Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Combined with electrical contact or lead – Of specified material other than unalloyed aluminum
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-09
2004-04-06
Wilson, Allan R. (Department: 2815)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Combined with electrical contact or lead
Of specified material other than unalloyed aluminum
C257S779000, C257S784000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06717270
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to integrated circuit (IC) die and specifically to I/O circuitry for IC die.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IC die may include bond pads located on its surface for coupling the circuitry of the IC die to external structures. In one example of a packaged IC, bond pads of an IC die are coupled to bond fingers of a package substrate via bond wires. The bond fingers are coupled to balls located on the packaged IC surface, such as with a ball grid array (BGA) packaged IC.
As integrated circuit technology advances, there is a desire to increase the amount of circuitry in a die, increase the operating speed of the die circuitry, and decrease the size of the die. An increase in the amount of circuitry along with an increase in operating speed may create a push for more bond pads on a die, wherein the decrease in size of the die reduces the amount of space available for these bond pads.
Furthermore, as the amount of circuitry increases and the die size decreases, the process to design an IC die becomes more complicated. In order to increase the efficiency of the IC die design, the circuitry of an IC die may be designed with multiple standardized design blocks of circuitry. For example, an I/O cell of an IC die may be designed from an I/O cell standardized design block.
What is needed is an efficient die design that enables the utilization of standardized design blocks for I/O cell design while increasing the efficiency of the bond pad layout.
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Yong et al., U.S. patent application S/N 10/097,036 entitled “Semiconductor Device Having a Bond Pad and Method Therefor,” filed Mar. 13, 2002, Group Art Unit 2811 and assigned to assignee hereof.
Downey et al., U.S. patent application S/N 10/304,416 entitled “Semiconductor Device Having a Bond Pad and Method Therefor,” filed Nov. 26, 2002, Group Art Unit 2811 and assigned to assignee hereof.
Downey et al., U.S. patent application S/N 10/097,059 entitled “Semiconductor Device Having a Wire Bond Pad and Method Therefor,” filed Mar. 13, 2002, Group Art Unit 2818 and assigned to assignee hereof.
Downey Harold A.
Downey Susan H.
Miller James W.
Dolezal David G.
Hill Daniel D.
Wilson Allan R.
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