Apparatus and method for manufacturing plurality of electronic circuits

1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the method comprising:

providing a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions;

providing a second structure comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs;

transferring said ICs from the common support onto a first roller,

transferring said ICs from the first roller onto a second roller; and

transferring said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein transferring said ICs from the common support onto the first roller comprises picking said ICs from the common support with the first roller,

wherein said picking comprises engaging each IC with a respective one of a plurality of IC-engaging features provided on the first roller,

wherein each IC-engaging feature comprises a respective IC-engaging surface, each IC-engaging surface being arranged a common radial distance from a rotational axis of the first roller, and

wherein each IC-engaging surface is resilient.

2. A method of manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the method comprising:

providing a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions;

providing a second structure comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs;

transferring said ICs from the common support onto a first roller;

transferring said ICs from the first roller onto a second roller; and

transferring said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein transferring said ICs from the common support onto the first roller comprises picking said IC's from the common support with the first roller,

wherein said picking comprises engaging each IC with a respective one of a plurality of IC-engaging features provided on the first roller, and

wherein each IC-engaging feature is resilient.

3. A method of manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the method comprising:

providing a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions;

providing a second structure comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs,

transferring said ICs from the common support onto a first roller;

transferring said ICs from the first roller onto a second roller; and

transferring said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein transferring said ICs from the common support onto the first roller comprises picking said ICs from the common support with the first roller,

wherein said picking comprises engaging each IC with a respective one of a plurality of IC-engaging features provided on the first roller, and

wherein the plurality of ICs are arranged as a regular array on the common support, with a repetition interval of a distance D 1 in a first direction, and the plurality of IC-engaging features are arranged as a regular array on the first roller with a repetition interval of n×D 1 in a corresponding first direction, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and the method comprises arranging the second structure at a first position relative to the first roller, picking a first group of the plurality of ICs from the common support by selectively engaging each IC of that first group with said IC-engaging features, transferring said first group of ICs from the first roller onto the second roller and then from the second roller onto the first structure.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said corresponding first direction is one of: a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the first roller; and a circumferential distance around the first roller.

5. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the first portions are arranged as a regular array in the first structure and n×D 1 corresponds to a repetition interval of the groups of contact pads in a corresponding first direction on the first structure.

6. The method in accordance with claim 3 , further comprising, after transferring said first group of ICs from the first roller onto the second roller and then from the second roller onto the first structure, arranging the remaining portion of the second structure at a second position relative to the first roller, picking a second group of the plurality of ICs from the common support by selectively engaging each IC of that second group with said IC-engaging features, transferring said second group of ICs from the first roller to the second roller and then from the second roller onto the first structure.

7. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the regular array of ICs on the common support has a repetition interval of a distance D 2 in a second direction, said second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and the regular array of IC-engaging features on the first roller has a repetition interval of m×D 2 in a corresponding second direction, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein said corresponding second direction is one of: a circumferential distance around the first roller; and a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the first roller.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first portions are arranged as a regular array in the first structure and m×D 2 corresponds to a repetition interval of the groups of contact pads in a corresponding second direction on the first structure.

10. An apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the apparatus comprising:

a first roller arranged to rotate about a first rotational axis;

a second roller arranged to rotate about a second rotational axis, said second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis;

roller drive means controllable to drive the rollers to rotate about their respective rotational axes;

a first support means arranged to support a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions and controllable to translate said first structure relative to said second rotational axis;

a second support means arranged to support a second structure, comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs, and controllable to translate said second structure relative to said first rotational axis; and

control means arranged to control the roller drive means and first and second support the first roller onto the second roller, and transfer said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein the control means is arranged to rotate the first roller to pick said ICs from the common support onto the first roller,

wherein the first roller comprises a plurality of IC-engaging features each arranged to engage and pick a respective IC from the common support onto the first roller,

wherein each IC-engaging feature comprises a respective IC-engaging surface, each IC-engaging surface being arranged a common radial distance from the rotational axis of the first roller, and

wherein each IC-engaging surface is resilient.

11. An apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the apparatus comprising:

a first roller arranged to rotate about a first rotational axis,

a second roller arranged to rotate about a second rotational axis, said second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis;

roller drive means controllable to drive the rollers to rotate about their respective rotational axes;

a first support means arranged to support a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions and controllable to translate said first structure relative to said second rotational axis;

a second support means arranged to support a second structure, comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs, and controllable to translate said second structure relative to said first rotational axis; and

control means arranged to control the roller drive means and first and second support the first roller onto the second roller, and transfer said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein the control means is arranged to rotate the first roller to pick said ICs from the common support onto the first roller,

wherein the first roller comprises a plurality of IC-engaging features each arranged to engage and pick a respective IC from the common support onto the first roller, and

wherein each IC-engaging feature is resilient.

12. An apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of electronic circuits, each electronic circuit comprising a respective first portion, comprising a respective group of contact pads, and a respective integrated circuit, IC, comprising a respective group of terminals and mounted on the respective group of contact pads with each terminal in electrical contact with a respective contact pad, the apparatus comprising:

a first roller arranged to rotate about a first rotational axis;

a second roller arranged to rotate about a second rotational axis, said second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis;

roller drive means controllable to drive the rollers to rotate about their respective rotational axes;

a first support means arranged to support a first structure comprising the plurality of first portions and controllable to translate said first structure relative to said second rotational axis;

a second support means arranged to support a second structure, comprising the plurality of ICs and a common support arranged to support the plurality of ICs, and controllable to translate said second structure relative to said first rotational axis; and

control means arranged to control the roller drive means and first and second support means to transfer said ICs from the common support onto the first roller, transfer said ICs from the first roller onto the second roller, and transfer said ICs from the second roller onto the first structure such that each group of terminals is mounted on a respective group of contact pads,

wherein the control means is arranged to rotate the first roller to pick said ICs from the common support onto the first roller,

wherein the first roller comprises a plurality of IC-engaging features each arranged to engage and pick a respective IC from the common support onto the first roller, and

wherein the second support means is adapted to support a second structure in which the plurality of ICs are arranged as a regular array on the common support, with a repetition interval of a distance D 1 in a first direction, and the plurality of IC-engaging features are arranged as a regular array on the first roller with a repetition interval of n×D 1 in a corresponding first direction, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and the control means is adapted to control the roller drive means, second support means, and first support means to position the second structure at a first position relative to the first roller, pick a first group of the plurality of ICs from the common support by selectively engaging each IC of that first group with said IC-engaging features, transfer said first group of ICs from the first roller onto the second roller, and transfer said first group from the second roller onto the first structure.

13. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said corresponding first direction is one of: a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the first roller; and a circumferential distance around the first roller.

14. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the first portions are arranged as a regular array in the first structure and n×D 1 corresponds to a repetition interval of the groups of contact pads in a corresponding first direction on the first structure.

15. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the control means is adapted to control the roller drive means, second support means, and first support means, after transferring said first group of ICs from the first roller onto the second roller and from the second roller onto the first structure, to arrange the remaining portion of the second structure at a second position relative to the first roller, pick a second group of the plurality of ICs from the common support by selectively engaging each IC of that second group with said IC-engaging features, transfer said second group of ICs from the first roller to the second roller and transfer said second group of ICs from the second roller onto the first structure.

16. The apparatus in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the regular array of ICs on the common support has a repetition interval of a distance D 2 in a second direction, said second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and the regular array of IC-engaging features on the first roller has a repetition interval of m×D 2 in a corresponding second direction, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

17. The apparatus in accordance with claim 16 , wherein said corresponding second direction is one of: a circumferential distance around the first roller; and a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the first roller.

18. The apparatus in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the first portions are arranged as a regular array in the first structure and m×D 2 corresponds to a repetition interval of the groups of contact pads in a corresponding second direction on the first structure.