Hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer

• US 20080079586A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 19/08 Transformers having magnetic bias, e.g. for handling pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• 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 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• 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 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0062 in RFID [Radio Frequency Identification] Systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0087 with multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0093 with one coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/02 using transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/263 Multiple coils at either side
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation

Abstract

A hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer includes an off-chip winding section and an on-chip winding section. The off-chip winding section is coupled to produce a first electromagnetic signal from a reference source. The on-chip winding section is coupled to derive a second electromagnetic signal from the first electromagnetic signal when the on-chip winding section is with in a proximal coupling distance of the off-chip winding section.

Claims

1. A hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer comprises:

an off-chip winding section coupled to produce a first electromagnetic signal from a reference source; and

an on-chip winding section coupled to derive a second electromagnetic signal from the first electromagnetic signal when the on-chip winding section is within a proximal coupling distance of the off-chip winding section.

2. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a multiple turn coil on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the at least one multiple turn coil.

3. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a first multiple turn coil on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the first multiple turn coil; and

a second multiple turn coil on at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second multiple turn coil, wherein the first and second multiple turn coils provide the second electromagnetic signal.

4. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the plurality of multiple turn coils.

5. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a first plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the first plurality of multiple turn coils; and

a second plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second plurality of multiple turn coils, wherein the first and second pluralities of multiple turn coils provide the second electromagnetic signal.

6. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

a ferrite core having an air gap; and

a first winding wrapped around the ferrite core, wherein the air gap substantially provides the first electromagnetic signal to the on-chip winding section.

7. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 6, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

an alignment guide such that, when the off-chip winding section is within the proximal coupling distance of the on-chip winding section, the air gap provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit die on which the second winding section is located, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second winding section.

8. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 6 comprises:

an electromagnetic field conversion circuit coupled to the second winding section, wherein, when the off-chip winding section is within the proximal coupling distance of the on-chip winding section, the electromagnetic field conversion circuit changes orientation of an electromagnetic field provided by the air gap such that the electromagnetic field is substantially perpendicular with respect to at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit die on which the second winding section is located.

9. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

an air core; and

a first winding wrapped around the air core, wherein flux from the air core substantially provides the first electromagnetic signal to the on-chip winding section.

10. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a plurality of partial coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein an electromagnetic field of the first winding section is substantially parallel with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die.

11. The hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer of claim 1 further comprises:

the on-chip winding section coupled to produce the second electromagnetic signal from a second reference source; and

the off-chip winding section coupled to derive the first electromagnetic signal from the second electromagnetic signal when the on-chip winding section is within a proximal coupling distance of the off-chip winding section.

12. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprises:

an RFID reader coupled to transmit first electromagnetic signal via an off-chip winding section of a hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer; and

an RFID tag coupled to receive the first electromagnetic signal via an on-chip winding section of the hybrid on-chip-off-chip transformer, wherein the on-chip winding section derives a second electromagnetic signal from the first electromagnetic signal when the on-chip winding section is within a proximal coupling distance of the off-chip winding section.

13. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a multiple turn coil on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the at least one multiple turn coil.

14. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a first multiple turn coil on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the first multiple turn coil; and

a second multiple turn coil on at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second multiple turn coil, wherein the first and second multiple turn coils provide the second electromagnetic signal.

15. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the plurality of multiple turn coils.

16. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a first plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the first plurality of multiple turn coils; and

a second plurality of multiple turn coils on at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, wherein the proximal coupling distance provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to the at least one other layer of the multiple layer IC die, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second plurality of multiple turn coils, wherein the first and second pluralities of multiple turn coils provide the second electromagnetic signal.

17. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

a ferrite core having an air gap; and

a first winding wrapped around the ferrite core, wherein the air gap substantially provides the first electromagnetic signal to the on-chip winding section.

18. The RFID system of claim 17, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

an alignment guide such that, when the off-chip winding section is within the proximal coupling distance of the on-chip winding section, the air gap provides a substantially perpendicular, with respect to at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit die on which the second winding section is located, electromagnetic field of the first electromagnetic signal to the second winding section.

19. The RFID system of claim 17 comprises:

an electromagnetic field conversion circuit coupled to the second winding section, wherein, when the off-chip winding section is within the proximal coupling distance of the on-chip winding section, the electromagnetic field conversion circuit changes orientation of an electromagnetic field provided by the air gap such that the electromagnetic field is substantially perpendicular with respect to at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit die on which the second winding section is located.

20. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the off-chip winding section comprises:

an air core; and

a first winding wrapped around the air core, wherein flux from the air core substantially provides the first electromagnetic signal to the on-chip winding section.

21. The RFID system of claim 12, wherein the on-chip winding section comprises:

a plurality of partial coils on at least one layer of a multiple layer integrated circuit (IC) die, wherein an electromagnetic field of the first winding section is substantially parallel with respect to the at least one layer of the multiple layer IC die.

22. The RFID system of claim 12 further comprises:

the on-chip winding section coupled to produce the second electromagnetic signal from a second reference source; and

the off-chip winding section coupled to derive the first electromagnetic signal from the second electromagnetic signal when the on-chip winding section is within a proximal coupling distance of the off-chip winding section.