Electromagnetically coupled interconnect system architecture

• US 20020186106A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Charles A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/247
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/366 substantially perpendicularly to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An electromagnetic interconnect method and apparatus effects contactless, proximity connections between elements in an electronics system. Data to be communicated between elements in an electronic system are modulated into a carrier signal and transmitted contactlessly by electromagnetic coupling. The electromagnetic coupling may be directly between elements in the system or through an intermediary transmission medium.

Claims

1. An electronics system comprising:

a printed circuit board including a transmission line,

a semiconductor substrate mounted on said printed circuit board,

a first integrated circuit formed on a first surface of said semiconductor substrate,

a first electromagnetic coupler in electrical communication with said first integrated circuit, said first electromagnetic coupler spaced from said transmission line in sufficient proximity to said transmission line to be electromagnetically coupled to said transmission line, whereby data provided to said first electromagnetic coupler is contactlessly communicated to said transmission line,

a second integrated circuit formed on a second surface of said semiconductor substrate, and

a second electromagnetic coupler in electrical communication with said second integrated circuit, said second electromagnetic coupler spaced from said first electromagnetic coupler in sufficient proximity to said first electromagnetic coupler to be electromagnetically coupled to said first electromagnetic coupler, whereby data provided to said first electromagnetic coupler is contactlessly communicated to said second electromagnetic coupler.