IC HAVING AN RF BUS STRUCTURE

• US 20100022195A1
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: ROFOUGARAN, AHMADREZA (REZA)
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,497 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence

Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a die and a package substrate. The die includes circuit modules and an RF bus transceiver module and the package substrate includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area. The RF bus transceiver module includes a baseband processing module, a transmitter section, a receiver section, a transformer, an impedance matching circuit, and a transmission line. At least one of the transformer, the impedance matching circuit, and the transmission line is within the MEM area.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a plurality of circuit modules on a die;

a package substrate supporting the die, wherein the package substrate includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area;

a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver module on the die and associated with at least one of the plurality of circuit modules, wherein the RF bus transceiver module includes;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound bus data into an outbound bus symbol stream and to convert an inbound bus symbol stream into inbound bus data;

a transmitter section coupled to convert the outbound bus symbol stream into an outbound RF bus signal;

a receiver section coupled to convert an inbound RF bus signal into an inbound bus symbol stream;

a transformer having a differential winding and a single-ended winding, wherein the differential winding is coupled to at least one of the transmitter section and the receiver section;

an impedance matching circuit coupled to the single-ended winding; and

a transmission line coupled to the impedance matching circuit, wherein at least one of the transformer, the impedance matching circuit, and the transmission line is within the MEM area.

2. The IC of claim 1, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises at least one of:

an inductor; and

a capacitor.

3. The IC of claim 2 further comprises:

at least one of the transformer, the inductor, the capacitor, and the transmission line having a three-dimensional shape within the MEM area.

4. The IC of claim 3 further comprises:

the transmission line having a three dimensional shape approximating a coaxial cable.

5. The IC of claim 2, wherein the transformer comprises at least one of:

an air core; and

a magnetic core.

6. The IC of claim 2 further comprises at least one of:

the transmitter section including at least one of an RF transmit filter and a transmit oscillator;

the receiver section including at least one of an RF receive filter and a receive oscillator; and

the package substrate including a second MEM area, wherein at least one of the RF transmit filter, the transmit oscillator, the RF receive filter, and the receive oscillator is located within the second MEM area.

7. An integrated circuit (IC) comprises:

a plurality of circuit modules on a die, wherein the die includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area;

a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver module on the die and associated with at least one of the plurality of circuit modules, wherein the RF bus transceiver module includes;

a baseband processing module coupled to convert outbound bus data into an outbound bus symbol stream and to convert an inbound bus symbol stream into inbound bus data;

a transmitter section coupled to convert the outbound bus symbol stream into an outbound RF bus signal;

a receiver section coupled to convert an inbound RF bus signal into an inbound bus symbol stream;

a transformer having a differential winding and a single-ended winding, wherein the differential winding is coupled to at least one of the transmitter section and the receiver section;

an impedance matching circuit coupled to the single-ended winding; and

a transmission line coupled to the impedance matching circuit, wherein at least one of the transformer, the impedance matching circuit, and the transmission line is within the MEM area.

8. The IC of claim 7, wherein the impedance matching circuit comprises at least one of:

an inductor; and

a capacitor.

9. The IC of claim 7 further comprises:

at least one of the transformer, the inductor, the capacitor, and the transmission line having a three-dimensional shape within the MEM area.

10. The IC of claim 9 further comprises:

the transmission line having a three dimensional shape approximating a coaxial cable.

11. The IC of claim 7, wherein the transformer comprises at least one of:

an air core; and

a magnetic core.

12. The IC of claim 7 further comprises at least one of:

the transmitter section including at least one of an RF transmit filter and a transmit oscillator;

the receiver section including at least one of an RF receive filter and a receive oscillator; and

the die including a second MEM area, wherein at least one of the RF transmit filter, the transmit oscillator, the RF receive filter, and the receive oscillator is located within the second MEM area.