Stacked Redundant IC Layout for Compact Safety Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Safety switching devices face challenges in achieving compactness, cost-effectiveness, and versatility due to complex design requirements for on-chip redundancy, which also limits their use in applications where on-chip redundancy is forbidden, such as non-contact protective devices.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using two separate semiconductor substrates stacked to form a single electronic component, where each substrate contains an independent signal processing channel, allowing for a simpler design and reduced production costs, while also enabling use in applications that prohibit on-chip redundancy systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If on-chip redundancy is used to achieve compactness and reduce production costs, then device complexity and manufacturing cost are reduced, but the device becomes unsuitable for applications where on-chip redundancy is not permitted and requires separate physical blocks for each channel
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate signal processing channels with distinct input and output paths, allowing each channel to be independently configured. This segmentation enables the device to adapt to different application requirements, including those that prohibit on-chip redundancy while maintaining the benefits of modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed with universal applicability across multiple protective device types by providing configurable signal processing channels that can be independently arranged. The separate channel architecture allows the same device to satisfy diverse regulatory requirements and application-specific constraints
2Reliability
If separate physical blocks are arranged with defined spacing to prevent mutual influence, then fail-safety is improved, but the chip design becomes more complex and requires higher area on semiconductor substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from planar chip layout to a three-dimensional stacked architecture, where signal processing channels are arranged in separate layers vertically. This dimensional change allows channels to be physically separated to prevent mutual influence while maintaining a compact overall footprint and simplifying channel isolation design
3Reliability
If exhaustive fault analysis is performed to ensure safe state for persons, then reliability is improved, but development time and production complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates fail-safe mechanisms and monitoring functions that are pre-configured during design and manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that the device can effectuate a safe state without requiring exhaustive fault analysis for each specific application, thereby reducing development time while maintaining high reliability
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic safety switching device comprising at least a first and a second signal processing channel to which input signals may be supplied for signal processing. The first and second signal processing channels provide processed output signals, wherein the first and the second signal processing channels process the supplied input signals redundantly with respect to one other. The first and the second signal processing channels are each formed as integrated circuits, wherein the first signal processing channel is arranged monolithically on a first semiconductor substrate, and the second signal processing channel is arranged monolithically on a second semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, the first and the second semiconductor substrates are combined into a stack to form a one-piece electronic component.