Structured ASIC device with configurable die size and selectable embedded functions
View Patent ↗One embodiment of the present invention provides for a master or universal base and base tooling which addresses the general purpose Structured ASIC requirements. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a common set of base tooling from which the master/universal base is created as well as additional custom bases with customized selection and quantity of embedded Platform ASIC functions. Embodiments can utilize conventional Structured ASIC architecture and processing and are compatible with traditional probing and packaging.
1. A customized wafer that can be used to implement a customized application, the customized wafer comprising the following:
at least one base layer configured in a repeating base pattern of individual die such that different configurations of custom layers can be added on top of the at least one base layer to implement different customized applications, the repeating base pattern of individual die including scribe line regions defining boundaries of each die, the scribe line regions including a guard ring that performs one or more of the following functions should the scribe line region be scribed: 1) protects the individual die from destructive effects of scribing, 2) protects the edge of the individual die from cracking caused by scribing, 3) protects the edge of the individual die from contaminates entering at the edge of the individual die, 4) provides a common collection ring for stray currents that occur when the individual die is performing its operational functions;
at least one custom layer of a die cluster on top of the repeating base pattern of individual die, the die cluster grouping the resources of one or more individual die contained in the die cluster to implement the customized application; and
one or more interconnections between the at least one base layer and the at least one custom layer such that the resources in the at least one custom layer can interoperate with resources in the at least one base layer to implement the customized application.
2. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the guard rings extend horizontally and vertically through the scribe line regions to protect neighboring die should scribing occur through the scribe line regions, wherein at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently covered over by a die cluster grouping of the at least one custom layer, and at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently aligned with the periphery of a die cluster grouping.
3. The customized wafer as recited in claim 2 , wherein one or more resources for implementing the customized application are embedded in a scribe line region.
4. The customized wafer as recited in claim 3 , wherein the one or more embedded resources are repeated on the individual die dimension.
5. The customized wafer as recited in claim 4 , wherein a custom layer includes interconnects to resources in a scribe line region of a base layer that was covered over by the custom layer.
6. The customized wafer as recited in claim 3 , wherein the one or more resources are selected from among at least a logic gate, an I/O block, a memory, a timing generator, an I/O physical interface, and a processor.
7. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the scribe line regions include a repeating pattern of one or more scribe line artifacts, the locations of the one or more scribe line artifacts based on pre-defined scribe lines so as to reduce interference with custom layers.
8. The customized wafer as recited in claim 7 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed on a regular repeating grid based on pre-defined base level scribe line regions.
9. The customized wafer as recited in claim 7 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in patterns that permit any repeat frequency of die cluster configuration patterns to overlay the repeating base pattern.
10. The customized wafer as recited in claim 7 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in scribe line regions corresponding to individual die boundaries.
11. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized metal levels.
12. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized vias.
13. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprise an interconnect level that crosses scribe lines between two individual base dies included in the same die cluster.
14. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein I/O resources are distributed around the periphery of an individual die.
15. The customized wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein grouping resources in a cluster facilitates dissipation of electrostatic discharge (ESD) energy and creation of I/O cells with efficient aspect ratios.
16. The customized wafer in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the die cluster groups the resources of a single individual die such that the scribe line regions associated with the individual die of the one or more base layers aligns with scribe line regions associated with the die cluster of the one or more custom layers.
17. A customized wafer that can be used to implement a customized application, the customized base wafer comprising the following:
at least one base layer configured in a repeating base pattern of individual die, each repeating base pattern of individual die including one or more different die types, the repeating base pattern of individual die including scribe line regions defining boundaries of each die, the scribe line regions including a guard ring that performs one or more of the following functions should the scribe line region be scribed: 1) protects the individual die from destructive effects of scribing, 2) protects the edge of the individual die from cracking caused by scribing, 3) protects the edge of the individual die from contaminates entering at the edge of the individual die, 4) provides a common collection ring for stray currents that occur when the individual die is performing its operational functions;
at least one custom layer of a die cluster on top of the repeating base pattern of individual die, the die cluster grouping the resources of one or more individual die contained in the die cluster to implement the customized application; and
one or more interconnections between the at least one base layer and the at least one custom layer such that the resources in the at least one custom layer can interoperate with resources in the at least one base layer to implement the customized application.
18. The custom wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein at least one individual die of a first individual die type and at least one individual die of a second individual die type are grouped together in a die cluster.
19. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein the guard rings extend horizontally and vertically through the scribe line regions to protect neighboring die should scribing occur through the scribe line regions, wherein at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently covered over by a die cluster grouping of the at least one custom layer, and at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently aligned with the periphery of a die cluster grouping.
20. The customized wafer as recited in 17 , wherein scribe line regions include a repeating pattern of one or more scribe line artifacts, the locations of the one or more scribe line artifacts based on pre-defined scribe lines so as to reduce interference with custom layers.
21. The customized wafer as recited in claim 20 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed on a regular repeating grid based on pre-defined base level scribe line regions.
22. The customized wafer as recited in claim 20 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in patterns that permit any repeat frequency of die cluster configuration patterns to overlay the repeating base pattern.
23. The customized wafer as recited in claim 20 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in scribe line regions corresponding to individual die boundaries.
24. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein one or more resources for implementing the customized application are embedded in a scribe line region.
25. The customized wafer as recited in claim 24 , wherein the one or more resources are selected from among a logic gate, an I/O block, a memory, a timing generator, an I/O physical interface, and a processor.
26. The customized wafer as recited in claim 24 , wherein the one or more embedded resources are repeated on the individual die dimension.
27. The customized wafer as recited in claim 26 , wherein a custom layer includes interconnects to resources in a scribe line region of a base layer that was covered over by the custom layer.
28. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized metal levels.
29. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized vias.
30. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprise an interconnect level that crosses scribe lines between two individual base dies included in the same die cluster.
31. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein I/O resources are distributed around the periphery of an individual die.
32. The customized wafer as recited in claim 17 , wherein grouping resources in a cluster facilitates dissipation of electrostatic discharge (ESD) energy and creation of I/O cells with efficient aspect ratios.
33. A method for customizing a base wafer to implement customized applications, the method comprising:
an act of providing at least one base layer configured in a repeating base pattern of individual die such that different configurations of custom layers can be added on top of the at least one base layer to implement different customized applications, the repeating base pattern of individual die including scribe line regions defining boundaries of each die, the scribe line regions including a guard ring that performs one or more of the following functions should the scribe line region be scribed: 1) protects the individual die from destructive effects of scribing, 2) protects the edge of the individual die from cracking caused by scribing, 3) protects the edge of the individual die from contaminates entering at the edge of the individual die, 4) provides a common collection ring for stray currents that occur when the individual die is performing its operational functions;
an act of providing at least one custom layer of a die cluster on top of the repeating base pattern of individual die, the die cluster grouping the resources of one or more individual die contained in the die cluster to implement the customized application; and
an act of providing one or more interconnections between the at least one base layer and the at least one custom layer such that the resources in the at least one custom layer can interoperate with resources in the at least one base layer to implement the customized application.
34. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein the guard rings extend horizontally and vertically through the scribe line regions to protect neighboring die should scribing occur through the scribe line regions, wherein at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently covered over by a die cluster grouping of the at least one custom layer, and at least some of the scribe line regions of the individual die of the at least one base layer are subsequently aligned with the periphery of a die cluster grouping.
35. The method as recited in claim 34 , wherein one or more resources for implementing the customized application are embedded in a scribe line region.
36. The method as recited in claim 35 , wherein the one or more embedded resources are repeated on the individual die dimension.
37. The method as recited in claim 36 , wherein a custom layer includes interconnects to resources in a scribe line region of a base layer that was covered over by the custom layer.
38. The method as recited in claim 35 , wherein the one or more resources are selected from among at least a logic gate, an I/O block, a memory, a timing generator, an I/O physical interface, and a processor.
39. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein the scribe line regions include a repeating pattern of one or more scribe line artifacts, the locations of the one or more scribe line artifacts based on pre-defined scribe lines so as to reduce interference with custom layers.
40. The method as recited in claim 39 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed on a regular repeating grid based on pre-defined base level scribe line regions.
41. The method as recited in claim 39 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in patterns that permit any repeat frequency of die cluster configuration patterns to overlay the repeating base pattern.
42. The method as recited in claim 39 , wherein scribe line artifacts are placed in scribe line regions corresponding to individual die boundaries.
43. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized metal levels.
44. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprises one or more customized vias.
45. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein the one or more interconnect levels comprise an interconnect level that crosses scribe lines between two individual base dies included in the same die cluster.
46. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein I/O resources are distributed around the periphery of an individual die.
47. The method as recited in claim 33 , wherein grouping resources in a cluster facilitates dissipation of electrostatic discharge (ESD) energy and creation of I/O cells with efficient aspect ratios.
48. The method in accordance with claim 33 , wherein the die cluster groups the resources of a single individual die such that the scribe line regions associated with the individual die of the one or more base layers aligns with scribe line regions associated with the die cluster of the one or more custom layers.