Multi-chip modules having stacked television demodulators

• US 9,204,080 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Pereira, Vitor, Khoini-Poorfard, Ramin, Mauger, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman, Mustafizur
• Application Number:
  US14/453,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20150085195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 348/726, 348/729, 348/730, 348/731, 348/732, 348/733, 348/725, 348/720, 439/44, 439/493, 439/541.5, 439/581, 439/607.07, 439/607.09, 439/607.11, 439/607.13, 439/620.06, 439/620.12, 439/620.15, 439/620.2, 439/620.22, 439/620.25, 375/235, 375/316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48464 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a ball bond, i.e. ball-to-ball
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49113 the connectors connecting different bonding areas on the semiconductor or solid-state body to a common bonding area outside the body, e.g. converging wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/0651 Wire or wire-like electrical connections from device to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/00 Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereofdevices consisting of a plurality of solid state components formed in or on a common substrate H01L27/00; photovoltaic modules or arrays of photovoltaic cells H01L31/042 ; panels or arrays of photo electrochemical cells H01G9/2068
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/455 Demodulation-circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/66 for synchronous demodulators

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for MCM (multiple chip module) packages having multiple stacked demodulator dies that share one or more MCM pins. The shared pins can include clock generation pins, clock input/output pins, receive signal path input pins, voltage supply pins, ground supply pins, and/or any other desired pins. In addition to reducing footprint sizes for printed circuit board (PCB) applications, the multi-demodulator MCM package embodiments described herein also allow for improved routing of connection traces on PCBs.

Claims

1. A multi-chip module (MCM) package having multiple television demodulator dies, comprising:

a plurality of pins, the pins comprising;

a plurality of input pins configured to receive two or more tuned broadcast channels associated with at least one of satellite television broadcasts;

a plurality of input pins configured to receive two or more tuned broadcast channels associated with terrestrial or cable television broadcasts; and

a plurality of output pins configured to provide two or more demodulated television signals;

at least two stacked demodulator dies coupled to the plurality of pins, each die having at least one pad connected to a shared pin for the MCM package and each die being configured to provide at least one of the demodulated television signals;

wherein the MCM package has a top surface area of about 64 square millimeters or less.

2. The MCM package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pins is 68 pins or less.

3. The MCM package of claim 2, wherein a top surface of the MCM package is a square shape and has edges that are 8 millimeters or less in length.

4. The MCM package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pins is 48 pins or less.

5. The MCM package of claim 4, wherein a top surface of the MCM package is a square shape and has edges that are 7 millimeters or less in length.

6. The MCM package of claim 1, wherein a pin pitch for the plurality of pins is about 0.5 millimeters or less.

7. The MCM package of claim 1, wherein each demodulator die has an input pad coupled to a shared pin that is configured to be coupled to a crystal.

8. The MCM package of claim 7, wherein each demodulator die comprises oscillator circuitry having an input coupled to a first crystal pad and an output coupled to a second crystal pad for that demodulator die, wherein each demodulator die comprises a buffer having an input coupled to the first crystal pad for that demodulator die, wherein the first crystal pad for each demodulator die is coupled to the shared pin for the MCM package, and wherein the second crystal pad for only one of the demodulator dies is coupled to a non-shared pin for the MCM package that is configured to be coupled to the crystal.

9. The MCM package of claim 1, wherein each demodulator die includes a circuit block coupled to a pad, wherein the pads for the demodulator dies are coupled to a shared pin, and wherein the circuit blocks are configured to operate in a plurality of modes of operation.

10. The MCM package of claim 9, wherein the circuit block comprises an input buffer and an output buffer coupled to the pad.

11. The MCM package of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of modes of operation comprises an input mode of operation, the output buffers being disabled and the input buffers being enabled for the input mode of operation.

12. The MCM package of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of modes of operation comprises an output mode of operation, the input buffers being disabled, one of the output buffers being enabled, and the other output buffers being disabled for the output mode of operation.

13. The MCM package of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of modes of operation comprises a master/slave mode of operation, an output buffer on one of the demodulator dies being enabled to provide a master clock signal, the input buffers on the other demodulator dies being enabled to receive the master clock signal, and the output buffers on the other demodulator dies being disabled for the master/slave mode of operation.

14. A printed circuit board (PCB) system, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a plurality of television tuners coupled to the printed circuit board, the tuners including at least two satellite television tuners and at least two terrestrial or cable television tuners;

a multi-chip module (MCM) package coupled to the printed circuit board, comprising;

a plurality of pins, the pins comprising;

a plurality of input pins coupled to the satellite television tuners;

a plurality of input pins coupled to the terrestrial or cable television tuners; and

a plurality of output pins configured to output two or more demodulated television signals;

at least two stacked demodulator dies coupled to the plurality of pins, each die having at least one pad connected to a shared pin for the MCM package and each die being configured to provide at least one of the demodulated television signals;

wherein the MCM package has a top surface area of about 64 square millimeters or less; and

a plurality of connection traces on the printed circuit board between the plurality of television tuners and the MCM package.

15. The PCB system of claim 14, wherein the connection traces do not overlap, and wherein at least one or more wire bond connections within the MCM package between pads for the MCM package and pads for the demodulator dies overlap.

16. The PCB system, of claim 14, wherein the plurality of pins is 68 pins or less.

17. The PCB system of claim 16, wherein a top surface of the MCM package is a square shape and has edges that are 8 millimeters or less in length.

18. The PCB system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of pins is 48 pins or less.

19. The PCB system of claim 18, wherein a top surface of the MCM package is a square shape and has edges that are 7 millimeters or less in length.

20. The PCB system of claim 14, wherein a pin pitch for the plurality of pins is about 0.5 millimeters or less.