By Valerie Coffey
A new stackable interconnect design is now available for licensing. Independent inventor Troy Watson has announced the issuing of U.S. patent number 6,942,494 for a new type of connector that embeds active devices within the connector array. The embedding of active circuits into a connector array buffers, adapts, and interfaces signals between high-density arrays. Layered arrays enable stacking of signal-processing functions. To provide additional filtering and resistive termination, the active components can be combined with passive devices, as described in U.S. patent 6,517,383.
The new patent describes a method to flexibly interconnect and interface signals between electronic devices and systems. Versatile electronic systems can be configured to interface high-density, digital, RF, analog, and specialty circuits. High-density interconnects, such as ball-grid-array devices, can be interfaced with additional signal processing or signal-conditioning functions. While patent number 6,942,494 describes the incorporation of active devices into an array, the patent 6,517,383 describes the incorporation of passive devices into an array. The active devices of patent ‘494 can include electronic die or be comprised of modules with circuits imprinted on the surface. Circuits of bipolar, CMOS, silicon, gallium arsenide, or other technologies can be intermixed to conform to the requirements of the interface.
 FIGURE: In a proof of concept for the patented active stackable interconnect, four layers of arrays are stacked to facilitate signal processing of sensor-arrays. |
The passive devices of ‘383 can perform filtering and signal termination functions and incorporate series resistance into any of the signal paths. The design allows for stacking of multiple units to provide short, low-inductive interconnect paths between the adjacent interface connector arrays. This stacking provides for short interconnections and can increase high-frequency response, decrease signal loss, and improve the signal-to-noise merit.
A potential application of this technology includes processing of signals from sensor arrays (see Fig.). A distributed sensor array can be comprised of, for example, biological, chemical, acoustic, photonic, magnetic, capacitive, or other types of miniature sensors or combinations of sensor types. Signals from the top-level sensor array are conditioned, buffered, level-shifted, and filtered prior to their input into an electronic device, such as a system-on-chip, system-on-package, multi-chip modules, field-programmable gate array, ASIC, or digital signal processing. The sensor information is processed and multiplexed onto the distributed network located within a flex circuit or flex cable. Many other applications can benefit from this methodology, such as an interface for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, between mixed-signal devices, to filter power and condition signals to high-density devices, or to buffer signals within busses.
According to the inventor, the interconnect design advances the current art of interfacing electronic packages and increases circuit integration through the ability to stack circuits. A means to implement mixed-signal electronic fabrication, this technology can be applied to RF, digital, analog, or linear applications. In addition, this technique not only can facilitate the interfacing of different technologies, it also has the potential to incorporate diverse sensor arrays into front-end electronics. Parties interested in licensing the technology should contact Troy Watson at troy@applitechaz.com.
