Abstract: The present invention stacks integrated circuits into modules that conserve board surface area. In a two-high stack or module devised in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pair of integrated circuits is stacked, with one integrated circuit above the other. The two integrated circuits are connected with a pair of flexible circuit structures. Each of the pair of flexible circuit structures is partially wrapped about a respective opposite lateral edge of the lower integrated circuit of the module. The flex circuit pair connects the upper and lower integrated circuits and provides a thermal and electrical path connection path between the module and its application environment. The module has a bailout pattern with a different pitch and/or supplemental module contacts devised to allow combined signaling to the integrated circuits through contacts having a desired ballout footprint.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that mounts integrated circuit devices onto substrates and a system and method for employing the method in stacked modules. The contact pads of a packaged integrated circuit device are substantially exposed. A solder paste that includes higher temperature solder paste alloy is applied to a substrate or to the integrated circuit device to be mounted. The integrated circuit device is positioned to contact the contacts of the substrate. Heat is applied to create high temperature joints between the contacts of the substrate and the integrated circuit device resulting in a device-substrate assembly with high temperature joints. The formed joints are less subject to re-melting in subsequent processing steps. The method may be employed in devising stacked module constructions such as those disclosed herein as preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention. Typically, the created joints are low in profile.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into low profile modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. Low profile structures provide connection between CSPs of the stacked module and between and to the flex circuitry. Low profile contacts are created by any of a variety of methods and materials including, for example, screen paste techniques and use of high temperature solders, although other application techniques and traditional solders may be employed for creating low profile contacts in the present invention. A consolidated low profile contact structure and technique is provided for use in alternative embodiments of the present invention. The CSPs employed in stacked modules devised in accordance with the present invention are connected with flex circuitry. That flex circuitry may exhibit one or two or more conductive layers.

Abstract: The present invention stacks integrated circuits into modules that conserve board surface area. In a two-high stack or module devised in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pair of integrated circuits is stacked, with one integrated circuit above the other. The two integrated circuits are connected with a pair of flexible circuit structures. Each of the pair of flexible circuit structures is partially wrapped about a respective opposite lateral edge of the lower integrated circuit of the module. The flex circuit pair connects the upper and lower integrated circuits and provides a thermal and electrical path connection path between the module and its application environment. The module has a ballout pattern with a different pitch and/or supplemental module contacts devised to allow combined signaling to the integrated circuits through contacts having a desired ballout footprint.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into low profile modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. Low profile contacts are created by any of a variety of methods and materials. A consolidated low profile contact structure and technique is provided for use in alternative embodiments of the present invention. Multiple numbers of CSPs may be stacked in accordance with the present invention. The CSPs employed in stacked modules devised in accordance with the present invention are connected with flex circuitry that exhibit one or two or more conductive layers.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access. This favorably changes the impedance characteristics exhibited by a DIMM board populated with stacked modules.

Abstract: The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In an alternative embodiment, the form standard may include a heat spreader portion with mounting feet. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.

Abstract: The present invention stacks packaged integrated circuits into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The invention provides techniques and structures for aggregating chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) or leaded packages with other CSPs or with monolithic or stacked leaded packages into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. The present invention can be used to advantage with CSP or leaded packages of a variety of sizes and configurations ranging from larger packaged base elements having many dozens of contacts to smaller packages such as, for example, die-sized packages such as DSBGA. In a preferred embodiment devised in accordance with the present invention, a base element IC and a support element IC are aggregated through a flex circuit having at least two conductive layers that are patterned to selectively connect the two IC elements.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. The form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance.

Abstract: With the use of stacked modules, a system and method for point to point addressing of multiple integrated memory circuits is provided. A single memory expansion board is populated with stacked modules of integrated circuits. The single memory expansion board is located at the terminus of a transmission line, thus, effectively placing at a relative single point in the addressing system, added memory capacity that would otherwise have required multiple memory expansion boards and, consequently, a longer bus. Therefore, signal degradation issues are mitigated and the system has improved tolerance for higher signal speeds with added memory capacity. In a preferred embodiment, a four DIMM socket memory access bus that does not employ stacking is replaced with a single DIMM socket bus that supports stacking up to four high on a single DIMM.

Abstract: The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In an alternative embodiment, the form standard may include a heat spreader portion with mounting feet. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into low profile modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. Low profile structures provide connection between CSPs of the stacked module and between and to the flex circuitry. Low profile contacts are created by any of a variety of methods and materials including, for example, screen paste techniques and use of high temperature solders, although other application techniques and traditional solders may be employed for creating low profile contacts in the present invention. A consolidated low profile contact structure and technique is provided for use in alternative embodiments of the present invention. The CSPs employed in stacked modules devised in accordance with the present invention are connected with flex circuitry. That flex circuitry may exhibit one or two or more conductive layers.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In a preferred embodiment, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access. This favorably changes the impedance characteristics exhibited by a DIMM board populated with stacked modules.

Abstract: The present invention stacks integrated circuits (ICs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance. In an alternative embodiment, the form standard may include a heat spreader portion with mounting feet. In a preferred embodiment of the memory addressing system, a high speed switching system selects a data line associated with each level of a stacked module to reduce the loading effect upon data signals in memory access.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. The form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into low profile modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. Low profile structures provide connection between CSPs of the stacked module and between and to the flex circuitry. Low profile contacts are created by any of a variety of methods and materials including, for example, screen paste techniques and use of high temperature solders, although other application techniques and traditional solders may be employed for creating low profile contacts in the present invention. A consolidated low profile contact structure and technique is provided for use in alternative embodiments of the present invention. Multiple numbers of CSPs may be stacked in accordance with the present invention. The CSPs employed in stacked modules devised in accordance with the present invention are connected with flex circuitry. That flex circuitry may exhibit one or two or more conductive layers.

Abstract: An IC die and a flexible circuit structure are integrated into a lower stack element that can be stacked with either further integrated lower stack element iterations or with pre-packaged ICs in any of a variety of package types. The present invention may be employed to stack similar or dissimilar integrated circuits and may be used to create modularized systems. In a preferred embodiment, a die is positioned above the surface of portions of a pair of flex circuits. Connection is made between the die and the flex circuitry. A protective layer such as a molded plastic, for example, is formed to protect the flex-connected die and its connection to the flex. Connective elements are placed along the flex circuitry to create an array of module contacts along the second side of the flex circuitry. The flex circuitry is positioned above the body-protected die to create an integrated lower stack element.

Abstract: The present invention stacks chip scale-packaged integrated circuits (CSPs) into modules that conserve PWB or other board surface area. In another aspect, the invention provides a lower capacitance memory expansion addressing system and method and preferably with the CSP stacked modules provided herein. In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention, a form standard is disposed between the flex circuitry and the IC package over which a portion of the flex circuitry is laid. The form standard provides a physical form that allows many of the varying package sizes found in the broad family of CSP packages to be used to advantage while employing a standard connective flex circuitry design. In a preferred embodiment, the form standard will be devised of heat transference material such as copper to improve thermal performance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that mounts integrated circuit devices onto substrates and a system and method for employing the method in stacked modules. The contact pads of a packaged integrated circuit device are substantially exposed. A solder paste that includes higher temperature solder paste alloy is applied to a substrate or to the integrated circuit device to be mounted. The integrated circuit device is positioned to contact the contacts of the substrate. Heat is applied to create high temperature joints between the contacts of the substrate and the integrated circuit device resulting in a device-substrate assembly with high temperature joints. The formed joints are less subject to re-melting in subsequent processing steps. The method may be employed in devising stacked module constructions such as those disclosed herein as preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention. Typically, the created joints are low in profile.

Abstract: Provided is a system and method for selectively stacking and interconnecting integrated circuit devices having a data path of n-bits to create a high-density integrated circuit module having a data path of greater than n-bits. Integrated circuits are vertically stacked one above the other. Where the constituent IC elements have a data path of n-bits in width, a module devised in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention presents a data path 2n-bits wide. In a preferred embodiment, an interconnection frame comprised of printed circuit board material is disposed about two similarly oriented ICs to provide interconnectivity of the constituent ICs and concatenation of their respective data paths. An array of clip-leads or other connectors are appended to module connection pads to provide lead-like structures for connection of the module to its operating environment.