US Patent 10593470 Compact transceiver on a multi-level integrated circuit

Power and/or data are transmitted through variable magnetic fields between a first transceiver coil on a transceiver apparatus and a second transceiver coil in an inductor integrated into a multilevel wiring structure on a semiconductor integrated circuit chip. The first transceiver apparatus generates magnetic fields and can transmit data by varying a characteristic of the magnetic fields. The second transceiver coil receives the power from and/or detects data in the magnetic fields from the first transceiver apparatus. The inductor can include a ferromagnetic core that concentrates magnetic flux to improve data or power transmission efficiency to miniaturize the second transceiver coil while maintaining adequate inductive coupling between the coils. The second transceiver coil can transmit data by varying the impedance of the inductor and/or the integrated circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit chip can be coupled to an object and the second transceiver coil can transmit data relating to the object.