Hybrid ground grid for printed circuit board

• US 7,207,104 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Steinfeld, Robert, Lam, Cheung-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard; Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARPIO, IVAN HERNAN
• Application Number:
  US11/525,372
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• Field of Search: 174/255, 174/262, 174/261, 361/805, 361/795, 361/799, 298/25
• US Class Current: 29/825
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0219 Printed shielding conductors for shielding around or between signal conductors, e.g. coplanar or coaxial printed shielding conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09236 Parallel layout layout of balanced signal pairs H05K1/0245; superposed layout H05K2201/09672
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09972 Partitioned, e.g. portions of a PCB dedicated to different functions; Boundary lines therefore; Portions of a PCB being processed separately or differently
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Electrical mounting boards and methods for their fabrication and use are disclosed herein. In particular, such mounting boards embodiments utilize hybrid ground lines interconnected through a substrate core to form multilayer ground grids. Such hybrid ground lines include groups of substantially parallel ground lines configured such that the groups of ground lines are positioned in transverse arrangement with other groups of ground lines formed on the same level. Such implementations have many uses, including, but not limited to, the ability to more efficiently route signal lines and connect electrical components on a circuit board.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a circuit layout for an electrical mounting board, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having at least a first layer and a second layer separated by a substrate core layer;

forming a pattern of signal traces on the first layer;

forming a pattern of electronic component arrangements associated with the first layer;

forming a plurality of conductive electrical ground traces on the first layer of the substrate, the traces of the first layer being formed in at least two groups arranged in a hybrid configuration so that a first group of substantially parallel electrical ground traces is arranged in a transverse relationship with a second group of substantially parallel electrical ground traces, the lengths and positions of the ground traces being arranged to accommodate the pattern of signal traces formed on the first layer and arranged to accommodate the pattern of electronic component arrangements associated with the first layer;

forming a pattern of signal traces on the second layer;

forming a pattern of electronic component arrangements associated with the second layer;

forming a plurality of conductive electrical ground traces on the second layer of the substrate, the traces of the second layer being configured in at least two groups arranged in a hybrid configuration so that a third group of substantially parallel conductive electrical ground traces is arranged in a transverse relationship with a fourth group of substantially parallel conductive electrical ground traces, the lengths and positions of the ground traces being arranged to accommodate the pattern of signal traces formed on the second layer and arranged to accommodate the pattern of electronic component arrangements associated with the second layer; and

forming a set of electrically conductive interconnects that pass through the substrate core to electrically connect electrical ground traces of the first layer with electrical ground traces of the second layer to form a multi-layer ground grid having a plurality of ringlets.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical board comprises a two-layer board wherein the first layer comprises a top layer of the substrate and wherein the second layer comprises a bottom layer of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical board comprises a multi-layer board having at least three layers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of electrical ground traces of the first layer are formed over the plurality of electrical ground traces of the second layer to form a multi-layer ground grid having a plurality of ringlets configured so that the ringlets can be electrically connected with electronic components.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the set of electrically conductive interconnects comprises forming the interconnects by:

forming vias in the substrate core in the regions where the electrical ground traces of the first layer with electrical ground traces of the second layer;

filling vias with conducting materials thereby establishing electrical contact between the electrical ground traces of the first layer with electrical ground traces of the second layer to form a multi-layer ground grid having a plurality of ringlets.

6. The method of configuring a circuit layout of claim 1 further including:

forming another substrate core on the first layer;

forming a touch pad on a surface of the another substrate core.