Abstract:
An apparatus and a method for adding capacitance while conserving circuit board surface area. An apparatus for adding capacitance while conserving circuit board surface area includes a flex capacitor circuit with an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of conductive layers and an integrated-circuit (IC) device mounted on to the upper surface of the flex capacitor circuit and electrically connected to the flex capacitor circuit. The flex capacitor circuit is configured to provide bypass capacitance and, therefore, adds capacitance to the IC device when the IC device is mounted on the flex capacitor circuit.
Abstract:
The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.
Abstract:
A termination circuit changes impedance to match a transmission line impedance. The change is made after a signal driver applies a signal through the termination circuit to the transmission line but before a signal reflection returns from an end of the transmission line.
Abstract:
Provided circuit modules employ flexible circuitry populated with integrated circuitry (ICs). The flex circuitry is disposed about a rigid substrate. Contacts distributed along the flexible circuitry provide connection between the module and an application environment. A strain relief portion of the flex circuitry has preferably fewer layers than the portion of the flex circuitry along which the integrated circuitry is disposed and may further may exhibit more flexibility than the portion of the flex circuit populated with integrated circuitry. The substrate form is preferably devised from thermally conductive materials.
Abstract:
Abstract of the DisclosureIntegrated circuits (ICs) are stacked into modules that conserve PCB or other board surface area. The modules provide for lower capacitance memory signaling systems and methods for connecting stacked CSPs in a serial cascade arrangement. In one preferred embodiment, on-die terminations are used selectively to terminate a cascaded series of conductive paths. In another preferred embodiment, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in a broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design.
Abstract:
A termination circuit changes impedance to match a transmission line impedance. The change is made after a signal driver applies a signal through the termination circuit to the transmission line but before a signal reflection returns from an end of the transmission line.
Abstract:
The present invention stacks packaged integrated circuits into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The invention provides techniques and structures for aggregating chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) or leaded packages with other CSPs or with monolithic or stacked leaded packages into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The present invention can be used to advantage with CSP or leaded packages of a variety of sizes and configurations ranging from larger packaged base elements having many dozens of contacts to smaller packages such as, for example, die-sized packages such as DSBGA. In a preferred embodiment devised in accordance with the present invention, a base element IC and a support element IC are aggregated through a flex circuit having at least two conductive layers that are patterned to selectively connect the two IC elements. A portion of the flex circuit connected to the support element is folded over the base element to dispose the support element above the base element while reducing the overall footprint occupied by the two ICs. The flex circuit connects the ICs and provides a thermal and electrical connection path between the module and an application environment such as a printed wiring board (PWB). The present invention may be employed to advantage in numerous configurations and combinations in modules provided for high-density memories, high capacity computing, or applications where small size is valued.
Abstract:
The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. The form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access. This favorably changes the impedance characteristics exhibited by a DIMM board populated with stacked modules. In a preferred embodiment, FET multiplexers for example, under logic control select particular data lines associated with particular levels of stacked modules populated upon a DIMM for connection to a controlling chip set in a memory expansion system.
Abstract:
The RAMBUS compatible configuration of the present invention is achieved by stacking one of the two modules in the stacked configuration in an upside-down position with respect to the other. This way, the corresponding electrical leads of each memory module will extend on opposite sides of the stacked package and will be securably connected to vertical rails. The vertical rails are electrically and securably connected to the bonding pads which electrically connect to the RAMBUS signal channel. In this embodiment, the electrical leads of one memory module electrically connect to the signal channel at points located on one side of the stacked package and the electrical leads of the other memory module connect to the signal channel at points located on the opposite side of the stacked package. The resulting distance between the points of contact between corresponding leads of each memory module in the stacked package is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the RAMBUS signal channel. Therefore, two memory modules can be vertically stacked to achieve higher memory density and thereby conserve board space.
Abstract:
The present invention stacks packaged integrated circuits into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The present invention can be used to advantage with packages of a variety of sizes and configurations ranging from larger packaged base elements having many dozens of contacts to smaller packages such as, for example, die-sized packages such as DSBGA. In a preferred embodiment devised in accordance with the present invention, a base element CSP integrated circuit and a support element CSP integrated circuit are aggregated through a flex circuit having at least two conductive layers that are patterned to selectively connect the two CSP elements. A portion of the flex circuit connected to the support element is folded over the base element to dispose the support element above the base element while reducing the overall footprint. The flex circuit provides a thermal and electrical connection path between the module and an application environment such as a printed wiring board (PWB).