US 6,686,768 B2 · Electrically-programmable interconnect architecture for easily-configurable stacked circuit arrangements

Abstract

Ladder network comprises control terminals including at least ground terminal and master terminal, and slave terminals, each individually connected to ground terminal through fuse elements, respectively. The slave terminals are also sequentially linked, each to the next through antifuses, respectively. Master terminal is connected to slave terminal. By applying programming signals to control terminals, master terminal may be disconnected from ground terminal and sequentially connected to each slave terminal. Described ladder variations include segmented ladder, wherein master terminal can be sequentially connected to, and subsequently disconnected from, second conductors; hierarchical ladder network; and programmable SAW transducer. Finally, a programmable architecture based upon such ladder networks, suitable for incorporation within a configurable IC package, is described, including also a programmable contact structure if the package is stackable.

An electrically-programmable ladder network, having a first plurality of ladder control terminals and a second plurality of ladder rung or slave terminals, providing means whereby said slave terminals, and any circuitry connected thereto, may be electrically controlled through said control terminals;

wherein said control terminals, being advantageously fewer than said slave terminals, yet comprise at least a first ground terminal and a second master terminal;
wherein said ladder network has an initial, unprogrammed state;
wherein said ladder network also has a sequence of different programmed ladder states, each state defined by a different one of said slave terminals, said slave terminal being dominated by said master terminal in said state;
wherein said slave terminal, in said state, is the one programmably connected to said master terminal most recently, whereby said slave terminal is said to be dominated by said master terminal;
wherein said slave terminal is not connected to said ground terminal in said state;
wherein said ladder network may be programmably changed from each said state to the next, sequentially, in response to a plurality of predetermined ladder programming signals which may be transmitted to said ladder network through said ladder control terminals;
wherein said ladder network further comprises:
a plurality of composite programmable networks or C-nets, each individually and separately comprising:
an antifuse-like programmable network or A-net, itself individually and separately comprising:
a plurality of A-net terminals including at least first and second A-net terminals, through which said programming signals may be transmitted to said A-net;
wherein said first and second A-net terminals are not electrically connected together through said A-net prior to programming of said A-net;
and
a first passive electrically-programmable means, responsive to ones of said programming signals, whereby at least said first and second A-net terminals may be electrically connected to one another;
and
a fuse-like programmable network or B-net, itself individually and separately comprising:
a plurality of B-net terminals including at least first and second B-net terminals, through which said programming signals may be transmitted to said B-net;
wherein said first and second B-net terminals are electrically connected together through said B-net prior to programming of said B-net;
and
a second passive programmable means, responsive to ones of said programming signals, whereby at least said first and second B-net terminals may be electrically disconnected from each other;
wherein said second A-net terminal is connected to said second B-net terminal;
wherein said C-nets are linked together sequentially, forming a C-net chain;
wherein said C-net chain has a first end comprising said first A-net terminal of a first of said C-nets;
wherein the first A-net terminal of each successive C-net in said C-net chain is connected to the second A-net terminal of the preceding C-net;
and
wherein said C-net chain has a second end comprising said second A-net terminal of a last of said C-nets;
wherein the first B-net terminal of each C-net in said C-net chain is connected to said ground terminal;
wherein said master terminal comprises said first end of said C-net chain;
and
wherein said plurality of slave terminals comprises the second B-net terminal of each C-net in said C-net chain;
whereby in each said programmed ladder state, a plurality of ladder non-programming signals, to which said ladder network is unresponsive in said state, may be freely transmitted through said master terminal to its dominated slave terminal, and thereby to said circuitry connected thereto.

27 more elements

Description44,936 words

Summary8,381 words

#Not Applicable

#1. Field of Invention

Brief description of the drawings32 figures

#The described architecture is based on fuse elements and antifuse elements. As described in a preferred embodiment, four fuse types are distinguished; these are “tiny” fuses, “small” fuses, “large” fuses, and “trunk” fuses. According to a presently-preferred embodiment, only one type of antifuse is required.

#FIGS. 1a-g show the schematic symbols used herein for each of these most basic programmable elements.

#FIG. 1a is a diagram showing the schematic symbols used herein to indicate a tiny fuse element 2, in its unprogrammed(shorted) state 2a and its programmed(open) state 2b.

Detailed description34,970 words

#1,3,5,7

#Tiny fuses, in die isolation structure 12000, which connect die-attach contact points 51c, 53c, 55c, 57c, in a “die-included” programming scheme, to sixth conductor 96

Facts

Application

10/190,003Filed 5 Jul 2002 · us provisional application

Priority

5 Jul 2001

Published

US 2003/0052712 A120 Mar 2003

Granted

3 Feb 2004

Term ended

5 Jul 2022

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification8 codes

H03K 19/17736
Arranged in matrix form: structural details of routing resources
H03K 19/1778
Arranged in matrix form: structural details for adapting physical parameters
H10W 20/491
Adaptable interconnections, e.g. fuses or antifuses: antifuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from non-conductive to conductive
H10W 20/493
Adaptable interconnections, e.g. fuses or antifuses: fuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from conductive to non-conductive

Electrically-programmable interconnect architecture for easily-configurable stacked circuit arrangements

Life of this patent

Electrically-programmable interconnect architecture for easily-configurable stacked circuit arrangements

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims38

Description44,936 words

Drawings

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent

Description44,936 words