JP4485568B2 - Semiconductor device for sensor system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor device for a sensor system, and more particularly to a semiconductor device for a sensor system that is small and light and does not require battery replacement.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to an increase in health consciousness, attention has been rapidly focused on a health management device (Personal Vital Assistant (hereinafter referred to as “PVA”)) that allows an individual to easily check physical condition and the like. The basic function of this PVA is the same as that of a conventional expensive medical measuring instrument. However, unlike an expensive medical device, it is desired that the device is configured to be inexpensive enough to be purchased by a general user. Also, in lifestyle-related diseases such as heart disease, it is important to continuously grasp the physical condition such as body temperature, pulse and blood pressure. For this reason, it is necessary for a PVA device to enable a user to easily measure his / her physical condition at any time. Specifically, it is necessary to reduce the size and weight so that it can be carried. For this reason, PVA devices created on small boards have been developed.

  For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-327472 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 1”) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-344352 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 2”), GSR (Galvanic Skin Reflex: skin) The sensor board is equipped with sensors such as electrical reflection), acceleration, body temperature, pulse sensor, etc. and low power wireless interface such as Bluetooth, etc., communicates with the sensor board to collect sensor information and analyze the user's physical condition etc. PVA equipment composed of a main board is introduced. In addition to the sensors, the sensor board is equipped with a CPU, memory, A / D converter, low-power wireless interface, amplifier, and small battery. A dedicated board is prepared for each type of sensor. Yes. After amplifying the information (analog amount) from the sensor to an appropriate level in the sensor board, A / D conversion is performed to convert the information into a digital amount, and after processing into an appropriate format by the CPU, low power Sent to the main module via the wireless interface chip.

  Among the sensors, the GSR electrode can detect the change in the electrical impedance of the skin detected via the electrode, and can grasp the user's psychological state (eg, angry). In addition to detecting the user's pulse, the pulse sensor can also measure oxygen saturation in blood. Furthermore, it is possible to estimate the blood sugar level and the like, and the user's health condition can be grasped. In addition, the user's psychological state can be estimated to some extent from the pulse interval. The pulse sensor is composed of a combination of an infrared / red LED and a semiconductor photodiode. On the other hand, the acceleration sensor is composed of a triaxial acceleration sensor and can estimate the user's posture and movement. Via a low-power wireless interface, it is possible to send a diagnosis result or the like to a wristwatch, headset, mobile phone, or the like with a built-in low-power wireless interface to notify the user.

On the other hand, with the miniaturization of semiconductor processes, an RFID chip in which a simple RF circuit, a low-function CPU, and a low-capacity memory (nonvolatile memory, etc.) are integrated in a semiconductor integrated circuit of several millimeters square or less has become Nikkei Electronics. February 25, 2002, pp. 112-pp. 137 (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Document 1”). Non-Patent Document 1 states that an RFID chip can write a unique ID to a nonvolatile memory in the chip, read the ID to the outside via an RF reader, and use it as an identification tag for a product, etc., like a barcode. It is disclosed. When reading an ID from an RFID reader, it is realized in a non-contact manner by irradiating the RFID chip with a high frequency and detecting a change in the Q value of an LC resonance circuit composed of a coil and a capacitor connected to the RFID chip. The
In addition to simple IDs, information about products and the like can be written in the nonvolatile memory in the RFID chip. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-187611 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 3”) discloses an application example to a food (for example, beer barrel) distribution management system. In Patent Document 3, an ID tag with a sensor composed of an RFID chip, a sensor board, and a small battery is embedded in a beer barrel, and the temperature of the beer barrel read by the sensor board is written to a nonvolatile memory in the RFID chip as needed. Accumulate with. Finally, when it is delivered to the user, temperature information during distribution is read by the RF reader on the user side. With such a configuration, it is possible to electronically record information such as whether it has not been left under an inappropriate temperature condition, and to read the recorded information.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-58648 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 4”) discloses an example in which an RFID chip is applied to position detection. In this example, an RFID chip is attached to a small experimental animal such as a mouse. At the same time, the mouse breeding box is divided into fine grid-like areas, and a plurality of RFID readers are arranged in each area. The movement of the mouse is detected by recording which RFID reader is read out of the plurality of RFID readers. Furthermore, it is possible to identify individual mice by utilizing the ID information of the RFID chip. With such a configuration, it is possible to grasp which mouse is active and how.

  There has also been proposed an attempt to embed such a small semiconductor chip in the body to help the user. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-293128 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 5”), a small chip is embedded in a voicing organ, vibrations of the voicing organ are detected, and an external pseudo sound generating device is detected by RF. The idea of transmitting and acting on behalf of a user's utterance is disclosed. The chip is embedded in multiple locations such as the pharynx, larynx, respiratory tract, face, oral cavity, and nasal cavity, and the vibration of each part is detected by the vibration sensor in the chip, and the voice that the user wants to speak is analyzed by the pseudo-voice generator Is realized. Any obstacle can be used to assist a user who has damaged the vocal organs.

In addition, IEEE Computer July 2000, pp. In 42 to 48 (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Document 2”), the floor, wall, human body, etc. are constantly vibrating although they are minute, and usually have an energy density of ˜mW / cm ³ . Is disclosed.

  IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATION SYSTEMS, VOL. 9, NO. 1, FEBRUARY 2001, pp. 64-pp. 75 (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Document 3”) discloses a configuration of a power recovery circuit.

  EDN Japan, No. 2002.5, pp. 55-pp. 61 (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Document 4”) discloses a high-frequency switch formed by a MEMS process.

  Nikkei Electronics March 11, 2002, pp. 55-pp. 66 (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Document 5”) discloses UWB (Ultra Wide Band) which is an ultra-wideband wireless communication system. Non-Patent Document 5 discloses that a correlator for correlating the pulse train supplied from the pulse generator of the receiver with the received pulse train is required when receiving data in UWB.

  IEEE Proc. Circuits Devices Syst. , Vol. 148, no. 6, December 2001 (hereinafter referred to as “non-patent document 6”) discloses a power generator that generates power using electromagnetic induction.

JP 2001-327472 A JP 2001-344352 A JP 2001-187611 A JP 2002-58648 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-293128 Nikkei Electronics February 25, 2002, pp. 112-pp. 137 IEEE Computer July 2000, pp. 42-48 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATION SYSTEMS, VOL. 9, NO. 1, FEBRUARY 2001, pp. 64-pp. 75 EDN Japan, No. 2002.5, pp. 55-pp. 61 Nikkei Electronics March 11, 2002, pp. 55-pp. 66 IEEE Proc. Circuits Devices Syst. , Vol. 148, no. 6, December 2001

  Since the PVA device disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is composed of a board that combines a general-purpose CPU and a sensor, health management can be easily performed without using an expensive medical device. Become. However, in such a PVA device, a battery is required for each of the sensor board and the main board, and the weight becomes a certain level (up to several hundred grams). In addition, since a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits and other components are assembled on the board, a certain size (˜card size) is required. For this reason, when using for a long time, the burden given to a user's body is large. In addition, since the battery is used as a power source, it is necessary to replace the battery. Furthermore, each sensor board and the main board are wirelessly connected by a low-power wireless interface. However, since the sensor and the sensor board are connected by ordinary wires, there are some problems in terms of usability and durability. is there.

  On the other hand, the RFID chip disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 does not require a battery and is small. For this reason, it can be attached to many things from small animals such as mice to products such as humans and foods. However, as described in the prior art, since the signal is transmitted to the RFID reader by controlling the Q value of the LC resonance circuit, the external inductor L depends on the wavelength (= 1 / frequency) of the RF signal to be used. A large size is required. Further, since it does not have its own power source, the operation is possible only when the RF signal is emitted from the RFID reader. For this reason, it is not suitable for the use which detects a user's biometric information (body temperature, a pulse, etc.) over a long time so that it may be needed for PVA equipment.

  Moreover, the RFID tag for beer barrels disclosed in Patent Document 3 is used with a small battery in order to enable long-time use. However, as a result, the size of the RFID chip becomes the board size, and the feature of the RFID chip that is “small and light and can be attached anywhere as a tag” is sacrificed.

  In Patent Document 4, an RFID chip is used to detect the movement of a mouse. However, it is necessary to continuously transmit an RF signal from an RFID reader arranged for each cell. The RF signal transmitted from the RFID reader is about several hundreds mW, and the total power becomes considerable and it is difficult to reduce the power consumption.

  Patent document 5 discloses an idea of substituting a vocal organ by embedding a small semiconductor chip in a human body. However, since the excision of the human body is indispensable when embedding the semiconductor chip, it is considered that the physical burden and psychological burden on the user are large. Further, Patent Document 5 does not disclose a specific configuration of the semiconductor chip to be embedded, in particular, what to do with the power supply of the semiconductor chip when the battery is not embedded.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a small and lightweight semiconductor device for a sensor system that has a built-in generator and can operate for a long time and can transmit detection data to an external device by a radio signal.

  Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a small health management device, a motion detection device, a food distribution management device, a control device for appliances such as home appliances, etc. using the sensor system semiconductor device. is there.

  The typical ones of the present invention are as follows. That is, a sensor that detects a physical quantity to be measured, an A / D conversion circuit that amplifies the signal detected by the sensor and converts the signal into a digital signal, a microprocessor that processes the digital signal, and a sensor. A memory for storing received information, a transmission circuit for transmitting a signal processed by the microprocessor to the outside, and power to the sensor, the A / D conversion circuit, the microprocessor, the memory, and the transmission circuit. A semiconductor device having a power generation device for supply.

  Another representative example of the present invention is a sensor having a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a red / infrared light sensor, and an A / D conversion that amplifies a signal from the sensor and converts it into a digital quantity. A circuit, a microprocessor that extracts information from the sensor and processes the information, a program code of the microprocessor, a memory that stores the information from the sensor, and a memory controlled by the microprocessor, A transmission circuit that performs communication, and a power control circuit that controls whether to supply power to each of the sensor, the A / D conversion circuit, the microprocessor, the memory, and the transmission circuit; A power recovery circuit that recovers an increase in electrostatic energy of the variable capacitor due to mechanical vibration and converts it into electrical energy, and the sensor, Serial A / D converter circuit, the microprocessor, the memory, the transceiver circuit, and said power supply control circuit is a semiconductor device which is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.

  In another representative embodiment of the present invention, a microprocessor, a memory for storing information, and a transmission / reception circuit for communicating between the microprocessor and the outside are formed on one semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes a power generation device for supplying power to the microprocessor, the memory, and the transmission / reception circuit, and the semiconductor device receives first data from a first outside. A semiconductor device having a function of receiving, processing the received first data, converting it to second data, and transmitting the second data to a second external different from the first external.

  By adopting the configuration of the present invention including a sensor, a microprocessor, a memory, a transmission circuit, and a power generation device, it is possible to provide a small and lightweight semiconductor device for a sensor system that can be used continuously for a long time. it can.

  In addition, since the sensor system semiconductor device is small and light and does not bother with battery replacement, it is suitable for use in health appliances that require long-time wearing.

  Also, a device that can transmit your emotions to an electronic robot toy, a remote control device that can transmit the operator's intentions to home appliances, etc. by hand gestures, a sports competition recording device, or the temperature status of food distribution channels It can be applied to a recording device or the like.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or similar parts.
Example 1
One embodiment of the configuration of a semiconductor device for a sensor system, that is, a sensor chip is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1A shows one main surface of the sensor chip, and FIG. 1B shows a main surface opposite to FIG. 1A. The sensor chip (SCHIP1) includes a first semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP1), a second semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP2), a light emitting diode (LED) chip (LED1), capacitors (C1, C2, C3), and an inductor (L1). And a substrate (BO1) for mounting them. Among these, the substrate (BO1) is used in a wiring pattern for connecting these chips, antenna (ANT1-4) patterns used in a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit described later, and a sensor circuit (GS1) described later. Electrode (GSR1-4) patterns and the like are drawn with a metal such as copper or gold. These are usually configured in the same manner as those used as an MCP (Multi Chip Package) chip.

  2A and 2B are cross-sectional views of the sensor chip. As shown in FIG. 2, the first semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP1) and the second semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP2) are mounted on the substrate (BO1) in an arrangement unique to the present invention. That is, CHIP1 and CHIP2 are not mounted on the same surface on the substrate, but are mounted on the first base plate surface (SIDE1) and the second base plate surface (SIDE2), respectively. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, these semiconductor integrated circuit chip, capacitor, inductor, and substrate are molded with a waterproof resin (MO1) and are water resistant. These molds can be the same as ordinary MCPs, but an optical window (PWIN1) unique to the present invention is installed on the upper surface of CHIP1 with a mold material that transmits red / infrared light. There is a feature in the point to do. More specifically, the optical window (PWIN1) is installed on the LED1 mounted on the substrate MO1 and a dedicated optical sensor on the CHIP1. This is because, as will be described later, the red or infrared light generated by the LED 1 is irradiated outward and the reflected light or the like can be detected by a dedicated optical sensor provided in the CHIP 1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the capacitors (C1, C2, C3) and the inductor (L1) can be used in the same chip form as that used in a normal MCP chip. is there. As shown in FIG. 2B, the capacitor is formed of a multilayer capacitor (C1A, C2A, C3A) in which the substrate is formed of a multilayer substrate and some of the layers are used in pairs. Is also possible.

  By using a sensor chip (SCHIP1) using these semiconductor integrated circuits (CHIP1, CHIP2), a small and lightweight portable health care device can be realized. An example in which the sensor chip is applied to a health care device is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the sensor chip is configured to be attached to the skin (SKIN1) of the user (US1) by a seal (BA1) such as a plaster. The SIDE 1 surface of the sensor chip is mounted so as to contact the user's skin or the like. By wearing in this way, it becomes possible to detect a user's physical condition or a healthy state with the various sensors mentioned later. In this embodiment, it is attached by a seal BA1 such as a plaster, but it is not necessarily limited to this as long as it can be brought into contact with the skin or the like. For example, it can also be realized by mounting a sensor chip on the back side of a wristwatch.

  The detected data is transmitted wirelessly (WL1) to an external health monitor (MONITOR1) or the like via the microprocessor CPU1 and the high-frequency transmission circuit RF1 on the first semiconductor integrated circuit CHIP1. The first semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP1) includes a microprocessor (CPU1), a memory (MEM1), a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit (RF1) that performs communication with the outside, and antennas (ANT1 to ANT4) provided on the substrate (BO1). Sensor circuit composed of a high-frequency switch (RW1) for switching transmission / reception, etc., a temperature sensor (TD1), an acceleration sensor (AS1), an infrared / red light sensor (PD1), an impedance sensor (GS1), etc., and a signal from the sensor A / D conversion circuit (AD1) that amplifies the signal and converts it into a digital quantity, a driver (LD1) that drives a light emitting diode (LED1) mounted on the substrate, the CPU1, MEM1, RF1, RW1, TD1, AS1, Power supply control circuit (PC1) for controlling power supply to PD1 and GS1, timer for controlling on / off of PC1 Road (TM1), and, and a charge monitor circuit for monitoring the amount of charge stored in the capacitor C1 (CW1).

  The microprocessor CPU1 sets and controls the operation mode of each circuit on the chip in accordance with the program (PR1) stored on the memory MEM1, and performs detection by driving each sensor. Further, as will be described later, after processing such as compressing detected data or adding ID information, the data is transmitted to the outside wirelessly via the high-frequency transmission circuit RF1. Further, the setting of the command from the outside, for example, the parameter of the operation mode in the microprocessor CPU1, can be performed by the receiving circuit built in the RF1. Further, arbitrary processing can be added by adding an appropriate program code to the program PR1.

  In addition to the program PR1, the memory MEM1 holds information such as acquired data from the sensor and operating mode parameters in the microprocessor CPU1, for example. The memory MEM1 is typically configured by an SRAM capable of holding data with low power consumption, a NOR type or AND type flash memory or the like in which the memory contents are held even when the power supply is turned off. However, other types of memory can be used as long as the memory contents can be held with low power consumption.

  The second semiconductor integrated circuit (CHIP2) is a small power generation chip that converts weak external vibration into electric energy. As disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2, if external vibration energy such as a floor, a wall, a human body or the like is used, power generation of about 0.1 mW is possible. Hereinafter, the voltage V (V0 → V1) and electrostatic energy when the operation of the power generation chip of the present invention is specifically described.

  The power generation chip CHIP2 includes a variable capacitor (CM1) whose capacitance is changed by external vibration and a power recovery circuit (PC2). The power recovery circuit PC2 functions to recover the electrical energy converted from the dynamic energy of the external vibration by the variable capacitor CM1 and charge the capacitor (C3) on the substrate. The variable capacitor CM1 is usually configured with a fine structure on a silicon chip by a MEMS process. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, it is composed of two fixed electrodes (ST1, ST2) and a movable electrode (VT1). Among these, the movable electrode (VT1) is not fixed anywhere other than the anchors (PN1 to PN4) and floats on the CHIP2. For this reason, when the CHIP2 moves with a certain acceleration, such as vibration, the inertial force generated thereby vibrates between the two fixed electrodes (ST1, ST2). This vibration changes the distance between these electrodes and changes the capacitance.

  FIG. 4 shows that the capacitance Q of the variable capacitor (CM1) is set to a constant Q1, and the capacitance of CM1 is changed from C1 to C2 (C2 <C1) due to external vibration (E1 → E2). It is a figure which shows a change. Thus, as a result of the capacitance changing due to external vibration, the stored electrostatic energy increases (ΔE = E2-E1). And the function as a small generator is exhibited by collect | recovering this increase ΔE of electrostatic energy.

  An embodiment of the power recovery circuit formed in CHIP2 is shown in FIG. This circuit has the same configuration as that disclosed in Non-Patent Document 3. In addition to the variable capacitor CM1, the capacitors C2 and C3, the inductor L1, the PMOS transistor TP1, the NMOS transistor TN1, and a drive circuit (PDR1) for controlling the on / off timing of these transistors. The drive circuit PDR1 controls on / off of TN1 and TP1 at the timings (T1 to T5) shown in FIG. 6 according to the change in the capacitance of the variable capacitor CM1 due to external vibration. Since the operation of the power recovery circuit is not a feature of the present invention, description thereof is omitted here. The generated power is finally supplied to the VDD1 line via the capacitor C3 and the diode D3, and charged to the capacitor C1 connected to the power supply control circuit PC1 of the first semiconductor integrated circuit CHIP1. Note that an initial charge must be applied to the capacitor C2 that supplies the original charge to CM1. For this purpose, in the sensor chip of the present invention, the capacitor C2 is charged in a non-contact manner by high frequency power induced from the outside by an RFID reader or the like via the antenna (ANT1 to 4) and the rectifier (D2). I do.

  The variable capacitor CM1 can be formed by a MEMS process compatible with a semiconductor process. For this reason, it can also be mounted on one semiconductor integrated circuit. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the extracted electrical energy depends on two values of the capacitance of the capacitor CM1 (the difference between the maximum capacitance C2 and the minimum capacitance C1) and the initial charge Q. That is, the larger the electrostatic capacity of the capacitor CM1 and the larger the initial charge Q, the larger electric energy can be extracted. For this reason, a thing with a large electrostatic capacitance is suitable, and the thing of about several hundred pF is normally required. In order to increase the capacitance, in addition to increasing the area of CM1 shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to increase the depth of the groove between the electrodes formed in a comb shape. For this reason, a size of about 1 cm × 1 cm × 0.5 mm (depth) is required.

  This groove is formed by etching, but 0.5 mm etching is not required in a normal semiconductor integrated circuit. However, considering the power generation efficiency, the deeper the groove, the more preferable. On the other hand, in view of the cost for producing a semiconductor integrated circuit, the smaller the area of the capacitor CM1, the more preferable. Further, it is more preferable that the groove to be etched is not so deep.

  In order to solve this conflicting problem, in the sensor chip of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the variable capacitor CM1, the power generation control circuit, and other circuits are configured by separate semiconductor integrated circuits. Such a two-chip configuration makes it possible to create a dedicated process specialized for each chip, and the groove depth can be arbitrarily formed. Furthermore, as a configuration peculiar to the present invention, these chips are mounted on the front and back sides (SIDE1, SIDE2) of the substrate in an MCP configuration. With such a configuration, since the area of the variable capacitor CM1 can be increased to the same size as the sensor chip, a large-capacity capacitor can be realized. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, capacitors (C2, C3), inductors (L1), which are essential as power recovery circuits in other areas of the substrate BO1, and LED chips, GSR electrodes required for the sensor circuit, Furthermore, an antenna or the like necessary for the high-frequency transmission / reception circuit can be mounted on the substrate or formed as a wiring pattern. In other words, the configuration of FIG. 1 that is unique to the present invention makes it possible to realize a sensor system in which a generator, a sensor, a CPU, and RF are integrated in a chip size (˜1 cm square or less). As a result, an autonomous sensor system can be realized.

  As described above, in the sensor chip of the present invention, a power source can be obtained autonomously. However, in the conventional technology, the generated power is limited to about 0.1 mW at a size of about 1 cm square. On the other hand, in a semiconductor integrated circuit created by a CMOS process, the microprocessor and memory (especially SRAM) can reduce power consumption to the order of several tens of μW by lowering the clock frequency to about 100 KHz. In the case of the present embodiment, the heaviest processing that the microprocessor is responsible for is data compression and work, and can be sufficiently processed even at a clock frequency of about 100 KHz (for example, if the clock frequency is 100 KHz, it is 10 per second). 10,000 cycle instructions can be executed (100 cycle instructions can be executed even in 1 msec). For this reason, it is possible to operate the processor, the memory and the like by supplying power from the power generation chip.

  However, in order to communicate with the outside wirelessly by high frequency, for example, a low power wireless interface such as Bluetooth, which is said to have low power consumption, requires an RF output of about 1 mW. Actually, since the RF power added efficiency for converting the supplied power to RF is about 50%, it is expected that a power of about several mW is required. For this reason, conventionally, a wireless system with lower power consumption has been proposed, but a power supply of about 1 mW is required. As described above, the RF portion requires the most electric power, and it is difficult to communicate with the outside at a high frequency with the minute electric power from the power generation chip as it is.

  In order to solve this problem, in the present invention, a low power consumption operation system including a capacitor C1, a timer TM1, a switch transistor TP2, a charge monitoring circuit CW1, and a power supply control circuit PC1 is used. That is, each circuit of CHIP1 is not always energized, and instead, the generated power is stored in the capacitor C1. Only when it is determined that the time interval set by the timer TM1 has elapsed or when the charge monitoring circuit CW1 determines that sufficient power has been stored, the switch transistor in the power supply control circuit PC1 is made conductive. Supply power to the circuit. That is, intermittent detection operation or communication with the outside is performed. The operation flowchart shown in FIG. 7 shows the ultra-low power consumption operation method more specifically.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 1 is always in the sleep state P110. A transition from the timer TM1 or the charge monitoring circuit CW1 to an operation state after P120 is made by an interrupt. In the operation state, the subsequent operation is determined according to the program or operation parameter stored in the memory MEM1. For example, if the operation parameter is data detection, the data sense routine P200 is called, the sensor driving / subroutine P210, the data extraction / processing (compression etc.) subroutine P220, and the data writing subroutine P230 are sequentially executed to acquire data from the sensor. Write data to memory. On the other hand, when the operation parameter is data transmission, the data transmission routine P300 is called, and the data reading subroutine P310, the identifier generation subroutine P320, the packet generation subroutine P330, the compression / modulation subroutine P340, and the packet transmission subroutine P350 are executed in order. Send.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the detection data is transmitted in a packet (SPAT1) format composed of an identifier (PS1) + data (PD1). In this way, by adding an identifier to transmission data, for example, even when a plurality of sensor chips of the present invention are used at the same time, which sensor chip comes from an external device, for example, the MONITOR1 side in FIG. It is possible to determine whether it is data. As the identifier PS1, for example, chip-specific information such as a unique ID written in the nonvolatile memory portion of the memory MEM1 when the semiconductor integrated circuit CHIP1 is shipped can be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, in addition to the identifier PS1, for example, identification information (sensor type, PS2) from which sensor of the sensor chip can be added. It is.

  In addition, in the operation mode setting routine P120, reading of the register CR1 in which the charge state of the charge monitoring circuit CW1 is recorded or writing of the time interval setting register TR1 of the timer TM1 is performed. By doing in this way, the operation | movement setting according to the condition of electric power generation chip CHIP2 is possible.

  FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the power supply control circuit PC1, the charge monitoring circuit CW1, and the timer TM1 unique to the present invention used in the power supply control. As shown in this figure, the power supply control circuit PC1 includes a control logic circuit PCC1 and a switch transistor TP2. Only when the signals EP1 and EP2 from the charge monitoring circuit CW1 or the timer TM1 are at a low level, the output of the control logic PCC1 is at a low level, the switch transistor TP2 is turned on, and power is supplied to the VDD2 line. As a result, the memory MEM1, the high frequency transmission / reception circuit RF1, the A / D conversion circuit AD1, the sensor, and other circuits that are supplied with power from VDD2 are activated.

  The charge monitoring circuit CW1 typically includes resistors R1 and R2, a reference voltage generation circuit VREF1, and a voltage comparison circuit COMP1. The voltage comparison circuit COMP1 compares with the threshold voltage Vt1 given by the following equation, and when VDD1> Vt1, the output EP1 is pulled down to a low level (= GND level).

  The voltage value of the reference voltage VR0 can be changed from the CPU 1 via the bus interface VCNT1. Since VREF1 and COMP1 are always supplied with power, for example, the resistors R1 and R2 need to be designed with a high resistance (several tens of MΩ or more). These are generally formed by a CMOS process.

  The timer TM1 is an oscillation circuit OSC1, a preset counter COUNT1, a register REG1 that holds a preset value of the COUNT1, a register REG2 that holds a count value until the charge monitoring circuit CW1 reaches a specified voltage, and a bus interface TIF1 with the CPU1. Composed. The preset counter COUNT1 counts up to a preset value set in the register REG1, and outputs a low level signal of the output EP2. The contents of the registers REG1 and REG2 can be written or read from the CPU 1 via the bus interface TIF1. Note that the values of these registers are set in the routine P130 of FIG. Since each of these circuits is not unique to the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Since this timer circuit is always energized, it is necessary to reduce the power consumption. In order to reduce the power consumption, it is preferable to keep the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit OSC1 low. For example, the current consumption of the timer TM1 can be suppressed to 1 μA or less by setting it to about 32 KHz.

  FIG. 10 shows an ultra-low power consumption operation method of the present invention realized by PC1, CW1, and TM1. As shown in FIG. 10, most of the circuits of the semiconductor integrated circuit CHIP1 are not normally operated (SLP) and operate intermittently (OPR) only for a short time. Such intermittent operation can also solve the power problem described above. For example, a capacitor of about 1 μF can be typically used as the capacitor C1. For example, when charged with 1 V, a current of about 1 μcoulomb, that is, about 1 mA can be supplied for about 1 ms. In other words, when the charging voltage of the capacitor C1 is set to several V (usually about 3V), even when the RF power added efficiency is set to 50%, data can be transmitted to the outside with a transmission power of about 1 mW. Is possible. On the other hand, when the generated power of the power generation chip is 0.1 mW and the capacitance of the capacitor C1 is 1 μF, charging takes time based on the following calculation formula.

Even if it takes 100 milliseconds to charge with a margin, it is possible to drive the chip 10 times or more per second and transmit data wirelessly by detection or high frequency. As in this embodiment, when used for a health care device, the interval required for detection is considered to be sufficient if it can be taken 10 times per second (for example, a pulse with a relatively short cycle). But the cycle is about 1 second). For this reason, even if intermittent operation is performed at intervals of 0.1 seconds (= 100 milliseconds) as in the present invention, there is no practical problem. Further, in the operation mode setting routine P120 of FIG. 7, for example, it is possible to perform setting such as limiting to only once in 10 times. If the frequency of data transmission that requires the most power is reduced, the consumption of electric charge stored in the capacitor C1 can be suppressed, the time required for charging can be shortened, and the number of detections can be increased. As described above, the sensor chip of the present invention can operate autonomously without a battery by combining the power supply control circuit unique to the present invention and the micro-generator created by the MEMS process.

  FIG. 11 shows a configuration example of a boost regulator (RG1) that can be used in the power supply control circuit when a higher power supply voltage is required. Note that this regulator is not necessarily required. For example, it is not necessary if the output voltage of the power generation chip is appropriately set.

  FIG. 12 shows the configuration of various sensors created on the first semiconductor integrated circuit in the sensor chip of the present invention. Hereinafter, the configuration of each sensor will be described. FIG. 12A shows a temperature sensor, which includes a diode D4, a constant current circuit CS1, and an amplifier A1. By measuring the fluctuation due to the temperature of the forward voltage of the diode D4 by the amplifier A1 (read into the microprocessor CPU1 via the A / D conversion circuit, the appropriate temperature coefficient: ˜−2 mV / ° C.), the temperature is corrected as described later. Measure. Since these amplifiers, constant current circuits and the like are not particularly specific to the present invention, detailed description thereof will be omitted here (the same applies hereinafter). This sensor chip is very small (typically 5 mm square or less), and the heat capacity of the chip itself is negligible compared to, for example, the human body. Furthermore, since this sensor chip has very low power consumption, the heat generation of the chip itself can be ignored. For this reason, if this sensor chip is brought into contact with the human body in the form shown in FIG. 3, the body temperature can be accurately measured by this temperature sensor. In addition, what is shown in this figure is an example of the structure of a temperature sensor, The sensor of another structure can also be used.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12B, the acceleration sensor includes variable capacitors CAS1 to CAS4 created by the MEMS process and a differential amplifier A2. This variable capacitor has basically the same structure as the power generation capacitor CM1 configured on the power generation chip CHIP2. Similar to CM1 in FIG. 1, the capacitances of CAS1 to CAS4 change due to the change in the distance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode due to the inertial force generated by the acceleration. For example, in FIG. 12B, if acceleration occurs in the direction from the top to the bottom of the paper surface, the movable electrodes VT2 and VT3 move upward in the paper surface. For this reason, the capacitance of CAS1 and CAS3 increases, and the capacitance of CAS2 and CAS4 decreases. Therefore, the potential of B1 increases, but conversely, the potential of B2 decreases. As a result, the output potential of the differential amplifier A2 increases and it can be detected that acceleration has been applied.

  Thus, unlike the variable capacitor CM1 used in the power generation chip, since the relative value of the change in the capacitance is important in the present acceleration sensor, a large capacitance is not required. Therefore, it can be integrated on the same semiconductor integrated circuit as the CPU and other circuits. Note that the detected potential difference is not linear with respect to the applied acceleration. For this reason, in some cases, it is necessary to perform correction by software in the CPU 1 after reading into the microprocessor CPU 1 via an A / D conversion circuit described later. In such a case, it is preferable to store the correction table in the memory MEM1.

  By using this acceleration sensor, for example, it is possible to grasp what kind of operation (sitting, walking, running) the user is performing. Moreover, by using two in 90 degrees and orthogonal directions (XY directions), two-dimensional acceleration is known, and information such as which direction the user is going can be grasped. Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a sensor that simply detects the presence or absence of vibration, such as measurement of a user's heartbeat.

  FIG. 12C shows a configuration example of the impedance sensor. A voltage drop between the electrodes GSR1 and GSR2 provided outside the semiconductor integrated circuit is measured by the constant current source CS2 and the amplifier A3. The electrical impedance between the two electrodes is measured by dividing the voltage drop measured by the current value set in the constant current source GS2. With this impedance sensor, for example, the electrical impedance of the user's skin SKIN1 can be measured. In combination with data processing by the microprocessor CPU1, Galvanic Skin Reflex is required, and it is possible to grasp the user's emotional state (angry, delighted, sad, etc.) or the user's stress state. It is.

  Further, FIG. 12D shows the configuration of the pulse sensor. This pulse sensor includes an optical sensor PD1 including a photodiode D5, a load resistor R4, and an amplifier A4, a red / infrared LED (LED1) mounted on a substrate serving as a light source of the optical sensor PD1, and The drive circuit LD1 includes the bus interface LIF1 and the drive transistor TN3 of the LED1. In this pulse sensor, only at the time of measurement, based on a control signal from the microprocessor CPU1 via the bus BU1, the transistor TN3 is turned on to cause the LED1 to emit light, and the user's skin SKIN1 is irradiated with red light or infrared light. . The reflected light / scattered light (LR2) of the irradiation light (LR1) and others are received by the photodiode D5. After amplification by the amplifier A4, the intensity of the received light is measured by the microprocessor CPU1 via the A / D conversion circuit, and the transition of the attenuation of red light / infrared light (= pulse) according to the blood flow is measured. . Note that a normal LED requires a drive current of at least about 1 mA in order to obtain sufficiently intense infrared light or red light. For this reason, as in the case of driving a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit, an ultra-low power consumption operation method peculiar to the present invention in which this pulse sensor is also intermittently operated by charges accumulated in the capacitor C1 is essential.

  The measurement principle of this pulse sensor is that red blood or infrared light is absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood. If the amount of absorption (= light attenuation) is measured, how much blood flows into the skin. It is based on the principle that you know if you are. In addition, the light absorption characteristics of hemoglobin are known to change depending on whether oxygen is adsorbed or not, and the respective absorption values of infrared light and red light are measured. Then, it is widely known that oxygen saturation in blood can be estimated by a simple mathematical formula. By utilizing this oxygen saturation, blood sugar level and the like can be estimated.

  Also in the sensor chip of the present invention, it is possible to measure the oxygen saturation by preparing two systems of red or infrared light and measuring in time division. Further, the pulse interval has a deep correlation with an emotional state such that the user is in a tense state or in a relaxed state. By utilizing the microprocessor CPU 1 mounted on the sensor chip, it is possible to grasp not only the user's pulse but also information on the user's health condition, emotions, and the like.

  Since the output of the above sensor is an analog value, it is necessary to convert it into a digital value in order to capture it in the CPU and transmit it to an external device wirelessly via RF. This conversion from analog value to digital value can be realized by connecting an A / D converter to the output of each sensor, but multiple A / D conversion circuits are installed in terms of chip area and power consumption. It is not preferable to do so. For this reason, it is more preferable that the A / D conversion circuit shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the A / D conversion circuit (AD1) includes a bus interface circuit ADIF1, an ADC 1 serving as the A / D conversion circuit body, an input changeover switch ASW including SW1 to SW3, and a programmable gain control amplifier. The PGA 1 includes an A / D conversion control circuit ADCONT 1 that sets operation parameters of these circuits. The input changeover switch ASW and the programmable gain control amplifier PGA1 unique to the present invention set operation parameters in the control circuit ADCONT1 in accordance with a control command transmitted from the CPU1 via the bus BU1.

  For example, when measuring temperature, prior to the measurement, the CPU 1 selects the input switch ASW I1 (SW1: D1, SW3: D1), and the set gain of the programmable gain control amplifier PGA1 is a gain suitable for the temperature sensor. The control register in the ADCONT1 is set via the bus BU1. By setting in this way, the output ST of the temperature sensor is taken into the A / D converter via PGA1, converted into a digital value, and taken into the CPU via the bus interface ADIF1. Similarly, when reading the output of another sensor, the ADC 1 is driven by writing the gain setting and the input switch setting corresponding to the target sensor in the control register in the ADCONT 1. With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in chip size and further suppress an increase in power consumption.

  Note that the switches SW1 to SW3 constituting the input changeover switch require a switch that allows an analog signal to pass without loss. For example, a pass transistor type switch composed of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor shown in FIG. It can be used. Further, in the present sensor chip, since the information to be detected is limited to the biological information of the human body, a low-speed type is sufficient for the A / D conversion circuit ADC1.

  FIG. 15 shows a configuration example of a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit RF1 used for transmitting detected information to an external device and a high-frequency switch RW1 for switching the connection relationship between RF1 and an antenna or the like in the sensor chip of the present invention. FIG. The high frequency transmission / reception circuit RF1 includes a bus interface RFIF1, a modulation circuit MOD1 used for transmission, a transmission amplifier PSA1, a demodulation circuit DMOD1 used for reception, a reception amplifier PRA1, and operating parameters of these circuits by the CPU 1 via the bus interface RFIF1. The control circuit RFCONT1 is configured to control in accordance with the contents of the control register set by. Since each of these circuits is not particularly specific to the present invention, details will not be described here. However, at the time of data transmission, the CPU 1 sets the control register in the RFCONT 1 to the transmission mode and sends it to the modulator MOD1 via the bus interface. Send transmission data. MOD1 modulates the carrier wave generated by the oscillation circuit VCO1 based on the transmitted data. There are various modulation schemes such as Phase Shift Keying (PSK) and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), but they are not specific to the present invention, so detailed description thereof is omitted here. As described above, the modulated carrier wave is amplified by the transmission amplifier PSA1 whose gain is controlled by the RFCONT1 and sent to the high frequency changeover switch RW1.

  As disclosed in Non-Patent Document 4, the high-frequency switch RW1 is generally configured by a semiconductor element of a PIN diode, a fine contact formed on the surface of a semiconductor chip by a MEMS process, and the like, like the CM1 and CAS. The bias signal of the PIN diode or the MEMS fine contact is controlled by the control signal from the control terminal RC1, and the destination of the RF signal is switched. Specifically, at the time of transmission, RS1 and RS3 are set to be conductive via the RC1 terminal according to the contents of the setting register inside RFCONT1 set via CPU1. Similarly, during reception, RS3 and RS2 are set in a conductive state, and the demodulation circuit DMOD1 demodulates a high frequency signal from the antenna. The demodulated signal can be read by the CPU 1 via the bus interface RFIF1. The above reception function can also be used for setting operation parameters stored in the memory MEM1. For example, it is possible to change the sensor chip detection start interval and the operational parameters (amplifier gain, etc.) of each sensor.

  In RW1, RS3 and RS4 are set in a conductive state when data is not transmitted or received. For this reason, the high frequency power received from the antenna is stored in the capacitor C2 for supplying the original charge to the power generation chip through the rectifier D2, and the capacitor C1 for realizing the intermittent operation of the sensor chip through the rectifier D1. Thus, in the sensor chip of the present invention, power can be supplied from the outside via the antenna.

  As described above, RF transmission requires a relatively large amount of power. For this reason, normally, only the data detection is performed, the data is stored in the memory, and the power consumption is reduced by a method of transmitting the data to an external health management device (MONITOR 1 or the like) only once a day. It is also possible.

  Further, by using UWB (Ultra Wide Band), which is an ultra-wideband wireless communication system as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 5, further reduction in power consumption is possible. In UWB, unlike PSK and ASK described above, data is transmitted and received by modulating the high frequency pulse signal itself. For example, when the data to be transmitted is “1”, a pulse is transmitted, and when it is “0”, the pulse train is modulated with the transmission data by transmitting the pulse with a delay of 100 ps. Therefore, as shown in the high-frequency transmission / reception circuit RF2 of FIG. 16, it can be configured only by a pulse generator PGEN1 for generating a pulse and a modulator MOD2 for controlling whether or not to transmit the pulse. That is, a transmission amplifier that is essential in a narrowband communication method such as PSK or QAM shown in FIG. 15 is not required, and the circuit scale of the high-frequency transmission / reception circuit can be reduced. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the chip can be suppressed, and at the same time, the power consumption of the chip can be reduced.

  Further, in UWB, when only a relatively short communication distance is required, it is possible to suppress RF transmission power. In such a sensor chip, for example, it is sufficient if data can be transmitted from a sensor chip attached to an arm to a portable health device in a breast pocket (for example, a communication distance of about several tens of centimeters is sufficient). . For this reason, it is also possible to set RF transmission power to several 10 microwatts, for example. Thus, UWB is a desirable wireless communication method with the sensor chip of the present invention.

  Note that UWB requires a correlator (COR1 in FIG. 16) when receiving data. This correlator usually correlates the pulse train supplied from the pulse generator in the receiving chip and the received pulse train. Specifically, for example, it is a circuit that detects whether the pulse train is at a position delayed by 100 ps and plays back data. This correlator generally requires a plurality of A / D converters, and requires a complicated and large-scale circuit. For this reason, there is a possibility that the advantage of “a transmitter can be easily configured” that UWB has cannot be fully utilized.

  Accordingly, FIG. 17 shows a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit RF3 having a hybrid configuration. In this configuration, only transmission is performed by the UWB communication method described in FIG. 16 (pulse generator PGEN1, modulator MOD2). On the other hand, reception is performed by the narrow band communication method such as PSK or QAM described with reference to FIG. 15 (reception amplifier PRA3, oscillator VCO1, demodulator DMO3). Such a hybrid configuration eliminates the need for a complex correlator essential for UWB reception, reduces the circuit scale, and suppresses power consumption (˜RF transmission power). As described above, the high-frequency transmission / reception circuit RF3 having a hybrid configuration shown in FIG. 17 is a transmission / reception circuit having a configuration suitable for the object of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 shows a health management device configured using the above sensor chip. In this figure, the health monitor MONITOR1 is usually composed of a high frequency transmission / reception circuit (RF10), a modulation / demodulation circuit (MOD10, DMOD10), a processor (CPU10), a memory (MEM10), and a display device (DISP10) (FIG. 18). Since these circuits are not specific to the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

  FIG. 19 shows an operation flowchart of MONITOR1. By the data reading routine (P400) and the data receiving routine (P410 to 413), the RF 10 receives a signal from the sensor chip via the wireless connection WL1, and the DMOD 10 demodulates and takes out the sense data (SD1).

  The data structure of sense data demodulated as described above is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 20, the sense data SD1 is composed of a set of a chip ID (CID), a sensor ID (SID), and data (DATA), and is configured so that it can be determined from which sensor of which chip. Has been. Thereafter, the physical condition is diagnosed in the physical condition diagnosis routine (P420), and the diagnosis result is displayed on the DISP 10 in the result display routine (P430). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 19, in the physical condition diagnosis routine P420, a health information database server (DSV1) connected to a wide area network (WAN1) such as a cellular phone network or the Internet through a wireless connection WL2. , DB1) to inquire about physical condition information and obtain a more accurate diagnosis result.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 21, it is possible to simplify the transmission / reception procedure of the sensor chip. For example, FIG. 21A shows an example in which when data is detected, it is transmitted as it is without being stored in the memory. FIG. 21B shows an example of transmitting as it is without adding identifier data such as a chip ID. By simplifying the transmission / reception procedure, for example, the memory capacity can be reduced, and the CPU area can be reduced to reduce the chip area and power. For this reason, such a structure can also be taken depending on a use.

As described above, by using the sensor chip of the present invention, a small and lightweight maintenance-free health management device that does not require a battery can be realized. By using the sensor chip of the present invention, a user can wear it for a long time, and a health management device that can continuously acquire data can be realized. In the sensor chip of the present invention, all the sensors are built in the chip, and the detection data is transmitted to the outside wirelessly. For this reason, the wire etc. which connect a sensor and a main body are unnecessary at all. For this reason, it is very easy to use, and the user can attach the sensor chip of the present invention with no load at all and can continuously take their biometric data for a long time. In addition, mass production is possible by using a semiconductor integrated circuit. For this reason, it becomes possible to manufacture at a very inexpensive price.
(Example 2)
In Example 1, the example which comprises the sensor chip of this invention by MCP structure was demonstrated. On the other hand, since the MEMS process is compatible with a semiconductor process, a MEMS variable capacitor can be integrated on one chip together with other circuits such as a sensor and a microprocessor. FIG. 22 shows a sensor chip formed by mixing a MEMS variable capacitor with other circuits such as a sensor and a microprocessor. Even with this configuration, the sensor chip can be downsized. However, the area required for the MEMS variable capacitor is relatively large. For this reason, when the configuration shown in FIG. 22 is adopted, when a large MEMS variable capacitor is used, it is difficult to sufficiently reduce the size of the sensor chip.

  Therefore, a more desirable mode for miniaturization is shown in FIGS. In these drawings, the circuits PC1, PC2, and CPU1 have the same configuration as that described in the first embodiment. In this sensor chip, a MEMS variable capacitor is formed on the back surface (SIDE2) of the chip. That is, a sensor chip is formed by a separation type structure in which circuits such as a sensor and a microprocessor are formed on the front surface (SIDE 1) of the chip and a MEMS variable capacitor is formed on the back surface (SIDE 2) of the chip. By adopting such a structure, the chip area can be further reduced as compared with the sensor chip (FIG. 22) in which the semiconductor circuit and the MEMS variable capacitor are formed on the same surface.

  Further, instead of the above method of forming the MEMS variable capacitor on the back surface of the chip, the MEMS variable capacitor is formed in advance on another chip, the chip on which the MEMS variable capacitor is formed, the sensor, By attaching the back surfaces of the chip on which a microprocessor or the like is formed, a sensor chip having a smaller area to the same extent as that obtained by the above method can be realized.

Further, although not shown in the figure, the area can be further reduced by covering the surface of the chip (SIDE1) on which the sensor, the microprocessor, etc. are integrated with a passivation film and forming a MEMS variable capacitor thereon. It becomes possible to realize the sensor chip.
(Example 3)
In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the MCP configuration unique to the sensor chip of the present invention is used to integrate a small generator, a sensor, a microprocessor, a memory, a high-frequency circuit, a power supply control circuit, and the like using a MEMS variable capacitor. By doing so, it was shown that a small and lightweight health care device can be realized. On the other hand, there are other power generators or batteries that have the same size and can supply about 0.1 mW of power.

  For example, an embodiment using a generator utilizing electromagnetic induction is shown in FIGS. FIG. 24A shows a chip cross section, and FIG. 24B shows a chip back surface. This generator has the same configuration as that disclosed in Non-Patent Document 6. A hollow region (= cavity) CA1 is formed on the SIDE2 surface of the substrate BO2. In the cavity CA1, a permanent magnet MA1 and a support material ST1 such as a spring for suspending the MA1 on the substrate BO2 are provided. Further, a spiral type inductor SL1 is formed on the SIDE2 surface of the substrate BO2 by a wiring pattern. Permanent magnet MA1 held by support member ST1 due to external vibration performs inertial motion, and the change of magnetic flux due to this inertial motion is converted into electrical energy by inductor SL1 based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. By using together the ultra-low power consumption control method of the present invention described in the first embodiment, a small sensor chip similar to that in the first embodiment can be realized.

An embodiment in which a sensor chip is configured using the solar cell BA3 is shown in FIGS. FIG. 24C shows a chip cross section, and FIG. 24D shows a chip back surface. A solar cell is mounted on the SIDE2 surface of the substrate BO3. As shown in this figure, the solar cell BA3 needs to expose the mold MO3. Alternatively, it is necessary to form an optical window on BA3 by using the same material as optical window PWIN1 formed on the top of CHIP1. Although it varies depending on the intensity of the irradiated light, the solar cell itself has a power generation capacity of about 0.05 to 1 mW / cm ² . In use, it is necessary to irradiate a certain amount of light. For this reason, as shown in FIG.24 (c), it is more desirable for solar cell BA3 to be arrange | positioned on the SIDE2 surface opposite to the SIDE1 surface which contacts a human body.

  Examples using the Seebeck element BA4 capable of generating power with a temperature difference are shown in FIGS. FIG. 24E shows a chip cross section, and FIG. 24F shows a chip back surface. The Seebeck element is composed of a PN junction composed of N-type BiTe and P-type BiTe, which are a kind of semiconductor, and utilizes a physical phenomenon that an electromotive force (˜20 mV) is generated when a temperature difference is given to the PN junction. An element that converts thermal energy into electrical energy. As shown in FIG. 24E, in the sensor chip SCHIP5 of the present embodiment, the generator BA4 based on the Seebeck element is arranged on the SIDE2 surface of the substrate BO4. Both ends of the Seebeck element are thermally coupled to the substrate BO4 or the outside air through heat spreaders HT1 and HT2 having good heat conduction characteristics, and power is generated by the temperature difference between them. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 24E, the heat spreader HT1 and HT2 must be thermally insulated by the heat insulating material INS1. In actual use, as shown in FIG. 3, the human body temperature is used on the HT1 side and the outside air temperature is used on the HT2 side, and power is generated using the difference between the user body temperature and the outside air temperature.

  Examples using the small button battery BA5 are shown in FIGS. 24 (g) and 24 (h). FIG. 24G shows the cross section of the chip, and FIG. 24H shows the back surface of the chip. Unlike the embodiment shown in FIGS. 24A to 24F, since it does not have a power generation mechanism, it cannot be used forever. However, since the button battery has a capacity (LR41) of about 20 mAH even if it is a small one used in a watch, it can be used for several years without replacing the battery when used in combination with the low power consumption control method of the present invention. .

  As described above, the sensor chip of the present invention can be configured by various generators or batteries. These different types of generators or batteries can also be used in combination.

For example, the MEMS variable capacity generator shown in FIG. 1 and the button battery shown in FIGS. 24G and 24H are used in combination, and the detection operation is performed by the electric power from the MEMS variable capacity generator. Therefore, when transmitting detection data to an external device, it is possible to use a hybrid configuration in which a button battery is used as an auxiliary power source. By using a sensor chip having such a hybrid configuration, it is possible to more easily realize an increase in reachable distance and an increase in transmission time.
Example 4
In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which sensor data is directly transmitted to an external device (for example, the health management monitor in FIG. 3) by the micro power RF transmission circuit built in the sensor chip. However, as described in the first embodiment, the RF power that can be transmitted is limited. For this reason, the wireless connection distance with the external device is normally set to 1 to 2 m. Further, even when the hybrid configuration with the button battery as described in the third embodiment is adopted, the transmission power cannot be increased excessively in consideration of the battery life. The small wireless relay chip described in this embodiment is used for the purpose of solving this problem.

  An example of a small wireless relay chip is shown in FIG. The small wireless relay chip RCHIP1 is installed, for example, on the floor or wall of the room RM1, and receives packet data (PD10 to PD13) transmitted by the sensor chips (SCHIP1 to SCHIP3) as described in the first to third embodiments. After being combined into one, it is transmitted again (= relayed) to the external device MA10. By using this wireless relay chip and sequentially relaying data, the data reachable range can be increased.

  The configuration of the surface (SIDE1) on which the main chip of the small wireless relay chip is arranged is shown in FIG. Although not shown in this figure, a MEMS variable capacity generator chip similar to that shown in FIG. 1B or a SIDE2 surface opposite to the chip surface is usually used, or FIGS. 24A to 24D. Generators or batteries are integrated on one chip in an MCP configuration. In addition to this, an antenna, a capacitor, and the like may be integrated, and it is possible to operate the chip alone without requiring a power source or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 26, the CHIP5 which is a characteristic part of the present embodiment includes a microprocessor CPU1, a memory MEM1, a high frequency transmission / reception circuit RF1, a charge monitoring circuit CW1, a timer TM1, and a power supply control circuit PC1. The configuration of each of these circuits is usually the same as that of the main chip CHIP1 of the sensor chip described in the first embodiment.

  An operation flowchart of the small wireless relay chip is shown in FIG. By the low power consumption operation method similar to that of the sensor chip shown in the first embodiment, it is normally in the sleep state P110, and rises intermittently by the start signal from the timer TM1 and the charge monitoring circuit CW1, and the data reception P410, Send data. In the operation flowchart of FIG. 25, it is necessary to activate the data reception P410 more frequently than the data transmission P120. This is to avoid missing data from the sensor chips SCHIP1 to SCHIP3 by receiving data with a margin in advance. However, even if the activation frequency of the data reception P410 is made dense as described above, there is no problem because the reception operation consumes less power than the transmission operation.

Further, in the P320 routine of FIG. 27, the unique ID (RID20) of the wireless relay chip can be added to the sensor data from the sensor chip. As will be described in the fifth embodiment, by extracting the relay chip ID on the receiving side, it becomes possible to recognize the route through which the data has been received.
(Example 5)
Next, an application example using the sensor chip or the wireless relay chip of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 28A shows an example in which the sensor chip of the present invention is applied to control of a device (EM50) such as a home appliance, a game machine, or a robot type toy. As shown in this figure, the user US50 uses the device EM50 by attaching the sensor chips SCHIP50, 51 of the present invention to the body, for example, in the form shown in FIG. The device EM50 receives the control signal from the sensor chips SCHIP50 and 51 of the present invention via the wireless connection WL50, and sets the operation and operation parameters of the EM50 according to the received control signal. The microprocessor CPU50 and the memory MEM50 , A display device DISP50, a database DB50, a network interface NI50 connected to a wide area network such as a mobile phone network or the Internet, and a motor MO50 used for moving the device EM50. The device EM50 is typically assumed to be an electronic robot toy or the like. For example, by changing the operation according to the user information detected by the sensor chips SCHIP50 and 51 of the present invention, High-quality operation can be realized as if it were pumping up.

  Specifically, the user's emotion or psychological state is estimated by the CPU 50 based on the pulse information and GSR information acquired from the pulse sensor or impedance sensor in the sensor chip of the present invention. When it is determined that the user is sad, an operation such as starting the motor 50 and pacing it is performed. In addition, when it is determined that the user is in a tension state, an action such as uttering a cry to relieve tension from the speaker SP50 is performed. In addition to this, it is possible to perform an operation such as facing a direction intended by the user based on movement information such as a user's hand gesture detected by the acceleration sensor in the sensor chip. Furthermore, information such as hand gestures can be used instead of button input to the home appliance. Thus, the application range of this sensor chip is very wide.

  Note that what has been described here is a representative example, and is applied to an application in which home appliances are controlled based on the user's biological information, for example, to change the cooling setting of an air conditioner according to the user's body temperature. However, the sensor chip of the present invention is applicable.

  FIG. 28B shows an embodiment in which the sensor chip and the wireless relay chip are applied to the recording of a sporting event such as soccer. In this embodiment, a soccer player US60 wears the sensor chip (SCHIP60, SCHIP61) of the present invention on a foot or the like. The information detected in the SCHIPs 60 and 61 is received by the wireless relay chips RCHIP60 to 64 of the present invention regularly installed in the soccer stadium PI60. As described in the fourth embodiment, the ID of the wireless relay chip is set. In addition, it is finally received by the base station BSTA60. The base station BSTA60 is a microprocessor CPU60, a memory that analyzes RF60 that receives sense data from the wireless relay chips RCHIP60 to 64 via the wireless connection WL60, analyzes the sense data, and analyzes the health state of the athlete's movement or pulse, etc. It comprises a MEM 60, a database DB 60, and a network interface NI 60 for connecting to a wide area network WAN 60 such as a mobile phone network, the Internet, or a dedicated network network. The base station BSTA 60 analyzes the packet data, specifies the transmission location of the sensor chip from the ID of the relay chip added in the wireless relay chip, and analyzes in real time which point each player is currently on the stadium. At the same time, the degree of fatigue of each player can be estimated from the detected biological information such as the pulse, and for example, it can also be used for the determination of a player change or the like. Furthermore, by transferring the analyzed information via the wide area network WAN 60, it is possible to use it for television broadcasting or the like at a television broadcasting station such as BS 60 connected to the WAN.

  Note that although only the soccer competition is described here, it is needless to say that it can be used for other sports competitions. Thus, by utilizing the sensor chip and the wireless relay chip of the present invention, it is possible to monitor the position of each player in real time in a sports competition. Conventionally, an apparatus for detecting the movement of a laboratory animal such as a mouse using an RFID chip has been proposed. However, a large amount of expensive RFID readers are required for use in a large area such as a soccer field. There is also a problem of consuming enormous power. In contrast, the sensor chip / wireless relay chip of the present invention can be realized with very low power consumption. Thus, by using the sensor chip / wireless relay chip of the present invention, a practical sports competition recording device can be provided.

  An example using the sensor chip of the present invention for food distribution management is shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, the sensor chip of the present invention is added to the food FOOD 70. The food FOOD 70 is typically assumed to be wine or beer. As shown in this figure, the sensor chip of the present invention is attached to a wine bottle, a beer bottle, or the like. As described in the first embodiment, the sensor is started for a certain period and the temperature is continuously maintained by the built-in temperature sensor. And stored in the memory MEM70. Finally, the information stored in the memory is read by the reader READER 70 when it reaches the consumer. The READER 70 includes an RF 70 that reads detection data from the sensor chip through a wireless connection WL 70, a microprocessor CPU 70 that analyzes and displays the read data, a memory MEM 70, and a display device DISP 70. This READER 70 can also incorporate a network device NI70, and can access the database DB70 in the data management server SV70 via the NI70 via the broadband network network WAN70 such as a mobile phone network or the Internet. Is possible. That is, by referring to the database DB 70 in the server SV 70 for the received chip ID of the sensor chip, the producer information of the FOOD 70 can be obtained at the user's hand.

  Conventionally, if a device including an RFID and a battery is used, distribution management of beer barrels and the like can be realized. However, unlike the sensor chip of the present invention, it has been difficult to reduce the size to such an extent that it can be attached to a wine bottle or a beer bottle. Furthermore, since the operating power supply is covered by the battery, there is a possibility that data cannot be acquired when the battery runs out. As a result, the period during which data can be collected is limited. For this reason, it could be used only for things collected in a relatively short period of time such as beer barrels used for business in restaurants and the like. On the other hand, if the sensor chip of the present invention is used, it can be attached to relatively small items such as wine bottles, and since it can be sensed for a long time, it can be used for various purposes other than commercial beer barrels. Applicable.

  As mentioned above, although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sensor chip having the transmission / reception circuit has been specifically described. However, in the case of a sensor chip that does not require wireless reception, the transmission circuit may be included in the transmission / reception circuit. Therefore, the receiving circuit can be omitted in such a sensor chip.

  In the above-described embodiment, the sensor chip including the temperature sensor TD1, the acceleration sensor AS1, the infrared / red light sensor PD1, and the impedance sensor GS1 is specifically described as the sensor. It is not necessary to have everything. Depending on the purpose, only a part of each sensor may be provided, or a sensor other than each sensor may be used.

  In the above-described embodiments, the sensor chip has been described on the assumption that it is mainly used by humans. However, the present invention is not limited to humans, and other animals and plants such as dogs and cats can also be used. .

The figure which shows one desirable embodiment of the sensor chip of this invention. Sectional drawing of the sensor chip shown in FIG. A health management device using the sensor chip of the present invention, which will be described in Example 1. The figure which shows the increase in a voltage change and an electrostatic energy when the electrostatic capacitance of the variable capacitor in the sensor chip of this invention changes with external vibrations. The block diagram of the electric power collection | recovery circuit which collects the increase of the electrostatic energy shown in FIG. 4, and changes it into electric power. The figure explaining operation | movement of the electric power collection | recovery circuit shown in FIG. The figure which shows the operation | movement outline | summary of the sensor chip of this invention. The figure which shows the data format transmitted to the external apparatus from the sensor chip of this invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a power supply control circuit, a timer circuit, and a charge monitoring circuit that form part of the sensor chip of the present invention. The figure which shows the low power consumption operation system implement | achieved by the power supply control circuit shown in FIG. The block diagram of regulator RG1 of the power supply control circuit shown in FIG. The figure which shows the structure of the temperature sensor which makes a part of sensor chip of this invention, an acceleration sensor, an impedance sensor, and a pulse sensor. The block diagram of the A / D conversion circuit with a selection function which makes a part of sensor chip of this invention. FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a multiplexer used in the A / D conversion circuit with a selection function shown in FIG. 13. 1 is a configuration diagram of a high-frequency transmission / reception circuit and a high-frequency changeover switch that form part of the sensor chip of the present invention. The 2nd block diagram of the high frequency transmission / reception circuit which makes a part of sensor chip of this invention. The 3rd block diagram of the high frequency transmission / reception circuit which makes a part of sensor chip of this invention. The figure which shows an example of a structure of the portable health monitor used with the health care apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows the outline | summary of the flow of a process in the portable health monitor shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of the packet data which the sensor chip of this invention transmits to an external device. The figure which shows another example about the detection data transmission method of the sensor chip of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the sensor chip comprised in one semiconductor integrated circuit other than a capacitor | condenser, an inductor, and LED demonstrated in Example 2. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of a sensor chip configured by one semiconductor integrated circuit other than the capacitor, the inductor, and the LED described in the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a power generator that forms part of a sensor chip, which is described in a third embodiment. The figure which shows the concept of the relay of the detection data by the wireless relay chip | tip demonstrated in Example 4. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a wireless relay chip, which will be described in a fourth embodiment. The figure which shows the outline | summary of the operation example of the radio | wireless relay chip | tip shown in FIG. The figure which shows the application example of the sensor chip and wireless relay chip | tip of this invention demonstrated in Example 5. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

SCHIP1, SCHIP2, SCHIP3, SCHIP4, SCHIP5, SCHIP6, SCHIP10, SCHIP11, SCHIP12, SCHIP50, SCHIP51, SCHIP60, SCHIP61, SCHIP62, SCHIP63, SCHIP64, SCHP70 ... sensor chip,
CHIP1, CHIP2, CHIP3, CHIP4 ... Semiconductor integrated circuit,
CM1: Variable capacitor,
CPU1 ... microprocessor,
AD1 A / D conversion circuit,
MEM1 ... memory,
PC1: Power supply circuit,
RF1, RF2, RF3 ... high frequency transmission / reception circuit,
TD1 ... temperature sensor,
AS1 ... acceleration sensor,
PD1: infrared / red light sensor,
MA1 ... permanent magnet,
BA3 ... solar cell,
BA4 ... Seebeck element,
BA5 ... button battery,
RCHIP1, RCHIP60, RCHIP61, RCHIP62, RCHIP63, RCHIP64 ... wireless relay chip.

Claims (7)

A substrate,
A sensor,
A microprocessor for processing data detected by the sensor;
A transmission circuit for wirelessly transmitting the processed data to the outside;
A power generator for supplying power to the sensor, the microprocessor, and the transmission circuit;
A power supply control circuit that controls supply of power from the power generation device, the power supply control circuit intermittently supplies power to the sensor, the microprocessor, and the transmission circuit,
The sensor, the microprocessor, and the transmission circuit operate by receiving the power supply ,
The sensor, the microprocessor, the transmission circuit, and the power supply control circuit are mounted on the first surface of the substrate,
The power generating device includes a first semiconductor device that will be mounted on the second surface opposite to the surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
The semiconductor device Ru an antenna on the substrate. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 or 2 Symbol placement,
It has a capacitor that is charged by the power generated by the power generator ,
A semiconductor device, wherein the substrate is formed of a multilayer substrate, and the capacitor is configured using the multilayer substrate . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
A capacitor that is charged by the electric power generated by the power generation device;
A charge monitoring circuit for monitoring the amount of charge accumulated in the capacitor ;
When the charge monitoring circuit determines that sufficient power is accumulated in the capacitor, the power supply control circuit, upper Symbol sensor, the microprocessor, and a semiconductor device for supplying the power to the transmission circuit. In serial mounting the semiconductor device to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The power generating apparatus, der Ru semiconductor device which generates power by utilizing vibration. The semiconductor device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The power generation device is a semiconductor device that generates power using light energy . The semiconductor device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The power generator is a semiconductor device that generates power using a temperature difference .

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