100, a modulation device, a power amplifier, and the like. The antenna may be shared with or independent from the communication device main body 230A and the machine power supply control circuit 100.

  Although the embodiment has been described above, the rectifier disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-34085 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-166415 can be used as the rectifier 21 in FIGS. Although the standby power is slightly increased, the sensitivity as a rectifier is increased, so that the electronic device can be operated even at a far distance.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the components without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The block diagram which shows the trigger signal generator which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure which shows the input-output current characteristic of current mirror circuit CM1 and CM2 shown in FIG. The circuit diagram which shows the structural example of the rectifier 21 shown in FIG. The circuit diagram which shows the modification near the rectifier and voltage amplification part shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration example of a power supply control unit 24 shown in FIG. 1. The block diagram which shows the trigger signal generator concerning other embodiment. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. Similarly, a circuit diagram of the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. Similarly, a circuit diagram of the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. Similarly, a circuit diagram of the current generation circuit CM1 'shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing a modified example (with offset current compensation) of the activation circuit 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing specific examples of the current-voltage converter 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. Configuration diagram showing a specific example of the current-voltage converter 12 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The figure which shows the current voltage characteristic of pMOS transistor MV3 shown in FIG.13 (d). The block diagram which shows the trigger signal generator which concerns on another embodiment. The block diagram which shows another application example of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG.1 and FIG.6. The block diagram which shows the trigger signal generator which concerns on another embodiment. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement flow of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 (at the time of power-on). The flowchart which shows the operation | movement flow of the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 (at the time of power-off). FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the trigger signal generating device shown in FIG. 17 (when the trigger signal generating device is maintained in an on state when the power is turned on and then a power-off wireless operation is input). The block diagram which shows the case where the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 is applied to a mobile telephone. The figure explaining the condition where the application example shown in FIG. 21 is used. The block diagram which shows the case where the trigger signal generator shown in FIG. 17 is applied to a radio | wireless communication apparatus (sensor network radio | wireless communication node).

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,10A ... Startup circuit, 11 ... Current generation part and current amplification part, 11a ... Offset current compensation circuit, 12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 13E, 12F ... Current-voltage converter, 13 ... Battery power supply, 21 ... Rectifier, 21A ... signal detection unit, 22 ... antenna, 23, 23A ... electronic device, 24, 24A ... power supply control unit, 25 ... AC power supply, 26 ... charger, 31 ... start-up circuit power supply control circuit (power switch), 32 ... Synchronous circuit, 33, 34, 35 ... Flip-flop (shift register), 36 ... Determination circuit, 37 ... Memory, 70 ... Mobile phone, 71 ... Wireless communication device, 100 ... Power supply control circuit, 101 ... Power switch (second) , 230 ... mobile phone main body, 230 A ... wireless communication apparatus main body, 231, 231 A ... antenna, 700 A ... mobile-on base station, 70 B ... mobile phone off for the base station, 701 ... evocator.

Claims (14)

Current generating means for generating a current having an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of the input signal;
A current output means for outputting a current flowing from the first power supply potential toward the second power supply potential, and having an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of the current generated by the current generation means; and a current output by the current output means. A signal amplifying means including a current mirror circuit for amplifying;
Trigger signal generating means connected to the output end of the current mirror and converting the current signal amplified by the signal amplifying means into a voltage signal to generate a trigger signal;
Comprising a power supply connected to the first power supply potential and the second power supply potential;
The current generating means is connected to either the first power supply potential or the second power supply potential,
The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the current output means is connected to a power supply potential to which the current generation means is connected. The current output means has an additional current mirror circuit;
2. The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the additional current mirror circuit is connected to a power supply potential to which the current generating unit is connected.   2. The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the signal amplifying means includes two or more stages of current mirror circuits.   2. The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the current generating means is a rectifier having an nMOS transistor in which a rectified voltage is supplied to a drain and a gate and a reference potential is applied to a source. The current output means includes a first nMOS transistor, and a second nMOS transistor that forms a current mirror circuit with the first nMOS transistor,
The current mirror circuit includes a first pMOS transistor having a drain and a gate connected to a drain of the second nMOS transistor and a source supplied with a second reference potential, the first pMOS transistor, and a current mirror circuit 2. The trigger signal according to claim 1, wherein a current amplified by the signal amplifying unit is output from a drain of the second pMOS transistor. Generator. The current output means includes a transistor,
The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, further comprising an offset compensator configured to compensate an offset current flowing through the drain of the transistor. The trigger signal generating means includes
A first nMOS transistor in which the current amplified by the signal amplifying means flows from the drain-gate common connection side to the source side;
A second nMOS transistor that forms a current mirror circuit with the first nMOS transistor;
A pMOS transistor having a drain connected to the drain of the second nMOS transistor and a reference potential applied to the source;
The voltage generated between the drain-gate common connection and the source of the first nMOS transistor is input, and a voltage corresponding non-linearly to the increase and decrease of the voltage is generated as an output voltage. The output voltage is applied to the gate of the pMOS transistor. And a bias generation unit including a current mirror circuit,
2. The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is output from a connection node between a drain of the second nMOS transistor and a drain of the pMOS transistor.   The offset compensator has a second transistor that generates a current corresponding to the offset current generated in the transistor, and compensates the offset current by flowing the current generated by the second transistor into the transistor. The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, wherein: The offset compensator has a second current mirror circuit;
2. The trigger signal generation device according to claim 1, wherein the transistor included in the second current mirror circuit has the same gate width as the transistor included in the current output unit.   The trigger signal generator according to claim 4, wherein the offset compensator includes a transistor having the same gate width as a transistor included in the third current mirror circuit. A power switch capable of transitioning to an on state in response to the trigger signal and maintaining the on state;
A power supply controlled by the power switch, and a synchronizing circuit that generates a clock signal in synchronization with an output level fluctuation period of the current-voltage converter;
A shift register in which power supply is controlled by the power switch, and the clock signal is input as a shift signal so that an output level fluctuation history of the current-voltage converter can be stored;
A memory whose power supply is controlled by the power switch and capable of storing reference information;
A power supply controlled by the power switch, and a determination circuit capable of generating a signal indicating that the output level fluctuation history matches the reference information by comparing the output level fluctuation history and the reference information The trigger signal generator according to claim 1, further comprising: The memory stores first reference information and second reference information as the reference information;
In response to the generation of a signal indicating that the output level fluctuation history matches the first reference information by the determination circuit, the determination circuit can shift to an off state and can maintain the off state. And further comprising a second power switch that is turned on in response to generation of a signal that the output fluctuation history matches the second reference information and that can maintain the on state. The trigger signal generator according to claim 11. Current generating means for generating a current having an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of the input signal;
A transistor whose source is connected to a power supply terminal with a bias set to an off state, a current mirror whose input terminal is connected to the drain of the transistor, and an amplitude corresponding to the magnitude of the current generated by the current generating means Signal amplification means having voltage generation means for applying a voltage to the gate of the transistor so that a current flows between the drain and source of the transistor;
Trigger signal generating means connected to the output end of the current mirror and converting the current amplified by the signal amplifying means into a voltage to generate a trigger signal;
Comprising a power supply connected to the first power supply potential and the second power supply potential;
The potential difference between the power supply potential to which the transistor is connected and the input end of the signal amplifying means is the same as the potential difference between the power supply potential connected to the current generating means and the output end of the current generating means. A trigger signal generator.   A receiver comprising the trigger signal generator according to claim 1.

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