A three-dimensional integrated circuit of an ultrasonic transceiver system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of three-dimensional integrated circuits of ultrasonic transceiver system, belong to three-dimensional integrated microsystem technical field, including MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer and ultrasonic sensor layer in vertical direction from bottom to top sequentially stacked;Electrical connection and mechanical support are realized between adjacent layers by interconnection structure.The application adopts vertical stacked three-dimensional structure, MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer and ultrasonic sensor layer are sequentially stacked arrangement, compared with single board plane layout, can greatly reduce the projection area of circuit board, improves integration;By the physical layering isolation of MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer and ultrasonic sensor layer, the propagation path of digital noise to analog channel through common impedance is blocked;The high-voltage pulse of transmitting circuit and the weak echo signal of receiving circuit are separated in space, so as to improve the anti-interference ability and detection precision of system;Three-layer structure is independent of each other, and can be designed, tested and optimized respectively, which is convenient for debugging and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of three-dimensional integrated microsystems technology, specifically relating to a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasonic testing technology is widely used in medical imaging, industrial non-destructive testing, and flow measurement, and continues to evolve towards wearable, miniaturized, and integrated designs. Traditional ultrasonic transceiver systems often employ a single PCB board integration design, placing the MCU, transmitting circuit, receiving circuit, and ultrasonic sensor all on the same plane. This single-board integration method has the following main problems: The system has a large projected area: all components need to be arranged on the same plane, making it difficult to compress the overall size of the circuit board, which cannot meet the requirements of portable and wearable ultrasound devices for small size.

[0003] Inconvenient debugging and maintenance: In single-board design, if any circuit has a design defect or hardware failure, the entire circuit board must be replaced, which significantly extends the development cycle and increases maintenance costs.

[0004] Severe signal interference: High-frequency noise generated by digital circuits such as MCUs can easily couple to analog circuits through the traces. In particular, there is a lack of effective isolation between the high-voltage pulse of the transmitting circuit and the weak echo signal of the receiving circuit, which leads to a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio and directly affects the detection accuracy.

[0005] Poor reliability: The vibration of the ultrasonic sensor will cause mechanical stress to other electronic components, and the heat generated by other electronic components during operation will also have a reaction effect on the ultrasonic sensor. The two interfere with each other, which can easily lead to system performance degradation or failure under long-term operation.

[0006] Therefore, how to achieve miniaturization, low noise, and high maintainability of ultrasonic transceiver circuit systems while ensuring detection performance is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system. The technical problem to be solved by this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: This invention provides a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system, comprising: A vertically stacked MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer, and ultrasonic sensor layer are arranged from bottom to top. The MCU layer and the transceiver circuit layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a first interconnect structure; the transceiver circuit layer and the ultrasonic sensor layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a second interconnect structure. The MCU layer is used to generate control signals and power the ultrasonic transceiver system. The transceiver circuit layer is used to convert control signals into drive signals; The ultrasonic sensor layer is used to emit ultrasonic waves under the drive of a driving signal; it is also used to receive the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves and transmit the received echo signal to the transceiver circuit layer. The transceiver circuit layer is also used to amplify and filter the echo signal, and transmit the processed echo signal to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer to realize the transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, either the first interconnect structure or the second interconnect structure includes: Pin headers, board-to-board connectors, or hexagonal copper pillars.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the MCU layer includes a main control chip and a minimum system unit; The minimum system unit includes: Crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface and LDO circuit; The main control chip is electrically connected to the crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface, LDO circuit, and the first interconnection structure.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transceiver circuit layer includes a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit; the transmitting circuit is disposed on one side of the transceiver circuit layer, and the receiving circuit is disposed on the other side of the transceiver circuit layer.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the transmitting circuit includes a boost circuit and a drive signal generating circuit; The input terminal of the boost circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the drive signal generation circuit; the input terminal of the drive signal generation circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer. The receiving circuit includes: an analog switch, a protection circuit, an amplifier circuit, and a filter circuit; The analog switch, the protection circuit, the amplification circuit, and the filter circuit are electrically connected; The first end of the analog switch is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the second interconnection structure, and the second end is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the first interconnection structure.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the transceiver circuit layer, the input terminal of the drive signal generation circuit is connected to the output terminal of the MCU layer, and the analog switch is controlled by the control signal generated by the MCU layer.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic sensor layer includes an ultrasonic sensor and an external interface; Wherein, the first end of the ultrasonic sensor is electrically connected to one end of the ultrasonic sensor layer and the second interconnection structure is fixed to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer; the second end and the third end are electrically connected to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer and the second interconnection structure is fixed to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer. The first end of the external interface is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnection structure fixed to the ultrasonic sensor layer, and the second end is electrically connected to the second end of the ultrasonic sensor.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, in an ultrasonic transceiver system, the control signal generated by the MCU layer is converted into a driving signal by the driving signal generating circuit to drive the ultrasonic sensor layer to emit ultrasonic waves; the ultrasonic sensor layer receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves, and the echo signal is processed by the receiving circuit and transmitted to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The solution provided by this invention employs a vertically stacked three-dimensional structure, sequentially arranging the MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer, and ultrasonic sensor layer. Compared to the traditional single-board planar layout, this significantly reduces the projected area of ​​the circuit board, improves integration, and facilitates the miniaturization of portable or wearable ultrasonic devices. This invention physically isolates the MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer, and ultrasonic sensor layer, blocking the propagation path of digital noise to the analog path through common ground impedance. In particular, the high-voltage pulse of the transmitting circuit and the weak echo signal of the receiving circuit are spatially separated, thereby improving the system's anti-interference capability and detection accuracy. This invention separates the ultrasonic sensor from other electronic components, placing them on different layers, avoiding the influence of ultrasonic sensor vibration on other electronic components, and also avoiding the influence of other electronic components' heat generation on the ultrasonic sensor. The three-layer structure used in this invention is independent of each other, allowing for separate design, testing, and optimization, facilitating debugging and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of an ultrasonic transceiver system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 The figure shows the experimental results of transmitting and receiving signals of a three-dimensional integrated circuit of an ultrasonic transceiver system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and marked in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0019] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0020] This invention provides a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it may include: The MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer, and ultrasonic sensor layer are stacked vertically from bottom to top. The MCU layer and transceiver circuit layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a first interconnect structure; the transceiver circuit layer and ultrasonic sensor layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a second interconnect structure. The MCU layer is used to generate control signals and power the ultrasonic transceiver system; The transceiver layer is used to convert control signals into drive signals; The ultrasonic sensor layer is used to emit ultrasonic waves under the drive of a driving signal; it is also used to receive the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves and transmit the received echo signal to the transceiver circuit layer. The transceiver circuit layer is also used to amplify and filter the echo signal, and transmit the processed echo signal to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer to realize the transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals.

[0021] Either the first interconnect structure or the second interconnect structure may include: Pin headers, board-to-board connectors, or hexagonal copper pillars.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the ultrasonic transceiver system. The following will combine... Figure 1 and Figure 2Each layer of the three-dimensional integrated circuit of the ultrasonic transceiver system is described in detail.

[0023] The MCU layer may include the main control chip and the minimum system unit; Among them, the smallest system unit, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it may include: Crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface and LDO circuit; The main control chip is electrically connected to the crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface, LDO circuit, and first interconnection structure.

[0024] The transceiver circuit layer may include a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit; the transmitting circuit is located on one side of the transceiver circuit layer, and the receiving circuit is located on the other side of the transceiver circuit layer.

[0025] Transmitting circuit, such as Figure 2 As shown, it may include a boost circuit and a drive signal generation circuit; The input terminal of the boost circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the drive signal generation circuit; the input terminal of the drive signal generation circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer. Receiver circuit, such as Figure 2 As shown, it may include: analog switches, protection circuits, amplifier circuits, and filter circuits; Electrical connections between analog switches, protection circuits, amplifier circuits, and filter circuits; The first end of the analog switch is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the second interconnection structure. The second end is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the first interconnection structure.

[0026] The input of the drive signal generation circuit is connected to the output of the MCU layer, and the analog switch is controlled by the control signal generated by the MCU layer.

[0027] Ultrasonic sensor layer, such as Figure 2 As shown, it may include an ultrasonic sensor and an external interface; The first end of the ultrasonic sensor is electrically connected to one end of the ultrasonic sensor layer, which is fixed to the second interconnection structure; the second end and the third end are electrically connected to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer, which is fixed to the second interconnection structure. The first end of the external interface is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnection structure fixed to the ultrasonic sensor layer, and the second end is electrically connected to the second end of the ultrasonic sensor.

[0028] In the ultrasonic transceiver system, the low-voltage control signal generated by the MCU layer is converted into a high-voltage drive signal by the drive signal generation circuit to drive the ultrasonic sensor layer to emit ultrasonic waves; the ultrasonic sensor layer receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves, and the echo signal is processed by the receiving circuit and transmitted to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer.

[0029] When the transmitting circuit drives the ultrasonic sensor to emit ultrasonic waves, the analog switch is turned off to prevent the high-voltage drive signal from affecting other parts of the receiving circuit; when the drive signal ends, the analog switch is turned on, and the receiving circuit is connected to the ultrasonic sensor to process the echo signal normally.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages: Reduce system projection area and improve integration: The embodiments of the present invention adopt a vertically stacked three-dimensional structure, in which the MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer and ultrasonic sensor layer are stacked in sequence. Compared with the traditional single-board planar layout, the projection area of ​​the circuit board can be greatly reduced, which is beneficial to the miniaturization of portable or wearable ultrasonic devices.

[0031] Effectively suppressing signal interference and improving the signal-to-noise ratio: This embodiment of the invention physically isolates the digital circuit (MCU layer), analog transceiver circuit (transceiver circuit layer), and sensor (ultrasonic sensor layer), blocking the propagation path of digital noise to the analog path through common ground impedance; in particular, the high-voltage pulse of the transmitting circuit and the weak echo signal of the receiving circuit are spatially separated, thereby improving the system's anti-interference capability and detection accuracy. Specifically, this embodiment of the invention separates the ultrasonic sensor from other electronic components, placing them on different layers, avoiding the influence of ultrasonic sensor vibration on other electronic components, and also avoiding the influence of other electronic components' heat generation on the ultrasonic sensor.

[0032] The modular design facilitates debugging and maintenance: the three-layer structure is independent of each other, allowing for separate design, testing, and optimization; when a layer of the ultrasonic transceiver system needs modification or replacement, other layers do not need to be altered, thus shortening the development cycle and reducing maintenance costs. Simultaneously, the ultrasonic sensor layer, as an independent module, allows for easy replacement of sensors of different frequencies or types according to different application scenarios, enhancing the system's flexibility and scalability.

[0033] Experimental results of transmitting and receiving signals from a three-dimensional integrated circuit in an ultrasonic transceiver system, as shown in the figure. Figure 3 As shown, the transmitted signal is generated by the transmitting circuit and is a rectangular wave with 10 cycles; the received signal is obtained by the receiving circuit after processing the original signal collected by the ultrasonic sensor, thus verifying that the three-dimensional integrated structure of the ultrasonic transceiver system provided in this embodiment of the invention can effectively realize the signal transmission and reception functions.

[0034] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "upper," "lower," "horizontal," "inner," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed when in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system, characterized in that, include: The MCU layer, transceiver circuit layer, and ultrasonic sensor layer are stacked vertically from bottom to top. The MCU layer and the transceiver circuit layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a first interconnect structure; the transceiver circuit layer and the ultrasonic sensor layer are electrically connected and mechanically supported by a second interconnect structure; wherein... The MCU layer is used to generate control signals and power the ultrasonic transceiver system. The transceiver circuit layer is used to convert control signals into drive signals; The ultrasonic sensor layer is used to emit ultrasonic waves under the drive of a driving signal; it is also used to receive the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves and transmit the received echo signal to the transceiver circuit layer. The transceiver circuit layer is also used to amplify and filter the echo signal, and transmit the processed echo signal to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer to realize the transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals.

2. The three-dimensional integrated circuit of the ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Either the first interconnect structure or the second interconnect structure includes: Pin headers, board-to-board connectors, or hexagonal copper pillars.

3. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The MCU layer includes a main control chip and a minimum system unit; The minimum system unit includes: Crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface and LDO circuit; The main control chip is electrically connected to the crystal oscillator, reset circuit, SWD program download circuit, USB interface, LDO circuit, and the first interconnection structure.

4. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transceiver circuit layer includes a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit; the transmitting circuit is disposed on one side of the transceiver circuit layer, and the receiving circuit is disposed on the other side of the transceiver circuit layer.

5. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmitting circuit includes a boost circuit and a drive signal generation circuit; The input terminal of the boost circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the drive signal generation circuit; the input terminal of the drive signal generation circuit is electrically connected to one end of the first interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer, and the output terminal is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnect structure fixed to the transceiver circuit layer. The receiving circuit includes: an analog switch, a protection circuit, an amplifier circuit, and a filter circuit; The analog switch, the protection circuit, the amplification circuit, and the filter circuit are electrically connected; The first end of the analog switch is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the second interconnection structure, and the second end is electrically connected to the other end of the transceiver circuit layer, which is fixed to the first interconnection structure.

6. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the transceiver circuit layer, the input terminal of the drive signal generation circuit is connected to the output terminal of the MCU layer, and the analog switch is controlled by the control signal generated by the MCU layer.

7. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic sensor layer includes an ultrasonic sensor and an external interface; Wherein, the first end of the ultrasonic sensor is electrically connected to one end of the ultrasonic sensor layer and the second interconnection structure is fixed to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer; the second end and the third end are electrically connected to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer and the second interconnection structure is fixed to the other end of the ultrasonic sensor layer. The first end of the external interface is electrically connected to one end of the second interconnection structure fixed to the ultrasonic sensor layer, and the second end is electrically connected to the second end of the ultrasonic sensor.

8. A three-dimensional integrated circuit for an ultrasonic transceiver system according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the ultrasonic transceiver system, the control signal generated by the MCU layer is converted into a drive signal by the drive signal generation circuit to drive the ultrasonic sensor layer to emit ultrasonic waves; the ultrasonic sensor layer receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic waves, and the echo signal is processed by the receiving circuit and transmitted to the external interface of the ultrasonic sensor layer.

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