Abstract: A circuit structure includes a signal substrate having a signal trace formed thereon and a microstrip substrate disposed above the signal substrate that includes a microstrip trace formed thereon and a hole passing through it. The circuit structure also includes a conductor passing through and substantially filling the hole passing through the microstrip substrate and electrically contacting the signal trace on the signal substrate and a flat wire connector electrically connecting the microstrip trace to a first end of the conductor, the flat wire connector being arranged such that a gap is formed between the flat wire connector and a top surface of the microstrip substrate.

Abstract: A multilayer printed circuit board includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer, each layer having a top surface and a bottom surface. The first dielectric layer is positioned above the second dielectric layer with the bottom surface of the first dielectric layer facing the top surface of the second dielectric layer. The top surface of the second dielectric layer has a conductive trace. The second dielectric layer has a through-hole that extends through the conductive trace. The multilayer printed circuit board includes an inverted pad interface structure including an inverted pad provided on the bottom surface of the first dielectric layer, a first solder layer provided on a surface of the inverted pad, a second solder layer provided on the conductive trace, and a copper wire positioned within the through-hole to provide the vertical and electrical connection with the conductive trace.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for improving the performance of circuits while adapting to dynamic voltage drops caused by the execution of noisy instructions (e.g. high power consuming instructions) are provided. The performance is improved by slowing down the frequency of operation selectively for types of noisy instructions. An example technique controls a clock by detecting an instruction of a predetermined noisy type that is predicted to have a predefined noise characteristic (e.g. a high level of noise generated on the voltage rails of a circuit due to greater amount of current drawn by the instruction), and, responsive to the detecting, deceasing a frequency of the clock. The detecting occurs before execution of the instruction. The changing of the frequency in accordance with instruction type enables the circuits to be operated at high frequencies even if some of the workloads include instructions for which the frequency of operation is slowed down.

Abstract: Granular dynamic test systems and methods facilitate efficient and effective timing of test operations. In one embodiment, a chip test system comprises: a first test partition operable to perform test operations based upon a first local test clock signal; a second test partition operable to perform test operations based upon a second local test clock signal; and a centralized controller configured to coordinate testing between the plurality of test partitions, wherein the coordination includes managing communication of test information between the plurality of test partitions and external pins. In one exemplary implementation, a trigger edge of the first local test clock signal is staggered with respect to a trigger edge of the second local test clock signal, wherein the stagger is coordinated to mitigate power consumption by test operations in the first test partition and test operations in the second test partition.

Abstract: Electromagnetic circuit structures and methods are provided for a circuit board that includes a hole disposed through a substrate to provide access to an electrical component, such as a signal trace line (or stripline), that is at least partially encapsulated (e.g., sandwiched) between substrates. The electrical component includes a portion substantially aligned with the hole, and an electrical conductor is disposed within the hole. The electrical conductor is soldered to the portion of the electrical component.

Abstract: Granular dynamic test systems and methods facilitate efficient and effective timing of test operations. In one embodiment, a chip test system comprises: a first test partition operable to perform test operations based upon a first local test clock signal; a second test partition operable to perform test operations based upon a second local test clock signal; and a centralized controller configured to coordinate testing between the plurality of test partitions, wherein the coordination includes managing communication of test information between the plurality of test partitions and external pins. In one exemplary implementation, a trigger edge of the first local test clock signal is staggered with respect to a trigger edge of the second local test clock signal, wherein the stagger is coordinated to mitigate power consumption by test operations in the first test partition and test operations in the second test partition.