WO1999033108A1 - Wireless inter-chip communication system and method - Google Patents

Wireless inter-chip communication system and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999033108A1
WO1999033108A1 PCT/US1998/026614 US9826614W WO9933108A1 WO 1999033108 A1 WO1999033108 A1 WO 1999033108A1 US 9826614 W US9826614 W US 9826614W WO 9933108 A1 WO9933108 A1 WO 9933108A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
electromagnetic radiation
circuit
chip
integrated
integrated circuit
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1998/026614
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Stanley A. White
Kenneth S. Walley
James W. Johnston
P. Michael Henderson
Warner B. Andrews, Jr.
Jonathan I. Siann
Kelly H. Hale
Original Assignee
Conexant Systems, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Conexant Systems, Inc. filed Critical Conexant Systems, Inc.
Publication of WO1999033108A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999033108A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/067—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components
    • G06K19/07—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips
    • G06K19/0723—Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards also with resonating or responding marks without active components with integrated circuit chips the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/0008—General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/48—Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L25/00—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof
    • H01L25/03—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes
    • H01L25/04—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers
    • H01L25/065—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00
    • H01L25/0657—Stacked arrangements of devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
    • H04B1/38—Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
    • H04B1/3816—Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
    • H04B5/70—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2225/00—Details relating to assemblies covered by the group H01L25/00 but not provided for in its subgroups
    • H01L2225/03—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00
    • H01L2225/04—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00 the devices not having separate containers
    • H01L2225/065—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00 the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00
    • H01L2225/06503—Stacked arrangements of devices
    • H01L2225/06527—Special adaptation of electrical connections, e.g. rewiring, engineering changes, pressure contacts, layout
    • H01L2225/06531—Non-galvanic coupling, e.g. capacitive coupling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2225/00—Details relating to assemblies covered by the group H01L25/00 but not provided for in its subgroups
    • H01L2225/03—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00
    • H01L2225/04—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00 the devices not having separate containers
    • H01L2225/065—All the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/648 and H10K99/00 the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00
    • H01L2225/06503—Stacked arrangements of devices
    • H01L2225/06555—Geometry of the stack, e.g. form of the devices, geometry to facilitate stacking
    • H01L2225/06562—Geometry of the stack, e.g. form of the devices, geometry to facilitate stacking at least one device in the stack being rotated or offset
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
    • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R17/00—Piezoelectric transducers; Electrostrictive transducers

Definitions

  • the present invention pertains to communicating information between semiconductor integrated circuits.
  • Electronic devices often include multiple integrated circuits. Typically, these integrated circuits must transfer information among themselves. Such inter-chip communication is typically implemented using the physical wire connections between the chips.
  • a typical semiconductor chip includes a portion containing microelectronic circuitry. Generally, that portion occupies most of the central portion of the chip. Surrounding the circuitry portion, near the periphery of the chip, is a plurality of contact pads. The pads are where wires are connected to the semiconductor chip. Wires connected to the pads provide the paths for data or information to be transferred into and out of the chip. Each pad is connected to the microelectronic circuitry portion of the chip via a conductive path or trace in the chip.
  • Each integrated circuit may be mounted in a lead frame, a multi-chip module, or other mounting and packaging system.
  • the lead frame or other mounting and packaging includes the conductors that contact the pads on the chip.
  • Transferring signals, or communicating, between different integrated circuits has required a wire connection between those circuits.
  • one end of the wire connection contacts a pad on one chip.
  • the other end of the wire connection contacts a pad on the other chip.
  • Many specific technologies provide such wire connections.
  • the semiconductor chip is mounted in a lead frame that includes the wires that contact the pads.
  • Other packaging technologies provide other types of wires or electrical conductors that contact the pads on the chip.
  • Each of the physical connections between chips requires conductive wire between the chips as well as a pad on the chip to which the wire connection may be attached.
  • the pads for wire contact are typically fabricated at the perimeter of the chip.
  • pads may consume a large portion of the available space on the chip.
  • the pads must be fairly large relative to the size of the chip. Ample size is necessary to physically accommodate the connection to the conductive wire.
  • a conducting portion of the chip must convey the signal to the perimeter of the chip where it can be attached to a pad.
  • the present invention comprises a network of closely spaced integrated electronic circuits.
  • a portion of a first of the integrated electronic circuits converts electrical signals into electromagnetic radiation and emits such electromagnetic radiation.
  • a portion of a second of the integrated electronic circuits, in close proximity to the portion of the first integrated electronic circuit, receives the emitted electromagnetic radiation.
  • the second integrated electronic circuit converts the received electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals.
  • the electromagnetic radiation is radio frequency radiation.
  • the method of the present invention includes the transfer of information from a first integrated circuit chip to a second integrated circuit chip.
  • the method includes emitting from the first chip electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the information to be transferred.
  • the second chip receives the electromagnetic radiation from the first chip and decodes the electromagnetic radiation to recover the information.
  • the step of emitting the electromagnetic radiation may include modulating the information onto a radio frequency carrier wave to form a radio frequency signal.
  • the step of decoding the received electromagnetic radiation would then include demodulating the modulated radio frequency signal.
  • Figures 1a and 1b are top plan representations of a pair of semiconductor chips constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a side view of the chips of Figure 1, arranged in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figures 3a and 3b illustrate two simple exemplary implementations for generating a radio frequency signal in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a simple exemplary implementation for detecting and decoding a radio-frequency signal in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1a shows an exemplary first integrated circuit chip 100.
  • the first integrated circuit chip 100 may be fabricated using silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs), or other semiconductor materials suitable for manufacturing microelectronic circuits. The design and fabrication of semiconductor microelectronic circuitry on such chips is well understood in the semiconductor industry.
  • the first chip 100 includes a circuit portion 110 and a plurality of contact pads
  • the circuit portion 110 includes a multiplicity of transistors (not shown) designed and formed using conventional design and manufacturing techniques. Conductive leads connect the circuit portion 110 to the contact pads 120. Only one exemplary lead 112 is shown in Figure 1a. The conductive leads or traces 112 connecting the circuitry 110 to the corresponding pads 120 are constructed in a conventional manner. The traces 112 conduct signals between the circuitry 110 and the contact pads 120. The contact pads 120 provide external access to chip signals. As is conventional in the semiconductor industry, the contact pads 120 may be arranged around the perimeter of the chip. When the chip 100 is mounted in a lead frame (not shown), perimeter placement of the contact pads 120 simplifies connecting the wires of the lead frame to the chip. Placing the pads 120 near the chip perimeter also may facilitate contact with the electrical conductors used in other packaging technologies.
  • the second chip 200 includes a microelectronic circuit 210.
  • Contact pads 220 provide places for conductive wires to contact the integrated circuit chip 200.
  • Conductive leads 222 (only one of which is shown) within the integrated chip 200 conduct signals between the circuitry 210 and the pads 220. Consistent with industry convention, the contact pads 220 are shown near the perimeter of the chip 200.
  • signals may be communicated from the circuitry 110 of the first chip 100 to the circuitry 210 of the second chip 200.
  • the lead 112 conducts the signal from the portion of the circuitry 110 in which the signal is generated to a predetermined one of the contact pads 120.
  • One end of a wire is attached to the first chip pad 120.
  • the other end of the conductive wire contacts an appropriate pad 220 on the second chip.
  • the trace 222 conducts the signal from the pad 220 to the second chip circuitry 210.
  • a portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 and a portion 230 of the second circuitry 210 together provide a wireless communication link between the chips 100, 200.
  • a transmitting circuit portion 130 is designed or configured to convert electrical signals in the first circuitry 110 into electromagnetic radiation.
  • the transmitting circuit portion 130 thereby emits electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the signal in the first circuitry 110.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuitry 210 in the second chip 200 detects the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitting circuit portion 130, and converts received electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals to be processed by the second circuitry 210.
  • the first integrated circuit 100 and the second integrated circuit 200 are placed such that the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuit is in close proximity with the . radiation receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuit, information may be communicated or transferred from the first circuit to the second circuit.
  • a moving electrical charge (a current) generates a magnetic field.
  • a moving magnetic field generates an electric field having a voltage, which can give rise to an electrical current.
  • This pair of phenomena allows the electrical signals or the electrical effects in the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 to be wirelessly communicated to the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200.
  • Prior efforts at wireless communication have pertained to propagating signals over a substantial distance. Such long distance wireless communication has required amplification provided by a resonant-length antenna, and resonant LC-circuits providing sufficient gain to permit the signal to be detected over the noise.
  • the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 converts electrical signals into electromagnetic radiation that corresponds to those signals.
  • the information of a first electrical signal may be modulated onto a radio frequency (RF) carrier wave generated by the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuitry 210 in close proximity to the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110, detects the emitted radiation. The detected radiation is converted to a second electrical signal for processing by the second microelectronic circuitry 210.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 detects the radio frequency signal, and demodulates it to recover the information from the signal.
  • the transmitting circuit portion 130 modulates or encodes the signal onto an RF carrier.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 then demodulates or decodes the information from the RF signal. Such encoding or modulation allows the receiving circuit portion 230 to distinguish the RF signals emanating from the transmitting circuit portion 130, and to distinguish those signals from the background noise.
  • electrical currents from the transmitting circuit portion 130 may be inductively coupled to the receiving circuit portion 230.
  • voltages in the transmitting circuit portion 130 may be capacitively coupled to the receiving circuit portion 230.
  • Figure 2 shows the integrated circuit chips 100, 200 mounted in a stack so that the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 is in close proximity to the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200.
  • the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 is in a slightly different portion of the first chip 100 than is the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200.
  • the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 would not align, causing them to be farther apart than they would be if the chips 100, 200 were offset so that the transmitting and receiving portions 130, 230 were exactly aligned with one another.
  • With the transmitting and receiving portions 130, 230 exactly aligned they are in closest proximity. At or near the closest proximity, there is an optimum of information or signal transfer between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230.
  • each chip 100, 200 may be mounted in a lead frame on a circuit board, and the circuit boards stacked together. In such an arrangement it may be beneficial to reverse the boards relative one another so that the circuit portions 130, 230 are in closest proximity.
  • the chips may be stacked directly on top of one another. Surface mount technology may also be used.
  • Different packaging technologies are described in Reference Data for Engineers: Radio, Electronics, Computer, and Communications, Edward C. Jordan, Editor in Chief, Chapter 20 (Howard W. Sams & Co.), and The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Richard C. Dorf, Editor in Chief, Chapter 24 (CRC Press, Inc.).
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 is preferably close enough to the transmitting circuit portion 130 that the receiving circuit portion 230 detects the radiation emitted by the transmitting circuit portion 130 without an antenna or amplification devices.
  • the spacing between the circuit portions 130, 230 is small enough so that an electromagnetic inductance appears in the receiving circuit portion 230 in response to a changing current in the transmitting circuit portion 130.
  • capacitive coupling occur have the transmitting and receiving circuit portions close enough that voltages may be capacitively coupled between the circuits.
  • the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 are preferably approximately 1 cm apart. This spacing is consistent with placing the first chip 100 on the front side of a first circuit board (not shown), and the second chip 200 on the back side of an adjacent circuit board (not shown).
  • the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 may also be spaced approximately 2 - 3 cm apart. This spacing may be achieved by aligning the adjacent circuit boards so that the first chip 100 is on the front side of the first circuit board and the second chip 200 is also on the front side of the second circuit board. These spacings are consistent with conventional circuit board manufacturing techniques.
  • the spacing between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 should be less than 10 cm.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 At a spacing of 10 cm or greater, there is a high probability that the receiving circuit portion 230 will detect and process signals or other electromagnetic radiation that originates from a source other than the transmitting portion 130. In addition, at a larger distance, the signal to noise ratio becomes increasingly small, such that it is unlikely that the receiving circuit portion 230 will be able to correctly decode the transmitted information. In many applications, the greater the spacing between the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 and the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip
  • design trade-offs may be required between the closeness of device spacing and the power consumption of the system.
  • the network described reduces, and in some instances, eliminates, the need to provide physical wire connections between the two chips 100, 200. Not only does this arrangement eliminate the need for an extra pad 120, 220 on each chip for such a wire connection, it also eliminates the need to provide a trace or conductive line from the transmitting circuit portion 130 to the perimeter of the chip, where a pad would be present. Similarly, the need for a conductive lead or trace for that signal from a pad at the perimeter of the chip 200 to the receiving circuit portion 230 is also eliminated. Eliminating these traces is particularly beneficial when the signal to be communicated or transferred between chips is generated in the interior portion of the chip.
  • the chip space that would be otherwise used to conduct the signal to the contact pad at the perimeter of the chip may then be used for other circuit elements.
  • One application of such a design is to provide access to a signal in a remote area of a memory cell. Other applications will be apparent to those familiar with the design of semiconductor devices.
  • the first circuitry 110 surrounding the transmitting circuit portion 130, and the second circuitry 210 surrounding the receiving circuit portion 230 are designed to minimize the RF or other electromagnetic radiation from those circuits. Significant electromagnetic radiation from the circuitry 110, 210 surrounding the transmitting circuit portion 130 and the receiving circuit portion 230 may interfere with the desired electromagnetic radiation used for communicating information between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions.
  • the transmitting circuit portion 130 and the receiving circuit portion 230 may be an RF oscillator.
  • Figure 3a shows an NPN Hartley oscillator that may be used in the transmitting circuit portion 130.
  • the NPN Hartley oscillator is simple and easy to design into a microelectronic circuit.
  • Figure 3b shows an NPN Colpitts oscillator that may also be used in the transmitting circuit portion 130.
  • the NPN Colpitts oscillator may be particularly beneficial for use in circuits in which oscillation frequencies of greater than 10 MHz are desired.
  • the Hartley and Colpitts oscillators, as well as other oscillators that may also be incorporated into the circuit design, are well understood in the art.
  • a simple detector / demodulator that may be used in the receiving circuit portion 230 is shown in Figure 4.
  • the receiving circuit portion 230 is tuned to the frequency of the oscillator of the corresponding transmitting circuit portion 130.
  • This and other detectors / demodulators are also well understood by those skilled in the art.
  • Certain applications may include more than one pair of transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230.
  • Each additional pair of such circuit portions provides an additional wireless communication link between the chips for an additional signal.
  • Each additional pair of transmitting circuit portion 130 and receiving circuit portion 230 may use a slightly different transmission frequency to minimize cross-talk between the wireless communication links. Such different transmission frequencies may be obtained by tuning the oscillators of each transmitting circuit portion 130 to oscillate at a different frequency. The corresponding receiving circuit portions 230 also are then tuned to such different frequencies.
  • a network of chips having wireless communication links may include more than two chips.
  • three chips may be stacked so that the middle chip can transfer signals wirelessly with both the chip above it, and the chip below it.
  • additional chips may be used to form a network of three or more chips.
  • multiple pairs of transmitting / receiving circuit portions may be used in each pair of chips.

Abstract

A network of closely spaced integrated electronic circuits provides wireless communication of signals between the chips. A portion of a first of the integrated electronic circuits converts first electrical signals into electromagnetic radiation and emits such electromagnetic radiation. A portion of a second of the integrated electronic circuits, in close proximity to the portion of the first integrated electronic circuit, receives the emitted electromagnetic radiation. The second integrated electronic circuit converts the received electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals. The second chip decodes the electromagnetic radiation to recover the information. Preferably, the electromagnetic radiation is radio frequency radiation. The step of emitting the electromagnetic radiation may include modulating the information onto a radio frequency carrier wave to form a radio frequency signal. Decoding the received electromagnetic radiation includes demodulating the modulated radio frequency signal.

Description

WIRELESS INTER-CHIP COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to communicating information between semiconductor integrated circuits.
Electronic devices often include multiple integrated circuits. Typically, these integrated circuits must transfer information among themselves. Such inter-chip communication is typically implemented using the physical wire connections between the chips.
A typical semiconductor chip includes a portion containing microelectronic circuitry. Generally, that portion occupies most of the central portion of the chip. Surrounding the circuitry portion, near the periphery of the chip, is a plurality of contact pads. The pads are where wires are connected to the semiconductor chip. Wires connected to the pads provide the paths for data or information to be transferred into and out of the chip. Each pad is connected to the microelectronic circuitry portion of the chip via a conductive path or trace in the chip.
Each integrated circuit may be mounted in a lead frame, a multi-chip module, or other mounting and packaging system. The lead frame or other mounting and packaging includes the conductors that contact the pads on the chip.
Transferring signals, or communicating, between different integrated circuits has required a wire connection between those circuits. Conventionally, one end of the wire connection contacts a pad on one chip. The other end of the wire connection contacts a pad on the other chip. Many specific technologies provide such wire connections. In many applications, the semiconductor chip is mounted in a lead frame that includes the wires that contact the pads. Other packaging technologies provide other types of wires or electrical conductors that contact the pads on the chip. Each of the physical connections between chips requires conductive wire between the chips as well as a pad on the chip to which the wire connection may be attached. The pads for wire contact are typically fabricated at the perimeter of the chip.
Those pads may consume a large portion of the available space on the chip. The pads must be fairly large relative to the size of the chip. Ample size is necessary to physically accommodate the connection to the conductive wire.
Additionally, if a connection to a portion of the circuitry that happens to be in or near the central portion of the chip is required, a conducting portion of the chip must convey the signal to the perimeter of the chip where it can be attached to a pad.
Providing such a conductor on a semi-conductor chip consumes additional "real estate" or space on the chip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide electrical connections between nearby or adjacent integrated circuits.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection between integrated circuits that uses a minimum of chip space.
It is an object of the present invention to provide signal communication between integrated circuits in a network with minimal wire routing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide inter-chip communication between circuits at the interior portion of the chips.
The present invention comprises a network of closely spaced integrated electronic circuits. A portion of a first of the integrated electronic circuits converts electrical signals into electromagnetic radiation and emits such electromagnetic radiation. A portion of a second of the integrated electronic circuits, in close proximity to the portion of the first integrated electronic circuit, receives the emitted electromagnetic radiation. The second integrated electronic circuit converts the received electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals. Preferably, the electromagnetic radiation is radio frequency radiation.
The method of the present invention includes the transfer of information from a first integrated circuit chip to a second integrated circuit chip. The method includes emitting from the first chip electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the information to be transferred. The second chip receives the electromagnetic radiation from the first chip and decodes the electromagnetic radiation to recover the information. The step of emitting the electromagnetic radiation may include modulating the information onto a radio frequency carrier wave to form a radio frequency signal. The step of decoding the received electromagnetic radiation would then include demodulating the modulated radio frequency signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figures 1a and 1b are top plan representations of a pair of semiconductor chips constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the chips of Figure 1, arranged in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figures 3a and 3b illustrate two simple exemplary implementations for generating a radio frequency signal in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates a simple exemplary implementation for detecting and decoding a radio-frequency signal in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFFERED EMBODIMENT Two representative integrated circuit (IC) chips 100, 200, shown in Figures 1a and 1 b, may be used in a network of interrelated integrated circuits. Figure 1a shows an exemplary first integrated circuit chip 100. The first integrated circuit chip 100 may be fabricated using silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs), or other semiconductor materials suitable for manufacturing microelectronic circuits. The design and fabrication of semiconductor microelectronic circuitry on such chips is well understood in the semiconductor industry. The first chip 100 includes a circuit portion 110 and a plurality of contact pads
120. The circuit portion 110 includes a multiplicity of transistors (not shown) designed and formed using conventional design and manufacturing techniques. Conductive leads connect the circuit portion 110 to the contact pads 120. Only one exemplary lead 112 is shown in Figure 1a. The conductive leads or traces 112 connecting the circuitry 110 to the corresponding pads 120 are constructed in a conventional manner. The traces 112 conduct signals between the circuitry 110 and the contact pads 120. The contact pads 120 provide external access to chip signals. As is conventional in the semiconductor industry, the contact pads 120 may be arranged around the perimeter of the chip. When the chip 100 is mounted in a lead frame (not shown), perimeter placement of the contact pads 120 simplifies connecting the wires of the lead frame to the chip. Placing the pads 120 near the chip perimeter also may facilitate contact with the electrical conductors used in other packaging technologies.
A similar integrated circuit 200 is shown in Figure 1b. The second chip 200 includes a microelectronic circuit 210. Contact pads 220 provide places for conductive wires to contact the integrated circuit chip 200. Conductive leads 222 (only one of which is shown) within the integrated chip 200 conduct signals between the circuitry 210 and the pads 220. Consistent with industry convention, the contact pads 220 are shown near the perimeter of the chip 200.
Consistent with standard microelectronic design, signals may be communicated from the circuitry 110 of the first chip 100 to the circuitry 210 of the second chip 200. In conventional designs, the lead 112 conducts the signal from the portion of the circuitry 110 in which the signal is generated to a predetermined one of the contact pads 120. One end of a wire is attached to the first chip pad 120. The other end of the conductive wire contacts an appropriate pad 220 on the second chip. The trace 222 conducts the signal from the pad 220 to the second chip circuitry 210. In accordance with the present invention, by contrast, a portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 and a portion 230 of the second circuitry 210 together provide a wireless communication link between the chips 100, 200. A transmitting circuit portion 130 is designed or configured to convert electrical signals in the first circuitry 110 into electromagnetic radiation. The transmitting circuit portion 130 thereby emits electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the signal in the first circuitry 110. The receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuitry 210 in the second chip 200 detects the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitting circuit portion 130, and converts received electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals to be processed by the second circuitry 210. When the first integrated circuit 100 and the second integrated circuit 200 are placed such that the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuit is in close proximity with the . radiation receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuit, information may be communicated or transferred from the first circuit to the second circuit.
As will be recognized and understood by those skilled in the art, a moving electrical charge (a current) generates a magnetic field. A moving magnetic field generates an electric field having a voltage, which can give rise to an electrical current. This pair of phenomena allows the electrical signals or the electrical effects in the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 to be wirelessly communicated to the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200. Prior efforts at wireless communication have pertained to propagating signals over a substantial distance. Such long distance wireless communication has required amplification provided by a resonant-length antenna, and resonant LC-circuits providing sufficient gain to permit the signal to be detected over the noise.
The near-field effects of electromagnetic effects between circuit elements have typically been regarded as undesirable. Thus, elaborate shielding and RF traps have been provided to eliminate the near-field electromagnetic effects.
The transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 converts electrical signals into electromagnetic radiation that corresponds to those signals. For example, the information of a first electrical signal may be modulated onto a radio frequency (RF) carrier wave generated by the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110. The receiving circuit portion 230 of the second circuitry 210, in close proximity to the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110, detects the emitted radiation. The detected radiation is converted to a second electrical signal for processing by the second microelectronic circuitry 210. In the example in which the information is modulated onto a radio frequency carrier signal, the receiving circuit portion 230 detects the radio frequency signal, and demodulates it to recover the information from the signal.
In a preferred form, the transmitting circuit portion 130 modulates or encodes the signal onto an RF carrier. The receiving circuit portion 230 then demodulates or decodes the information from the RF signal. Such encoding or modulation allows the receiving circuit portion 230 to distinguish the RF signals emanating from the transmitting circuit portion 130, and to distinguish those signals from the background noise.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that electrical currents from the transmitting circuit portion 130 may be inductively coupled to the receiving circuit portion 230. Similarly, voltages in the transmitting circuit portion 130 may be capacitively coupled to the receiving circuit portion 230. These electrical principles permit the information to be transferred between the chips 100, 200 wirelessly. Such wireless communication of information eliminates the need to provide pads on the two chips 100, 200 for the signal transfer, thus saving chip real estate on both integrated circuit chips.
Figure 2 shows the integrated circuit chips 100, 200 mounted in a stack so that the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 is in close proximity to the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first circuitry 110 is in a slightly different portion of the first chip 100 than is the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip 200. Thus, if the first and second chips 100, 200 were stacked and aligned exactly, the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 would not align, causing them to be farther apart than they would be if the chips 100, 200 were offset so that the transmitting and receiving portions 130, 230 were exactly aligned with one another. With the transmitting and receiving portions 130, 230 exactly aligned they are in closest proximity. At or near the closest proximity, there is an optimum of information or signal transfer between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230.
Those skilled in the art of semiconductor device packaging will recognize that several different mechanisms may be used to place the transmitting circuit portion 130 in close proximity to the receiving circuit portion 230. For example, each chip 100, 200 may be mounted in a lead frame on a circuit board, and the circuit boards stacked together. In such an arrangement it may be beneficial to reverse the boards relative one another so that the circuit portions 130, 230 are in closest proximity. The chips may be stacked directly on top of one another. Surface mount technology may also be used. Different packaging technologies are described in Reference Data for Engineers: Radio, Electronics, Computer, and Communications, Edward C. Jordan, Editor in Chief, Chapter 20 (Howard W. Sams & Co.), and The Electrical Engineering Handbook, Richard C. Dorf, Editor in Chief, Chapter 24 (CRC Press, Inc.).
How closely the receiving circuit portion 230 may be to the transmitting circuit portion 130 is a function of the distance over which the receiving circuit portion 230 may accurately detect and decode signals transmitted by the transmitting circuit portion 130. The receiving circuit portion 230 is preferably close enough to the transmitting circuit portion 130 that the receiving circuit portion 230 detects the radiation emitted by the transmitting circuit portion 130 without an antenna or amplification devices. In embodiments in which signals are inductively coupled from the transmitting circuit portion 130 to the receiving circuit portion 230, the spacing between the circuit portions 130, 230 is small enough so that an electromagnetic inductance appears in the receiving circuit portion 230 in response to a changing current in the transmitting circuit portion 130. Embodiments in which capacitive coupling occur have the transmitting and receiving circuit portions close enough that voltages may be capacitively coupled between the circuits.
The transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 are preferably approximately 1 cm apart. This spacing is consistent with placing the first chip 100 on the front side of a first circuit board (not shown), and the second chip 200 on the back side of an adjacent circuit board (not shown). The transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 may also be spaced approximately 2 - 3 cm apart. This spacing may be achieved by aligning the adjacent circuit boards so that the first chip 100 is on the front side of the first circuit board and the second chip 200 is also on the front side of the second circuit board. These spacings are consistent with conventional circuit board manufacturing techniques. The spacing between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230 should be less than 10 cm. At a spacing of 10 cm or greater, there is a high probability that the receiving circuit portion 230 will detect and process signals or other electromagnetic radiation that originates from a source other than the transmitting portion 130. In addition, at a larger distance, the signal to noise ratio becomes increasingly small, such that it is unlikely that the receiving circuit portion 230 will be able to correctly decode the transmitted information. In many applications, the greater the spacing between the transmitting circuit portion 130 of the first chip 100 and the receiving circuit portion 230 of the second chip
200, the greater the power that must be supplied to the transmitting circuit portion 130.
Therefore, design trade-offs may be required between the closeness of device spacing and the power consumption of the system.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that anistropic radiation from a transmission point yields a power relationship that is inverse to the cube of the distance from the transmission point (1/r3). Thus, for the transmitting circuit portion 230 to receive the same power level, the transmitting circuit portion 130 must emit eight times the power when the receiving circuit portion 230 is 2 cm from the transmitting circuit portion 130 as it does when the transmitting and receiving circuit portions are 1 cm apart. However, those skilled in the art will also recognize that each electrical conduit in the vicinity of the transmitting circuit portion 130 and the receiving circuit portion 230 affects the received power function. Therefore, each different design of the first circuitry 110 and the second circuitry 210 will yield a different power reception function. Consequently, each design of the first and second circuitry 110, 210 will require laboratory testing to identify the particular power transmission requirements for that combination.
As can be seen and recognized by those skilled in the art, the network described reduces, and in some instances, eliminates, the need to provide physical wire connections between the two chips 100, 200. Not only does this arrangement eliminate the need for an extra pad 120, 220 on each chip for such a wire connection, it also eliminates the need to provide a trace or conductive line from the transmitting circuit portion 130 to the perimeter of the chip, where a pad would be present. Similarly, the need for a conductive lead or trace for that signal from a pad at the perimeter of the chip 200 to the receiving circuit portion 230 is also eliminated. Eliminating these traces is particularly beneficial when the signal to be communicated or transferred between chips is generated in the interior portion of the chip. The chip space that would be otherwise used to conduct the signal to the contact pad at the perimeter of the chip may then be used for other circuit elements. One application of such a design is to provide access to a signal in a remote area of a memory cell. Other applications will be apparent to those familiar with the design of semiconductor devices.
As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the first circuitry 110 surrounding the transmitting circuit portion 130, and the second circuitry 210 surrounding the receiving circuit portion 230 are designed to minimize the RF or other electromagnetic radiation from those circuits. Significant electromagnetic radiation from the circuitry 110, 210 surrounding the transmitting circuit portion 130 and the receiving circuit portion 230 may interfere with the desired electromagnetic radiation used for communicating information between the transmitting and receiving circuit portions.
The specific design of the transmitting circuit portion 130 and the receiving circuit portion 230 will depend on the application to which the circuit is to be put. The transmitting circuit portion 130 may be an RF oscillator. Figure 3a shows an NPN Hartley oscillator that may be used in the transmitting circuit portion 130. The NPN Hartley oscillator is simple and easy to design into a microelectronic circuit. Figure 3b shows an NPN Colpitts oscillator that may also be used in the transmitting circuit portion 130. The NPN Colpitts oscillator may be particularly beneficial for use in circuits in which oscillation frequencies of greater than 10 MHz are desired. The Hartley and Colpitts oscillators, as well as other oscillators that may also be incorporated into the circuit design, are well understood in the art.
A simple detector / demodulator that may be used in the receiving circuit portion 230 is shown in Figure 4. Clearly, the receiving circuit portion 230 is tuned to the frequency of the oscillator of the corresponding transmitting circuit portion 130. This and other detectors / demodulators are also well understood by those skilled in the art. The specific frequency at which the oscillator of the transmitting circuit portion
130 operates will depend on the application, and the nature of the signals to be transmitted from the first chip 100 to the second chip 200.
Certain applications may include more than one pair of transmitting and receiving circuit portions 130, 230. Each additional pair of such circuit portions provides an additional wireless communication link between the chips for an additional signal. Each additional pair of transmitting circuit portion 130 and receiving circuit portion 230 may use a slightly different transmission frequency to minimize cross-talk between the wireless communication links. Such different transmission frequencies may be obtained by tuning the oscillators of each transmitting circuit portion 130 to oscillate at a different frequency. The corresponding receiving circuit portions 230 also are then tuned to such different frequencies.
In addition, those skilled in the art will recognize that a network of chips having wireless communication links may include more than two chips. For example, three chips may be stacked so that the middle chip can transfer signals wirelessly with both the chip above it, and the chip below it. Having been provided with the above description, those having skill in the art will be able to design a variety of specific embodiments and implementations. For example, additional chips may be used to form a network of three or more chips. In addition, multiple pairs of transmitting / receiving circuit portions may be used in each pair of chips. Thus, the above description is intended to be exemplary, and not limiting.

Claims

CLAIMSWE CLAIM:
1. A network comprising a plurality of integrated electronic circuits, wherein: a portion of a first of said integrated electronic circuits emits electromagnetic radiation; and a portion of a second of said integrated electronic circuits receives said emitted electromagnetic radiation and converts said electromagnetic radiation into electrical signals.
2. The network of Claim 1 , wherein said portion of said first integrated electronic circuit converts first electrical signals into said electromagnetic radiation.
3. The network of Claim 2, wherein said portion of said second integrated circuit converts said electromagnetic radiation into second electrical signals that correspond to said first electrical signals.
4. The network of Claim 3, wherein said portion of said first integrated electronic circuit is spaced less than 10 cm from said portion of said second integrated electronic circuit.
5. The network of Claim 4, wherein said electromagnetic radiation comprises radio frequency radiation.
6. A pair of interacting electronic devices, comprising: a first integrated circuit device, a portion of which comprises an RF transmitter; a second integrated circuit device, a portion of which comprises an RF receiver for receiving RF signals transmitted by said RF transmitter of said first integrated circuit.
7. The devices of Claim 6, wherein said RF receiver of said second integrated circuit is positioned less than 10 cm from said RF transmitter portion of said first integrated circuit.
8. The devices of Claim 7, wherein said RF receiver of said second integrated circuit is positioned less than 3 cm from said RF transmitter portion of said first integrated circuit.
9. A pair of integrated circuits, comprising: a first integrated circuit including a transmitting circuit portion, wherein the transmitting circuit portion is configured so that when a first electrical effect is generated in said transmitting circuit portion, said transmitting circuit portion emits electromagnetic radiation; and a second integrated circuit including a receiving circuit portion, wherein: said receiving circuit portion is spaced a few centimeters from said transmitting circuit portion of said first integrated circuit; said receiving circuit portion is configured so that said electromagnetic radiation emitted by said transmitting circuit portion causes a second electrical effect in said receiving circuit portion; and said second electrical effect corresponds to said first electrical effect.
10. The integrated circuits of Claim 9, wherein said first electrical effect comprises a first current, said second electrical effect comprises a second current, and said transmitting and receiving circuit portions inductively couple said first current to generate said second current.
11. The integrated circuits of Claim 9, wherein said transmitting and receiving circuit portions capacitively couple voltages caused by said first current to generate said second current.
12. A method of transferring a signal between first and second integrated circuits, the method comprising generating an electrical effect in a transmitting portion of said first integrated circuit; wirelessly coupling said first electrical effect to a receiving portion of said second integrated circuit to generate a second electrical effect in said second integrated circuit corresponding to said first electrical effect.
13. The method of Claim 12, wherein said first electrical effect comprises a first current, and said step of wirelessly coupling said first electrical effect to said second integrated circuit comprises inductively coupling said first current to said receiving portion of said second integrated circuit.
14. The method of Claim 12, wherein said first electrical effect comprises a first voltage, and said step of wirelessly coupling said first electrical effect to said second integrated circuit comprises capacitively coupling said first voltage to said receiving portion of said second integrated circuit.
15. A method of transferring information from a first chip to a second chip, the method comprising: emitting from said first chip electromagnetic radiation encoded with said information; receiving said electromagnetic radiation at said second chip, and decoding said electromagnetic radiation to retrieve said information.
16. The method of Claim 15, wherein said step of emitting radiation comprises directing a current through a transmitter portion of a circuit on said first chip, and said step of decoding said electromagnetic radiation comprises converting said received electromagnetic radiation into an electrical signal.
17. The method of Claim 15, wherein said step of emitting from said first chip electromagnetic radiation comprises modulating said information onto a radio frequency carrier wave to form a radio frequency signal, and said step of decoding said radiation comprises demodulating said modulated radio frequency signal.
PCT/US1998/026614 1997-12-22 1998-12-14 Wireless inter-chip communication system and method WO1999033108A1 (en)

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