Stacked Inductive Chip Link via Symmetric Antenna Orientation

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing chip-on-chip technique faces challenges in establishing electrical connections between multiple chips in a package, leading to performance degradation and increased production costs, which the inductive chip link (ICL) aims to address by transmitting signals via radio waves, but requires optimization of signal intensity, transmission path, and antenna layout for practical application.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves configuring transmitting and receiving inductors in line symmetry to an axis of symmetry, with overlapping axes and specific orientations of stacked inductive chips to enable efficient signal transmission, allowing for both burst and bucket-brigade systems to manage signal intensity and distance effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If electrical connections are established by bumps alone in multi-chip packages, then device miniaturization is achieved, but performance decreases and production cost increases when more than two chips are accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidperformance

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical electrical connection system (bumps and bonding wires) with an electromagnetic field-based communication system. Inductive antennas on each chip transmit and receive signals wirelessly through electromagnetic induction, eliminating the need for physical electrical connections between chips while maintaining high-speed data transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Volume of moving object

If electrical connections are established by bumps alone in multi-chip packages, then device miniaturization is achieved, but production cost increases when more than two chips are accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical electrical connection system (bumps and bonding wires) with an electromagnetic field-based communication system. Inductive antennas on each chip transmit and receive signals wirelessly through electromagnetic induction, eliminating the need for physical electrical connections between chips while maintaining high-speed data transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If bonding wires are used to electrically connect stacked chips, then signal transmission is achieved, but device complexity and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal transmissionVSAvoidconnection structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical electrical connection system (bumps and bonding wires) with an electromagnetic field-based communication system. Inductive antennas on each chip transmit and receive signals wirelessly through electromagnetic induction, eliminating the need for physical electrical connections between chips while maintaining high-speed data transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Length of stationary object

If signal transmission distance is increased in ICL, then more chips can be connected, but signal intensity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal transmission distanceVSAvoidsignal intensity

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the spatial arrangement of inductive antennas in three-dimensional stacked configurations, utilizing vertical stacking to improve coupling between transmit and receive antennas. By carefully designing the vertical spacing and horizontal positioning of antennas across multiple chip layers, the system achieves effective signal transmission over the required distances within the compact package.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs signal modulation techniques and adjusts operating frequency parameters to maintain signal integrity over varying distances. By optimizing the resonant frequency of the inductive antennas and adjusting transmission power levels, the system adapts to different transmission distances while maintaining adequate signal intensity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration simplifies assembly, reduces production costs, eliminates the need for bonding wires, and enables high-speed, low-power data transmission over varying distances, effectively addressing the challenges of signal transmission in multi-chip packages.

Implementation Method 1

a technique of transmitting a signal between the stacked chips via radio has been developed as an improved CoC technique... because the signal is transmitted between the chips accommodated in a package by electromagnetic induction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS8338964B2Stacked-chip device

Publication Date: 2012.12.25 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

A stacked-chip device includes a first inductive chip having a first function, a second inductive chip having a second function different from the first function, which is stacked on the first inductive chip, and a third inductive chip having the second function, which is stacked on the second inductive chip. Each of the first, second and third inductive chips has transmitting inductors which transmit data and receiving inductors which receive data. The transmitting inductors and the receiving inductors are disposed in line symmetry to an axis of symmetry. The axes of symmetry of the first, second and third inductive chips are overlapped. Each of the second and third inductive chips is disposed in upside-down or back to front to the first inductive chip.