Patent Publication Number: US-2006019518-A1

Title: Integrated circuit socket with power buss bar connector

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      A socket may be used to attach an integrated circuit to a substrate. For example, a processor may be inserted into a socket that is mounted on a printed circuit board. A set of signal inputs and/or outputs on the integrated circuit (e.g., signal pins or contacts) may be electrically connected to signal traces on the printed circuit board via signal paths through the socket. The signal traces, in turn, may lead to other components that are on the printed circuit board (e.g., other integrated circuits). As a result, the signal inputs and/or outputs may be used, for example, to exchange information with another processor or a memory unit.  
      One or more power inputs on the integrated circuit may also be electrically coupled to power traces on the printed circuit board through the socket. These power traces, in turn, may lead to a voltage regulator that provides power to the integrated circuit. As processing speeds and component power consumption increase, however, it may become difficult to efficiently route signal and power traces and still supply an appropriate amount of current and/or achieve an appropriate voltage tolerance for an integrated circuit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of an apparatus according to some embodiments.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of an apparatus according to some embodiments.  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an apparatus according to some embodiments.  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of an apparatus according to another embodiment.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method of providing power to an integrated circuit according to some embodiments.  
       FIG. 7  is a system according to some embodiments. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus  100  that includes a voltage regulator  120  and/or related components coupled to a printed circuit board  110  (e.g., a mobile computer&#39;s motherboard). The voltage regulator  120  may, for example, generate a core voltage to provide power for an integrated circuit  130  (e.g., an integrated circuit package or chip). As indicated by the dashed lines in  FIG. 1 , the integrated circuit  130  has been removed from the illustration for clarity.  
      The integrated circuit  130  may be removably coupled to a socket  140  that is also attached to the printed circuit board  110 . Moreover, a set of signal inputs and/or outputs (e.g., signal pins or contacts) on the integrated circuit  130  may be electrically connected to traces on the printed circuit board  110  via signal paths  142  through the socket  140  (e.g., to exchange information via a system bus). In  FIG. 1 , the signal paths  142  are represented by white circles.  
      One or more power inputs on the integrated circuit  130  may also be electrically coupled to power traces  112  on the printed circuit board  110  via power paths  144  through the socket  140 . In  FIG. 1 , the power paths  144  are represented by black circles. In this way, power from the voltage regulator  120  may be routed through the power trace  112  and then provided to the integrated circuit  130 .  
      Note that the integrated circuit  130  may receive power via multiple power inputs, and the location of these power inputs might not be evenly distributed. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the left side of the integrated circuit  130  is associated with more power inputs (an associated power paths  144 ) as compared to the right side. As a result, it might be advantageous to locate the voltage regulator  120  proximate to the left side of the socket  140 . For example, reducing the length of the power traces  112  from the voltage regulator  120  to the socket  140  may reduce power loss and improve the tolerance of the voltage signal that is received by the integrated circuit  130 .  
      In some layouts, however, other considerations may make it impractical to locate the voltage regulator  120  in a desirable position with respect to power. For example, a different component  150  might be placed in that location to improve the performance of the apparatus for other reasons. The other component  150  might be, for example, a Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) or a Small Outline (SO) Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM).  
      In this case, one or more power traces  112  may need to be routed between the socket  140  and a remote voltage regulator  120 . As processing speeds increase, however, greater amounts of current may need to be provided to the integrated circuit  130 —and the power loss and degraded tolerances associated with long power traces  112  may be substantial. Moreover, long power traces  112  might restrict where and how other busses can be routed. For example, signal traces associated with a Front Side Bus (FSB) or a dual Double Data Rate (DDR) memory unit might require additional printed circuit board layers because of the long power traces  112 , which could increase the cost of the apparatus  100 .  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of an apparatus  200  according to some embodiments. The bottom surface of a socket body  240  is coupled to a printed circuit board  210  and the top surface is coupled to an integrated circuit  230 . The socket body  240  may be formed, for example, with plastic or another non-conducting material. Note that the printed circuit board  210 , socket body  240 , and/or integrated circuit  230  may be coupled using any known technique (e.g., pin, ball, and/or solder connections).  
      Within the socket body  240 , a set of signal paths route signals between signal inputs and/or outputs  232  on the integrated circuit  230  and traces on the printed circuit board  210 . In addition, at least one power input  234  on the integrated circuit  230  is electrically coupled to a connector  260 . The connector  260  may be, for example, a copper tab extending from a side of the socket body  240 .  
      The connector  260  is also electrically coupled to a power buss bar  270 . The power buss bar  270  may, for example, be a copper rod or wire that electrically couples the connector  260  (and therefore the integrated circuit&#39;s power input  234 ) to a voltage regulator or other power source. The power buss bar  270  and the connector  260  may be physically coupled, for example, by a threaded connection (e.g., a threaded portion of the power buss bar  270  may screw into or over a threaded portion of the connector  260 ), a solder connection, a nut and bore clamp-on, or a spring connection. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the connector  260  may be located external to socket body  240 . According to other embodiments, a connector may be located within a socket body (e.g., and the power buss bar  270  may be inserted or plugged into the socket body).  
      Note that according to some embodiments, the power buss bar  270  is not directly attached to the printed circuit board  210 . In this way, a significant amount of current may be supplied from a voltage regulator to the integrated circuit  230  without restricting the routing of other signals. According to some embodiments, the power buss bar  270  may extend from the connector  260  to a trace located remote from the socket  240  body (e.g., which in turn leads to a voltage regulator).  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of an apparatus  300  according to some embodiments. As before, the apparatus  300  includes a socket body  340  having a bottom surface coupled to a printed circuit board  310  and a top surface coupled to an integrated circuit  330 . According to this embodiment, signal pins  332  and power pins  334  extend from the integrated circuit  330  and are received within the socket body  340 . Moreover, a set of signal paths  342  route signals between signal pins  332  and traces on the printed circuit board  310 .  
      According to this embodiment, at least one power pin  334  on the integrated circuit  330  is electrically coupled to a power plane  360 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , two power pins  334  are coupled to the power plane  360  via receiving portions  344  adapted to secure integrated circuit pins. As illustrated by dashed lines in  FIG. 3 , the receiving portions  344  might also be coupled to the printed circuit board  310  (e.g., to provide a path from decoupling capacitors between power and ground that place on the printed circuit board  310 ). According to still other embodiments, such decoupling capacitors might be placed on or in the socket body  340 .  
      The power plane  360  may be, for example, a conductive sheet or plate of copper that is substantially parallel to the printed circuit board  310 . Moreover, one portion of the power plane  360  may be located within the socket body  340  and another portion may extend outside to the socket body  340  to serve as a connector (e.g., a tab shaped connector). Note that the connector portion of the power plane  360  and the portion internal to the socket body  340  might be integrally formed or might include multiple portions that are coupled together. The connector portion of the power plane  360  is also electrically coupled to a power buss bar  370  (e.g., a copper path) which in turn is electrically coupled to a voltage regulator.  
       FIG. 4  is a top view of an apparatus  400  according to some embodiments. The apparatus  400  includes a voltage regulator  420  and/or related components mounted on a substrate  410 . The voltage regulator  420  may, for example, generate a core voltage that provides power for an integrated circuit. The core voltage may, for example, be provided to a power plane  460  of a socket body  440  via a power buss bar  470 . Moreover, one or more power inputs  444  on the integrated circuit may be electrically coupled to the power plane  460  when the integrated circuit is attached to the socket body  440 . Note that while the integrated circuit and associated signal inputs and outputs are not illustrated in  FIG. 4  for clarity, the location of the power inputs  444  are represented by black circles. According to some embodiments, the portion of the power plane  460  within the socket body  440  defines an area that reaches the power inputs  444  (e.g., the five power inputs  444  illustrated in  FIG. 4 ). The power plane  460  may be formed in different shapes and configurations. According to some embodiments, the power plane  460  is made as large as practicable to reduce the resistance associated with the power plane  460 .  
      In this example, the connector portion of the power plane  460  extends from the left side of the socket body  440 . The connector portion is therefore proximate to most of the power inputs  444 . In this case, the freedom to route other signal traces on the substrate  410  might not be restricted by power traces. Instead, the power buss bar  470  is used to electrically couple the connector portion to the “remote” voltage regulator  420  (“remote” because the voltage regulator  420  is not proximate to most of the power inputs  444 ).  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of an apparatus  500  according to another embodiment. As before, the apparatus  500  includes a substrate  510  with a voltage regulator  520  that provides a core power to an integrated circuit via a socket body  540 . Although the integrated circuit is not illustrated in  FIG. 5  for clarity, the location of the signal inputs and outputs  542  and the power inputs  544  are represented by white and black circles, respectively.  
      The power inputs  544  on the integrated circuit are electrically coupled to a copper sheet or plate  560 . Note that the copper plate  560  might include openings  562  that let the signal inputs and outputs  542  extend through the socket body  540  without contacting the copper plate  560 .  
      A power buss bar  570  brings a core voltage from the voltage regulator  520  to the copper plate  560  (and therefore to the power inputs  544  on the integrated circuit). In this example, the connector portion of the copper plate  560  is located on the right side of the socket body  540  and is therefore proximate voltage regulator  520 . That is, even though most of the power inputs  544  are located on the left hand side of the socket  540 , the copper plate  560  lets the voltage regulator  520  be positioned proximate to the right hand side of the socket  540  without using a long power buss bar  570 . Such an arrangement may, for example, reduce power loss and improve voltage tolerances associated with the apparatus  500 .  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method of providing power to an integrated circuit according to some embodiments. At  602 , a core voltage is generated at a voltage regulator. For example, the voltage regulator might generate V CORE  using power received from a battery or an Alternating Current (AC) to Direct Current (DC) adapter.  
      At  604 , the core voltage is provided to a socket&#39;s connector tab via a power buss bar. For example, one end of a power buss bar may be electrically coupled to the voltage regulator and the other end of the power buss bar may be electrically coupled to the connector. At  606 , the core voltage is provided from the connector to a conductive plate in the body of the socket. The core voltage may then be provided from the conductive plate to an integrated circuit&#39;s power input at  608 .  
       FIG. 7  is a system  700  according to some embodiments. The system includes a printed circuit board  710  on which a voltage regulator  720  is mounted. An integrated circuit  730  is also mounted on the printed circuit board  710  via a socket  740 . Moreover, the voltage regulator  720  provides power to a connector  760  of the socket  740  in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein. For example, the voltage regulator  720  might receive power from a battery  780  and generate V CORE . V CORE  may then be supplied to several power inputs of the integrated circuit  730  via the power buss bar  770  and the connector  760 . According to other embodiments, a fuel cell or other power source may provide power to the voltage regulator  720 .  
      The system  700  may comprise any computing system having an integrated circuit  730  and a socket  740 . For example, the system  700  and/or integrated circuit  730  might be associated with a mobile computer, a Personal Computer (PC), a server, a handheld computer, a media computer such as a digital video recorder, and/or a game device.  
      The following illustrates various additional embodiments. These do not constitute a definition of all possible embodiments, and those skilled in the art will understand that many other embodiments are possible. Further, although the following embodiments are briefly described for clarity, those skilled in the art will understand how to make any changes, if necessary, to the above description to accommodate these and other embodiments and applications.  
      For example, although a conductive plate was described in some embodiments, note that wires or traces within a socket body might instead be used to electrically couple an integrated circuit&#39;s power inputs to a connector (and therefore to a power buss bar). Moreover, although voltage regulators have been described as being mounted on a printed circuit board or other substrate, note that a power buss bar might be used to provide power to a socket from a voltage regulator that is not located on the same substrate.  
      In addition, although some embodiments described a socket with a single connector, embodiments may be provided with multiple connectors (e.g., two power buss bar connectors might be provided on opposite sides of a socket body). Similarly, a socket might include both a power buss bar connector (e.g., on a side of the socket) and a power path from the top of the socket to the bottom of the socket (e.g., and such a socket could receive power via a power buss bar and/or a traditional power trace).  
      The several embodiments described herein are solely for the purpose of illustration. Persons skilled in the art will recognize from this description other embodiments may be practiced with modifications and alterations limited only by the claims.