FR2878118A1 - CIRCUIT MODULE, METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE SAME, SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING HEAT ENERGY FROM CIRCUIT MODULE, AND THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, a circuit module comprises: (a) a rigid substrate having two opposite side faces and an edge; (b) a flexible circuit wrapped around the edge of the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, a portion of the flexible circuit being attached to at least one of the opposite side faces of the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit having a plurality of suitable contacts for connection to a socket of a circuit card, the plurality contacts being arranged near the edge of the rigid substrate on the outer side of the flexible circuit; and (c) a plurality of memory chip packages mounted on at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit.

Description

2878118 1

  FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to systems and methods for creating memory modules, a method for assembling the same, a system for extracting thermal energy from a circuit module, and a thermal management system. high density circuits.

  Technical Background Memory expansion is one of the many areas in which high-density circuit module solutions provide benefits through space savings. For example, the well-known "DIMMs" (Dual In-line Memory Modules) have been used for years, in various forms, to provide memory expansions. A typical DIMM module includes a traditional printed circuit board with memory chips and two-sided digital assistance digital circuits. The DIMM is typically mounted in the host system by inserting a contact edge of the DIMM into a card edge connector. Typically, systems that employ DIMMs provide limited profile space for such components, and traditional DIMM-based solutions typically provide moderate memory expansion.

  As bus speeds increase, it is possible to address a smaller number of components per channel with a traditional DIMM-based solution. For example, it is possible to address 288 integrated circuits or components per channel using the SDRAM-100 bus protocol with an unbuffered DIMM. If the DDR-200 bus protocol is used, it is possible to address approximately 144 components per channel. With the DDR2400 bus protocol, only 72 components can be addressed per channel. This constraint led to the development of 2878118 2 fully buffered DIMMs (FB-DIMMs) with C / A buffering (instructions / addresses) and data, in which it is possible to address 288 components per channel. With the FB-DIMM modules, not only has the capacity increased, but the number of pins has decreased to approximately 69 signal pins, from the 240 pins that were approximately previously needed.

  The circuit solution with FB-DIMM modules is expected to provide convenient memory capacity on motherboards up to about 192 GB with six channels and eight DIMMs per channel and two rows per DIMM in using 1G DRAM modules. This solution should be as adaptable to next-generation technologies and should have significant downward compatibility.

  There are several known methods for improving the limited capacity of a DIMM or other circuit board. In one strategy, for example, small circuit boards ("daughter" cards) are connected to the DIMMs to provide additional mounting space. However, the additional connection may cause defects in the integrity of the data signals that pass from the DIMM to the daughter board, while the additional thickness of the daughter board (s) increases the profile of the module.

  Multiple Chip Enclosures (MDP) can also be used to increase the capacity of DIMMs. This scheme increases the capacity of the memory components on the DIMM by including a multiplicity of semiconductor chips in a single chip package. The additional heat generated by the multiple chip, however, typically requires additional cooling capabilities to operate at a maximum operating speed. In addition, the CDM scheme may present an increase in costs due to an increase in production rejects due to the joint integration of a multiplicity of chip packages that have not been fully pre-tested.

  2878118 3 Stacking the chipsets is yet another way to increase the capacity of the modules. Capacity is increased by stacking embedded integrated circuits to generate a high density circuit module for mounting on the larger circuit board. In some techniques, flexible conductors are used to selectively interconnect embedded integrated circuits. Staktek Group LP, assignee of the present invention, has developed numerous systems for grouping chip-box devices into space-saving topologies. However, increasing the height of the components in some stacking techniques may change the system requirements, such as the need to organize a cooling air flow, or the minimum space around a card circuitry on its host system.

  Typically, known methods increase thermal management problems. For example, when a traditionally embedded DRAM module is mounted in the form of a fixed ball contact array (FBGA) on a DIMM, the main thermal path takes place via the balls to the core of the array. a multilayer DIMM.

  Therefore, what is needed are methods and structures for making high capacity circuit boards in reliable and thermally efficient designs that perform well at higher frequencies, but without over size, and that can also be produced at reasonable costs.

Summary of the invention

  A flexible circuit is lined with integrated circuits (IC) arranged along one or both major sides. Contacts distributed along the flexible circuit provide a connection with the integrated circuits. Preferably, the flexible circuit is disposed around an edge of a rigid and thermally conductive substrate, thus placing the integrated circuits 2878118 4 on one or both sides of the substrate in one or two layers of integrated circuits on a or on both sides of the substrate. Alternatively, but also in preferred embodiments, the integrated circuits on the side of the flexible circuit closest to the substrate are arranged, at least partially, in windows, pockets or areas cut into the substrate. Other embodiments may provide only one side of the flexible circuit, or remove the substrate material to reduce the profile of the module. In preferred embodiments, the contacts distributed along the flexible circuit are configured for insertion into an edge connector, such as those found in general purpose computers and server computers. Preferred substrates are made of a thermally conductive material. In preferred embodiments, extensions of the substrate may be provided to reduce the thermal load of the module and to encourage a reduction in thermal variations among the integrated circuits of the module during operation.

Brief description of the drawings 20

  Fig. 1 illustrates a flexible circuit adapted for use in a module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a second side of the flexible circuit of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a module constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the area around an edge of the substrate in a preferred embodiment; Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating a side of a module constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 illustrates a pair of modules as may be employed in accordance with the invention; Figure 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment according to the present invention; Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention having a clamp; Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment having a thinned portion in the substrate; Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment including additional layers of integrated circuits; Figure 12 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which the flexible circuit is wrapped around opposite faces of a substrate; Figure 13 illustrates yet another embodiment having a flexible circuit wrapped around opposite faces of a substrate; FIG. 14 illustrates another variant embodiment in which the flexible circuit is in transit over a substrate; Fig. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention having chip-boxes on the outer side of a flexible circuit; Figure 16 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention having chip-boxes mounted between a flexible circuit and a substrate; Figure 17 illustrates another alternative embodiment; Fig. 18 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a plurality of thermal radiation expansions; Fig. 19 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which a connector selectively interconnects portions of the flexible circuit on opposite side faces of the substrate; Figure 20 illustrates details of the area marked "A" in Figure 19; Figures 21 and 22 illustrate sides of a flexible circuit employed in a module according to the present invention; Fig. 23 is a side view of a substrate employed in an alternative embodiment; Fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment employing the substrate shown in Fig. 23; Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment; Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate employed in the module illustrated in Figure 25; Fig. 27 is an elevational view of another substrate that may be employed in a module according to the invention; Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an alternative embodiment; Fig. 29 is an exploded cross section of a flexible circuit employed in a preferred embodiment according to the invention; Figure 30 illustrates another preferred embodiment; Figure 31 illustrates sides of a prior art module, designed according to the "plane" strategy; Fig. 32 is a schematic representation of an embodiment for use in understanding data modeled in tables presented herein; Fig. 33 illustrates a plan view of a module designed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 34 illustrates an enlarged section of a module according to a preferred embodiment, illustrating certain heat flows; Fig. 35 illustrates a flexible circuit employed in an alternative embodiment; Fig. 36 illustrates a representation of the sensor signal streams, in one embodiment; Fig. 37 illustrates an embodiment of a thermal management system designed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 38 is another illustration of a thermal management system according to the invention; Fig. 39 illustrates another embodiment of a thermal management system of the module according to the present invention; Fig. 40 illustrates two modules designed in accordance with the present invention and employed in one embodiment of the thermal management system of the invention; Figure 41 illustrates an alternative embodiment employed in one embodiment of the thermal management system of the invention; Figure 42 illustrates another embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 43 illustrates a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 44 illustrates a side of a packed flex circuit, used in a module designed to express multiple instances of a fully buffered DIMM circuit; Figure 45 illustrates another side of the flexible circuit shown in Figure 44; Figure 46 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment comprising four rows of integrated circuits on each side of the substrate; Fig. 47 is a schematic illustration of the impedance discontinuities between two traditional fully buffered DIMMs; Fig. 48 is a schematic illustration of certain impedance characteristics in an embodiment having a plurality of advanced memory buffers; Figure 49 illustrates a portion of a fully buffered DIMM that employs stacks and advanced memory buffers; Fig. 50 illustrates another configuration of a fully buffered DIMM embodiment according to the invention; Fig. 51 is yet another embodiment of a fully buffered DIMM module of the present invention; Fig. 52 illustrates a side of a flexible circuit employed in an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 53 is another illustration of a preferred module designed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 54 is a plan view of an embodiment of a fully buffered, low profile DIMM in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 55 illustrates a flexible circuit employed in an embodiment of a low profile fully buffered DIMM; Figure 56 is a cross-sectional view of a module according to the invention; and Fig. 57 is a cross-sectional view of another module according to the invention.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate opposite sides 8 and 9 of a preferred flexible circuit 12 used to construct a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Flexible circuit 12 is preferably produced from a plurality of conductive layers supported by one or more flexible substrate layers, as will be described in more detail. The entire flexible circuit 12 may be flexible or, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the structure of the flexible circuit 12 may be made flexible in certain areas to allow conformability to desired shapes or curvatures, and rigid in other areas to form rigid and flat mounting surfaces. The preferred flexible circuit 12 has openings 17 (or tabs) that are used to align the flexible circuit 12 with a substrate during assembly.

  Integrated circuits 18 on the flexible circuit 12 are, in this embodiment, smart-box memory devices. For the purposes of this description, the term "box-chip" will refer to integrated circuits having any function with housings in rows providing the connection to one or more chips via contacts (often made in the form of "bumps" "or" balls "for example) distributed on a main surface of the housing or the chip. The term "chip-box" does not refer to devices with wires that connect to an integrated circuit inside the housing through wires emerging from the periphery of the housing, such as which is called a "TSOP".

  Embodiments of the present invention may be employed with wire devices or with chip packages, or other circuits both in box form and in a boxless form, but where the term "chip-box" is used, the above definition should be adopted for such "chip-boxes".

  Therefore, although chip packages exclude wire devices, references to the chip packages must be broadly understood to include the wide variety of devices in rows (which are not limited to memory only), that they are under the size of a chip or another size, such as "BGA" (lease grid array or "network of ball contacts") and "micro BGA" and so-called "flip-chip" fixtures. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art after reading this description, certain embodiments of the present invention may be designed to employ integrated circuit stacks, each arranged where an integrated circuit 18 is integrated in the exemplary figures.

  Multiple integrated circuit chips may be included in a package shown as a single integrated circuit. While in this embodiment, memory integrated circuits are used to make a memory expansion card, this is not a limitation, and various embodiments may include a variety of integrated circuits and other components designed for other primary functions, beside, or in addition to that of memory. Such a variety may include microprocessors, fixed pin grid array (FPGA) circuits, radio-frequency transducers and other communication circuits, digital logic circuits, or other circuits or systems, as a list of non-limiting examples, which can take advantage of the possibility of producing high density circuit modules. The circuit 19 illustrated between a pair of integrated circuits 18 may be a memory buffer or a controller, or, as will be illustrated below, an advanced memory buffer (AMB), or a microprocessor, logic device or communication device.

  FIG. 1 illustrates an upper side or outer side 8 of the flexible circuit 12 on which integrated circuits 18 arranged in two rows or pluralities ICRI and ICR2 are mounted. Those skilled in the art will understand that the mounting of the integrated circuits 18 on the flexible circuit 12 provides direct and effective manufacturing advantages when assembling examples of modules 10. Other embodiments may include any number of rows, or well it can only be a single row. Contact networks are arranged below the integrated circuits 18 and the circuit 19 to form conductive pads intended for interconnection to the integrated circuits. A network of contacts 11A is shown by way of example, as well as exemplary integrated circuits 18 for mounting on the network of contacts 11A as illustrated. Between the integrated circuit ICRI and ICR2 rows 18, the flexible circuit 12 has two rows (CRI and CR2) of module contacts 20. When the flexible circuit 12 is folded, as shown in the figures presented later, the side 8 shown in Figure 11 is shown to the outside of the module 10. The opposite side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 (Figure 2) is inside.

  FIG. 2 illustrates two other pluralities of integrated circuits 18 on the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12, under the references ICR3 and ICR4. Various discrete components, such as termination resistors, bypass capacitors, and bias resistors can also be mounted on each of the sides 8 and 9 of the flexible circuit 12. Such discrete components are not shown to simplify the drawing. . The flexible circuit 12 may also be described with reference to its perimetric edges, of which two edges are typically long (PE 1g and PEfong 2) and two are typically short (PEcoU 1, t 1 and PEco 2, t 2). Other embodiments may employ soft circuits 12 which are not rectangular in shape, and which may be square, in which case the perimeter edges will be of equal size, or may still be any shape suitable for accommodating manufacturing features.

  FIG. 1 illustrates examples of conductive tracks 21 which connect the rows CRI and CR2 of module contacts 20 to the integrated circuits 18. Only a few examples of tracks are shown to simplify the drawing. The tracks 21 may also be connected to passages which provide transit to other conductive layers of the flexible circuit 12 in certain embodiments which include more than one conductive layer. A passage 23 is shown which connects a signal track 25 of the circuit to another conductive layer of the flexible circuit 12, as illustrated by the dashed line of the track 25. In a preferred embodiment, passages are part of the connection of the integrated circuits 18 on the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 (Figure 2) to the module contacts 20. The tracks 21 and 25 can establish other connections between the integrated circuits on one side or the other of the flexible circuit 12 and can traverse the rows of module contacts 20 to interconnect the integrated circuits. Considered together, the various tracks and the various passages establish the interconnections necessary to carry signals to the various integrated circuits. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented with only one row of module contacts 20, and that it can be implemented in other embodiments in the form of a module. which carries integrated circuits only on one side of the module, or on one side or on both sides of the flexible circuit.

  Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a module 10 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The module 10 is lined with chip packages 18 having upper surfaces 18T and lower surfaces 18B. The substrate 14 has an edge 16A which appears in the illustration of FIG. 3 in the form of an end of the substrate 14 around which the flexible circuit 12 is placed. The substrate 14 typically has a first and a second lateral face S1. and S2. The flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the perimetric edge 16A of the substrate 14 which, near the edge 16A in the illustrated embodiment, provides the basic form of a conventional form factor DIMM board. Preferably, at least a portion of the flexible circuit bag 12 formed by wrapping the flexible circuit around the substrate is laminated or otherwise secured to the substrate 14 on both sides of the substrate 14. This portion may be of a length variable, according to certain factors, such as the height of the integrated circuits 18, the thickness of the substrate 14, the length of the module contacts 20, 2878118 12 as well as the size and shape of the edge connector or the computer or the expansion card connector in which the module 10 is adapted for insertion. The space in which the flexible circuit has a transition to the zone of its connection with the integrated circuits 18 may be filled with a conformal or thermo-conductive filler, or it may be left without filling, or as will be shown later in FIG. 7, it can be occupied by a support portion of the substrate 14. An adhesive 30 is provided which, in a preferred embodiment, is a thermally conductive material for taking advantage of the dissipation characteristics. thermal that can be achieved using a thermally conductive substrate 14 appropriately selected, consisting for example of metal, such as aluminum.

  The inner pair of the four illustrated integrated circuits 18 is preferably attached to the substrate 14 with a thermally conductive adhesive 30. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive 30 is a thermally conductive material to take advantage of the heat dissipation characteristics that the it can be ensured by using a thermally conductive substrate 14 suitably chosen. While in this embodiment, the four illustrated integrated circuits are attached to the flexible circuit 12 in the form of opposed pairs, this is not a limitation, and more integrated circuits can be connected to other circuits. arrangements, for example step arrangements or staggered arrangements, examples of which will be shown later. Furthermore, while only integrated circuits have been shown in the form of chip-boxes, other forms (in boxes or without boxes) can be used as integrated circuits 18. While typically integrated circuits 18 are memory chips, it is also possible to employ integrated circuits having other functions.

  In this embodiment, the flexible circuit 12 has module contacts 20 positioned in a manner designed to fit into an on-board connector of a computer, or an expansion card socket, and to connect with corresponding contacts in the connector or in the base. While the module contacts 20 are shown protruding from the surface of the flexible circuit 12, this is not a limitation, and other embodiments may include flush contacts or contacts below the surface. Surface Level of the Flexible Circuit 12. The substrate 14 supports the module contacts 20 from the back of the flexible circuit 12 in a manner designed to provide the mechanical form required for insertion into a connector. While the substrate 14 illustrated has a uniform thickness, this is not a limitation and in other embodiments the thickness or surface of the substrate 14 may vary.

  Non-limiting examples of such possible variants are shown in the figures which will be presented hereinafter. The substrate 14 is, in the illustrated embodiment, preferably made of a thermally conductive metal material, such as aluminum or copper. The substrate 14 may also be made of other thermally conductive materials, such as thermally conductive plastics, or for example carbon-based materials. When thermal management is a less important problem, in alternative embodiments materials such as flame retardant epoxy laminate type 4 ("flame retardant type 4" or FR4) or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) can be employed. In another embodiment, advantageous features from multiple technologies can be combined with the use of a Type 4 flame retardant having a copper layer on both sides to provide a substrate 14 made from conventional materials. which can provide thermal conduction or a ground plane.

  Referring to Figure 3, the illustrated module 10 has a thermal extension 16T. Although this is typically illustrated and preferably located at one end of the substrate 14 where it will be most suitably disposed, a thermal extension extending beyond the substrate 14, which diverges from the main body of the substrate, can also be provided. 14 between the ends of the substrate. The substrate 14 may have one or more such extensions. The thermal extensions 16T may diverge from the central axis of the substrate at any orientation from a variety of orientations, and need not be perpendicular to the main body of the substrate, nor be diverge towards both sides of the module 10. As will be described in more detail, module models 10 like that shown in FIG. 3 allow to predict thermal advantages to the module 10 as compared with the well-known flat modules which are used usually in memory expansion applications. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the thermal extensions 16T provide an additional surface area for the substrate 14, and thereby increase the area from which heat can flow or emanate from the module 10. The primary vehicle for such a flow Thermal is the convection of the airflow which typically assists the cooling of the module, but those skilled in the art will also recognize that the structure of the substrate 14 with the thermal extension 16T will make it possible to use a variety of means for thermal flow out of the module 10.

  An advantageous methodology for effectively assembling a circuit module 10 as described and illustrated here is as follows. In a method of assembling a preferred module 10, the flexible circuit 12 is placed flat and its two sides are lined according to circuit board assembly techniques known in the art. The flexible circuit 12 is then folded around the end 16A of the substrate 14. Then, tooling holes 17 can be used to align the flexible circuit 12 on the substrate 14. The flexible circuit 12 can be laminated or attached to a substrate. Alternatively, the top surfaces 18T of the integrated circuits 18 may be attached to the substrate 14 in a manner designed to impart mechanical integrity or thermal conduction.

  Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the area around an end 16A of an exemplary module 10. The edge 16A of the substrate 14 is preferably rounded to be inserted into an edge connector of a card. While a particular rounded configuration has been shown, the edge 16A may adopt other shapes designed to mate with various connectors or pedestals. The shape and function of the various edge connectors are well known in the art. The adhesive 30 and the flexible circuit 12 illustrated may have varying thicknesses and are not drawn to scale to simplify the drawing. Upon assembly with the flexible circuit 12 and the adhesive 30, the thickness measured between the module contacts 20 falls in the space specified for the mated connector.

  Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of the module 10 designed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the module 10 can replace traditional DIMMs that are used in a wide variety of systems. The module 10 comprises a flexible circuit 12 wrapped around an edge 16A of the substrate 14. Integrated circuits 18 are mounted on the flexible circuit 12 along the illustrated side and as described with reference to the previous figures. The module contacts 20 are near the edge 22 of the module 10 for connection to a connector or card edge socket. An optional extension 16T is shown in Figure 5 along the top of the illustrated module 10.

  Figure 6 illustrates a system 5 that employs two modules 10 and illustrates the use of multiple modules 10 in a system 5 according to the present invention.

  The modules 10 are shown inserted into card edge connectors 31 which are each deployed on a circuit board 33. Thus, the system 5 can be configured to allow memory expansion with features that seek to minimize load. thermal modules 10.

  Figure 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the substrate 14 includes a flexible support 14FS for supporting the flexible circuit 12 in its transition on the connection areas to the integrated circuits. The upper end 16B of the substrate 14 is identified on the module illustrated in Figure 7 which is devoid of extensions 16T.

  Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment including a clamp. In this embodiment, the clip 82 is illustrated as being pinched around the integrated circuits 18. The clip 82 is preferably made of metal or other thermally conductive material.

  Preferably, the clamp 82 has a chute 84 designed to mate with one end of the substrate 14. The attachment can be further accomplished with an adhesive between the clamp 82 and the substrate 14 or the integrated circuits 18.

  FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment having a thinned portion of the substrate 14. In this embodiment, the substrate 14 has a first thickness 1 towards the edge 16A designed to provide support for an edge and for a surrounding area of the module. 10, as may be necessary for connection to an edge connector or other connector. Above the portion of the substrate 14 which has the thickness 1, there is provided a portion 92 with a thickness 2. The narrower width of the portion 92 is designed to narrow the total width of the module 10 and to allow improvement. the flow of cooling air or allow a denser spacing of the modules 10 in their functional environment.

  Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment. The figure is a view from the top on a module 10 looking down. The substrate 14 is selectively thinned at a portion 102 below the device 19. The illustrated device 19 includes an exposed chip 19D mounted on a substrate. Other embodiments may include packaged or otherwise mounted integrated circuits, or other devices having heights greater than that of the typical integrated circuit 18. In this embodiment, the device 19 is more high or thicker than the other integrated circuits 18 which fill the flexible circuit 12. The thinned portion 102 of the substrate 14 below the device 19 receives the additional height, so that the flexible circuit 12 remains flat and the upper surface of the Device 19 is in thermal contact with substrate 14. For this or similar embodiments, substrate 14 may be manufactured by a variety of methods, such as a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, or by extrusion. This embodiment, and similar embodiments, may be advantageously employed, for example to provide advantageous thermal performance when the device 19 is a fully buffered DIMM advanced memory buffer. The device 19 is preferably attached to the substrate 14 with a thermally conductive adhesive.

  FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the invention having additional layers of integrated circuits 18. The flexible circuit 12 may be provided, in this configuration, for example with a flexible part split with layers which are interconnected by passages in the portion 24 of the flexible circuit 12. In addition, two flexible circuits can be used and interconnected by pad-slip contacts or by flexible intermediate contacts, for example.

  Fig. 12 illustrates another embodiment having flexible portions wrapped around opposite edges of the substrate 14. The flexible circuit 12 includes a connection portion 12C wrapped around the extension 16T of the substrate 14. In a preferred method for assembling this embodiment, the illustrated integrated circuits 18 are first mounted on the flexible circuit 18. The flexible portion 26 associated with the integrated circuit 18A is placed in position relative to the substrate. The flexible circuit 12 is then wrapped around the edge 16A of the substrate 14 a first time. Adequate laminating by means of an adhesive, or other techniques, is used to attach the flexible circuit 12 and the integrated circuits 18A and 18B to the substrate 14. The connection portion 12C of the flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the extension 16T. An adhesive may be used to establish back-to-back connections between the illustrated integrated circuits 18. Laminating techniques, or other adhesive or glue techniques, may be used to attach the two flexible circuit layers 12 to each other. The two soft circuit layers 12 wrapped around the edge 16A may be interconnected by pad-pad contacts or by flexible intermediate contacts. The flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the edge 16A again, placing the integrated circuit 18C in position. The integrated circuit 18D is positioned back to back with the integrated circuit 18E and attached.

  FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment having a flexible portion wrapped around opposite edges of the substrate 14. The flexible circuit 12 includes a connection portion 12C wrapped around the extension 16T of the substrate 14. The connection portion 12C has preferably more than one conductive layer, and may comprise three or four conductive layers or more. Such layers may be an advantage for sending signals for applications, such as a fully buffered DIMM which may include a smaller number of input / output signals than a registered (registered) DIMM, but which may have a greater number of necessary interconnect tracks between the components on the DIMM, such as copy A / C / A copy B (order / address) C / A signals produced by an advanced memory buffer. fully buffered DIMM module. While two groups of module contacts 20 have been shown, other embodiments may comprise a single group.

  Fig. 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The flexible circuit 12 has contacts 20 near the opposite edges 192 of the flexible circuit 12.

  The connection portion 12C of the flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the extension 16T of the substrate 14. In a preferred method for assembling this embodiment, the illustrated integrated circuits 18 are first mounted on the flexible circuit 12. The circuit flexible 12 is wrapped around the extension 16T of the substrate 14 and preferably aligned with respect to the substrate 14 with tooling holes. The portion 24 of the flexible circuit 12 is preferably laminated on the substrate 14.

  FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which integrated circuits 18 are lined only along one side of the flexible circuit 12.

  FIG. 16 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention, which comprises chip-boxes on the side of the flexible circuit 12 which will become the inner side of the flexible circuit and which are therefore placed between the flexible circuit and the substrate 14. .

  FIG. 17 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the flexible circuit passes over an end 16B of the substrate 14 opposite the contacts 20.

  Figure 18 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention which has multiple extensions 16T, and a substrate 14 thinned with a toothing 92.

  Figures 19 and 20 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention which employs a connector 200 to provide selective interconnection between portions 202A and 202B of the flexible circuit 12 respectively associated with the side faces S1 and S2 of the substrate 14. The connector 200 illustrated at portions 200B and 200A which are interconnected in cavity 204 of substrate 14. An example of connector 200 is a Molex connector 500024/50027, but a variety of different connectors may be employed in embodiments of the invention. . The illustrated connector 200 is disposed in the cavity 204 of the substrate and it will typically have a first portion 200A and a second portion 200B which respectively correspond to the portions 202A and 202B of the flexible circuit 12.

  Fig. 21 illustrates an example of a first contact-carrying side of a flexible circuit designed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the illustration of FIG. 21 is simplified to more clearly show the principles of the invention. An embodiment with a larger number of integrated circuits 18 is shown above.

  FIG. 22 illustrates the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 of FIG. 21.

  Fig. 23 illustrates an example of a substrate formed to be used with the example of flexible circuit shown in Figs. 21 and 22. The flexible circuit 12 is folded around the substrate 14 shown in Fig. 23 to place the circuits. integrated along the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 and in the windows 250 arranged in a row along the substrate 14. This has the result that the integrated circuits along the rows ICR3 and ICR4 are arranged back to back inside the Preferably, a thermally conductive adhesive or a thermally conductive adhesive is used on the upper sides 18T of the integrated circuits 18 to promote the flow of thermal energy, as well as to provide certain mechanical advantages. This is simply a relative arrangement between the integrated circuits 18 on respective faces of the substrate 14.

  Fig. 24 illustrates a view along the line AA shown in Fig. 23, with the flexible circuit 12 combined with the substrate 14. The integrated circuits 18 which are on the second side 9 (which is the inner side in this illustration by relative to the module 10) of the packed flexible circuit 12 are arranged in windows 250, so that the upper surfaces 18T of the integrated circuits 18 of the row ICR3 are in close proximity to the upper surfaces 18T of the integrated circuits 18 of the row ICR4. Thus, this first and second group of integrated circuits (in the form of chip-boxes in the illustration) are positioned in the zones in cut-out of the first and second lateral faces, respectively, of the substrate 14. In this case, the zones cut out on each lateral side of the substrate 14 are in spatial coincidence to create windows 250. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the illustration is not to scale, but that it is a representation of the mutual relations between the elements, and that the arrangement results in a "P" profile for the module 10 which is significantly smaller than it would have been without mounting integrated circuits 18 along the inner side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 in the windows 250 In this case, the profile P is approximately the sum of the distances between the upper surface and the lower surface of the integrated circuit 18 plus four times the diameter of the contacts 63 of the BGA network, and more twice the thickness of the flexible circuit 12, in addition to any adhesive layers 30 possibly used to adhere the integrated circuits 18 to each other. This dimension of the profile will vary depending on whether the BGA contacts 63 are arranged below the surface of the flexible circuit 12 to reach a suitable conductive layer or contacts that are typically part of the flexible circuit 12.

  Fig. 25 is another illustration of the relationship between the flexible circuit 12 and a substrate 14 which has been formed with a cut-out area pattern. The view of FIG. 25 is taken along a line that intersects the bodies of the integrated circuits 18. In FIG. 25, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the integrated circuits 18 which are included in the row or in the group ICR3 are staggered with respect to those included in the row or in the group ICR4 of the second side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 when the module 10 is assembled and the flexible circuit 12 is combined with the substrate 14. This staging can have as a result, some construction advantages which constitute a mechanical "staging" for the integrated circuits 18 when mounted in the substrate 14, and can still provide certain thermal advantages by increasing the contact area between the substrate 14 and the plurality of circuits integrated 18.

  Fig. 26 illustrates an exemplary substrate 14 employed in Fig. 25 before being combined with the packed flexible circuit 12, viewed along a line through the window 250 of the substrate 14. As shown in Fig. 26, a a number of cut-out areas or pockets are drawn by dashed lines and identified with references 250B3 and 250B4, respectively. The zones identified by 250B3 correspond, in this example, to the pockets, the sites, or the zones cut on a face of the substrate 14 in which integrated circuits 18 of the ICR3 group of the flexible circuit 12 will be arranged when the substrate 14 and the circuit soft 12 are combined. These pockets, sites, or zones in cutting identified by the references 250B4 correspond to the sites in which the integrated circuits 18 of the ICR4 group will be arranged. In alternative embodiments, there may be more than one row of integrated circuits 18 disposed on one side of the substrate 14.

  For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "windows" may refer to an aperture that traverses the entire substrate 14 over the distance "S" which corresponds to the width or height dimension of the integrated circuits. in a case, or it can also refer to an opening in which zones cut on each of the two sides of the substrate 14 overlap.

  FIG. 27 illustrates a plan view of the substrate 14 previously illustrated in FIG. 26. Where the cut zones 250B3 and 250B4 overlap, there are, as illustrated, windows that pass through the entire substrate 14. 250B3 and 250B4 cutting areas may not overlap, or in other embodiments, there may be pockets or areas cut only on one side of the substrate 14. Trademen will recognize that the cut-out areas, such as those identified with references 250B3 and 250B4 (as well as windows in the substrate 14) can be formed in a variety of ways depending on the material of the substrate 14, and that it is not necessarily that they are literally "cut", but that they can be formed by a variety of molding, machining and cutting processes, as will be understood by men r.

  Fig. 28 is an enlarged view of a portion of a preferred embodiment showing a lower integrated circuit 181 and an upper integrated circuit 182. In this embodiment, the conductive layer 66 of the flexible circuit 12 contains conductive tracks. which connect the module contacts 20 to the BGA contacts 63 on the integrated circuits 181 and 182. When necessary, the number of layers may be designed so as to obtain the required radius of curvature in those embodiments in which the circuit flexible 12 is bent around an edge 16A or 16B, for example, although the inventors have determined that a flexible circuit with four conductive layers can be bent as necessary around suitably shaped ends of the substrate 14. As it will be shown later, holes or passages at appropriate locations of the flexible circuit 12 help create shaped bends in the circuit circuit the 12th when necessary. The number of layers in any particular portion of the flexible circuit 12 may also be designed to achieve the necessary connection density, given a particular minimum track width associated with the technology used for the flexible circuit. Some flexible circuits 12 may have three or four conductive layers, or more. Such layers may be beneficial for driving signals for applications, such as a fully buffered DIMM that may have a smaller number of DIMM input / output signals than a registered DIMM, but may greater number of interconnect tracks required between components on the DIMM.

  In this embodiment, there are three soft circuit layers 12 between the two illustrated integrated circuits 18 1 and 182. The conductive layers 64 and 76 represent conductive tracks which are connected to the integrated circuits and which can further be connected to the integrated circuits. other discrete components. Preferably, the conductive layers are made of metal, such as for example copper or alloy 110. Passages, like the passages 23 shown in example, connect the two conductive layers 64 and 76, and thus allow a connection between the conductive layer 64 and in the module contacts 20. In this preferred embodiment, with a portion of the three-layer flexible circuit 12, the two conductive layers 64 and 66 may be designed so that one of them has a zone Substantial used as a mass plan. The other layer may employ a substantial area as a voltage reference. The use of a plurality of conductive layers provides advantages, and allows the creation of a distributed capacitance for reducing noise or transient effects which can, particularly at higher frequencies, degrade the integrity of the signal, such as the will recognize the tradespeople. If more than two conductive layers are used, additional conductive layers can be added with insulating layers which separate the conductive layers.

  Fig. 29 is an exploded illustration of a flexible circuit 12 in cross-section, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The flexible circuit 12 illustrated has four conductive layers 701-704 and seven insulating layers 705 to 711. The number of layers described is simply that used in a preferred embodiment, and other numbers of layers can be employed. and other diaper arrangements. Even a single conductive layer in the flexible circuit 12 may be employed in some embodiments, but it turns out that flexible circuits with more than one conductive layer are more adaptable for more complex embodiments of the invention. .

  The upper conductive layer 701 and the other conductive layers are preferably made of a conductive metal, such as copper or an alloy 110. In this arrangement, the conductive layers 701, 702 and 704 represent signal paths 712 which establish various These layers may also represent conductive planes for grounding, for power supply or for the reference voltage.

  In this embodiment, the inner conductive layer 702 represents tracks that are connected between various devices mounted on the secondary substrates 24. The function of any one of the illustrated conductive layers can be exchanged for its function with other conductive layers. The inner conductive layer 702 represents a ground plane, which can be split to provide a VDD return for pre-register address signals. The inner conductive layer 703 may further represent other planes and other tracks. In this embodiment, the layers or planes at the lower conductive layer 704 provide the reference voltage VREF and the ground voltage, in addition to the illustrated tracks.

  In this embodiment, the insulating layers 705 and 711 are dielectric solder mask layers that can be deposited on adjacent conductive layers, for example. Other embodiments may not include such adhesive dielectric layers. The insulating layers 706, 708 and 710 are preferably layers of flexible dielectric substrate made of polyimide. However, any suitable soft circuit may be employed in the present invention, and the illustration of FIG. 29 should be understood to be merely an example of one of the more complex flexible circuit structures that can be employed as a flexible circuit 12.

  FIG. 30 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a module 10 according to the invention, which differs from the embodiment shown above in FIG. 3 in that, instead of the single flexible circuit 12 used in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the embodiment of Figure 30 employs two flexible circuits identified by 12A and 12B. Each of the flexible circuits 12A and 12B is lined with integrated circuits 18 on one of its respective sides 8 and 9, or both. One and / or the other of the flexible circuits 12A and 12B may employ additional circuits 19, such as buffers, sensors or registers, advanced memory buffers, and PLL circuits, for example on the one or the other of its respective sides.

  Those skilled in the art will recognize that modules designed in accordance with the principles of the invention may be packed with a variety of integrated circuits which include, but are not limited to, memory components, ASICs, microprocessors, specific microprocessors for video applications, radio frequency components, other logic components and FPGA-mounted components. As those skilled in the art will recognize, various embodiments can be designed to implement a variety of electrical or topologically identified modules, which include, but are not limited to, registered DIMMs, unregistered DIMMs. , SO-DIMMs, SIMMs, video modules, fully buffered DIMMs with advanced memory buffers, PCMCIA modules and cards, and other modules. Some of the relevant applications for modules designed in accordance with the invention include servers, desktops, video cameras, television sets, and personal communication devices.

  Those skilled in the art will therefore recognize that the present invention can be adapted to express iterations of a variety of modules to provide improved thermal performance and in which manufacturing conveniences or profile minimization are an important value. When a video card or other specialized module which includes a microprocessor or a calculation logic circuit is designed in accordance with the present invention, it can be considered that one or more of the illustrated circuits 19 is a microprocessor.

  Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 30, each of the flexible circuits 12A and 12B has module contacts 20 positioned in a manner designed to be housed in an edge connector or in a pedestal 31 and connect with contacts. corresponding in the connector. The edge connector or base 31 is typically, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, a portion of a computer 33.

  Figure 31 illustrates a traditional DIMM 11 packed with 18B integrated circuits following a strategy sometimes called "flat" by those skilled in the art. The following tables provide a comparison between an example of module 11 as illustrated in FIG. 31 and an example of module 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and designed according to FIG. demonstrate, there is a substantially lesser thermal variation from one integrated circuit to another in the module 10 (Figure 3) than that found in a module like that shown in Figure 31 under the same conditions. The following data was derived by Staktek Group L.P., the assignee of the present invention, using modeling techniques familiar to those skilled in the art.

  The following tables should be interpreted with reference to Fig. 32. Fig. 32 illustrates a diagram of an embodiment of a module 10 in which the positions of the plurality of integrated circuits of an exemplary module. 10 are identified to help understand the subsequent tables of this description. For example, integrated circuit 18 identified by the specific reference in FIG. 32 is located at site 4 (reference "ST4") on the outer side (reference "0") of side 1 of the module. Airflow 40 is identified in FIG. 32 and will be quantized in subsequent tables. The positions or sites identified in Figure 32 also identify corresponding sites in module 11 evaluated in the tables below and identified with the suffix "B". The tables are organized to provide an easy comparison between an example of module 11 (given as an example in FIG. 31) and an example of module 10 (given as an example in FIG. 3) under the same modeling conditions. Table 1A relates to data taken from a model of an example of module 10 (given as an example in FIG. 3), whereas table 1B relates to data taken from a model of an example of module 11, illustrated in FIG. As shown in the data tables below, the models predict surprising and significant differences in all temperatures and temperature variations from one integrated circuit to another between a module model 10 designed according to FIG. 3 (with a thermal extension on the substrate) with chip-boxes 1 8 and a model of a module 1 1 designed according to FIG. 31 with integrated circuits 18B under the usual known planar strategy. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the predicted improvement in thermal conditions, including a reduction in temperature variation from one integrated circuit to another in the exemplary module analyzed compared to that predicted for the present invention. example of module 11 should lead to reduce a variation induced for thermal reasons, which will have salutary effects on the timing performance and tolerances of the timing target for modules designed according to Figure 3 with a thermally conductive substrate 14. models that do not have a 16T thermal extension do not have such a significant improvement in thermal performance, but should have the expected density and durability improvements. It can be expected, however, that module examples such as those shown in FIGS. 18, 19 and 30, for example, have even better thermal performance characteristics. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that such improvements should be expected by using other substrates of thermally conductive and metallic material, such as copper or copper alloys. In addition to the metallic materials, the substrate 14 may also be made of other thermally conductive materials, such as for example carbon-based materials or thermally conductive plastics.

  Table 1A below relates to thermal data derived from a modeled embodiment designed in accordance with the module 10 as described herein. The exemplary module 10 was modeled as being lined with a plurality of DDR2 components (11 X 19) of the company Micron Technologies as integrated circuits 18. In this case, modules 10 were modeled, as operating coast side by side with a pitch of 10 mm between modules. The substrate 14 was made of aluminum and has a topology given by way of example in the illustration of FIG. 3. In the model, the air flow 40 moves at 2 m / second and at 35 C, when a row of circuits integrated 18 is operating at 0.38 W per integrated circuit, while the other row operates at 0.05 W per integrated circuit.

Table 1A

  Two modules 10 (Figure 3) side by side, pitch 10 mm, aluminum substrate at a rate of 0.38 watts per component on one row and 0.05 watts per component on the other row, air at 35 C and 2 mis.

  DIMM # 1 Side 1 Sitel Site2 Site3 Site4 Site5 Site6 Site? Site8 Site9 Extér. 48.6 51.4 53.2 54.6 59.0 59.6 60.3 61.0 61.2 Interested? 54.0 55.8 57, 5 58.9 62.0 63.0 63.8 64.2 64.2 Interim. 53.6 55.5 57.2 58.6 61.5 62.6 63, 4 63.8 63.8 Registers PLL 62.2 64.9 68.1 2878118 29 Maximum Temperature DRAM, C Maximum Temperature DRAM, C Range, C Table 1B below relates to thermal data for an exemplary model of module 11 designed in accordance with FIG. 31 and operating under the same conditions as the module modeled in table 1A.

Table 1B

  Two modules 11 (flat DIMM configuration, Figure 31), side by side, at 10 mm pitch, 0.38 watts per component in one row, 0.05 watts per component in the other row, air at 35 C and 2 m / second Outdoor 55.0 58, 8 60.8 62.4 63.6 65.9 67.1 67.7 68.0 Side 2 DIMM # 2 Side 1 Sitel Site2 Site3 Site4 Site5 Site6 Site7 Site8 Site9 Extér. 48.4 51.3 53.0 54.3 57.9 58.6 59.4 60.0 60.3 Interim. 54.1 55.9 57.6 59.1 62.2 63.3 64.1 64.6 64.6 Interest. 53.7 55.7 57.4 59.0 62.0 63.2 64.1 64.6 64.6 Ext. 55.5 58.9 61.0 62.8 65.4 67.5 65.8 69.6 69.9 Side 2 Registers PLL 63.3 64.6 68.0 65.2 63, 4 69.9 48 , 4 21.5 DIMM # 1 Sitel Site2 Site3 Site4 Site5 Site6 Site7 Site8 Site9 Registers Side 1 Top 50.6 53.9 56.3 58.5 62.7 63.9 64.9 65.5 65.1 63, 3 Low 58.2 62.1 64, 7 66.6 70.4 72.6 72.9 73.1 73.1 64.3 High 58.2 62.4 64.9 66.9 70.4 72, 0 72.9 73.0 72.5 63.9 PLL 72.0 Low 50.4 53.7 56.1 57.8 61.0 63.0 64.1 64, 7 64.4 64.4 Side 2 DIMM # 1 Side 1 Sitel Site2 Site3 Site4 Site5 Site6 Site? Site8 Site9 Registers PLL High 50.5 53.8 56.2 58.3 62.1 63.2 64.1 64.5 63.9 63.0 Low 58.0 62.0 64, 6 66.4 69, 4 71.6 72.8 73.0 72.8 63.8 71.6 High 58.3 62.3 64.9 67.0 70, 9 72.6 73.0 73.0 73.1 64.0 Bottom 50.4 53.7 56.1 58.0 61.6 63.5 64.8 65.4 65, 2 64.8 Side 2 Maximum Temperature DRAM, C Minimum Temperature DRAM, C Range, C Figure 33 illustrates a module 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the module 10 is provided with a thermal sensor 191 mounted along the inner side 9 of the flexible circuit 12. In the illustration of FIG. 33, even if it shows the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12, the location of the sensor 191 is illustrated such that its location is understood in relation to the external view of the module 10 provided in FIG. 33. The thermal sensor 191 is thermally coupled to the substrate 14 in a manner designed to permit measurements. Such an arrangement is advantageously used in embodiments having a thermally conductive substrate 14, such as substrates made of copper, nickel, aluminum, carbon-based materials or thermally conductive plastics, for example. When integrated circuits 18 along the inner side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 are also thermally coupled to the substrate 14, the temperature of the substrate 14 will tend to match that of the integrated circuits 18.

  In some embodiments, the thermal sensor 191 may be integrated into a buffer (such as an advanced memory buffer) or a register. For example, some fully buffered DIMM systems may employ one or more advanced memory buffers with an integrated thermal sensor. In such a module, one of the advanced memory buffers can be mounted along the inner side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 and thermally coupled to the substrate 14. The thermal readings taken from such an advanced memory buffer can be used by the system. host as a more reliable indication of the temperature of the integrated circuit module than thermal readings taken from forward memory buffers mounted along the outer side 8.

  In embodiments configured to include more than one DIMM instantiation on a single module, a thermal sensor mounted along the inner side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 may provide readings that are employed for one or more DIMM instantiations mounted along the 8. For example, a module may have four DIMM instantiations, two arranged adjacent to the substrate 14 and two arranged along an outer side of the flexible circuit away from the substrate 14. Such a module may have two heat sensors 191 thermally. coupled to the substrate 14, one on each side. Each thermal sensor can provide a reading for both DIMM instantiations on their respective side of the substrate 14. Alternatively, a thermal sensor can provide readings for all four DIMM instantiations.

  Figure 34 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention. The thermal sensor 191 and one of the illustrated integrated circuits 18 are thermally coupled to the substrate 14 with a thermally conductive adhesive 30. Typically, other integrated circuits 18 will be mounted on the flexible circuit 12, in addition to the thermal sensor 191. In this embodiment, the integrated circuit 18 and the thermal sensor 191 have a similar thickness or height above the flexible circuit 12 illustrated. Other embodiments may be realized with a thermal sensor having a height greater or smaller than that of the integrated circuits 18. Such a difference in height may be adjusted by a thermally conductive spacing element, such as for example a piece copper or other metal. The difference in height can also be adjusted by a filling of a thermally conductive adhesive, the filling being designed to have both the integrated circuits 18 and the thermal sensor 191 in thermal connection with the substrate 14. The arrow 202 in the figure 34 shows the flow of heat out of the illustrated integrated circuits 18 and towards the substrate 14. The arrow 204 shows the flow of heat from the substrate 14 to the thermal sensor 191. The arrow 205 shows the heat flow from an integrated circuit 181 to an integrated circuit 182. The arrangement of the integrated circuits 181 and 182 opposite to each other and separated by the flexible circuit 12 tends to encourage the flow of thermal energy from one of the integrated components of the pair formed by the integrated circuit 181 and the integrated circuit 182 which is in the "on" state to that of the pair which is in the "off" state or "off" state.

  Fig. 35 is an elevational view of the inner side 9 of a flexible circuit 12 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

  The thermal sensor 191 is mounted along the inner side of the flexible circuit 12, and then the flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the edge of the substrate 14 to place the illustrated side adjacent to the substrate. While in this embodiment only a single flexible circuit is used, in other embodiments, such as that illustrated in FIG. 30, two or more flexible circuits may be combined with the substrate 14 to form a module. In such embodiments, one or more thermal sensors 191 may be mounted on each flexible circuit, or a thermal sensor may adequately measure the thermal state for the circuits along both sides of the substrate 14 by being thermally coupled. to the substrate 14.

  Fig. 36 is a block diagram illustrating the sensor signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. There is illustrated a block 14 which represents the substrate 14. The arrows 202 and 204 show the heat flow from the integrated circuits 2203 to the substrate 14, and from the substrate 14 to the thermal sensor 191. The integrated circuits 2203 are preferably integrated circuits or groups of circuits, but these may be other integrated circuits or single integrated circuits. As described above, the integrated circuits 2203 can be coupled directly or indirectly to the substrate 14. For example, the integrated circuits 2203 can have surfaces that are thermally adhered to the substrate 14, or that can be coupled via a flexible circuit and other integrated circuits. The integrated circuits 2203 or the thermal sensor 191 may also be arranged in cut-out portions of the substrate 14.

  The thermal sensor 191 contains a transducer for transforming a temperature signal into an electrical signal. Thus, it provides a signal in relation to a thermal condition of the module. Heat sensing transducers are well known in these techniques. Many transducers of this kind produce an analog voltage or a current proportional to the measured temperature. The analog signal is preferably converted to a digital thermal signal 2202 at the output of the thermal sensor 191. Other arrangements may be used. For example, the signal 2202 may be an analog signal that is converted to be processed elsewhere in the module 10 or in circuits external to the module 10, or a sensor with a digital output may be employed.

  The thermal signal 2202 shown is shown connected to the monitor circuit 2204 for four DIMM instantiations 2203. In this embodiment, four instantiations of DIMM circuits, such as a fully buffered DIMM circuit or a registered DIMM circuit, are mounted on the circuit. Flexible in a single module 10. The illustrated single thermal sensor provides a thermal measurement for controlling and monitoring all four illustrated instantiations. In other embodiments, the signal 2202 may be connected, in replacement or additionally, to a system monitoring circuit or other control circuit for receiving and processing the thermal monitoring signals. Such a circuit can be part of the module 10, or it can be placed apart from the system in which the module 10 is installed.

  Those skilled in the art will recognize, after appreciating this description, that more than one thermal sensor 191 can be arranged to monitor the thermal state of the circuit in a module 10. For example, a thermal sensor 191 can provide a thermal measurement signal 2202 for two rows of integrated circuits, a row being mounted thermally on each face of the substrate 14. Such an embodiment can be used advantageously, for example in systems having thermal condition variations of from one location to another, or from one row of integrated circuits to another. In a system that uses a fully buffered DIMM circuit, DIMM instantiations closer to the system's memory controller typically have a higher signal level through their advanced memory buffer than the more remote DIMM instantiations of the system memory controller. If such DIMM instantiations are present together on a module 10, there may be control advantages in providing separate thermal measurements associated with each DIMM instantiation, or associated with circuitry along one side or the other. of the substrate 14.

  Figure 37 illustrates another preferred embodiment of a module 10 according to the present invention. The illustration of FIG. 37 shows a module 10 similar to that shown earlier in FIG. 3, thermally connected to a chassis or box 24 via a thermal conduit 22. The chassis or box 24 has the function of that of a heat sink for thermal energy from the module 10. The thermal conduit 22 participates in the thermal connection between the substrate 14 and the frame 24. The thermal conduit 22 may be of any material that allows the thermal energy of flow between the module 10 and the frame or the box 24. Preferably, the thermal conduit 22 is made of a material that has a certain flexibility and elasticity to compression. This increases the reliability of the thermal path between the module 10 and the chassis 24 while reducing the possibility of damage when applying physical force to the module 10. As shown, the thermal conduit 22 is, at least in part, between the substrate 14 and the frame component 24.

  In the illustrations of Fig. 37, the thermal conduit 22 is a spring but, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art when assessing this description, the thermal conduit 22 may be made of any thermally conductive material of any a variety of such materials, and it is not necessary that the thermal conduit 22 be flexible. In a certain embodiment, the system of the invention can even make contact between the substrate 14 of the module 10 and the frame 24 without intermediate thermal conduit. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that there is a preference for a flexible intermediate element, such as a thermal conduit 22. Some examples of suitable materials for the thermal conduit include springs, seals with respect to electromagnetic radiation, thermally conductive materials from the company Bergquist and other suppliers of thermally conductive materials.

  In a preferred embodiment, the substrate 14 and its extension 16T, which is optional but preferred, of the module 10 are made of thermally conductive materials, such as, for example, copper, aluminum, or metal alloys, or materials based on carbon or thermally conductive plastics, for example. The use of metallic materials for the substrate 14 has additional advantages, such as enhanced strength as well as advantages for thermal management. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the thermal extension 16T is preferably, but not necessarily, a piece contiguous with the substrate 14 and that it can therefore be considered as part of the substrate 14 in a case as in the other. As has been shown in previous cross-sectional views, at least some of the integrated circuits are in direct thermal communication with the substrate 14 and therefore deviate heat energy directly to the substrate 14. Others of the integrated circuits Residents of the module 10 can deflect the thermal energy to the flexible circuit 12 which, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, can be constructed to enhance the thermal conduction to the substrate 14.

  Figure 38 is a cross-sectional view of a system designed in accordance with the present invention. The illustrated system 5 comprises a module 10 and a chassis component 24, in which the thermal energy from the module 10 is bypassed to the chassis component 24 via the substrate 14 of the module 10 and, in the illustrated embodiment , the thermal conduit 22 which participates in the thermal connection between the substrate 14 and the chassis component or box 24. Typically, the chassis component 24 will be a part of a computer system and may be for example a shelf or a extending a larger chassis or box of a computer system, such as a general-purpose personal computer. As other examples, it may be a part of a larger server or chassis or computer box, or it may be an extension, a a plate, or a metal plate connected to a frame structure in a smaller computing application, such as for example a laptop or a mobile computer, or a computing platform for a specialized application.

  The cross-sectional view of FIG. 38 is taken through the integrated circuits 18 of the module 10 which are arranged, in the illustrated embodiment, on either side of the faces S1 and S2 of the substrate 14 of the module 10. In FIG. the illustrated system 5, the module 10 is shown inserted into an edge connector 31 which resides on a card 33. The edge connector 31 is familiar to those skilled in the art and, as shown, is typically used on a card 33 as a motherboard in a computer. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, an inherent but minor thermal energy flow occurs between the module 10 and the card 33 through the edge connector 31, but those skilled in the art should also recognize that this flow of energy Thermal through the edge connector 31 is not the thermal connection emphasized in the present invention.

  The substrate 14 makes contact with the thermal conduit 22 via the thermal extension 16T. The thermal conduit 22 is a seal-like material in this illustration, and is disposed along the lower side 24L of the chassis component 24. The gasket material of the particular heat pipe 22 shown in FIG. 38 may be, for example, a gasket material with respect to electromagnetic radiation.

  The upper surface 18T of some of the at least one integrated circuit 18 is used in the illustration of FIG. 38 to attach the integrated circuit-filled flexible circuit 12 to the substrate 14 of the module 10. Preferably, such an attachment is used for such attachment. adhesives or thermal adhesives. The substrate 14 has a first perimeter edge identified by 16A and a second boundary, shown in FIG. 38, as a thermal extension 16T, and those skilled in the art will recognize that a thermal extension 16T can be designed in a variety of forms. Alternatively, the substrate 14 may simply have a second edge devoid of extension or shape features.

  The thermally conductive material of the substrate 14 encourages the extraction of thermal energy from the chip-boxes of the module. The flexible circuit 12 may be particularly designed to function as a sink or as a heat sink, which is in addition to the thermal conduction out of the integrated circuits 18 and 19. In another embodiment, advantageous features from multiple technologies may be combined with the use of a type 4 flame retardant having a copper layer on both sides to provide a substrate 14 designed to take advantage of the principles of the invention. Other embodiments may combine in a module 10 traditional construction materials such as a Type 4 flame retardant with metal materials in a substrate to take better advantage of the benefits of the present invention, but while employing traditional connections.

  Fig. 39 illustrates a system 5 which employs an alternative embodiment of module 10 with secondary substrates 21A and 21B. Such secondary substrates are lined in the figure with integrated circuits 18 and may be made of materials for making integrated circuit cards, although other materials known in these techniques may be employed. For example, the secondary substrate 21 may be formed by the rigid portion of an integrated flexible / rigid structure that provides mounting fields for the integrated circuits 18, the integrated circuits 19, and other circuits such as registers and PLL circuits for example, and a flexible portion that passes around the primary substrate 14 or that extends, for example, to the flexible edge connectors 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary substrates 21A and 21B are connected to the connectors 23 which are connected to the contacts 20, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, with techniques such as flexible connectors or layer connectors, or even portions of conventional circuit board substrates. The module 10 of the system 5 of Fig. 39 is shown in thermal connection with the thermal conduit 22 along the bottom face 24L of the frame component 24, which is illustrated as a shelf extension of the larger frame body 24B. .

  Figure 40 illustrates an embodiment of the system 5 which employs two modules 10, to illustrate the use of multiple modules 10 in a system 5 according to the invention.

  In the system 5, the thermal extensions 16T the modules 10 are in thermal connection with the thermal conduit 22 along the lower face 24L of a chassis component, which may be an extension of a larger frame body . In preferred modules, the thermal duct 22 may be made of a gasketing material with respect to electromagnetic radiation, for example, or the modules 10 may alternatively be in direct contact with a part of a chassis in which the modules are used.

  FIG. 41 illustrates another embodiment of the system 5 which includes a module 10 which employs a smaller number of integrated circuits 18. In the illustrated module 10, the substrate 14 is made of flame retardant type 4, but it possesses a copper core and includes copper layers 26 and the core 28 which cooperates with the thermal extension 16T to bypass thermal energy to the frame or box 24. Such an illustration is presented to assist It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a wide variety of construction combinations for modules can advantageously employ the principles of the invention.

  Figure 42 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a thermal management system 5 that employs a module 10 inserted into a card edge connector. The module 10 employs an integrated circuit 19 and has a deformation, a contour, or a hump 15 which creates a space 15S which receives an integrated circuit 19 which, in the illustrated embodiment of the module 10, can be a device with a profile more large, such as a buffer such as an advanced memory buffer, in a fully buffered DIMM, or in a graphics processor in a graphics module. The substrate 14 does not necessarily have a uniform thickness and examples of substrates with varying thicknesses along the substrate have been shown. The substrate 14 of the module 10 of FIG. 42 is in contact with the thermal conduit 22 via the thermal extension 16T, and the thermal conduit 22 is shown in contact with the chassis component or box 24.

  The large capacity allowed by some embodiments can be used to realize multiple DIMM circuits on a single module. For example, the constituent devices that include integrated circuits 18 and multiple articulated circuits 19, such as advanced memory buffers, can be combined to create dual and fully buffered DIMMs on a single module 10.

  Figure 43 illustrates a plan view of a module designed to express more than one instance of a fully buffered DIMM circuit on a single module 10. The circuit 19 is illustrated as an advanced memory buffer. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modules 10 configured as single fully buffered DIMMs will be readily constructed using the principles of the invention.

  Figure 44 illustrates the side 8 of a flexible circuit 12 as having a first and a second field F 1 and F 2. Each of the fields F 1 and F 2 comprises at least one array of mounting contacts for chip packages, such as that illustrated with reference to FIG. 11A. Contact networks, such as the network 11, are arranged below integrated circuits 18 and circuits 19. An example of a contact network 11A is shown by way of example, for integrated circuits 18 which must be mounted at the network level. of contacts 11A, as illustrated.

  The field F1 of the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12 is shown lined with a first plurality of ICR1 chip packages and a second plurality of ICR2 chip packages, while the second field F2 of the flexible circuit 12 side 12 is shown packed with a first plurality of ICR1 chipsets and a second plurality of ICR2 chipsets. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the identified pluralities of chip packages are, when arranged in the illustrated configuration, typically described as "rows". Between the ICR2 rows of the F1 field and ICR2 of the F2 field, the flexible circuit 12 has a plurality of module contacts which are arranged, in this embodiment, in two rows (CR1 and CR2) of module contacts 20. When the flexible circuit 12 is folded, as shown below, the side 8 illustrated in Figure 44 is shown to the outside of the module 10. The opposite side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 is inside, in several illustrated configurations of the module 10 and thus the side 9 is closer to the substrate 14 around which the flexible circuit 12 is arranged than is the side 8. As shown, other embodiments may have other numbers of rows and combinations of several connected-chip boxes to create an embodiment of the present invention.

  Fig. 45 shows the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12, illustrating the other side of the flexible circuit shown in Fig. 44. The side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 is shown to be lined with a plurality of chip housings 18. The side 9 includes FI and F2 fields each of which includes at least one mounting contact network site for chip packages and, in the illustrated case, includes a plurality of contact networks.

  Each of the FI and F2 fields includes, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, two pluralities of integrated circuits identified in FIG. 3 by ICRI and ICR2. Thus, each side of the flexible circuit 12 has, in a preferred embodiment, two fields F I and F2, each of these fields including two pluralities or rows of chip boxes ICRI and ICR2. In FIG. 46, which will be seen later, it will be recognized that the FI and F2 fields will be arranged on different faces of the substrate 14 in a completed module 10 when the integrated circuits 18 are identified according to the organization identification. illustrated in FIGS. 44 and 45. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the integrated circuit groupings 18 shown in FIGS. 44 and 45 are not dictated by the invention, but are given merely as an example of a strategy. organization to help understand the present invention. Various discrete components, such as termination resistors, bypass capacitors, and bias resistors, are provided in addition to the buffers 19 shown on the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12.

  Fig. 44 illustrates an example of a conductive track 21 which connects the row CR2 of module contacts 20 to the integrated circuits 18. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many such tracks in a typical embodiment. The tracks 21 may also be connected to passages which may provide transit to other conductive layers of the flexible circuit 12 in certain embodiments having more than one conductive layer. In a preferred embodiment, passages connect integrated circuits 18 on the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 with module contacts 20. An example of a passage is shown under the reference 23. The tracks 21 can establish other connections between the integrated circuits on one side and the other of the flexible circuit 12 and they can pass through the rows of module contacts 20 to interconnect the integrated circuits. Together, the various tracks and the various passages establish the necessary interconnections for conveying the data signals and the control signals among the various integrated circuits and the various buffer circuits.

  Figure 46 is a cross-sectional view of a module 10 designed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The module 10 is lined with integrated circuits 18 having upper surfaces 18T and lower surfaces 18B. The substrate, or support structure 14, has a first and a second perimetric edge 16A and 16B which appear in the illustration of Fig. 46 at the ends. The substrate or support structure 14 typically has first and second side faces S1 and S2. The flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the perimetric edge 16A of the substrate 14.

  In a typical fully buffered DIMM system, which employs a multiplicity of fully buffered DIMMs, the advanced memory buffers of a fully buffered DIMM circuit to another fully buffered DIMM circuit are separated by what can be designed as three impedance discontinuities, as shown in the system shown in Fig. 47 as D1, D2 and D3. Figure 47 includes two modules 10F and 10S and includes a representation of the connection between the two modules. The discontinuity D1 represents the impedance discontinuity made by the connector / base combination associated with the first module 10F. The discontinuity D2 represents the impedance perturbation effected by the connection between the connector / base of the first module 10F and the connector / base of the second module 10S, whereas the discontinuity D3 represents the discontinuity made by the connector / base combination associated with the second 10S module. The advanced memory buffer is the new buffer technology, especially for server memories, and typically includes a number of features that include pass-through logic for reading and writing data and commands, and internal serialization capability, data bus interface, and logical capability to reverse serialization and decoding, as well as clock functions. The operation of an Advanced Memory Buffer is the primary distinctive hardware feature of a fully buffered DIMM. Upon reading this description, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement the connections between the integrated circuits 18 and the advanced memory buffer 19 in fully buffered DIMM circuits implemented by embodiments of the present invention. The present invention will recognize that the present invention provides capacitance advantages as well as a reduction in impedance discontinuities that may impede larger implementations of fully buffered DIMMs. In addition, those skilled in the art will recognize that various principles of the present invention may be employed to realize or more than one fully buffered DIMM circuit on a single module.

  In contrast with the system shown in Fig. 47, Fig. 48 is a schematic representation of the unique impedance perturbation DX performed by the connection between a first advanced memory buffer 19 of a first fully buffered DIMM module "FB1". a first module 10F and a second advanced memory buffer 19 of a second fully buffered DIMM module "FP2" of the same first module 10F.

  Figure 49 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention which illustrates a configuration for a module 10 designed using stacks to create a module 10 having two fully buffered DIMM circuits. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of stacks such as illustrated stacks 40 from Staktek Group LP allows the creation of high capacity modules. The stacks 40 are simply one of a number of stacks designs that can be employed with the present invention. Stacking example 40 is designed with mandrels 42 and stacked flexible circuits 44, as disclosed in United States Patent Application No. 10 / 453,398, filed June 6, 2003, now issued as US Patent 6,914,324 B2. July 5, 2005, to the rights of the company Staktek Group LP, and the stacks 40 and the advanced memory buffer 19 are mounted on the flexible circuit 12 which is arranged around the substrate 14.

  Figure 50 illustrates another configuration using stacks in one embodiment of the present invention. Such an embodiment has a fully buffered DIMM circuit at its contacts 20.

  Fig. 51 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated module 10 comprises at least one advanced memory buffer and associated circuits, such as integrated circuits 18 which, in the preferred embodiment and as illustrated, are chipsets which require a support circuit to create at least one circuit or DIMM instantiation fully buffered on a module 10 with a relatively low profile. It should be understood that a second advanced memory buffer may be provided in addition to that shown on the other side of the module 10, but when it is used, the second advanced memory buffer will preferably be disposed more near the lateral face S2 of the substrate 14 as the advanced memory buffer 19 illustrated, and it will preferably be disposed on the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12. In this embodiment, the contacts 20 are along the side 8 of the circuit flexible 12 and close to an edge E of the flexible circuit 12. The main circuits which constitute a circuit or a fully buffered DIMM circuit (e) (that is to say the chip-boxes and the advanced memory buffer) may be arranged in a single row or distributed on both sides of the substrate 14. They may be associated with a first and a second mounting field of the first and second side of the flexible circuit 12, as described above with reference to to earlier figures. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the contacts 20 may appear on one or both sides of the module 10 in accordance with the features of the mechanical contact interface of the application.

  Figure 52 illustrates a first side 8 of the flexible circuit 12 used to construct a module according to another embodiment of the present invention. The integrated circuits 18 on the flexible circuit 12 are, in this embodiment, memory components in small scale packages. The circuit 19 illustrated between the integrated circuits 18 may be a memory buffer or a controller, such as an advanced memory buffer, but in this embodiment it is a memory controller or a memory controller. register for a registered DIMM. This embodiment will preferably include other integrated circuits 18 on an opposite side 9, which is not illustrated here. In this embodiment, the flexible circuit 12 is made from four conductive layers and a multiplicity of flexible substrate layers, as described above with reference to FIG.

  In this embodiment, the flexible circuit 12 is provided with holes 13, which are designed to allow greater flexibility to bend the flexible circuit 12 and obtain a desired radius of curvature for the curve 25 (Fig. 53). The holes 13 (which may also be gaps or partial gaps) preferably pass entirely through the flexible circuit 12, but in other embodiments, it may be only holes or partial gaps (the) which may be provided in one or more conductive layers of the flexible circuit 12, and / or in one or more of the flexible substrate layers of the flexible circuit 12. Such partial gaps may be designed to allow flexibility while ensuring sufficient conductive material to allow the desired connections to the contacts 20 and between the integrated circuits illustrated in the field F 1 and the field F 2 to be established.

  In this embodiment, the holes 13 are spaced to allow the tracks 21 to pass between them at the conductive layers of the flexible circuit 12. While some preferred embodiments include a dielectric solder masking layer that partially covers the side 8, the tracks 21 are illustrated along the side 8 for reasons of simplicity. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the tracks may be provided on different layers within the flexible circuit.

  In this embodiment, the flexible circuit 12 is further provided with holes 15. The holes 15 are designed to provide flexibility to bend the flexible circuit 12 and obtain a desired radius of curvature to wrap around the edge 16A or 16B of the substrate 14, for example. The holes 15 may be made in the form of gaps or partial gaps in the various conductive and nonconductive layers of the flexible circuit 12. This embodiment of the flexible circuit 12 is also provided with mounting pads 51 along the side. 18 of the flexible circuit 12. Such pads 51 are used to mount components such as, for example, surface-mounted resistors 52.

  Fig. 53 is a perspective view of a module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This figure illustrates holes 13 along a curve 25. In addition, part of the holes 15 can be seen along the lower edge of the module 10. The holes 13 can have an extension such that they are present along the whole of the curve 25. The holes 15 may also have a size such that they extend over the entire elbow around the edge of the substrate 14. The holes 13 and 15 may have a greater extent than the length of their curves respective, or less than this length. For example, the holes 13 and 15 may be of a size such as to adjust the radius of curvature for the flexible circuit 12 only in bend portions having a desired radius of curvature less than the possible radius with a flexible circuit. not modified.

  The topology and the illustrated arrangement of the flexible circuit can be advantageously used to create circuit modules of high capacity and thin profile. For example, a DIMM with a dual surface area can be built for component mounting for a given DIMM height. Such doubling can double the number of memory components, or allow to achieve larger capacity components that would not find room on traditional DIMMs.

  For example, a preferred embodiment achieves a registered 4 GB 30-mm DIMM using 512 MB components. Another embodiment achieves a registered 8 GB and 50 mm DIMM using 1-chip components. GB. DIMMs having multiple instantiations of fully buffered DIMM or DIMM circuits may be provided as previously described herein. Likewise, DIMMs having the usual single instantiation of DIMMs can be realized when the devices employed are too large to fit in the surface area provided in a typical standard industrial DIMM. Such an ability to realize high capacity modules and such flexibility can be advantageously used to provide computer systems with high memory capacity when they have a limited number of DIMM sockets on the motherboard.

  Figure 54 illustrates an exemplary module 10 designed to achieve a thin profile while employing higher-height components, such as an advanced memory buffer. Fig. 54 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a packed module 10 of integrated circuits 18 and having an advanced memory buffer circuit 19 with a resident heat sink 33 emerging from the opening 35 in the flexible circuit 12, which is still shown in the following figures.

  FIG. 55 illustrates the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12. The fields F1 and F2 of the flexible circuit 12 illustrated are each lined with a single row of integrated circuits 18. The field F2 has an opening 35 for integrated circuits through the flexible circuit 12. The opening 35 is an opening of sufficient size to allow a selected integrated circuit, such as an advanced memory buffer circuit 19, to pass through the flexible circuit 12. Those skilled in the art will recognize that one can making more than one integrated circuit aperture 35 in the flexible circuit 12 to allow a multiplicity of higher profile devices to pass through respective apertures.

  Fig. 56 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates a cross-section of a module 10 taken through one iteration of the circuit 19. The view of Fig. 56 illustrates the module 10 with the flexible circuit 12 having an opening 35 out of which emerges the circuit 19. The flexible circuit 12 is wrapped around the substrate 14 and the integrated circuit 19, which is mounted on the FI field on the side 9 of the flexible circuit 12 which, in the embodiment 2878118 48 illustrated, is the inner side of the module 10, through a window 250 of the substrate 12 to emerge partially out of the integrated circuit opening 35 of the flexible circuit 12. The illustrated circuit 19 has a thermal radiation element or a heat sink 33 and it can be constructed to form an advanced memory buffer or a buffer or logic device, for example. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that circuit 19 does not need to emerge from the integrated circuit opening 35 of the flexible circuit 12 and that advantages will be obtained simply by placing the integrated circuit aperture 35 flexible circuit 12 substantially in coincidence with the circuit 19 to allow to more easily evacuate the thermal energy out of the circuit 19. However, in many embodiments, the circuit 19 will emerge at least partially out of the opening 35 Other embodiments may be constructed in accordance with the present invention to place, for example, two instantiations of fully buffered DIMM circuits on a single module and employ a flexible circuit that has two integrated circuit apertures 35 to coincide with both of them. advanced memory buffers that are visible through their respective windows in the substrate or that actually emerge at least in part hor s openings 35 of the flexible circuit.

  As shown in FIG. 56, the circuit 19 has a profile designated by the reference "P1" while the module 10 has a profile designated by "PM", and each of the integrated circuits 18 has a profile indicated by the reference "P18" , and the substrate 14 has a profile indicated by "PS". As shown, the PM profile of the module 10 is less increased by the profiles for the integrated circuits 18 and for the circuit 19 than would occur without the use of the techniques disclosed herein. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 56, PM is less than four times the profile P18 of the integrated circuits 18 plus PT, because the circuit 19 is disposed in the window 250 of the substrate 14 and through the opening 35 of the flexible circuit 12.

  In this embodiment, the construction places the integrated circuits 18 of the field F1 on the face S1 of the substrate 14, and the integrated circuits 18 of the field F2 on the face S2 of the substrate 14, while the higher profile 2878118 49 of the circuit 19, represented by the reference PT, is disposed substantially inside the height profile PM of the module 10, thus resulting in a lower profile module 10 than would have occurred if the circuit 19 were mounted, by example, on the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12, as the module 10 higher profile shown in Figure 51 above.

  FIG. 57 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention and shows the module 10 packed with integrated circuits 18 on the side 8 of the flexible circuit 12, and the circuit 19 which passes through the window 250 of the substrate 14. The mode embodiment illustrated in Figure 57 can be used, for example, in applications to PCI cards in which the space allocated to expansion cards is minimal, and where typically only traditional cards with only one card are provided. face allowed to match the space allocated by the application. Therefore, the principles of the present invention can make it possible to employ higher capacities in applications to PCI cards.

  While the present invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many embodiments that adopt a variety of specific shapes, as well as changes, substitutions, and modifications that reflect these embodiments, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The many embodiments described thus illustrate the invention but without restricting its scope.

2878118 50

Claims (141)

claims   A circuit module, characterized by comprising: (a) a rigid substrate having two opposite side faces and an edge; (b) a flexible circuit wrapped around the edge of the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, a portion of the flexible circuit being attached to at least one. opposite side faces of the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit having a plurality of suitable contacts for connection to a connector of a circuit board, the plurality of contacts being disposed near the edge of the rigid substrate on the outer side flexible circuit; and (c) a plurality of memory chip packages mounted on at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit.   The circuit module of claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of memory chip packages each have an upper surface, and the upper surfaces of each of the plurality of memory chip packages are attached to the rigid substrate.   3. Circuit module according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of said plurality of memory chip packages mounted on at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit are disposed in cut-out areas on the one of the opposite side faces of the rigid substrate.   4. Circuit module according to claim 3, characterized in that a plurality of cut-out areas are provided on each of the opposite lateral faces of the rigid substrate, and some of said zones of the plurality of cut-out zones on one of the two opposite side faces of the rigid substrate are staggered with respect to some of the plurality of zones cut on the other of the two opposite side faces of the rigid substrate.   5. Circuit module according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises an advanced memory buffer (AMB), and 2878118 51 that the rigid substrate has a cut-off area or a window wherein is disposed said memory buffer.   6. A circuit module according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rigid substrate is of a thermally conductive material.   7. Circuit module according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the rigid substrate is composed of aluminum.   8. circuit module according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a thermal extension is presented by the rigid substrate opposite the edge of the rigid substrate.   9. Circuit module according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one alignment means of the flexible circuit cooperating with at least one means for aligning the rigid substrate.   Circuit module according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an advanced memory buffer mounted on at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit.   11. Circuit module according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible circuit comprises more than one conductive layer.   12. Circuit module according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the flexible circuit is composed of conductive layers.   13. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a thermally conductive substrate having a first and a second lateral face and a perimetric edge; a flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, with a plurality of chip packages mounted on said first and second sides, the first side having edge connector contacts adapted for connection to a slot edge connector, the flexible circuit being wrapped around the perimetric edge of the thermally conductive substrate to place the edge connector contacts of the first side closer to the perimeter edge of the substrate than the plurality of chip packages are arranged, and for placing the second side of the flexible circuit closer to the lateral sides of the substrate than the first side of the flexible circuit is arranged.   14. Circuit module according to claim 13, characterized in that the thermally conductive substrate has a thermal extension opposite the perimetric edge.   15. Circuit module according to claims 13 or 14, characterized in that it further comprises an advanced memory buffer mounted on at least one of the first and second side of the flexible circuit.   16. Circuit module according to claim 13, 14 or 15, characterized in that the thickness of the thermally conductive substrate between its first and second side faces varies in at least two locations along the length of the thermally conductive substrate.   17. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having expansion card contacts adapted for connection to an edge connector socket, the flexible circuit further having a first side and a second side, with a first group of chip-boxes and a second group of chip-boxes along the second side; a substrate having a first side face and a second side face and an edge, the first side face having one or more cut areas and the second side face having one or more cut areas, the flexible circuit being disposed around the substrate to position individual chip packages of the first group of chip packages in one or more of the cut areas of the first side face of the substrate and for positioning individual chip packages of the second group of chip packages in one or more zones; cutting the second side face of the substrate.   18. Circuit module according to claim 17, characterized in that said one or more zones in cutting of the first lateral face of the substrate is / are in spatial coincidence with respective zones of said one or more zones in cutting of the second lateral face. of the substrate.   19. Circuit module according to claim 17, characterized in that said one or more zones in cut-out of the first lateral face of the substrate is / are in partial spatial coincidence with respective zones of said one or more zones in cut-out of the second face. side of the substrate.   Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first large side and a second large side, the flexible circuit having at least one or more rows of surface mounting networks on the first major side and two or more rows of surface mounting networks on the second major side, the flexible circuit having an arcuate bend between two rows selected from said two or more rows of surface mounting networks on the second major side, the second major side being turned inwardly of the arcuate elbow, the flexible circuit having a terminal edge and edge connector contacts disposed near the terminal edge; a plurality of chip packages that fill at least one of said two or more rows of surface mounting networks of the second major side, each of the chip packages having a top major surface; a support substrate partially within the arcuate elbow, the support substrate having an edge, and a first face and a second face, the first face having a plurality of cut-out areas or windows to provide a within these, individual chip packages of the plurality of chip packages which enclose at least one of said two or more rows of surface mounting networks of the second long side of the flexible circuit.   Circuit module for reducing thermal variations between constituent chip packages, characterized in that the module comprises: (a) a thermally conductive rigid substrate having first and second side faces, an edge and at least one thermal extension ; and (b) a flexible circuitry packaged with a plurality of chip packages and having a plurality of contacts that mate with an edge connector plug, the flexible circuitry being wound around the edge of the rigid substrate thermally conductive.   22. Circuit module according to claim 21, characterized in that at least one pair of chip packages consisting of a first chip package and a second chip package separated by the flexible circuitry are provided. and positioned opposite each other to encourage thermal energy migration from the first chip package to the second chip package when the first chip package is in a run state.   23. Circuit module according to claim 21, characterized in that the plurality of chip packages consist of memory circuit chip packages.   24. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it is configured at least as fully buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM).   25. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it is configured as at least one registered DIMM module circuit.   2878118 55 26. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it is configured as a video card.   Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it is configured as a communication card.   28. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it further comprises a microprocessor.   29. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that the rigid thermally conductive substrate is composed of aluminum.   30. Circuit module according to claim 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that the rigid thermally conductive substrate is composed of copper.   31. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor.   32. Circuit module according to claim 31, characterized in that the sensor is a thermal sensor which provides a signal in relation to a thermal condition of the circuit module.   Circuit module according to claim 31, characterized in that the sensor provides a signal in relation to the capacitance of the circuit module.   34. Circuit module according to claims 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that it is inserted into an edge connector socket.   Circuit module according to claim 34, characterized in that the edge connector plug is part of a computer.   2878118 56 36. Circuit module for reducing the thermal variations between constituent chip packages, characterized in that the module comprises: (a) a rigid thermally conductive substrate having a first and a second lateral face, at least one thermal extension and an edge ; and (b) a flexible circuitry comprising a first flexible circuit packed with a plurality of chip packages and having a plurality of contacts for insertion into an edge connector, and a second flexible circuit provided with a plurality of chip packages, wherein the first and second flexible circuits are supported, at least in part, on the first and second side faces of the thermally conductive substrate, respectively.   37. Circuit module according to claim 36, characterized in that each of the first and the second flexible circuit has a first and a second side, each of said sides being lined with chip-boxes.   38. Circuit module according to claim 36, characterized in that at least one pair of chip packages is provided consisting of a first chip package and a second chip package separated by the first flexible circuit and positioned opposite one another to encourage the transfer of thermal energy from one of the first and second chipboxes which is in the operating state to that of the first and second chip-boxes which is in a state of rest.   39. Circuit module according to claim 36, characterized in that at least one pair of chip packages consisting of a first chip package and a second chip package separated by the second flexible circuit and positioned are provided. the opposite of each other to encourage the transfer of thermal energy from one of the first and second chipboxes which is in the operating state to that of the first the second chipboxes which is in a state rest.   2878118 57 40. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that it further comprises an advanced memory buffer, and in that the circuit module is configured as a fully buffered DIMM module.   41. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that it is configured as a registered DIMM module.   42. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that it further comprises a microprocessor.   43. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that the thermally conductive substrate is made of aluminum.   44. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that the thermally conductive substrate is made of copper.   45. Circuit module according to one of claims 36 to 43, characterized in that it further comprises a sensor.   46. Circuit module according to claim 45, characterized in that the sensor provides a signal in relation to a thermal condition of the module.   47. Circuit module according to claim 45, characterized in that the sensor generates a signal in relation to the capacitance of the circuit module.   48. A system for extracting thermal energy from a circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a circuit module having a plurality of chip packages and edge connector contacts connected to a circuit module; the plurality of chip packages, and a substrate made of thermally conductive material; an edge connector into which the circuit module is inserted; and in said system, the thermally conductive material substrate is thermally connected to a chassis component of a computer system.   49. System according to claim 48, characterized in that it further comprises a thermal duct arranged, at least in part, between the chassis component and the substrate consisting of thermally conductive material.   50. System according to claims 48 or 49, characterized in that the substrate made of thermally conductive material has a thermal extension which is thermally connected to the chassis component.   51. System according to claim 50, characterized in that the circuit module is configured as a fully buffered DIMM or as a registered DIMM.   52. System according to claim 50, characterized in that the circuit module is configured as a graphics module or as a SO-DIMM module.   53. System according to one of claims 48 to 52, characterized in that the substrate consisting of thermally conductive material is made of aluminum.   54. System according to one of claims 48 to 52, characterized in that the substrate consists of thermally conductive material is made of copper.   2878118 59 55. System according to claim 49, characterized in that the thermal duct is made of flexible thermally conductive material.   56. System according to claim 49, characterized in that the flexible thermally conductive material is made of an electromagnetic seal material.   57. System according to claim 49, characterized in that the flexible thermally conductive material is constituted by a spring.   58. System according to one of claims 48 to 55 characterized in that the circuit module further comprises a flexible circuit lined with a plurality of chip-boxes, the flexible circuit being wound around an edge of the substrate composed of thermally conductive material for placing a first portion of the plurality of chip packages on a first face of the substrate and a second portion of the plurality of chip packages on a second face of the substrate.   59. System according to claim 58, characterized in that the circuit module is configured as a fully buffered DIMM module.   60. System according to claim 58, characterized in that the circuit module is configured as a registered DIMM module.   61. System according to claim 58, characterized in that the circuit module is configured as a graphics circuit module.   62. System according to claim 58, characterized in that the circuit module 30 is configured as a communication module.   63. System according to claim 58, characterized in that the circuit module further comprises a microprocessor.   2878118 60 64. Thermal management system, characterized in that it comprises: a circuit module comprising: a substrate made of thermally conductive material and having two opposite lateral faces, an edge and a thermal extension; a flexible circuit wound around the edge of the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, the flexible circuit having a plurality of contacts adapted for connection to an edge connector, the plurality of contacts being arranged at near the edge of the rigid substrate on the first side of the flexible circuit; and a plurality of chip packages mounted along at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit; an edge connector into which the circuit module is inserted; and a chassis component of a computer system, the chassis component being thermally connected to the substrate via thermal expansion.   The thermal management system of claim 64, characterized in that the circuit module is a memory module configured as at least one fully buffered DIMM module instantiation.   66. Thermal management system according to claim 64, characterized in that the circuit module is a memory module configured at least as a registered DIMM instantiation.   The thermal management system of claim 64, characterized in that the circuit module is a graphics module that includes a plurality of chip packages and a graphics processor.   68. Thermal management system according to claim 64, characterized in that there is provided a plurality of chip packages mounted along the first and second side of the flexible circuit.   2878118 61 69. Thermal management system according to one of claims 64 to 68, characterized in that the substrate is made of aluminum.   A system for short-circuiting thermal energy from a circuit module to a chassis component of a computer system, characterized in that the system comprises: a circuit module comprising a substrate made of a thermally material conductive, the substrate having opposite side faces; a flexible circuit along which a plurality of chip packages are disposed, the flexible circuit being disposed around the edge of the substrate and along opposite side faces of the substrate; and a chassis component in thermal contact with the circuit module substrate.   A circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side and a second side and a plurality of contacts along the first side adapted for connection to an edge connector; a first fully buffered DIMM module circuit that includes a plurality of chip packages and a first flexible memory buffer mounted on the flexible circuit and a second fully buffered DIMM circuit board that includes a plurality of chipsets and a second buffer module; advanced memory mounted on the flexible circuit; a rigid substrate having opposite first and second side faces, the flexible circuit being disposed around the rigid substrate to place the first side of the flexible circuit further away from the substrate than is placed the second side of the flexible circuit.   72. Circuit module according to claim 71, characterized in that it is inserted into an edge connector in a computer.   73. Circuit module according to claim 71, characterized in that the computer is a server computer.   2878118 62 74. Circuit module according to claim 71, characterized in that the rigid substrate has a pattern for forming cut-out areas in which are disposed chip-boxes chosen from the plurality of chip-boxes on the flexible circuit.   75. Circuit module according to claim 71, characterized in that the rigid substrate has a pattern for constituting at least one cut-out or window area in which is disposed a buffer of a first and a second advanced memory buffer.   76. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a first flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, and a group of expansion board contacts, the first and second side each having a first field and a second field, each of the first field and the second field of each of the first and second sides having at least one mounting network site for chip packages; a second flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side each having a first field and a second field, each of the first field and the second field of each of the first and second sides having at least a mounting site for chipsets; a first plurality of chip packages and a first advanced memory buffer mounted along the first side of the first flexible circuit and a second plurality of chip packages mounted along the second side of the first flexible circuit; a first plurality of chip packages and a second advanced memory buffer mounted along the first side of the second flexible circuit and a second plurality of chip packages mounted along the second side of the second flexible circuit; a rigid substrate having a first and a second side face, the first flexible circuit being disposed along the first side face of the rigid substrate and the second flexible circuit being disposed along the second side face of the rigid substrate.   2878118 63 77. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, and a lateral plurality of expansion card contacts along the first side; a first and a second row of chip-pack memory devices disposed along the first side of the flexible circuit, such that the first row of chip-chip memory devices is separated from the second row of chip-chip memory devices by the lateral plurality of expansion card contacts; a first and a second advanced memory buffer, such as the first advanced memory buffer is disposed with the first row of chip-based memory devices, and the second advanced memory buffer is disposed with the second row of memory devices with chip-boxes; and a substrate to which the flexible circuit is attached.   78. A circuit module according to claim 77, characterized in that the first and second plurality of chipbox memory devices are stacks.   79. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having an edge, a first side and a second side, and a group of contacts along the first side in a proximal position of the edge of the flexible circuit, the circuit flexible being provided with a first fully buffered DIMM module circuitry comprising a first plurality of memory chip packages and a first advanced memory buffer, and a second fully buffered DIMM circuitry comprising a second plurality of enclosures memory chips and a second advanced memory buffer; and a substrate having an end, and around which the flexible circuit is arranged to place the contact group of the flexible circuit proximal to the end of the substrate.   2878118 64 A circuit module according to claim 79, characterized in that the first side of the flexible circuit has a first and a second mounting field for chip packages, and the second side of the flexible circuit has a first and a second field of view. mounting for chipcells, and the first plurality of memory chipcellsE and the first advanced memory buffer of the first fully buffered DIMM module circuitry are disposed along the first mounting field of the first side of the flexible circuit and of the first field of the second side of the flexible circuit, while the second plurality of memory chip packages and the second advanced memory buffer of the second fully buffered DIMM circuitry are arranged along the second mounting field of the first side. of the flexible circuit and the second mounting field of the second side of the flexible circuit.   The circuit module of claim 80, characterized in that the first plurality of memory chip packages and the first advanced memory buffer of the first fully buffered DIMM circuitry are arranged in a single lateral row along the first field. of mounting the first side of the flexible circuit and in a single side row along the first field of the second side of the flexible circuit while the second plurality of memory chip packages and the second advanced memory buffer of the second set of DIMM circuits fully buffered are arranged in a single row along the second mounting field of the first side of the flexible circuit and in a single row along the second mounting field of the second side of the flexible circuit.   82. Circuit module according to claim 79, characterized in that the first side of the flexible circuit comprises a first and a second mounting field for chip packages and the second side of the flexible circuit comprises a first and a second mounting field for chip packages, and the first plurality of memory chip packages and the first advanced memory buffer of the first fully buffered DIMM circuitry are disposed along the first mounting field of the first side of the flexible circuit and the second field of the second the flexible circuit side, while the second plurality of memory chip packages and the second advanced memory buffer of the second fully buffered DIMM circuitry are disposed along the second mounting field of the first side of the flexible circuit and the first mounting field of the second side of the flexible circuit.   The circuit module of claim 82, characterized in that the first plurality of memory chip packages and the first advanced memory buffer of the first fully buffered DIMM circuitry are arranged in a single lateral row along the first field. for mounting the first side of the flexible circuit and in a side row uniquely along the second field of the second side of the flexible circuit, while the second plurality of memory chip packages and the second advanced memory buffer of the second set of DIMM circuits fully buffered are arranged in a single row along the second mounting field of the first side of the flexible circuit and in a single row along the first mounting field of the second side of the flexible circuit.   84. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first conductive layer comprising signal traces, a second conductive layer comprising signal traces, a third conductive layer comprising a ground plane, a fourth conductive layer comprising signal traces, a first side and a second side and, along the first side, a row of expansion board contacts; first and second rows of chip-array memory devices disposed along the first side of the flexible circuit, such that the first row of chip-chip memory devices is separated from the second row of memory-box memory devices; chips by the array of expansion card contacts; and a substrate having a first and a second side face and an edge around which the flexible circuit is disposed.   85. The circuit module of claim 81, further comprising an advanced memory buffer, and wherein the circuit module is configured as a fully buffered DIMM.   86. Circuit module according to claim 84 or 85, characterized in that the first and second plurality of chip-array memory devices are constituted by stacks.   87. Circuit module according to claim 84, 85 or 86, characterized in that the flexible circuit has at least one bend with at least one row of voids in the flexible circuit along the bend.   88. Circuit module according to claim 87, characterized in that the row of voids is a row of holes through the flexible circuit.   89. Circuit module according to claim 87, characterized in that the row of voids comprises voids in less than all the layers of the flexible circuit.   90. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side, a second side, and an integrated circuit opening traversing the flexible circuit, and a plurality of contacts along the first side, adapted in connection to a circuit card socket; at least one chip-box of a first type mounted on the second side of the flexible circuit; and a rigid substrate having a first side face and a second opposing side face and a window passing through the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit being disposed around the rigid substrate to dispose said at least one chip-box of a first type in the window which crosses the rigid substrate.   91. Circuit module according to claim 90, characterized in that the rigid substrate is made of a thermally conductive material and has at least one thermal extension.   2878118 67 92. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that said at least one chip-box of a first type emerges from the integrated circuit window which passes through the flexible circuit.   93. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that a plurality of chip-boxes of a second type are arranged along the second side of the flexible circuit.   94. Circuit module according to claim 92, characterized in that the plurality of chip-boxes of the second type are constituted by memory chips-chips.   95. Circuit module according to claim 94, characterized in that the plurality of chip boxes of the second type are constituted by stacks.   96. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that a plurality of chip boxes of a second type are arranged along the first side of the flexible circuit.   97. Circuit module according to claim 96, characterized in that the plurality of chip boxes of the second type are constituted by memory circuits.   98. Circuit module according to claim 97, characterized in that the plurality of chip boxes of the second type are constituted by stacks.   99. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that it is connected to a circuit card socket via the plurality of contacts of the flexible circuit.   2878118 68 100. A circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that the second side of the flexible circuit has a first field and a second field, and said at least one chip box of the first type is mounted on the first field of the second field. side, and a plurality of chip boxes of a second type are mounted on the second field of the second side.   101. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that said at least one chip-box of the first type is an advanced memory buffer.   102. Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that the first side of the flexible circuit is lined with a plurality of chip boxes of a second type.   103. Circuit module according to claims 99, 100, or 101, characterized in that the plurality of chip boxes of the second type are memory circuits.   104. Circuit module according to claim 102, characterized in that the plurality of chip boxes of the second type are memory circuits arranged in a stack.   Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of chip boxes of a second type in which the substrate has a pattern for forming cut-out areas in which the a plurality of chip boxes of the second type.   Circuit module according to claims 90 or 91, characterized in that it further comprises a first plurality of chip boxes of a second type, and in that the first plurality of chip boxes of the second type and one at least one first-type chip-case includes a first fully buffered DIMM instantiation.   2878118 69 The circuit module of claim 106, characterized in that it further comprises a second plurality of chip boxes of a second type, and said at least one chip box of the first type includes an advanced memory buffer, and the second plurality of second-type chipsets and said at least one first-chip package that includes an advanced memory buffer includes a second fully buffered DIMM instantiation.   108. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side, a second side, an integrated circuit opening which passes through the flexible circuit, and a group of contacts for insertion into a circuit card socket, the first side being provided with a plurality of chip boxes of a first type, the second side being provided with a chip-box of a second type; and a rigid substrate having a first and a second side face, an edge, and a window that passes through the rigid substrate, the flexible circuit being wrapped around the edge of the rigid substrate for disposing the plurality of chip packages of the first type on the outside the module and the case-chip of the second type in the rigid substrate window.   109. Circuit module according to claim 108, wherein the rigid substrate is made of thermally conductive material and has at least one thermal extension.   The circuit module of claims 108 or 109, wherein the second-type chip-case emerges in part from the soft-circuit integrated circuit opening.   The circuit module of claims 108 or 109, wherein the plurality of chip packages of the first type are memory circuits.   2878118 70 The circuit module of claim 111, wherein the plurality of chip boxes of the first type are memory circuits arranged in a stack.   113. Circuit module according to claims 108 and 109, wherein the group of contacts for insertion into a circuit board are disposed proximal to a perimeter edge of the flexible circuit.   The module of claims 108 or 109, wherein the first side of the flexible circuit comprises a first field and a second field each of which is lined with a plurality of chip boxes of the first type, and the second side of the flexible circuit comprises a first field and a second field, said first field and said second field being lined with the second type chip package, and the second field on the second side is packed with a plurality of chip packages of the first type, and the flexible circuit is arranged around a rigid substrate for disposing the first fields of the first and second sides on the first face of the rigid substrate and the second fields of the first and second sides on the second face of the rigid substrate.   115. Circuit module according to claim 114, characterized in that the group of contacts intended for insertion into a circuit card socket are arranged between the first and the second field of the first side of the flexible circuit.   116. Circuit module according to claim 114, characterized in that the group of contacts intended for insertion into a circuit card socket are arranged proximal to a perimetric edge of the flexible circuit.   A circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side, a second side, an integrated circuit opening and a group of contacts for connecting the module to a circuit board connector, the flexible circuit being packed on its first side by memory chip packages and on its second side by at least one integrated circuit of a selected type; a substrate having a first face, a second face, a window that passes through the substrate, and an edge, around which the flexible circuit is wound to arrange the first side of the flexible circuit further from the substrate than is the second side of the flexible circuit, and to dispose said at least one integrated circuit of the type chosen inside the window of the substrate which supports it.   118. A circuit module according to claim 117, characterized in that the substrate consists of a thermally conductive material and has at least one thermal extension.   A circuit module according to claims 117 or 118, characterized in that the integrated circuit of the selected type is disposed through the window of the support substrate and emerges in part out of the integrated circuit opening of the flexible circuit.   120. Circuit module according to claims 117 or 118, characterized in that the group of contacts are located near a perimetric edge of the flexible circuit.   Circuit module according to Claim 117 or 118, characterized in that the group of contacts are arranged between a first row of memory chip boxes and a second row of memory chip boxes lined on the first side of the flexible circuit. .   122. Circuit module according to claims 117 or 118, characterized in that it is inserted into a circuit board connector.   123. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first side, a second side, a perimeter edge and a group of circuit board connector contacts, the flexible circuit being packed on its first side with a plurality of chip-boxes of a first type and being packed on its second side with at least one chip-box of a second type; a substrate having a first and a second face and an edge, and a window through which is inserted said at least one chip-case of the second type for disposing the plurality of chip-boxes of the first type on the first side of the substrate and causing said at least one second-type chip-case to emerge from the second side of the substrate through the substrate window.   124. Circuit module according to claim 123, characterized in that the substrate is made of thermally conductive material and has at least one thermal extension.   125. A circuit module according to claims 123 or 124, characterized in that the plurality of chip-boxes of the first type are chip-box memories, and said at least one chip-box of the second type is a buffer circuit.   126. Circuit module according to claims 123 or 124, characterized in that said at least one chip-box of the second type is a logic circuit.   Circuit module according to claims 123 or 124, characterized in that the group of circuit board connector contacts are located proximally to the perimetric edge of the flexible circuit.   128. Circuit module according to claim 127, characterized in that at least one chip-box of the second type which is a buffer circuit is an advanced memory buffer.   129. A method for designing a circuit module, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, with a first and a second long perimetric edge (PElong) as well as a first and a second short perimeter edge (PEshort) with a pair of edge connector paired contacts along the first side, and a first and a second plurality of chip packages mounted on the first side of the flexible circuit and arranged laterally around the edge connector paired contact group for placing the first plurality of chip packages closer to the first long perimeter edge of the flex circuit than is disposed the module contact group, and the second plurality of chip packages closer to the second long perimeter edge of the flexible circuit than is arranged the group of module contacts; a rigid thermally conductive substrate having first and second side faces and a first long perimeter edge and a second long perimeter edge; wrapping the flexible circuit around the thermally conductive substrate to provide the second side of the flexible circuit closer to the first and second side faces of the substrate than the first side of the flexible circuit, and to arrange the contact group of a module closer to the first long perimeter edge of the substrate than the second long perimetric edge of the thermally conductive substrate, and to place the first plurality of chip packages closer to the first side face of the thermally conductive substrate than the second plurality of chip packages.   130. A method for providing increased memory capacity to a computer system, characterized in that it comprises the steps of providing a circuit model according to claim 129 and introducing said module into an extension socket.   A method of assembling a circuit module, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a flexible circuit having a first side and a second side, the first side having a plurality of pads for mounting chip packages and a plurality of contacts for insertion into a base for an expansion card, the second side having a plurality of pads for mounting chip packages; mounting a plurality of chip packages on the first side of the flexible circuit; mounting a plurality of chip packages on the second side of the flexible circuit; mounting an advanced memory buffer on at least one of the first and second sides of the flexible circuit; providing a thermally conductive rigid substrate having a first and a second major surface and an edge, and a thermal extension; and wrapping the flexible circuit around the edge of the rigid substrate, the first side being turned outward, so that the plurality of contacts are disposed proximally to the edge of the thermally conductive rigid substrate.   The method of claim 131, further comprising the step of attaching a thermal radiation clip to one of the chip packages selected from the plurality of chip packages.   The method of claim 131, characterized in that it further includes the step of introducing the plurality of contacts at least partially into an expansion card socket for connection to a functional environment.   134. Process according to claim 131, characterized in that the thermally conductive rigid substrate comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being thinner than the second portion.   135. The method of claim 131, characterized in that the rigid thermally conductive substrate is made of metal.   2878118 75 136. Process according to claim 131, characterized in that the rigid thermally conductive substrate is made of aluminum.   137. The method of claim 131, characterized in that the rigid thermally conductive substrate consists of a class 4 flame retardant and a metal layer.   138. A filled flexible circuit, characterized in that it comprises: a flexible circuit having a first large side and a second large side, the flexible circuit having along the first main side a first and a second group of networks of contact sites between which are placed a plurality of connector contacts, the second main side of the flexible circuit having a first and a second group of contact site networks which correspond to the first and second group of contact site networks of the first side but which are laterally offset from the first and second group of contact site networks of the first side, each of the first and second group of contact site networks on the first side and the second side comprising at least one network of contact sites. surface mounts, the flexible circuit making connections between said at least two surface mount networks of each of the first and the second group of contact site networks of the first side and one of the plurality of contacts of the connector; a plurality of chip packages which enclose said at least two surface mount arrays of each of the first and the second group of contact point arrays of the first side.   A packaged flexible circuit according to claim 138, characterized in that a second plurality of chip packages provide at least two surface mount arrays of each of the first and second group of second side contact site arrays.   140. Circuit module, characterized in that it comprises: a substrate having a first and a second side face and a cavity; A flexible circuit having a first and a second portion, the first portion being adjacent to the first side face of the substrate and the second portion being adjacent to the second side face of the substrate, the flexible circuit having card connector contacts; edge; a connector having a first and a second portion that can be selectively attached, the first portion of the connector corresponding to the first portion of the flexible circuit and the second portion of the connector corresponding to the second portion of the flexible circuit, the first and second portion of the flexible circuit being electrically joined in the cavity of the substrate via the first and the second portion of the connector.   Circuit module for promoting thermal energy extraction from chip-pack memories that operate in combination with an advanced memory buffer, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of memory chip packages each having an upper surface and a lower surface and contacts of chip-boxes, the chip-box contacts lying along the lower surface; a flexible circuit attached to an advanced memory buffer and to the plurality of memory chip packages; a thermally conductive substrate member having an edge and a thermal extension, the extension being disposed opposite the edge; a first and a second memory chip package selected from the plurality of memory chip packages being attached to the flexible circuit, such that the contacts of the selected first chip package are separated from the contacts of the second chip package selected by least part of the flexible circuit.