IP Library Granted Patent US 7,465,974
Granted Patent B2
US 7,465,974 · App. 11/633,569 · Granted Dec 16, 2008

Integrated circuit device and method for forming the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,465,974
App. No.
11/633,569
Granted
Dec 16, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an integrated circuit device, element power supply lines connected to a circuit containing a plurality of cells, element ground lines connected thereto, a trunk power supply line connected to each of the element power supply lines, and a trunk ground line connected to each of the element ground lines are provided in a first wiring layer. A branch power supply line connected to the trunk power supply line and a branch ground line connected to the trunk ground line are provided in an upper wiring layer located above the first wiring layer. A wiring structure is determined based on a wiring structure equation expressing the relations among a voltage drop in the lines, the area occupied thereby, and a current consumed thereby and on a circuit characteristic equation expressing, when the circuit is subdivided while the ratio between the area of the circuit and a current consumed thereby is held constant, the relation between an area occupied by a circuit resulting from subdivision and a current consumed thereby.

Claims (32)

1. An integrated circuit device having a circuit portion including a plurality of electronic elements, the device comprising:

a plurality of first element voltage supply lines connected to a higher potential terminal of the circuit portion;

a plurality of second element voltage supply lines connected to a lower potential terminal of the circuit portion;

a first trunk voltage supply line connected to each of the plurality of first element voltage supply lines;

a second trunk voltage supply line connected to each of the plurality of second element voltage supply lines;

a first branch voltage supply line connected to the first trunk voltage supply line to supply a voltage from the outside to the first trunk voltage supply line;

a second branch voltage supply line connected to the second trunk voltage supply line to supply a voltage from the outside to the second trunk voltage supply line;

a first wiring layer provided above the circuit portion to have the first and second element voltage supply lines and the first and second trunk voltage supply lines placed therein; and

at least one upper wiring layer provided above the first wiring layer to have the first and second branch voltage supply lines placed therein.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upper wiring layer includes a second wiring layer and a third wiring layer provided above the second wiring layer.

3. The device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a first chip; and

a second chip serving as a substrate used only for wiring, wherein

the third wiring layer is provided in the second chip and

the voltage supply lines in the first wiring layer and the voltage supply lines in the third wiring layer are connected to each other by bonding the first and second chips to each other.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first chip; and

a second chip serving as a substrate used only for wiring, wherein

the circuit portion and the first wiring layer are provided in the first chip,

the first branch voltage supply line is provided in the second chip, and

the first trunk voltage supply line and the first branch voltage supply line are connected to each other by bonding the first and second chips to each other.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first chip and a second chip serving as a substrate used only for wiring, wherein

the circuit portion and the first wiring layer are provided in the first chip,

the second branch voltage supply line is provided in the second chip, and

the second trunk voltage supply line and the second branch voltage supply line are connected to each other by bonding the first and second chips to each other.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

first and second connecting terminals each provided at a connecting point between the first trunk voltage supply line and the first branch voltage supply line, wherein

the first and second connecting terminals are disposed in spaced apart relation with a given distance or more therebetween.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

first and second connecting terminals each provided at a connecting point between the second trunk voltage supply line and the second branch voltage supply line, wherein

the first and second connecting terminals are disposed in spaced apart relation with a given distance or more therebetween.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INC.
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 058793/0720 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2020
From: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC.
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 054384/0581 →
AMENDED AND RESTATED U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Aug 22, 2018
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 046900/0136 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2016
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 040393/0332 →