Abstract: A system and method for reducing noise in a multi-layer ceramic package are provided. With the system and method, additional shielding wires are inserted into the reference planes wherever there are no signal vias present. These additional lines in the reference planes force stronger signal interaction with the reference (vdd/gnd) thereby reducing the interaction between the signals in the signal layers. As a result, the noise present in the signals of the signal layers is reduced.

Abstract: A carrier for an electronic device such as an integrated circuit chip is designed by assigning two different voltage domains to two separate areas of the contact surface of the carrier, while providing a common electrical ground for both voltage domains. The integrated circuit chip may be a microprocessor having a nominal operating voltage, and the different voltages of the two voltage domains are both within the tolerance range of the nominal operating voltage but one of the voltage domains is aligned with a high power density area of the microprocessor (e.g., the microprocessor core) and provides a slightly greater voltage. The higher power voltage domain preferably has a ratio of voltage pins to ground pins that is greater than one.

Abstract: A system and method for increasing the wiring channels/density under dense via fields of a circuit board are provided. With the system and method, the power/ground lines for the circuit board are designed to be provided in an orthogonal or diagonal pattern. The land grid array (LGA)/ball grid array (BGA) makes contact only on the surface pads of the printed circuit board with no plated through holes/vias underneath these surface pads. This opens up wiring channels, which previously used to be occupied by plated through holes and anti-pads, that can now be used for maximizing signal line wiring routing.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing noise in a multi-layer ceramic package are provided. With the system and method, additional shielding wires are inserted into the reference planes wherever there are no signal vias present. These additional lines in the reference planes force stronger signal interaction with the reference (vdd/gnd) thereby reducing the interaction between the signals in the signal layers. As a result, the noise present in the signals of the signal layers is reduced.

Abstract: A system and method for automatic insertion of on-chip decoupling capacitors are provided. With the system and method, an integrated circuit design is partitioned into cells and the noise distribution per cell of an integrated circuit is determined. This noise distribution may be generated using any of a number of different known mechanisms and generally results in a noise-map being generated for the integrated circuit. Thereafter, a mapping function is applied to the noise map for each cell to determine a required capacitance for the cells of the integrated circuit. From this required capacitance per cell, the necessary decoupling capacitors may be identified as well as the location for insertion of these decoupling capacitors. In a similar manner, decoupling capacitors may be removed from cells of the integrated circuit based upon the determined required capacitance per cell.

Abstract: A multi-layer module for packaging an electronic component comprises an uppermost electrically conductive layer for mounting the component, a plurality of electrically insulative layers, and a plurality of electrically conductive layers disposed between the insulative layers. The electrically conductive layers form staggered placements of at least three voltage and/or ground distribution layers close to the module surface without signal wiring layers in between, and signal distribution layers comprising signal conductors. Vias form conductive paths through the insulative layers and conductive layers; the corresponding signal, voltage and ground distribution layers are electrically connected with each other and with the uppermost layer.

Abstract: A multi-layer module for packaging an electronic component comprises an uppermost electrically conductive layer for mounting the component, a plurality of electrically insulative layers, and a plurality of electrically conductive layers disposed between the insulative layers. The electrically conductive layers form staggered placements of at least three voltage and/or ground distribution layers close to the module surface without signal wiring layers in between, and signal distribution layers comprising signal conductors. Vias form conductive paths through the insulative layers and conductive layers; the corresponding signal, voltage and ground distribution layers are electrically connected with each other and with the uppermost layer.

Abstract: A method, digital circuit system and program product for reducing delta-I noise in a plurality of activity units connected to a common DC-supply voltage. In order to smooth the fluctuations (delta-I) of a total current demand I, and a respective resulting fluctuation of the supply voltage, a signalling scheme between said activity units and a supervisor unit which holds a system-specific “database” containing at least the current demand of each activity unit device when operating regularly. Dependent of the quantity of calculated, imminent delta-I a subset of said activity units with a respective current I demand is selected and controlled, for either temporarily delaying their beginning of activity in case of an imminent supply voltage drop, or temporarily continuing their activity with a predetermined, activity-specific NO-OP phase in case of an imminent supply voltage rise.

Abstract: A method, digital circuit system and program product for reducing delta-I noise in a plurality of activity units connected to a common DC-supply voltage. In order to smooth the fluctuations (delta-I) of a total current demand I, and a respective resulting fluctuation of the supply voltage, a signalling scheme between said activity units and a supervisor unit which holds a system-specific “database” containing at least the current demand of each activity unit device when operating regularly. Dependent of the quantity of calculated, imminent delta-I a subset of said activity units with a respective current I demand is selected and controlled, for either temporarily delaying their beginning of activity in case of an imminent supply voltage drop, or temporarily continuing their activity with a predetermined, activity-specific NO-OP phase in case of an imminent supply voltage rise.

Abstract: A method and system for analyzing the dynamic behavior of an electrical circuit to determine whether a voltage level provided by a power supply network drops below a predetermined voltage level during operation of the electrical circuit is described. In a first step, a design data set representing pertinent technical specifications of an electrical or an integrated circuit are read in order to extract location information and value of switching and non-switching capacitance. Next, the circuit and technology propagation speeds are inputted therein. The length for specifying the size of a portion of a circuit area is determined wherein the electrical circuit is formed. Next, the circuit area is divided into a plurality of partitions of a specified size, and the switching capacitance and the non-switching capacitance are separately summarized for each partition. The voltage level drop is then calculated for each partition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for analyzing the dynamic behavior of an electrical circuit including a multiple layered power distribution system formed by a power grid and a plurality of electrical elements, said multiple layered power distribution system having at least two wiring layers providing a specified supply voltage level (U0) to each of said electrical elements, said analysis resulting in a representation that allows a judgment of whether or not the voltage level at any of said electrical elements might leave a predetermined voltage range under the condition that a predetermined number of said electrical elements are driven at the same time span.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tunable on-chip capacity circuit for a semiconductor chip (10) mounted on a substrate (30) and including a plurality of power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23) which can be selectively activated or deactivated by being switched on or off the power supply system. An on-chip detecting circuit (32) determines a circuit specific load/unload frequency of the on-chip power supply network, and on-chip control means (28, 33) responsive to signals of the detecting circuit increases or decreases the total of the on-chip capacity (CSD) by selectively activating or deactivating power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23). Off-chip path impedances (LMC, RMC), an off-chip capacity (CM) and the total on-chip capacity (CC), including the plurality of power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23) and parasitic on-chip capacities (CP), form a resonance loop (40) which is tunable by changing the total capacity (CSD) of the on-chip power supply decoupling capacitors.

Abstract: A method and system for analyzing the dynamic behavior of an electrical circuit to determine whether a voltage level provided by a power supply network drops below a predetermined voltage level during operation of the electrical circuit is described. In a first step, a design data set representing pertinent technical specifications of an electrical or an integrated circuit are read in order to extract location information and value of switching and non-switching capacitance. Next, the circuit and technology propagation speeds are inputted therein. The length for specifying the size of a portion of a circuit area is determined wherein the electrical circuit is formed. Next, the circuit area is divided into a plurality of partitions of a specified size, and the switching capacitance and the non-switching capacitance are separately summarized for each partition. The voltage level drop is then calculated for each partition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer electronics packaging structure, especially for use in a multi chip module. By forming an overlap of signal conductors by the respective mesh conductors, an improved shielding effect is achieved and coupling between signal conductors is reduced. By increasing the via punch pitch such that multiple wiring channels are formed between adjacent vias, wirability is improved and the number of signal distribution layers may be reduced. The new structure thus shows improved electrical properties over the state-of-the-art structures, combined with a cost reduction of about 35%.

Abstract: Described is a method for minimizing switching noise in the high- and mid-frequency range on printed circuit cards or boards by means of a plurality of surface mounted decoupling capacitors. A novel configuration and implementation of capacitor pads including the connecting vias is also presented. As a result the parasitic inductance of the pads and vias can be significantly reduced. Thus the effectiveness of the decoupling capacitors in the mid and high frequency range can be increased, the voltage drop can be reduced and the system performance can be increased. Several design rules for the new pad via configuration lead to the significant reduction of the parasitic inductance. The proposal is especially important for high integrated system designs on boards and cards combined with increased cycle times.

Abstract: The invention relates to a testable on-chip capacitor cell 10 including a decoupling capacitor (Ci) which can be disconnected from the power distribution network and discharged through a cell internal discharge circuit. An externally controllable switch (Si) connects in a first switching position the decoupling capacitor to the power supply system and disconnects in a second switching position the decoupling capacitor from the power supply system and connects it to a resistor (Ri) which is part of the discharge circuit. An off-chip control unit (16) is provided for toggling the switch with a frequency fT between its first and second position to perform a capacitor test operation. By a current measurement device the averaged power supply current demand of the decoupling capacitor is measured when switch (Si) is toggled. The actual capacity of the decoupling capacitor is determined as a function of the power supply voltage, of the switch toggling frequency (fT) and of the averaged power supply current measured.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer electronics packaging structure, especially for use in a multi chip module. By forming an overlap of signal conductors by the respective mesh conductors, an improved shielding effect is achieved and coupling between signal conductors is reduced. By increasing the via punch pitch such that multiple wiring channels are formed between adjacent vias, wirability is improved and the number of signal distribution layers may be reduced. The new structure thus shows improved electrical properties over the state-of-the-art structures, combined with a cost reduction of about 35%.

Abstract: Described is a method for minimizing switching noise in the high- and mid-frequency range on printed circuit cards or boards by means of a plurality of surface mounted decoupling capacitors. A novel configuration and implementation of capacitor pads including the connecting vias is also presented. As a result the parasitic inductance of the pads and vias can be significantly reduced. Thus the effectiveness of the decoupling capacitors in the mid and high frequency range can be increased, the voltage drop can be reduced and the system performance can be increased. Several design rules for the new pad via configuration lead to the significant reduction of the parasitic inductance. The proposal is especially important for high integrated system designs on boards and cards combined with increased cycle times.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tunable on-chip capacity circuit for a semiconductor chip (10) mounted on a substrate (30) and including a plurality of power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23) which can be selectively activated or deactivated by being switched on or off the power supply system. An on-chip detecting circuit (32) determines a circuit specific load/unload frequency of the on-chip power supply network, and on-chip control means (28, 33) responsive to signals of the detecting circuit increases or decreases the total of the on-chip capacity (CSD) by selectively activating or deactivating power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23). Off-chip path impedances (LMC, RMC), an off-chip capacity (CM) and the total on-chip capacity (CC), including the plurality of power supply decoupling capacitors (20-23) and parasitic on-chip capacities (CP), form a resonance loop (40) which is tunable by changing the total capacity (CSD) of the on-chip power supply decoupling capacitors.

Abstract: A structure for reducing cross-talk in VLSI circuits is disclosed. By filling voltage and ground metal lines in free or unused channels of VLSI chips and connecting them efficiently to the regular power image of the chip, the line to line coupling through vertical layers is reduced almost to zero and in-layer line to line coupling is also drastically reduced.