Reconfigurable processor module comprising hybrid stacked integrated circuit die elements

• US 7,282,951 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arbor Global Strategies LLC (Arbor Company, LLLP)
• Original Assignee: Arbor Company LLP
• Inventors: Huppenthal, Jon M., Guzy, D. James
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, DANIEL D
• Application Number:
  US11/383,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 257/686, 257/777, 257/778, 257/E21.614, 257/723, 438/108, 438/109, 326/38, 326/41
• US Class Current: 326/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7867 with reconfigurable architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05 of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06513 Bump or bump-like direct electrical connections between devices, e.g. flip-chip connection, solder bumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06517 Bump or bump-like direct electrical connections from device to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06524 Electrical connections formed on device or on substrate, e.g. a deposited or grown layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/50 Multistep manufacturing processes of assemblies consisting of devices, each device being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00 or H01L29/00 H01L21/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A reconfigurable processor module comprising hybrid stacked integrated circuit (“IC”) die elements. In a particular embodiment disclosed herein, a processor module with reconfigurable capability may be constructed by stacking one or more thinned microprocessor, memory and/or field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) die elements and interconnecting the same utilizing contacts that traverse the thickness of the die. The processor module disclosed allows for a significant acceleration in the sharing of data between the microprocessor and the FPGA element while advantageously increasing final assembly yield and concomitantly reducing final assembly cost.

Claims

1. A processor module comprising:

at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array that is programmable as a processing element; and

at least a second integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element wherein said first and second integrated circuit functional elements are electrically coupled by a number of contact points distributed throughout the surfaces of said functional elements and wherein said second integrated circuit includes a memory array functional to accelerate external memory references to the processing element.

2. The processor module of claim 1 wherein said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element comprises an FPGA.

3. The processor module of claim 1 wherein said processor of said second integrated circuit functional element comprises a microprocessor.

4. The processor module of claim 1 further comprising:

at least a third integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to at least one of said first or second integrated circuit functional elements.

5. A reconfigurable computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

at least one processor module including at least a first integrated circuit functional element having a programmable array that is programmable as a processing element and at least a second integrated circuit functional element that includes a memory array stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element wherein said memory array is functional to accelerate external memory references to the processing element.

6. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element comprises an FPGA.

7. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said processor of said second integrated circuit functional element comprises a microprocessor.

8. The computer system of claim 5 further comprising:

at least a third integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to at least one of said first or second integrated circuit functional elements.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said third integrated circuit functional element comprises a memory.

10. A processor module comprising:

at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array;

at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a processor stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element; and

at least a third integrated circuit functional element including a memory stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array and said processor of said first and second integrated circuit functional elements respectively wherein said memory is functional to accelerate external memory references to said programmable array.

11. The processor module of claim 10 wherein said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element comprises an FPGA.

12. The processor module of claim 10 wherein said processor of said second integrated circuit functional element comprises a microprocessor.

13. The processor module of claim 10 wherein said memory of said third integrated circuit functional element comprises a memory array.

14. The processor module of claim 10 wherein said programmable array is reconfigurable as a processing element.

15. The processor module of claim 10 wherein said first, second and third integrated circuit functional elements are electrically coupled by a number of contact points distributed throughout the surfaces of said functional elements.

16. A programmable array module comprising:

at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a field programmable gate array that is programmable to include a processing element; and

at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a memory array stacked with and electrically coupled to said field programmable gate array of said first integrated circuit functional element wherein said memory array is functional to accelerate external memory references to the processing element.

17. The programmable array module of claim 16 wherein said memory array is functional to accelerate reconfiguration of said field programmable gate array as said processing element.

18. A reconfigurable processor module comprising:

at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a programmable array, said programmable array including a processing element;

at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a processor stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element; and

at least a third integrated circuit functional element including a memory stacked with and electrically coupled to said programmable array and said processor of said first and second integrated circuit functional elements respectively

whereby said processor and said programmable array are operational to share data therebetween and wherein said memory is functional to accelerate external memory references to the processing element.

19. The reconfigurable processor module of claim 18 wherein said memory is operational to at least temporarily store said data.

20. The reconfigurable processor module of claim 18 wherein said programmable array of said first integrated circuit functional element comprises an FPGA.

21. The reconfigurable processor module of claim 18 wherein said processor of said second integrated circuit functional element comprises a microprocessor.

22. The reconfigurable processor module of claim 18 wherein said memory of said third integrated circuit functional element comprises a memory array.

23. A programmable array module comprising:

at least a first integrated circuit functional element including a field programmable gate array wherein said field programmable gate array is programmable as a processing element; and

at least a second integrated circuit functional element including a memory array stacked with and electrically coupled to said field programmable gate array of said first integrated circuit functional element wherein said memory array is functional to accelerate external memory references to said processing element, said first and second integrated circuit functional elements being coupled by a number of contact points distributed throughout the surfaces of said functional elements.

24. The programmable array module of claim 23 wherein said memory array is functional to accelerate reconfiguration of said field programmable gate array as said processing element.

25. The programmable array module of claim 23 wherein said memory array is functional as block memory for said processing element.

26. The programmable array module of claim 23 wherein said contact points are further functional to provide test stimulus from said field programmable gate array to said at least second integrated circuit functional element.

27. The programmable array module of claim 23 further comprising:

at least a third integrated circuit functional element stacked with and electrically coupled to at least one of said first or second integrated circuit functional elements.

28. The programmable array module of claim 27 wherein said third integrated circuit functional element includes another field programmable gate array.

29. The programmable array module of claim 27 wherein said third integrated circuit functional element includes an I/O controller.