Semiconductor Module Customization via Selective Functional Block Activation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing of semiconductor products in application-specific formats leads to complex logistics, high manufacturing costs, and inefficiencies due to the need for separate stockkeeping units and administrative overhead, as well as limitations in upgrading or downgrading features, which restrict customer flexibility and increase waste.

Innovation Solution

A customizable semiconductor product with dynamically enabled or disabled functional modules, allowing configuration changes post-delivery through a customizing unit that activates or deactivates specific blocks based on a customizing data structure, enabling flexible configurations and reducing manufacturing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If semiconductor products are manufactured in application-specific formats, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and logistics complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct reliabilityVSAvoidlogistics complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal semiconductor product platform that can be configured for multiple applications through a customizing unit. The product includes a plurality of functional blocks that can be selectively activated or deactivated based on the desired application, allowing a single product design to serve multiple purposes rather than requiring separate application-specific versions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic configurability through a customizing unit that can change the operational state of functional blocks after manufacturing. This allows the product to adapt its configuration based on the intended application, transitioning from a static application-specific design to a dynamic multi-purpose platform

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If semiconductor products are manufactured in application-specific formats, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct configuration precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-configures multiple functional blocks into the semiconductor product during manufacturing, but keeps them in a deactivated state by default. The actual application-specific configuration is activated later through the customizing unit, allowing standardized manufacturing processes to produce versatile products without requiring post-manufacturing customization for each application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters of functional blocks through the customizing unit, which can activate or deactivate specific blocks based on the desired application. This allows the same physical product to operate with different functional configurations without requiring separate manufacturing processes for each application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If semiconductor products are manufactured in application-specific formats, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of substance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct specification precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal product platform that can serve multiple applications, eliminating the need to manufacture separate products for each application. This reduces manufacturing waste by producing a single versatile product type rather than multiple application-specific variants, while still achieving precise configuration for each intended use through the customizing unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If semiconductor products are manufactured in application-specific formats, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication-specific reliabilityVSAvoidproduct flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic configurability that allows the product to be adapted to different applications through the customizing unit. This maintains reliability for each specific application while significantly improving ease of operation, as customers can select and configure the appropriate functional blocks for their needs rather than being locked into a pre-determined application-specific design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4254249A1Customizing a semiconductor product
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD
  • EP4254249A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4254249A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4254249A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A semiconductor product being convertible or converted from a customizable configuration into a selectable or selected one of a plurality of different customized configurations, wherein the semiconductor product comprises a customizing unit configured for customizing the semiconductor product into one of the customized configurations selected by a received customizing data structure specifying a selected application of the semiconductor product, and a plurality of functional blocks each configured for providing an assigned functionality and all being deactivated when the semiconductor product is not in one of the customized configurations, wherein the customizing unit is configured for activating only a subgroup of the functional blocks based on the received customizing data structure.