High bandwidth passive switching current sensor
AssigneeATI Technologies ULC
InventorsFei Guo, Wei He, Yuhong Zhang, Mark Frankovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an printed circuit board on which an integrated circuit die is mounted, an array of plated through holes (PTHs) are formed which include conductive power and ground PTH structures which are connected to provide power and ground reference voltages to the integrated circuit die, and isolated current sensing PTH structures which are formed within sensing proximity to the conductive power and ground PTH structures for sensing current switching activity in the conductive power and ground PTH structures by inductively converting dynamic current changes in the conductive power and ground PTH structures into a measurable voltage signal.
Claims21
An electronic apparatus for sensing switching current noise in a power delivery network for an integrated circuit die comprising:
- an integrated circuit die comprising a plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection leads forming a power delivery network for the integrated circuit die, and
- a circuit substrate having the integrated circuit die disposed thereupon, the circuit substrate comprising:
- a plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures formed in the circuit substrate to be electrically connected, respectively, to the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection leads;
- and
- one or more electrically isolated current sensing structures formed in the circuit substrate within sensing proximity to the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures to sense current switching activity in the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures by inductively converting dynamic current changes in the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures into a measurable voltage signal.
A method for sensing switching current noise in a power delivery network for an integrated circuit die comprising:
- providing a circuit substrate that is affixed to an integrated circuit die such that a plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection leads from the integrated circuit die are electrically connected, respectively, to a plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures formed in the circuit substrate, where the circuit substrate further comprises one or more passive current sensing structures formed within sensing proximity to the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures;
- supplying reference voltages and input stimuli through the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures formed in the circuit substrate to activate the integrated circuit die;
- and
- sensing current switching activity in the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures by using the one or more passive current sensing structures to inductively convert dynamic current changes in the plurality of conductive power and/or ground connection structures into one or more measurable voltage signals.
A sensor for sensing switching current noise in a power delivery network for an integrated circuit die, the sensor comprising a plurality of current probe sensing conductors arrayed in relation to a plurality of power delivery conductors in the power delivery network to sense current switching activity in the plurality of power delivery conductors by inductively converting dynamic current changes in the plurality of power delivery conductors into one or more measurable voltage signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.