CN104037128B - The preparation method of configurable microcontroller chip - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a method for preparing a configurable micro-controller chip. By arranging different types of functional modules in different chips, and realizing connection activation between different chips through a silicon substrate, users can choose their own needs. Compared with the system-on-a-chip (SOC) in which all functional modules are arranged on one chip, the method of the present invention has the advantages of flexibility, material and cost saving, and good data transmission capability.

Description

Fabrication method of configurable microcontroller chip

technical field

The invention relates to the field of semiconductor devices, in particular to a method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip.

Background technique

There are two ways for the traditional system-on-chip (SOC) design. One is that the design company designs products for different customers according to the needs of customers in the market. Figure 1 and Figure 2 depict the internal structures of the two chips respectively. As shown in Figure 1, the chip includes a microcontroller 101, a memory 102 for storing program data and temporary data processed by the microcontroller, a /analog converter 103, bluetooth 104; As shown in Figure 2, comprise microcontroller 201, the memory 202 for storing the temporary data of program data and microcontroller processing, analog/digital converter 203, bluetooth 204 in this chip . These two kinds of chips are supplied to different customers respectively. Because the requirements of each customer are different, this makes the design company have to design different types of system-level chips to meet different users, and each system designed by the design company Not all high-level chips are sold out, so there will be a problem of product surplus.

Another way is that the design company concentrates the peripherals commonly used by customers on one chip, as shown in Figure 3, the chip includes a microcontroller 301, a storage space for storing program data and temporary data processed by the microcontroller. memory 302 , analog/digital converter 303 , bluetooth 304 , digital/analog converter 305 . The design company will activate the peripheral functions that the customer needs to use according to the customer's requirements, so that a chip can meet the needs of different customers. This system-on-a-chip is called a programmable system-on-chip. Although the programmable system-on-chip can meet different customer needs, there is no need to worry about problems such as product surplus. However, because the programmable system-on-chip gathers together the As a result, the area of the chip increases, and the cost of each chip increases accordingly.

Contents of the invention

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip.

The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve technical problems is:

A method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip, comprising:

Step S1: providing a plurality of chips with internal functional modules and a silicon substrate capable of wiring configuration;

Step S2: configuring the wiring in the silicon substrate;

Step S3: selecting the required chip and connecting it to the silicon substrate, and realizing the function activation of the chip through the connection in the silicon substrate.

In the method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip, the functional modules at least include a microcontroller and a memory.

In the preparation method of the configurable microcontroller chip, each chip is provided with a power supply, and the power supply in each chip may not be connected to the configurable functional modules.

The preparation method of the configurable microcontroller chip, wherein, the surface of each chip is provided with solder joints, and the configurable signal line of the functional module in each chip is connected to the chip where it is located. on the solder joints.

In the preparation method of the configurable microcontroller chip, the realization process of different functional modules in the same chip is the same.

The method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip, wherein the functional modules include a type of functional modules that can be scaled down as the size of the integrated circuit technology continues to shrink, and those that cannot be scaled down as the size of the integrated circuit technology continues to shrink. A scaled-down type II function module, and the type I function module and the type II function module are respectively arranged in different chips.

In the preparation method of the configurable microcontroller chip, the first type of functional module is a digital logic unit, and the second type of functional module is an analog unit or a digital unit.

The method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip, wherein each of the configurable functional modules is provided with a set of output terminals and a set of input terminals, and the output terminals and input terminals are respectively connected to the Two groups of different solder joints of the chip, and the output and input of data signals are performed through the silicon substrate.

The method for preparing a configurable microcontroller chip, wherein, the silicon substrate is arranged on the surface of a substrate, and a through hole is opened in the substrate, and the output end and the input end pass through the through hole. The holes are brought out into an encapsulation layer.

The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

In the present invention, different types of functional modules are arranged in different chips, and the connection activation between different chips is realized through the silicon substrate, so that the user can select the required functional modules and activate them, which is different from setting all the functional modules. Compared with the system-level chip on one chip, the method of the invention has the advantages of flexibility, material and cost saving, good data transmission capability and the like.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings are for illustration and illustration only, and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

1 to 3 are schematic diagrams of the internal structure of a chip in the prior art;

Fig. 4～7 is the structural representation of chip in the method embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the functional module interface and the chip solder joints in a single chip in the method embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between the chip and the silicon substrate in the method embodiment of the present invention;

10-11 are schematic diagrams of connection structures between different functional modules in different chips in the method embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a schematic flow chart of the steps of production by applying the method embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic structural view of the packaged chip in the method embodiment of the present invention.

detailed description

The invention provides a preparation method of a configurable microcontroller chip, which reclassifies and arranges multiple functional modules originally arranged on the same chip, so that different functional modules are arranged in different chips, and through The silicon substrate implements the inputs and outputs of these chips to activate different functional modules.

Method of the present invention mainly comprises:

Step S1: providing a plurality of chips with internal functional modules and a silicon substrate capable of wiring configuration;

Step S2: configuring the wiring in the silicon substrate;

Step S3: Select the required chip and connect it to the silicon substrate, and realize the functional activation of the chip through the wiring in the silicon substrate.

The method of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

Firstly, a plurality of chips with internal functional modules and a silicon substrate capable of wiring configuration are provided. Wherein, as shown in Figure 4, the functional modules in the chip provided with functional modules may include a microcontroller 401, the microcontroller can select single-core or multi-core according to production needs, and also includes a microcontroller for storing program data and microcontroller The memory 402 for the temporary data processed by the processor also includes other functional modules (P1, P2, P3, . For any module PI (1≤I≤N) between P1 and PN, it can have different types, as shown in Figure 5, where PI.1, PI.2,..., PI.n(n≥ 1) They belong to different types of the same peripheral module. For example, the PI module represents the analog/digital converter, then PI.1 indicates that the analog/digital converter has an integral type analog/digital converter, and PI.2 indicates successive approximation Analog-to-digital converter, PI.3 means parallel comparison analog-to-digital converter and other types. For any type of peripheral function module PI.m (0<m<n+1), x (x>0) can also be configured in the configurable microcontroller chip, for example, it can be used according to specific needs Different quantities, such as dividing the integral analog/digital converter PI.1 in the analog/digital converter into PI.1_1, PI.1_2, PI.1_3; dividing the successive approximation analog/digital converter PI.2 It is PI.2_1, PI.2_2. As an optional embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to make a digital logic unit whose area in the chip can be proportionally reduced with the continuous reduction of the integrated circuit process size according to specific needs, and the area cannot The size of the integrated circuit technology keeps shrinking and the proportionally reduced analog unit or digital unit is made on another chip. As another optional implementation mode of the present invention, it is also possible to make modules that can be realized by the same process in one chip, or put some peripheral function modules in different chips. As shown in Figure 6, the chip 1 shown in the figure includes functional modules that can be scaled down as the size of the integrated circuit process continues to shrink, such as a microcontroller (when using a multi-core microcontroller, the microcontroller device can be placed in different chips), memory 601 (SRAM), etc.; chip 2 includes functional modules that cannot be scaled down as the size of the integrated circuit process continues to shrink, such as memory 602 (Flash memory), SPI pin interface (P1), GPI0 pin interface (P2), etc.; chip 3 contains analog modules that need to be realized by high-voltage technology, such as amplifier P3, voltage regulator P4, etc.; The functional modules realized by the process include, for example, an analog/digital converter P5, a digital/analog converter P6, and the like. Peripheral function modules with the same function or different types of peripheral function modules with the same function in each chip are limited to one, as shown in Figure 7, there are multiple GPI0 pin interfaces in chip 2, respectively GPI01(P2_1) , GPI02 (P2_2), GPI03 (P2_3), etc.; the analog/digital converter in the chip 4 includes multiple types, such as integral analog/digital converter P5.1, successive approximation analog/digital converter P5.2 and Parallel comparison type A/D converter P5.3 and so on.

The internal connections of all functional modules and peripheral functional modules mentioned in all the above-mentioned implementations have been preset. When different functions need to be used, only the configuration between modules and chips and between chips The connection is enough, and the functional modules in each chip and the input and output ports of the chip are connected to the solder joints of the chip, as shown in Figure 8, which shows the interface of the functional modules and the chip in a single chip connection between solder joints 801 .

Then, the wiring in the silicon substrate is configured, and the required chip is selected for connection with the silicon substrate, and the function activation of the chip is realized through the wiring in the silicon substrate. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , the required chips are placed upside down on the silicon substrate, and then according to the requirements, the connections between the chips and the solder joints between the functional modules in the silicon substrate are arranged, so as to realize the required chip functions.

In the preparation method of the configurable microcontroller chip proposed by the present invention, the chip can display different functions by changing the connection relationship between solder joints. The function of the chip is reflected in whether some of its internal functional modules are activated, which is manifested in the change of the connection relationship between the input and output ports and power lines of the functional modules in the silicon substrate. As shown in Figure 10, the functional module 1001 in chip 1 The power supply of the power comes from the power module in the chip 1, the input of the functional module 1 comes from the functional module 1003 in the chip 2, and the output of the functional module 1001 needs to drive the functional module 1002 in the chip 2. When the functional module 1001 needs to be activated, it is only necessary to connect the power interface 1021 of the functional module 1001 and the power module interface 1011 in the silicon substrate, thus realizing the activation of the functional module 1001 . When the functional module 1001 does not need to be activated, the interfaces of the functional module 1001, the functional module 1002 and the functional module 1003 need to be reconfigured. As shown in FIG. 1, the connection of the power module interface 1111 in the substrate remains disconnected, and the connections of the functional module 1101, the functional module 1102, and the functional module 1103 in the substrate are also disconnected. Because the output of the functional module 1101 drives the input of the functional module 1102, when the connection between the functional module 1101 and the functional module 1102 in the silicon substrate is kept disconnected, the input connected to the functional module 1101 in the functional module 1102 Port 1112 is used for processing, and the input port 1112 is connected to the power supply or ground in the chip 2 in the silicon substrate, or connected to the tie high unit interface or the tie low unit interface in the chip 2, that is, input to the input port 1112 High level or low level to avoid the input port 1112 being suspended.

Through the above-mentioned embodiments, the function of changing chip functions flexibly according to actual needs can be realized. The purpose of configuring the connections between chips and modules on the silicon substrate is to greatly reduce the cost. Traditional system-on-a-chip and programmable system-on-a-chip mostly use smaller metal layers and top-layer metals for internal module-to-module wiring. In all processes, smaller metal layers represent higher prices, and the top metal is the cheapest. The more metal layers used in the chip, the greater the cost. This is the traditional system-on-chip and programmable system-level One of the reasons for the high chip cost. Through the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention, the wires between the configurable chips and the configurable modules in the configurable microcontroller chip are all implemented with metal on the silicon substrate. Since the cost of the metal on the silicon substrate is the lowest, silicon Metal traces on the substrate can greatly reduce the cost of the chip.

As an application of the method of the present invention, as shown in Figure 12, after the design company receives the chip type proposed by the customer, the design company only needs to produce the chip containing the microcontroller and the memory, and the chip containing the For the most commonly used peripheral function module chips of all customers, it is enough to configure some peripheral function modules and the connections between the chips on the silicon substrate according to the customer's needs. The production process only takes about one week. When the chip is completed Finally, after comprehensive consideration of the product effect and cost, the customer can selectively request the design company to produce a system-level chip with a single function according to the traditional design, or directly use the currently designed configurable controller chip. In about a week, compared with the traditional chip production process of more than half a year, the method proposed by the present invention greatly reduces the production cycle of the final product.

The pins on the chip in the method of the present invention can be directly output through the silicon substrate, or as shown in Figure 13, the input and output ports are led to the packaging layer by using the through-silicon via technology in the substrate on the silicon substrate, and the input and output ports are input at the packaging layer. output.

Claims (9)

1. a kind of preparation method of configurable microcontroller chip, it is characterised in that including：

Step S1：Offer multiple is internally provided with the chip of functional module and can carry out the silicon substrate of line configuration；

Step S2：Line in the silicon substrate is configured；

Step S3：The chip for needing is selected to be attached with the silicon substrate, and by the line reality in the silicon substrate The existing function activation of the chip.

2. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that in the functional module Including at least microcontroller and memory.

3. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that in each described chip The power supply being provided with a power supply, and each chip can be not attached to the configurable functional module.

4. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that each chip The configurable holding wire of the functional module that surface is provided with solder joint, and each described chip be connected to it where chip On solder joint.

5. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that in the same chip Difference in functionality module realize that technique is identical.

6. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 1, it is characterised in that the Functional Module Including can constantly reduce and a class functional module of scaled down and can not be with integrated electricity with integrated circuit technology size Road process constantly reduces and two class functional modules of scaled down, and the class functional module and the two classes function Module is respectively arranged in the different chips.

7. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 6, it is characterised in that the class function mould Block is digital logic unit, and the two classes functional module is analogue unit or digital units.

8. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 4, it is characterised in that each is described configurable Functional module be provided with one group of output end and one group of input, the output end and input are respectively connecting to the functional module On two groups of different solder joints of the chip at place, and the output and input of data-signal are carried out by the silicon substrate.

9. the preparation method of microcontroller chip can configure as claimed in claim 8, it is characterised in that the silicon substrate is set Through hole is offered in the surface of a substrate, the substrate, the output end and the input are brought out by the through hole Into an encapsulated layer.