Methods of operating electronic devices, and methods of providing electronic devices

• US 7,778,621 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Tandy, Patrick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N
• Application Number:
  US11/847,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/333, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/90.2, 455/575.8, 455/334, 455/351, 455/73, 455/80, 455/83, 455/88, 455/41.2, 455128-129, 455347-348, 455/343.6, 455/344, 455/90.1, 455/292, 455/41.1, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.1, 257723-725, 257/700, 257/712, 257/728, 257/778, 257/679, 257/924, 340/825.32, 342 42- 44, 343701-703, 320101-102, 320/124, 320/127, 320137-138
• US Class Current: 455/333
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48257 connecting the wire to a die pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/48 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the solid state body in operation, e.g. leads, terminal arrangements ; Selection of materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• 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: H04B 1/3816 : Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 : Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

Some embodiments include a method disposing an integrated circuit die within a housing, the integrated circuit die having integrated circuitry formed thereon, the integrated circuitry including first transponder circuitry configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals, wherein the integrated circuit die is void of external electrical connections for anything except power supply external connections; and disposing second transponder circuitry, discrete from the first transponder circuitry, within the housing, the second transponder circuitry being configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals, wherein the first and second transponder circuitry are configured to establish wireless communication between one another within the housing, the second transponder circuitry being disposed within 24 inches of the first transponder circuitry within the housing.

Claims

1. A cellular phone housing comprising:

a first die mounted on a substrate, the first die having first transmit and receive circuitry configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals via a first antenna; and

a second die mounted on the substrate, the second die discrete from the first die and having second transmit and receive circuitry configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals via a second antenna;

wherein the first die, the second die, and the substrate are all contained within the cellular phone housing, at least one of the first die and the second die void of electrical interconnects that carry communication signals between each other;

wherein the first transmit and receive circuitry and the second transmit and receive circuitry are configured to establish a wireless communications link between the first and second die, and wherein there is no communication between the first and second die other than via a wireless communications link; and

wherein electronic connections between the first and second die and the substrate are power connections only.

2. The cellular phone housing of claim 1, wherein the first die is mounted on the substrate within twenty-four inches of the second die.

3. The cellular phone housing of claim 1, wherein the first die is mounted on the substrate within one inch of the second die.

4. The cellular phone housing of claim 1, wherein the first die is mounted on the substrate within one-half inch of the second die.

5. The cellular phone housing of claim 1, wherein the cellular phone housing is hand-transportable.

6. The cellular phone housing of claim 1, further comprising:

a first processor formed on the first die, the first processor coupled to the first transmit and receive circuitry; and

a second processor formed on the second die, the second processor coupled to the second transmit and receive circuitry.

7. The cellular phone housing of claim 1 wherein the cellular phone housing is handheld.

8. The cellular phone housing of claim 1 wherein the cellular phone housing is formed from plastic.

9. A microelectronic device, comprising:

a cellular phone housing; and

a plurality of die mounted on a substrate within the cellular phone housing, each of the plurality of die having a processor and transceiver circuitry coupled to the processor, wherein an antenna is coupled to the transceiver circuitry;

physical connections to each of the plurality of die, wherein the physical connections provide only power connections to the die;

wherein the transceiver circuitry on each of the die is configured to establish wireless communications links among individual ones of the die, and wherein there is no communication among the plurality of die other than via the wireless communications links.

10. The microelectronic device of claim 9, wherein the transceiver circuitry on one or more of the plurality of die is configured to either transmit or receive radio frequency signals via the antenna.

11. The microelectronic device of claim 9, wherein the transceiver circuitry on one or more of the plurality of die is configured to both transmit and receive radio frequency signals via the antenna.

12. The microelectronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive data provided by the transceiver circuitry, and wherein the processor operates in a designed manner in response to the data provided by the transceiver circuitry.

13. The microelectronic device of claim 9, wherein the wireless communications links permit operating instructions for at least one of the processors to be transmitted and received.

14. The microelectronic device of claim 9 wherein the cellular phone housing is handheld.

15. The microelectronic device of claim 9 wherein the cellular phone housing is formed from plastic.

16. A method of operating a microelectronic device, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link between an integrated circuit transmitter on a first die and an integrated circuit receiver on a second die, wherein the first and second die are mounted within a cellular phone housing, wherein electronic connections between the first and second die and the substrate are power connections only;

transmitting operating instructions by the integrated circuit transmitter on the first die; and

receiving the operating instructions at the integrated circuit receiver on the second die to operate additional integrated circuitry on the second die.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing power to the first die via electro-physical connections that are used to mount the first die to a substrate within the cellular phone housing.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cellular phone housing is sized to be hand-transportable.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the cellular phone housing within 24 inches of the second antenna.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the cellular phone housing within one inch of the second antenna.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the cellular phone housing within one-half inch of the second antenna.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

first integrated circuitry mounted on a substrate within a cellular phone housing, the first integrated circuitry comprising first transmit circuitry configured to transmit radio frequency signals via a first antenna;

second integrated circuitry mounted on the substrate within the cellular phone housing, the second integrated circuitry comprising second receive circuitry configured to receive radio frequency signals via a second antenna;

wherein the first transmit circuitry and the second receive circuitry are configured to establish a wireless communications link between the first and second integrated circuitry, and wherein there is no communication from the first integrated circuitry to the second integrated other than via a wireless communications link;

wherein electronic connections between the first and second die and the substrate are power connections only.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cellular phone housing is hand-transportable.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first transmit circuitry is configured to wireless transmit operating instructions to the second receive circuitry to operate a portion of the second integrated circuitry.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the cellular phone housing is formed from plastic.

26. A method comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link between an integrated circuit transmitter on a first die and an integrated circuit receiver on a second die, wherein the first and second die are mounted within a microelectronic package, wherein electro-physical connections between the first die and the second die are power connections only;

transmitting signals by the integrated circuit transmitter on the first die; and

receiving the signals at the integrated circuit receiver on the second die.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing power to the first die via the electro-physical connections, the electro-physical connections used to mount the first die to a substrate within the microelectronic package.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the microelectronic package is sized to be hand-transportable.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the microelectronic package within 24 inches of the second antenna.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the microelectronic package within one inch of the second antenna.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the integrated circuit transmitter is coupled to a first antenna, and the integrated circuit receiver is coupled to a second antenna;

and wherein the first antenna is mounted within the microelectronic package within one-half inch of the second antenna.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein a processor is formed in each of the first die and the second die.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein the microelectronic package is a cellular phone housing.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the microelectronic package is formed from plastic.