IP Library Granted Patent US 9,912,336
Granted Patent B2
US 9,912,336 · App. 14/949,679 · Granted Mar 6, 2018

Three dimensional integrated circuits

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,912,336
App. No.
14/949,679
Granted
Mar 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A three-dimensional semiconductor device, comprising: a first module layer having a plurality of circuit blocks; and a second module layer positioned substantially above the first module layer, including a plurality of configuration circuits; and a third module layer positioned substantially above the second module layer, including a plurality of circuit blocks; wherein, the configuration circuits in the second module control a portion of the circuit blocks in the first and third module layers.

Claims (40)

1. A device comprising:

a programmable layer including a programmable circuit comprising a plurality of input programming nodes operable to program the programmable circuit in response to respective logic values; and

a hard-wire layer including a wire pattern hard-wired to the plurality of input programming nodes to hard-wire the respective logic values and to configure the programmable circuit with a hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the programmable layer further comprises a second programmable circuit including a second plurality of input programming nodes, and wherein the wire pattern is hard-wired to the second plurality of input programming nodes to configure the second programmable circuit with a second hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

another programmable layer including a second programmable circuit comprising a second plurality of input programming nodes, wherein the wire pattern is hard-wired to the second plurality of input programming nodes to configure the second programmable circuit with a second hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate, wherein the programmable layer and the hard-wire layer are positioned in a vertically-stacked arrangement relative to the substrate.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the wire pattern is further operable to connect a logic low signal to the programmable circuit.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the wire pattern is further operable to connect a logic high signal to the programmable circuit.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the wire pattern comprises a plurality of metal layers, and wherein programmable logic of the programmable layer is converted to hard-wired logic by the wire pattern.

8. A method comprising:

forming a programmable layer including a programmable circuit comprising a plurality of input programming nodes operable to program the programmable circuit in response to respective logic values;

forming a hard-wire layer including a wire pattern; and

hard-wiring the wire pattern to the plurality of input programming nodes to hard-wire the respective logic values and to configure the programmable circuit with a hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the programmable layer further comprises a second programmable circuit including a second plurality of input programming nodes, and further comprising:

hard-wiring the wire pattern to the second plurality of input programming nodes to configure the second programmable circuit with a second hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

forming another programmable layer including a second programmable circuit comprising a second plurality of input programming nodes; and

hard-wiring the wire pattern to the second plurality of input programming nodes to configure the second programmable circuit with a second hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

providing a substrate; and

positioning the programmable layer and the hard-wire layer in a vertically-stacked arrangement relative to the substrate.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said hard-wiring comprises connecting the wire pattern to the programmable circuit to receive a logic low signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said hard-wiring further comprises connecting the wire pattern to the programmable circuit to receive a logic high signal.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the wire pattern comprises a plurality of metal layers, and wherein programmable logic of the programmable layer is converted to hard-wired logic by the wire pattern.

15. A method comprising:

forming a layer including programmable logic comprising a plurality of input programming nodes operable to program the programmable logic in response to respective logic values; and

converting the programmable logic to hard-wired logic, wherein said converting includes:

forming a hard-wire layer comprising a wire pattern; and

hard-wiring the wire pattern to the plurality of input programming nodes to hard-wire the respective logic values and to configure the programmable logic with a hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality to form the hard-wired logic.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming another layer including second programmable logic comprising a second plurality of input programming nodes, wherein said hard-wiring further includes:

hard-wiring the wire pattern to the second plurality of input programming nodes to configure the second programmable logic with a second hard-wired predetermined logical and routing functionality to form the hard-wired logic.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

providing a substrate; and

positioning the layer and the hard-wire layer in a vertically-stacked arrangement relative to the substrate.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said hard-wiring the wire pattern comprises coupling the wire pattern to the programmable logic to receive a logic low signal.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said hard-wiring the wire pattern further comprises coupling the wire pattern to the programmable logic to receive a logic high signal.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the wire pattern comprises a plurality of metal layers.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2020
From: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 154 LLC
To: LIBERTY PATENTS LLC
Reel/Frame 051709/0805 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2020
From: TIER LOGIC, INC.
To: YAKIMISHU CO. LTD., L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 051410/0232 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2020
From: CALLAHAN CELLULAR L.L.C.
To: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASSETS 154 LLC
Reel/Frame 051464/0389 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: YAKIMISHU CO. LTD., L.L.C.
To: CALLAHAN CELLULAR L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 044100/0200 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2017
From: TIER LOGIC, INC.
To: YAKIMISHU CO. LTD., L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 043720/0472 →