Integrated DC/DC converter substrate connections

• US 7,368,798 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
• Original Assignee: Akros Silicon, Inc. (Kinetic Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ghoshal, Sajol, Camagna, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Minhloan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, BENJAMIN T
• Application Number:
  US11/282,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20060214253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 257/324, 257/399.01, 257/413, 257/413.01
• US Class Current: 257/499
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/91 Carrier sense multiple access, e.g. ethernet, 10base-t

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated circuit (IC) having an integrated DC-DC power converter therein. This IC is operable to support the distribution of combined power and data signals in a network environment such as an Ethernet network according to protocols such as the power over Ethernet (PoE) protocol. The IC includes a DC-DC power converter, a power feed circuit, and a network physical layer (PHY) module, wherein the PHY module may contain fine line structures susceptible to damage when exposed to excessive voltages. To prevent or reduce the likelihood of damage to the PHY module from voltages supplied to the DC-DC power converter, a common substrate ground is shared between the IC components.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit (IC) on a substrate, comprising:

a DC-DC converter operable to receive a first DC signal and produce a second DC signal;

a network physical layer (PHY) module, wherein the network PHY module is powered by the second DC signal;

a power feed circuit electrically coupled to the DC-DC converter and network PHY module, wherein the power feed circuit is operable to;

exchange data signals with the network PHY module; and

pass a combined data and power signal to a network connection as directed by a power source equipment (PSE) controller, wherein the power signal is based on the first DC signal; and

a power switch operable to couple a local ground shared by the DC-DC converter and power feed circuit to a common substrate ground coupled to the network PHY module.

2. The IC of claim 1, wherein the common substrate ground reduces a voltage potential across fine line structures within the network PHY module.

3. The IC of claim 2, further comprising additional low voltage circuits that comprise fine line structures.

4. The IC of claim 1, wherein the common substrate ground prevents a ground associated with the network PHY module from floating.

5. The IC of claim 1, wherein the IC further comprises at least one circuit selected from the group consisting of:

the PSE controller;

a media processor;

a factory controller;

a multiport switch;

an Ethernet switch; and

the network PHY module.

6. The IC of claim 1, wherein the network PHY module is operable to implement physical layer functions associated with data rates selected from the group of data rates consisting of:

10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps.

7. The IC of claim 1, wherein the IC further comprises a multi-port switch operable to couple the network PHY module to an external network.

22. The PoE network device of claim 5, wherein the IC further comprises at least one circuit selected from the group consisting of:

the PSE controller;

a media processor;

a home plug manager;

factory controller;

a multiport switch;

an Ethernet switch; and

the network PHY module.

8. A method to provide ground protection to integrated circuit (IC) components on a common substrate, comprising:

electrically coupling IC component structures, wherein at least one IC component comprises a low voltage component and at least one IC component comprises a high voltage component; and

providing a common substrate ground to the coupled IC component structures, wherein the common substrate ground prevents a ground of individual IC component structures from floating

wherein the at least one IC component is located within a power over Ethernet (PoE) device coupled to an Ethernet network, wherein the at least one IC component is operable to pass an Ethernet signal that includes power and data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the common substrate ground reduces a voltage potential across fine line structures within circuits of the at least one IC component.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the IC component structures comprise:

a power feed circuit;

an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module; and

a DC-DC converter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the Ethernet PHY module comprises fine line structures.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the Ethernet PHY module is operable to implement physical layer functions associated with data rates selected from the group of data rates consisting of:

10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one IC component further comprises at least one circuit selected from the group consisting of:

the PSE controller;

a media processor;

a home plug manager;

factory controller;

a multiport switch;

an Ethernet switch; and

the network PHY module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the Ethernet network comprises at least one network selected from the group consisting of:

a vehicle based network;

a high speed data network;

a low speed data network;

a local-interconnect network (LIN);

a controller area network (CAN);

a FlexRay network;

a TTCAN network;

a J1939 compliant network;

a ISO 11898 compliant network;

a Homeplug network;

a Home PNA network; and

an ISO 11519-2 compliant network.

15. A power over Ethernet (PoE) network device operable to distribute both an Ethernet power signal and an Ethernet data signal through a coupled Ethernet network, comprising:

an Ethernet network connector operable to physically couple the PoE network device to the Ethernet network;

a PoE controller; and

an integrated circuit (IC) coupled to the Ethernet network connector that further comprises;

an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module;

a DC-DC converter operable to receive a high voltage signal and produce a low voltage signal;

a power feed circuit electrically coupled to the DC-DC converter, wherein the power feed circuit is operable to;

produce a power signal from the high voltage signal;

exchange data signals with the Ethernet PHY module; and

pass a combined data and power signal to a network connection as directed by a power source equipment (PSE) controller; and

a power switch operable to couple a local ground shared by the DC-DC converter and power feed circuit to a common substrate ground coupled to the network PHY module, and wherein the DC-DC converter, power feed circuit and Ethernet PHY module are fabricated on a common substrate.

16. The PoE network device of claim 15, wherein the common substrate ground is operable to prevent a ground plane for components within the IC from floating.

17. The PoE network device of claim 16, wherein the common substrate ground is operable to reduce a voltage potential across the IC.

18. The PoE network device of claim 15, wherein the common substrate ground reduces a voltage potential across fine line structures within low voltage circuits of the IC.

19. The PoE network device of claim 15, wherein the Ethernet PHY module comprises a fine line structure.

20. The PoE network device of claim 19, wherein the Ethernet network comprises at least one network selected from the group consisting of:

a vehicle based network;

a high speed data network;

a low speed data network;

a local-interconnect network (LIN);

a controller area network (CAN);

a FlexRay network;

a TTCAN network;

a J1939 compliant network;

a ISO 11898 compliant network;

a Homeplug network;

a Home PNA network; and

an ISO 11519-2 compliant network.

21. The PoE network device of claim 15, wherein the Ethernet PHY module is operable to implement physical layer functions associated with data rates selected from the group of data rates consisting of:

10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1Gbps, and 10 Gbps.

23. An integrated circuit (IC) on a substrate, comprising:

a high voltage bus;

at least one high voltage circuit coupled to the high voltage bus;

a DC-DC converter coupled to the high voltage bus, wherein the DC-DC converter is operable to produce a low voltage supply;

at least one low voltage circuit powered from the low voltage power supply;

wherein the DC-DC converter, at least one high voltage circuit, and at least one low voltage circuit share a common substrate ground; and

a power switch operable to couple a local ground shared by the DC-DC converter and the at least one high voltage circuit to the common substrate ground coupled to the at least one low voltage circuit.