SIGNAL TRASMISSION THROUGH LC RESONANT CIRCUITS

• US 20110090030A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: PAGANI, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/24.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/146 in combination with capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An embodiment of an electronic system includes a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit. The electronic system further includes a resonant LC circuit having a resonance frequency for coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit; each electronic circuit includes functional means for providing a signal at the resonance frequency to be transmitted to the other electronic circuit through the LC circuit and/or for receiving the signal from the other electronic circuit. The LC circuit also include capacitor means having at least one first capacitor plate included in the first electronic circuit and at least one second capacitor plate included in the second electronic circuit. The LC circuit further includes first inductor means included in the first electronic circuit and/or second inductor means included in the second electronic circuit. The at least one capacitor plate of each electronic circuit is coupled with the corresponding functional means through the possible corresponding inductor means.

Claims

1. An electronic system including a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit, a resonant LC circuit having a resonance frequency for coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit, each electronic circuit including functional means for providing a signal at the resonance frequency to be transmitted to the other electronic circuit through the LC circuit,

wherein the LC circuit includes capacitor means having at least one first capacitor plate included in the first electronic circuit and at least one second capacitor plate included in the second electronic circuit, first inductor means included in the first electronic circuit, the at least one capacitor plate of the first electronic circuit being coupled with the corresponding functional means through the inductor means.

2. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic circuit is integrated in a first chip and the second electronic circuit is integrated in a second chip distinct from the first chip, and wherein the inductor means and the capacitor means of each electronic circuit are integrated in the corresponding chip and/or included in a package embedding the corresponding chip.

3. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit are integrated in a first region and a second region, respectively, of a common chip, the first region being insulated from the second region.

4. The electronic system according to claim 1, further including at least one dielectric layer arranged between the at least one first capacitor plate and the at least one second capacitor plate.

5. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dielectric layer embeds conductive particles.

6. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one capacitor plate includes a conductive longitudinal strip, and a plurality of conductive transversal strips extending from the longitudinal strip.

7. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one capacitor plate has a non-planar structure with a plurality of depressions.

8. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one capacitor plate extends around the corresponding inductor means in plan view.

9. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein each electronic circuit includes the corresponding inductor means and further functional means for providing a further signal at a further frequency to be transmitted to the other electronic circuit and/or for receiving the further signal from the other electronic circuit, the further functional means being coupled with the corresponding inductor means for transmitting and/or receiving the further signal to the inductor means of the other electronic circuit by electromagnetic coupling, the further frequency being equal to or different from the resonance frequency.

10. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one first capacitor plate has a convex profile matching a concave profile of a corresponding second capacitor plate.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. A method for transmitting signals in an electronic system from a first electronic circuit to a second electronic circuit, wherein the method includes the steps of:

coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit through a resonant LC circuit having a resonance frequency,

transmitting a signal at the resonance frequency from the first electronic circuit to the second electronic circuit through the LC circuit, and

wherein the step of coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit through a resonant LC circuit includes;

coupling at least one first capacitor plate included in the first electronic circuit and at least one second capacitor plate included in the second electronic circuit to form capacitor means, the capacitor means with first inductor means included in the first electronic circuit and/or second inductor means included in the second electronic circuit forming the LC circuit.

14. An electronic system including a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit, a resonant LC circuit having a resonance frequency for coupling the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit, each electronic circuit including functional means for receiving a signal at the resonance frequency from the other electronic circuit through the LC circuit, wherein the LC circuit includes capacitor means having at least one first capacitor plate included in the first electronic circuit and at least one second capacitor plate included in the second electronic circuit, first inductor means included in the first electronic circuit, the at least one capacitor plate of the first electronic circuit being coupled with the corresponding functional means through the inductor means.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a first electronic circuit having a first signal node; and

a first conductive electrode coupled to the first signal node and operable to form a first capacitor with a second conductive electrode that is coupled to a second signal node of a second electronic circuit such that a first signal may propagate between the first and second signal nodes via the capacitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein the first electronic circuit has a third signal node; and

a third conductive electrode coupled to the third signal node and operable to form a second capacitor with a fourth conductive electrode that is coupled to a fourth signal node of the second electronic circuit such that a second signal may propagate between the third and fourth signal nodes via the second capacitor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an inductor serially coupled between the third signal node and the third conductive electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first conductive electrode comprises an interdigitated electrode.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first conductive electrode is nonplanar.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first conductive electrode is disposed within at least one trench.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a dielectric disposed adjacent to the first conductive electrode.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a dielectric disposed adjacent to the first conductive electrode, the dielectric including at least one electrically conductive particle.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a substrate; and

wherein the first conductive electrode protrudes from the substrate.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode;

wherein the inductor includes a winding; and

wherein the first conductive electrode is disposed over the winding.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode;

wherein the inductor includes a winding; and

wherein the first conductive electrode is disposed adjacent to the winding.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode;

wherein the inductor includes a winding having turns; and

wherein the first conductive electrode includes a portion disposed between the turns of the winding.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode; and

wherein the first conductive electrode includes a portion that is disposed around the inductor.

29. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode; and

wherein the first conductive electrode includes a portion that is disposed around the inductor.

30. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode and disposed around a portion of the first conductive electrode.

31. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a ferromagnetic material; and

an inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode and having a portion disposed around the ferromagnetic material.

32. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a semiconductor die; and

wherein the first electronic circuit and the first conductive electrode are disposed on the die.

33. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a substrate; and

wherein the first electronic circuit and the first conductive electrode are disposed on the substrate.

34. A system, comprising:

a first apparatus including

a first electronic circuit having a first signal node;

a first conductive electrode electrically coupled to the first signal node; and

a first inductor serially coupled between the first signal node and the first conductive electrode; and

a second apparatus including

a second electronic circuit having a second signal node; and

a second conductive electrode electronically coupled to the second signal node and forming a first capacitor with the first conductive electrode.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the second apparatus further includes a second inductor serially coupled between the second signal node and the second conductive electrode.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the second apparatus further includes a second inductor serially coupled between the second signal node and the second conductive electrode and magnetically coupled to the first inductor.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein:

the second electronic circuit further includes a third signal node; and

the second apparatus further includes a second inductor electrically coupled to the third signal node and magnetically coupled to the first inductor.

38. The system of claim 34 wherein the first and second apparatuses are disposed on a same integrated-circuit die.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the first and second apparatuses are disposed on respective integrated-circuit dies.

40. The system of claim 34 wherein the first and second apparatuses are disposed on a same substrate.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

43. The system of claim 34 wherein the first and second apparatuses are disposed on respective substrates.

44. The system of claim 34 wherein:

the first apparatus further includes

the first electronic circuit having a third signal node;

a third conductive electrode electrically coupled to the third signal node; and

the second apparatus further includes

the second electronic circuit having a fourth signal node; and

a fourth conductive electrode electronically coupled to the fourth signal node and forming a second capacitor with the third conductive electrode.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the first apparatus further includes a second inductor serially coupled between the third signal node and the third conductive electrode.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the second apparatus further includes a second inductor serially coupled between the fourth signal node and the fourth conductive electrode.

47. A method, comprising:

conducting a first signal having a first frequency with a first inductor and a first conductive electrode;

capacitively coupling the signal between the first conductive electrode and a second conductive electrode that forms a capacitor with the first conductive electrode, a resonant frequency corresponding to a combination of the inductor and the capacitor being approximately equal to the frequency of the signal.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

generating the signal with a first circuit that is disposed on first platform with, and that is electrically coupled to, the inductor and first conductive electrode; and

receiving the signal with a second circuit that is disposed on a second platform with, and that is electrically coupled to, the second conductive electrode.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

generating the signal with a first circuit that is disposed on a first platform with, and that is electrically coupled to, the second conductive electrode; and

receiving the signal with a second circuit that is disposed on a second platform with, and that is electrically coupled to, the inductor and first conductive electrode.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein conducting the signal comprises conducting the signal with a series combination of the inductor and the first conductive electrode.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising magnetically coupling the signal from the first inductor to a second inductor that is electrically coupled to the second conductive electrode, the resonant frequency corresponding to a combination of the first and second inductors and the capacitor being approximately equal to the frequency of the signal.

52. The method of claim 47, further comprising magnetically coupling the signal from the first inductor to a second inductor that is electrically uncoupled from the second conductive electrode.

53. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

conducting a second signal having a second frequency with a second inductor and a third conductive electrode; and

capacitively coupling the second signal between the third conductive electrode and a fourth conductive electrode that forms a second capacitor with the third conductive electrode, a second resonant frequency corresponding to a combination of the second inductor and the second capacitor being approximately equal to the second frequency of the second signal.

54. An apparatus, comprising:

a first electronic circuit having a first signal node;

an inductor having a first node coupled to the signal node and having a second node; and

a first conductive electrode coupled to the second node of the inductor and operable to form a first capacitor with a second conductive electrode that is coupled to a second signal node of a second electronic circuit such that a first signal may propagate between the first and second signal nodes via the inductor and capacitor.

55. An apparatus, comprising:

a first electronic circuit having first and second signal nodes;

a first conductive electrode coupled to the first signal node and operable to form a first capacitor with a second conductive electrode that is coupled to a third signal node of a second electronic circuit such that a first signal may propagate between the first and third signal nodes via the first capacitor;

an inductor having a first node coupled to the second signal node and having a second node; and

a third conductive electrode coupled to the second node of the inductor and operable to form a second capacitor with a fourth conductive electrode that is coupled to a fourth signal node of the second electronic circuit such that a second signal may propagate between the third and fourth signal nodes via the inductor and the second capacitor.