Contactless integrated circuit with high-efficiency electrical power supply circuit

1. A method for supplying an electronic circuit with a direct supply voltage, using high frequency antenna signals, comprising:

producing a primary direct voltage equal to a fraction of the supply voltage using at least one antenna signal,

producing at least two pumping signals having a frequency lower than the frequency of the antenna signals, by means of an oscillator electrically powered by the primary voltage, and

boosting the primary voltage by means of a charge pump driven by the pumping signals, to obtain the supply voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary voltage is produced by single-wave or full-wave rectification of at least one antenna signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary voltage is produced by a single-stage charge pump having a first capacitor receiving a first antenna signal on one of its terminals and a second capacitor receiving a second antenna signal on one of its terminals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pumping signals have a frequency between 2 and 50 MHz.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the low-voltage oscillator, the charge pump, and the electronic circuit are arranged on a common semiconductor chip.

6. The method of claim 1 , applied to an electronic circuit comprising a non-volatile memory, and comprising a step of producing a voltage for erasing or programming the memory by boosting the supply voltage by means of a second charge pump.

7. An integrated circuit comprising:

an electronic circuit and a power supply circuit for supplying the electronic circuit with a direct supply voltage using alternating antenna signals, the power supply circuit comprising:

a rectifier circuit receiving at least one of the antenna signals for supplying a primary direct voltage equal to a fraction of the supply voltage,

an oscillator electrically powered by the primary voltage, for supplying at least two pumping signals having a frequency lower than the frequency of the antenna signals, and

a charge pump driven by the pumping signals for boosting the primary voltage and producing the supply voltage.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the rectifier circuit comprises a single-wave rectifier or a full-wave rectifier bridge.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the rectifier circuit is a single stage of a charge pump comprising a capacitor receiving a first antenna signal on one of its terminals and a second capacitor receiving a second antenna signal on one of its terminals.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the pumping signals have a frequency between 2 and 50 MHz.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the power supply circuit and the electronic circuit are arranged on a common semiconductor chip.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the electronic circuit comprises a non-volatile data memory and a second charge pump to boost the supply voltage and supply a voltage for erasing or programming the memory.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , comprising a control unit for executing read or write commands for reading or writing the memory received via the antenna circuit.

14. A portable electronic device, comprising a portable medium and an integrated circuit formed on a semiconductor chip and incorporated into the portable medium, the integrated circuit comprising:

an electronic circuit and a power supply circuit for supplying the electronic circuit with a direct current supply voltage using alternating current antenna signals, the power supply circuit comprising:

a rectifier circuit receiving at least one of the antenna signals for supplying a primary direct current voltage equal to a fraction of the supply voltage,

an oscillator electrically powered by the primary voltage and supplying at least two pumping signals having a frequency lower than the frequency of the antenna signals, and

a charge pump driven by the pumping signals for boosting the primary voltage to produce the supply voltage.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the electronic circuit comprises a non-volatile data memory and a second charge pump to boost the supply voltage and supply a voltage for erasing or programming the memory.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a control unit for executing read or write commands for reading or writing the memory received via the antenna circuit.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the rectifier circuit is a single stage of a charge pump comprising a capacitor receiving a first antenna signal on one of its terminals and a second capacitor receiving a second antenna signal on one of its terminals.

18. A circuit, comprising:

an antenna circuit for receiving an alternating signal;

a rectifier circuit coupled to the antenna circuit and receiving the alternating signal and supplying a direct voltage;

an oscillator coupled to the rectifier circuit and receiving the direct voltage from the rectifier circuit and generating two pumping signals having a frequency lower than a frequency of the antenna signals; and

a charge pump coupled to the oscillator and receiving the pumping signals therefrom, the charge pump generating a supply voltage that is a multiple of the direct voltage from the rectifier circuit.

19. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the oscillator circuit comprises a plurality of inverter gates coupled in series and having an input for receiving the direct voltage from the rectifier circuit and an output coupled to respective inputs of first and second NOR gates, the NOR gates each having an output for generating a respective pumping signals.

20. The circuit of claim 19 wherein the first and second NOR gates have their outputs cross-coupled to an input of the other NOR gate, and one NOR gate receives an inverted direct voltage signal from the rectifier circuit while the other NOR gate receives a noninverted direct voltage signal from the rectifier circuit.

21. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the output of the charge pump is coupled to an electronic circuit for supplying power to the electronic circuit.