Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-02-19
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S342000, C361S790000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06347946
ABSTRACT:
FIELD
The present invention relates generally to sockets that accept packaged integrated circuits, and more specifically to sockets that accept pin grid array packages.
BACKGROUND
As integrated circuits become larger and faster, they also become harder to test and debug in end-user systems. When an end-user system is undergoing debug, it can be convenient to monitor electrical signals on integrated circuit package pins. Modem integrated circuit packages, however, often have pins numbered in the hundreds or thousands, and gaining physical or electrical access to pins can be difficult. One known mechanism for gaining access to integrated circuit package pins in an end-user system includes the use of an interposer beneath the integrated circuit. One such interposer is shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 1
shows a side view of an interposer between an integrated circuit package and a socket. Socket
104
is attached to printed circuit board (PCB)
106
, interposer
122
is attached to socket
104
, and integrated circuit package
102
is attached to interposer
122
. Interposer
122
is included between integrated circuit package
102
and socket
104
to facilitate testing and debug. Typically, interposer
122
includes signal traces coupled to the pins of integrated circuit package
102
. The signal traces are brought out away from the rest of the assembly to allow access by test equipment such as logic analyzers and oscilloscopes.
Socket
104
is typically a zero insertion force (ZIF) socket or a low insertion force (LIF) socket such as those available from the AMP division of Tyco International Inc., and from Foxconn Electronics Inc.
In the assembly shown in
FIG. 1
, with interposer
122
in place, integrated circuit package
102
is distance
108
from PCB
106
. A portion of this distance is attributable to the height of interposer
122
. When interposer
122
is not in place, integrated circuit package
102
is coupled directly to either socket
104
or PCB
106
. It can be seen that the addition of interposer
122
increases the distance between integrated circuit package
102
and PCB
106
. This increased distance influences the length of signal lines, and also causes integrated circuit package
102
to protrude further from PCB
106
. In very high speed systems, it can be detrimental to signal quality to increase the length of signal lines, and in some mechanically crowded systems, it may not be possible to allow integrated circuit package
102
to protrude far from PCB
106
.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for improved mechanisms to access integrated circuit package pins.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4084869 (1978-04-01), Yen
patent: 4912401 (1990-03-01), Nady, II et al.
patent: 5092789 (1992-03-01), Sinclair
patent: 5460531 (1995-10-01), Vivio
patent: 5672981 (1997-09-01), Fehrman
patent: 5859538 (1999-01-01), Self
patent: 5880590 (1999-03-01), Desai et al.
patent: 5982635 (1999-11-01), Menzies et al.
patent: 6200143 (2001-03-01), Haba et al.
Baker Michael J.
Trobough Mark B.
Intel Corporation
Patel Tulsidas
LandOfFree
Pin grid array socket does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pin grid array socket, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pin grid array socket will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2950751