Reconfigurable processor module comprising hybrid stacked integrated circuit die elements
AssigneeArbor Company LLP
InventorsJon M. Huppenthal, D. James Guzy
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Abstract
A reconfigurable processor module comprising hybrid stacked integrated circuit (“IC”) die elements. In a particular embodiment disclosed herein, a processor module with reconfigurable capability may be constructed by stacking one or more thinned microprocessor, memory and/or field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) die elements and interconnecting the same utilizing contacts that traverse the thickness of the die. The processor module disclosed allows for a significant acceleration in the sharing of data between the microprocessor and the FPGA element while advantageously increasing final assembly yield and concomitantly reducing final assembly cost.
Claims60
A processor module comprising:
- at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array;
- and
- at least a second integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element.
A reconfigurable computer system comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory;
- and
- at least one processor module including at least a first integrated circuit functional element having a programmable array and at least a second integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element.
A processor module comprising:
- at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array;
- at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a processor stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element;
- and
- at least a third integrated circuit functional element including a memory stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array and said processor of said first and second integrated circuit functional elements respectively.
A programmable array module comprising:
- at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a field programmable gate array;
- and
- at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a memory array stacked with and electrically coupled to said field programmable gate array of said first integrated circuit functional element.
A reconfigurable processor module comprising:
- at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array;
- at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a processor stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element;
- and
- at least a third integrated circuit functional element including a memory stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array and said processor of said first and second integrated circuit functional elements respectively
- whereby said processor and said programmable array are operational to share data therebetween.
A programmable array module comprising:
- at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a field programmable gate array;
- and
- at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a memory array stacked with and electrically coupled to said field programmable gate array of said first integrated circuit functional element, said first and second integrated circuit functional elements being coupled by a number of contact points distributed throughout the surfaces of said functional elements.
A method of fabricating a programmable array module comprising:
- forming at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a field programmable gate array and a plurality of metal pads on a base wafer;
- forming a first epitaxial layer over the first integrated circuit functional element;
- and
- forming at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a memory array in the first epitaxial layer, the second integrated circuit functional element having a plurality of metal pads, at least one of which is in electrical contact with the metal pads of the first integrated circuit functional element.
A method of fabricating a processor module comprising:
- forming at least a first integrated circuit functional element such as a microprocessor on a base wafer;
- and
- using wafer processing techniques, forming at least a second integrated circuit functional element such as a field programmable gate array on the first integrated circuit functional element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.