Patent Abstract:
The inventive embedded processing subsystem module is adapted for backside circuit board assembly directly opposite of a specific microprocessor or Digital Signal Processor so that circuit groups such as memory banks and communications peripherals may utilize otherwise unused backside printed circuit board space underneath the processor device, and further so that high-speed signals interconnecting the processor and subsystem circuit devices traverse a minimized printed circuit track length.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of 09/160,957, entitled “Embedded Programming Subsystem Module,” filed on Sep. 25, 1998 by Robert H. Franz. et al. now U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,558. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to high speed and high density embedded processing systems which employ microprocessors and digital signal processors. The invention provides a Ball Grid Array module for which microprocessor companion electronics are assembled on a printed circuit board directly opposite of the microprocessor being supported, thereby reducing the board space necessary to implement the full processing circuit and reducing printed circuit board track lengths. 
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application incorporates by reference the related parent application, USPTO Ser. No. 09/160,957, entitled, “Embedded Processing Subsystem Module,” filed on Sep. 25, 1998 by Robert H. Frantz, et al. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Embedded processing systems which employ microprocessors and digital signal processors (“SP”) are well known within the art, as well as standard modular packaging schemes for subsystems. Typical subsystems including arrays or banks of memory devices, peripherals such as communications controllers, and clock circuits. Well known component packages and modules are specified by the Electronics Industries Alliance (“EIA”) JEDEC Solid State Products Division, and include package types such as Plastic Quad Flat Pack (“PQFP”), Small Outline Integrated Circuit (“SOIC”), Ball Grid Array (“BGA”), and multi-device modules such as Single Inline Memory Module (“SIMM”). 
     While microprocessors and DSP&#39;s have traditionally employed JEDEC standard packages, such as PQFP and BGA, the pin-to-signal assignments of a particular processor or DSP is determined by the manufacturer of the processor. Thus, two processors from different manufacturers which both utilize a particular BGA package will not necessarily have the power, ground, address, data, control, and other signals assigned to the same pins or balls on the package. 
     Further, as demands on board space have increased due to the need to build greater functionality into a particular form factor board, such as a VME or Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) card, new methods of packaging groups of related components are needed to conserve board space. 
     Finally, as processor bus speeds have increased far beyond speeds of 100 MHz, the minimization of printed circuit board (“PCB”) track lengths interconnecting microprocessor package pins to subsystem module pins in order to preserve signal integrity of high speed digital electrical signals has become increasingly important. 
     Therefore, there exists an need in the art for a embedded processor subsystem module which minimizes processor-to-module PCB track lengths and maximizes board space utilization. This subsystem module preferably employs standard JEDEC physical definition and requires only conventional assembly technology for PCB boards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide an embedded processor subsystem module which minimizes processor-to-module PCB track lengths and maximizes board space utilization. This subsystem module employs a standard JEDEC Ball Grid Array footprint definition and requires only conventional assembly technology for PCB boards. The subsystem module ball-to-signal definitions use a “mirror image” definition of specific microprocessors or digital signal processors in order to allow the subsystem module to be mounted on the printed circuit board on the opposing PCB surface directly opposite of the processor or DSP, thereby providing a minimum track length for high speed signals and utilizing PCB board space “underneath” the processor which would ordinarily not be utilized. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the invention, 
     FIG. 1 shows a bottom view of a JEDEC standard 352-pin Ball Grid Array package. 
     FIG. 2 depicts the bottom view of the inventive 352-pin BGA package with mirrored pin assignments for reverse-side assembly to a standard JEDEC 352-pin BGA. 
     FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of an alternate embodiment of the inventive BGA module. 
     FIG. 4 discloses a side view of subsystem module. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the inventive subsystem module assembled on a printed circuit board directly opposite of the microprocessor, shown from a side view of the assembled board. 
     FIG. 6 shows the subsystem module from a top view, and illustrates a typical use of the top surface for subsystem circuits such as banks of memory devices, power supply filter capacitors, and other peripherals. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the objects of the invention set forth in the Summary of the Invention, the subsystem module employs a standard PCB footprint of a BGA, but employs a novel transposition of row or column pin definitions of the footprint. The subsystem pin-to-signal definitions can then be matched to a particular processors pin-to-signal definition to create a processor-specific subsystem such as banks of memory or peripherals such as Ethernet controllers. 
     The module thereby provides advantages over prior art modules in that space directly underneath the microprocessor on the opposite surface of the PCB on which the microprocessor is assembled can be used for the subsystem, and the high speed signal track lengths between the microprocessor and the subsystem module are minimized. 
     Turning to FIG. 1, a bottom view of a standard JEDEC 352-pin BGA package ( 1 ) is shown. The bottom surface of the BGA is populated by solder balls ( 4 ) for interconnection to the printed circuit board. Under the standard JEDEC definition, the rows of balls are sequentially assigned letter references ( 3 ), skipping letters such as “I”, “O”, “Q”, and “X” to avoid confusion with numbers and “don&#39;t care” values. The columns of balls are assigned number references ( 2 ) sequentially. A particular ball is referenced by the combination of row and column reference, such as the most upper left ball which is referenced as AF 1 . Microprocessors and DSP&#39;s manufacturers then freely assign signals to each of the balls using the alphanumeric ball reference designators. This allows the circuit designer to indicate to a PCB designer which signals must connect to which ball pads on the PCB. Manufacturer device specification sheets, or “spec sheets”, typically contain tables which show ball-to-signal assignments. TABLE 1 shows the ball-to-signal definitions of the Texas Instruments TMS320C6× Digital Signal Processor for it&#39;s external memory interface (“EMIF”), including the data bus, address bus, and control signals. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 BGA PIN 
                   
               
               
                 SIGNAL NAME 
                 NUMBER 
                 SIGNAL DESCRIPTION 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 CE3 
                 AE22 
                 Memory space enable 
               
               
                 CE2 
                 AD26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 CE1 
                 AB24 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 CE0 
                 AC26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 BE3 
                 AB25 
                 Byte-enable control 
               
               
                 BE2 
                 AA24 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 BE1 
                 Y23 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 BE0 
                 AA26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA21 
                 J26 
                 Memory Address 
               
               
                 EA20 
                 K25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA19 
                 L24 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA18 
                 K26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA17 
                 M26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA16 
                 M25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA15 
                 P25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA14 
                 P24 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA13 
                 R25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA12 
                 T26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA11 
                 R23 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA10 
                 U26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA9 
                 U25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA8 
                 T23 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA7 
                 V26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA6 
                 V25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA5 
                 W26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA4 
                 V24 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA3 
                 W25 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 EA2 
                 Y26 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED31 
                 AB2 
                 Memory Data 
               
               
                 ED30 
                 AC1 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED29 
                 AA4 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED28 
                 AD1 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED27 
                 AC3 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED26 
                 AD4 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED25 
                 AF3 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED24 
                 AE4 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED23 
                 AD5 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED22 
                 AF4 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED21 
                 AE5 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED20 
                 AD6 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED19 
                 AE6 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED18 
                 AD7 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED17 
                 AC8 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED16 
                 AF7 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED15 
                 AD9 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED14 
                 AD10 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED13 
                 AF9 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED12 
                 AC11 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED11 
                 AE10 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED10 
                 AE11 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED9 
                 AF11 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED8 
                 AE14 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED7 
                 AF15 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED6 
                 AE15 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED5 
                 AF16 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED4 
                 AC15 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED3 
                 AE17 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED2 
                 AF18 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED1 
                 AF19 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ED0 
                 AC17 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ARE 
                 Y24 
                 Asynchronous memory read enable 
               
               
                 AOE 
                 AC24 
                 Asynchronous memory output enable 
               
               
                 AWE 
                 AD23 
                 Asynchronous memory write enable 
               
               
                 ARDY 
                 W23 
                 Asynchronous memory ready input 
               
               
                 SSADS 
                 AC20 
                 SBSRAM address strobe 
               
               
                 SSOE 
                 AF21 
                 SBSRAM output enable 
               
               
                 SSWE 
                 AD19 
                 SBSRAM write enable 
               
               
                 SSCLK 
                 AD17 
                 SBSRAM clock 
               
               
                 SDA10 
                 AD21 
                 SDRAM address 10 
               
               
                 SDRAS 
                 AF24 
                 SDRAM row-address strobe 
               
               
                 SDCAS 
                 AD22 
                 SDRAM column-address strobe 
               
               
                 SDWE 
                 AF23 
                 SDRAM write enable 
               
               
                 SDCLK 
                 AE20 
                 SDRAM clock 
               
               
                 HOLD 
                 AA25 
                 Hold request from the host 
               
               
                 HOLDA 
                 A7 
                 Hold-request acknowledge to host 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     TABLE 1 shows the memory interface signals for asynchronous memory, Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (“SDRAM”), and Synchronous Burst RAM (“SBSRAM”) which are specific to the TMS320C6× DSP. TABLE 2 shows the power supply and ground balls for the TMS320C6× DSP, which are also necessary for a subsystem module. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 SIGNAL 
                 BGA PIN 
                 SIGNAL 
               
               
                 NAME 
                 NUMBER 
                 DESCRIPTION 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 DVDD 
                 A10, A15, A18, A21, A22, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 B7, B8, C1, D17, F3, G24, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 G25, H25, J25, L25, M3, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 N3, N23, R26, T24, U24, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 Y4, AB3, AB4, AB26, AC6, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AC10, AC19, AC21, AC22, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AC25, AD11, AD13, AD15, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AD18, AE18, AE21, AF5, AF6, 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AF17 
                 3.3 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 CVDD 
                 A5, A12, A16, A20, B2, B6, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 B11, B12, B25, C3, C15, C20, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 C24, D4, D6, D7, D9, D14, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 D18, D20, D23, E1, F1, H4, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 J4, J23, K1, K23, M1, M24, N4, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 N25, P2, P23, T3, T4, U1, V4, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 VSS 
                 D19, E3, E24, F2, F24, G3, G4, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 G26, J3, L23, L26, M23, N1, N2, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 N24, N26, P1, P26, R24, U2, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 U23, V1, V3, Y3, Y25, AA3, 
                 1.8 or 2.5 VDC Voltage 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Supply 
               
               
                 VSS 
                 AA23, AB23, AC2, AC5, 
                 Ground Supply 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AC7, AC14, AC16, AD2, 
                 ″ 
               
               
                 ″ 
                 AD12, AD16, AD20 
                 ″ 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The voltage and ground supply assignments shown in TABLE 2 are unique to the TMS320C6× DSP, as well. 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, the subsystem ( 5 ) bottom view is shown, as well as the rows and columns of the balls of the BGA package. The subsystem BGA ball designators of the rows ( 3 ) are identical to those of the JEDEC standard package, although the subsystem column designators ( 6 ) are numbered in decrementing fashion from left to right, creating a one-dimensional mirror image of the standard JEDEC references of FIG.  1 . FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment of the subsystem in which the columns ( 2 ) are identical to the JEDEC standard, but the rows ( 8 ) have been designated using an alphabetic sequence increasing from bottom to top and skipping “I”, “O”, “Q”, and “X” so as to produce a one-dimensional mirror image of the standard JEDEC BGA package. 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the subsystem ( 5 ) wherein the top surface ( 11 ) is available for designer-defined circuitry of the subsystem, such as banks of memory devices ( 12 ) and power supply decoupling capacitors ( 13 ). In the preferred embodiment, the subsystem is constructed of an epoxy-glass multi-layer, double-sided printed circuit board substrate, with the ball pattern of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 on the bottom side and the user-defined circuit on the module substrate top surface ( 11 ). FIG. 4 shows a side view of the subsystem without user-specific components on the top, including the module substrate ( 8 ) with balls on the bottom side ( 4 ). 
     FIG. 5 depicts the preferred embodiment fully assembled with the components of the user-defined circuit ( 10 ) mounted on the module substrate ( 8 ), and with the processor ( 1 ) mounted on the opposite side of the system printed circuit board ( 9 ). In the preferred embodiment, the processor ( 1 ) is the TMS320C6× DSP and the user-defined circuits ( 10 ) are external memory devices such as SDRAM or SBSRAM, which would also use the ball-to-signal definitions of TABLE 1 and TABLE 2. 
     The preceding disclosure has set forth particular details of the inventive embedded processing subsystem module and it&#39;s method of construction. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and details may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the ball-to-signal definitions adopted for the subsystem module may be those of another DSP or microprocessor in order to yield a subsystem for specific use with another DSP or processor. Alternatively, the user-defined circuit and components could be communications controllers such as Universal Asynchronous Receiver and Transmitter (“UART”), Universal Serial Bus (“USB”), and Ethernet devices. Also, the mirror-reversing method could be applied to the pin definitions of other BGA packages or Pin Grid Array Packages (“PGA”).

Technology Classification (CPC): 8