Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202799 | EMBEDDING AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT BETWEEN SURFACES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD - A pre-drilled hole, providing a passageway between an upper and a lower surface of a printed circuit board layer, receives a passive component, for example a resistor or a capacitor. In one embodiment the component is cylindrical, with an electrically conductive contact point at each end. The hole diameter is approximately the same as the diameter of the cylindrical component. The hole is similar to a via in a printed circuit board, except that the hole is not plated through (such would cause an electrical short). Electrically conductive lines are provided to the openings of the hole on the upper and the lower surfaces of the PCB. The area of the exposed end of the cylindrical component and the termination of the conducting line is less than the area of a surface mounted component equivalent to the cylindrical component. In some embodiments the hole and inserted component are located directly below a pin pad for a surface mounted device, for example an integrated circuit, providing the equivalent of zero wire and line lengths with no net increase in printed circuit board area. | 08-28-2008 |
20080206927 | ELECTRONIC COMPONENT STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING - An external component, typically a surface mount passive, is attached to a semiconductor die. In some embodiments the passive is placed directly over exposed pads on the semiconductor die and attached using conductive tape or conductive epoxy. In some embodiments the passive is attached to the semiconductor die using non-conductive adhesive and wire bonded to bond pads on the semiconductor die and/or to pads on a substrate to which the semiconductor die is attached. | 08-28-2008 |
20090256669 | SUBSTRATE DEVICE OR PACKAGE USING EMBEDDED LAYER OF VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL IN A VERTICAL SWITCHING CONFIGURATION - A substrate device includes an embedded layer of VSD material that overlays a conductive element or layer to provide a ground. An electrode, connected to circuit elements that are to be protected, extends into the thickness of the substrate to make contact with the VSD layer. When the circuit elements are operated under normal voltages, the VSD layer is dielectric and not connected to ground. When a transient electrical event occurs on the circuit elements, the VSD layer switches instantly to a conductive state, so that the first electrode is connected to ground. | 10-15-2009 |
20100187006 | Substrates Having Voltage Switchable Dielectric Materials - Various aspects provide for incorporating a VSDM into a substrate to create an ESD-protected substrate. In some cases, a VSDM is incorporated in a manner that results in the ESD-protected substrate meeting one or more specifications (e.g., thickness, planarity, and the like) for various subsequent processes or applications. Various aspects provide for designing a substrate (e.g., a PCB) incorporating a VSDM, and adjusting one or more aspects of the substrate to design a balanced, ESD-protected substrate. Certain embodiments include molding a substrate having a VSDM layer into a first shape. | 07-29-2010 |
20100243302 | COMPONENTS HAVING VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIALS - Various aspects provide for structures and devices to protect against spurious electrical events (e.g., electrostatic discharge). Some embodiments incorporate a voltage switchable dielectric material (VSDM) bridging a gap between two conductive pads. Normally insulating, the VSDM may conduct current from one pad to the other during a spurious electrical event (e.g., shunting current to ground). Some aspects include gaps having a gap width that is greater than 50% of a spacing between electrical leads connected to the pads. Some devices include single layers of VSDM. Some devices include multiple layers of VSDM. Various devices may be designed to increase a ratio of active volume (of VSDM) to inactive volume. | 09-30-2010 |
20110173806 | SUBSTRATES HAVING VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIALS - A method for designing a printed circuit board to meet a specification is described. A first voltage switchable dielectric material is placed in apposition with a first copper foil. A second voltage switchable dielectric material is placed in apposition with a second copper foil. An arcuate portion of the first copper foil is placed in apposition with a first side of an aluminum member, an adhesive substance being situated between the first copper foil and the first side of the aluminum member. An arcuate portion of the second copper foil in is placed apposition with a second side of the aluminum member, an adhesive substance being situated between the second copper foil and the second side of the aluminum member. | 07-21-2011 |
20110211289 | EMBEDDED PROTECTION AGAINST SPURIOUS ELECTRICAL EVENTS - Various disclosed aspects provide for protecting components (e.g., integrated circuits) from spurious electrical overvoltage events, such as electrostatic discharge. Embedded components with voltage switchable dielectric materials may protect circuits against electrostatic discharge. | 09-01-2011 |
20110211319 | Electric discharge protection for surface mounted and embedded components - Printed circuit boards including voltage switchable dielectric materials (VSDM) are disclosed. The VSDMs are used to protect electronic components, arranged on or embedded in printed circuit boards, against electric discharges, such as electrostatic discharges or electric overstresses. During an overvoltage event, a VSDM layer shunts excess currents to ground, thereby preventing electronic components from destruction or damage. | 09-01-2011 |
20110317318 | CIRCUIT ELEMENTS COMPRISING FERROIC MATERIALS - Ferroic circuit elements that include a set of conductive structures that are at least partially embedded within a ferroic medium are disclosed. The ferroic medium may be a voltage switched dielectric material that includes ferroic particles in accordance with various embodiments. A ferroic circuit element may be at least partially embedded within a substrate in accordance with embodiments of the current invention as an embedded ferroic circuit element. An embedded ferroic circuit element that is an inductor in accordance with embodiments of the current invention may be denoted as an embedded ferroic inductor. An embedded ferroic circuit element that is a capacitor in accordance with embodiments of the current invention may be denoted as an embedded ferroic capacitor. | 12-29-2011 |
20120256721 | SUBSTRATE DEVICE OR PACKAGE USING EMBEDDED LAYER OF VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL IN A VERTICAL SWITCHING CONFIGURATION - A substrate device includes an embedded layer of VSD material that overlays a conductive element or layer to provide a ground. An electrode, connected to circuit elements that are to be protected, extends into the thickness of the substrate to make contact with the VSD layer. When the circuit elements are operated under normal voltages, the VSD layer is dielectric and not connected to ground. When a transient electrical event occurs on the circuit elements, the VSD layer switches instantly to a conductive state, so that the first electrode is connected to ground. | 10-11-2012 |
20120318569 | SUBSTRATES HAVING VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIALS - A method for designing a printed circuit board to meet a specification is described. A first voltage switchable dielectric material is placed in apposition with a first copper foil. A second voltage switchable dielectric material is placed in apposition with a second copper foil. An arcuate portion of the first copper foil is placed in apposition with a first side of an aluminum member, an adhesive substance being situated between the first copper foil and the first side of the aluminum member. An arcuate portion of the second copper foil in is placed apposition with a second side of the aluminum member, an adhesive substance being situated between the second copper foil and the second side of the aluminum member. | 12-20-2012 |