INDUCTIVELY COUPLED INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20090218657A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Application Number:
  US12/041,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20090218657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/531
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0068 in transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0075 using inductive coupling transformers or inductances adapted for inductive coupling H01F38/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

A circuit includes a first integrated circuit or die having a first circuit and a first inductive interface. A second integrated circuit or die includes a second circuit and a second inductive interface, wherein the first inductive interface and the second inductive interface are aligned to magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit and wherein the second inductive interface is coupled to engage in near field communications with a remote device, wherein the near field communications include second signals.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit having a first circuit and a first inductive interface; and

a second integrated circuit, coupled to the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit having a second circuit and a second inductive interface, wherein the first inductive interface and the second inductive interface are aligned to magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit and wherein the second inductive interface is coupled to engage in near field communications with a remote device, wherein the near field communications include second signals.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the first signals is magnetically communicated in a first frequency band and the near field communications are communicated in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the first inductive interface includes a first coil and the second inductive interface includes a second coil.

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein the second coil responds to both magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

5. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the second inductive interface serially engages in magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

6. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the second inductive interface contemporaneously engages in magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

7. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first inductive interface; and

a second integrated circuit die, coupled to the first integrated circuit die, the second integrated circuit having a second circuit and a second inductive interface, wherein the first inductive interface and the second inductive interface are aligned to magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit and wherein the second inductive interface is coupled to engage in near field communications with a remote device, wherein the near field communications include second signals.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the first signals is magnetically communicated in a first frequency band and the near field communications are communicated in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the first inductive interface includes a first coil and the second inductive interface includes a second coil.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the second coil responds to both magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the second inductive interface serially engages in magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 7 wherein the second inductive interface contemporaneously engages in magnetic communication of the first signals and the near field communications.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 7 further comprising:

a substrate coupled to support the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die, the substrate including a magnetic communication path aligned with the first inductive interface and the second inductive interface, to magnetically communicate the first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit.

14. A method comprising:

magnetically communicating first signals between a first integrated circuit and a second interface circuit via a first inductive interface and a second inductive interface; and

engaging in near field communications via the second inductive interface with a remote device, wherein the near field communications include second signals.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first signals are magnetically communicated in a first frequency band and the near field communications are communicated in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the engaging in the near field communications is performed serially to the magnetic communication of the first signals.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the engaging in the near field communications is performed contemporaneously to the magnetic communication of the first signals.

18. A method comprising:

magnetically communicating first signals between a first integrated circuit die and a second interface circuit die via a first inductive interface and a second inductive interface; and

engaging in near field communications via the second inductive interface with a remote device, wherein the near field communications include second signals.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first signals are magnetically communicated in a first frequency band and the near field communications are communicated in a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the engaging in the near field communications is performed serially to the magnetic communication of the first signals.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the engaging in the near field communications is performed contemporaneously to the magnetic communication of the first signals.