Semiconductor Device Pin Reduction Usability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices with reduced pin numbers face challenges in maintaining usability due to pin omission and degradation in access performance, particularly when using selectors that can alter the characteristics of analog signals or high-speed interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design where a semiconductor chip with electrode pads is packaged into packages with different numbers of pins, with specific electrode pads not being coupled to leads to prevent pin reduction, allowing for continuous operation of input/output ports with reduced pin counts without degrading usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electrode pads are arranged so as not to be coupled to pins to decrease the number of pins, then the pin number is reduced, but pin omission occurs in the arrangement of ports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrode pads into different groups: first electrode pads that are coupled to pins and second electrode pads that are not coupled to pins. This segmentation allows the semiconductor device to have reduced pin count while maintaining the functionality of ports through the uncoupled electrode pads, thereby resolving the contradiction between reducing pin number and maintaining usability
2Adaptability or versatility
If selectors are provided to exchange input/output ports with analog signals or high-speed interface circuits, then commonly-used pins can be used as input/output pins, but the characteristics of analog signals or high-speed interface circuits may change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the function of handling analog signals and high-speed interface circuits from the pin-coupled electrode pads and assigns them to uncoupled electrode pads. This extraction eliminates the need for selectors that could alter signal characteristics, while still providing adaptability through the flexible assignment of uncoupled electrode pads, thus resolving the contradiction between pin utilization flexibility and signal characteristics reliability
3Ease of operation
If multiple ports are combined to increase the number of bits for input/output, then pin omission is reduced, but access time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension by utilizing uncoupled electrode pads that are not tied to specific pins. This allows ports to maintain their bit width and access performance without being constrained by pin count limitations. The uncoupled electrode pads provide additional capacity in a different dimension (internal chip capacity rather than external pin capacity), resolving the contradiction between port functionality and access time
Data Source
AI summary
To enable a semiconductor device excellent in usability to be provided. A semiconductor device has a main surface surrounded by a plurality of sides, a semiconductor chip having a plurality of electrode pads arranged over the main surface, and a plurality of leads coupled to the electrode pads by way of wires respectively. The electrode pads include a plurality of first electrode pads supplied with a plurality of bits temporally in parallel. The first electrode pads include second and third electrode pads. A fourth electrode pad different from the first electrode pads is arranged between the second and third electrode pads.