Integrated circuit with intra-chip and extra-chip RF communication

• US 8,121,541 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US12/210,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/90.3, 455/550.1, 257/660, 257/778, 257/E23.01, 257/E23.114
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6627 Waveguides, e.g. microstrip line, strip line, coplanar line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1903 including wave guides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface and a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit and a second intra-chip interface and a remote interface, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device. In an embodiment of the present invention, a shielding element shields the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals. In other embodiments, antenna beam patterns or differing polarizations are used to isolate the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface; and

a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit and a second intra-chip interface and a remote interface, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device; and

a shielding element, to shield the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals;

wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate the first signals via millimeter wave RF communication.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the remote interface electromagnetically communicates with the remote device via millimeter wave RF communication.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the shielding element includes a metal element.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3 further comprising:

a substrate for supporting the first integrated circuit die and the second integrated circuit die;

wherein the metal element is configured about at least one peripheral region of the substrate.

5. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface; and

a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit, a second intra-chip interface and a remote interface, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit in accordance with a first polarization, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device in accordance with a second polarization;

wherein the first polarization differs from the second polarization to isolate the electro-magnetic communication of the first signals from the electromagnetic communications with the remote device;

wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate the first signals via millimeter wave RF communication.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 5 wherein the remote interface electromagnetically communicates with the remote device via millimeter wave RF communication.

7. The integrated circuit of the claim 5 wherein the first polarization is one of:

a horizontal polarization, a vertical polarization and a circular polarization; and

wherein the second polarization is one of;

a horizontal polarization, a vertical polarization and a circular polarization.

8. The integrated circuit of the claim 5 wherein the first polarization is orthogonal to the second polarization.

9. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface having a first antenna; and

a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit, a second intra-chip interface having a second antenna and a remote interface having a third antenna, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit in accordance with a directional beam pattern established by one of;

the first antenna and the second antenna to reduce interference with the remote interface, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device;

wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate the first signals via millimeter wave RF communication.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the remote interface electromagnetically communicates with the remote device via millimeter wave RF communication.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein the third antenna produces a directional beam pattern to reduce interference with the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface.

12. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface having a first antenna; and

a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit, a second intra-chip interface having a second antenna and a remote interface having a third antenna, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device and wherein the third antenna produces a directional beam pattern to reduce interference with the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface;

wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate the first signals via millimeter wave RF communication.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12 wherein the remote interface electromagnetically communicates with the remote device via millimeter wave RF communication.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 12 wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate the first signals in accordance with a directional beam pattern established by one of:

the first antenna and the second antenna to reduce interference with the remote interface.