METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHIP-TO-CHIP COMMUNICATION VIA ON-CHIP LEAKY WAVE ANTENNAS

• US 20100311332A1
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roufougaran, Ahmadreza, Roufogaran, Maryam
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• 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 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/23 Combinations of reflecting surfaces with refracting or diffracting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

Methods and systems for chip-to-chip communication via on-chip leaky wave antennas are provided. In this regard, RF signals may be communicated between a first leaky wave antenna in a first integrated circuit and a second leaky wave antenna in a second integrated circuit, where the first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit are housed in a single integrated circuit package. The first integrated circuit and the second integrated circuit may be electrically isolated from one another. One or both of the first leaky wave antenna and the second leaky wave antenna may comprise a pair of coplanar conductive lines. Spacing between the coplanar conductive lines may be configured by applying a voltage which causes one or both of the coplanar conductive lines to deflect towards or away from the other one of the coplanar conductive lines.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

communicating RF signals between a first leaky wave antenna in a first integrated circuit and a second leaky wave antenna in a second integrated circuit, wherein said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit are housed in a single integrated circuit package.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit are electrically isolated from one another.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit is flip-chip-bonded to said single integrated circuit package.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said single integrated circuit package is affixed to a printed circuit board.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling a frequency of said RF signals based on an angle between said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna comprises a pair of coplanar conductive lines.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising controlling spacing between said coplanar conductive lines by applying a voltage which causes one or both of said coplanar conductive lines to deflect towards or away from the other one of said coplanar conductive lines.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna comprises a microstrip waveguide.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising controlling spacing between a conductive strip of said microstrip waveguide and a reference plane of said microstrip waveguide by applying a voltage which causes said conductive strip to deflect towards or away from said reference plane.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit comprise one or more additional leaky wave antennas for communicating with devices external to said single integrated circuit package.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits and/or processors for use in a device comprising a plurality of integrated circuits housed in a single integrated circuit package, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to;

communicate RF signals between a first leaky wave antenna in a first one of said plurality of integrated circuits and a second leaky wave antenna in a second one of said plurality of integrated circuits.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said first one and said second one of said plurality of integrated circuits are electrically isolated from one another.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit is flip-chip-bonded to said single integrated circuit package.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said single integrated circuit package is affixed to a printed circuit board.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to control a frequency of said RF signals based on an angle between said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein one or both of said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna comprises a pair of coplanar conductive lines.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to control said spacing between said coplanar conductive lines by applying a voltage which causes one or both of said coplanar conductive lines to deflect towards or away from the other one of said coplanar conductive lines.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or both of said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna comprises a microstrip waveguide.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to control spacing between a conductive strip of said microstrip waveguide and a reference plane of said microstrip waveguide by applying a voltage which causes said a conductive strip to deflect towards or away from said reference plane.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein one or both of said first integrated circuit and said second integrated circuit comprise one or more additional leaky wave antennas for communicating with devices external to said single integrated circuit package.