MXPA99008707A - Method of arranging signal and destination pads to provide multiple signal/designation connection combinations - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic circuit assembly having an arrangement of signal (21, 26) and destination (31, 36, 37) pads for two or more signals which provides multiple signal/destination connection combinations. One embodiment of the present invention comprises n signal pads (21, 26) and n destination pads (31, 36), where n is a number greater than one. The signal pads (21, 26) and destination pads (31, 36) are arranged on a substrate (50) in a polygonal array in an alternating signal pad/destination pad pattern. In a preferred embodiment, the polygonal array has the shape of a right polygon.

Description

METHOD FOR CONFIGURING SIGNAL AND DESTINATION TERMINAL AREAS TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE CONNECTION COMBINATIONS SIGNAL / DESTINATION The present invention relates, in general, to electronic circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for fixing signal end areas and destination in electronic circuits to provide multiple signal / destination configurations. In electronic circuits the components are linked to a substrate and the inputs and outputs of the components are interconnected by wires or, more commonly, by traces of circuits. Circuit traces electrically connect an output terminal, or source of the signal, from one component to an input terminal, or signal destination, of another component. An individual circuit trace may consist of a single route having only one origin and one destination, or it may be branched to have multiple origins and / or destinations. In any case, each end of a circuit trace usually ends in a terminal zone, to which the input or output terminal of a component is attached. In general, when a circuit is designed, it is distributed so that each of the components can be oriented in a single direction on the circuit substrate.

However, sometimes it may be desirable to distribute a circuit so that one or more components can be oriented in more than one direction so that more than one configuration of the signal / destination connections can be made using a single distribution of the circuit trace. This idea is illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this case, a trace of signal circuits 20 with two signal terminal zones 21/22 and two destination circuit traces 30/35 each with a destination terminal area 31/36, respectively , have been distributed on a substrate 50. the trace of the signal 20 is attached at one end to an output terminal (signal source) of an electronic component, while the target traces 30/35 each are attached to a terminal of entry (signal destination) of another component. Although these components and their terminals are not shown, the origins of the signal are defined by the single-digit reference numbers 1, 2, 3 and so on, and the signal destinations are defined by the reference letters A, B, C and so on. Once the 20/30/35 circuit traces have been arranged on the substrate 50 as shown in FIGURE 1, the circuit can then be populated with the components. At this time, the settler of the substrate has the option of joining a connecting bridge 10 (1) between the terminal area of the signal 21 and the destination terminal area 31, thereby connecting the signal 1 with the destination A, or ( 2) between the terminal area of the signal 22 and the destination terminal area 36 (as indicated by the dotted contour of a bridge 10), thus connecting signal 1 with destination B. In any combination a single circuit is produced. Thus it can be seen that a single circuit trace array can be populated with bridges 10 in more than one direction to provide more than a combination of signal / destination connections (hereinafter referred to as "SHCD"). This means that instead of producing two arrays of separate circuit traces - for example, two unpopulated printed circuit boards (PCBs) - having similar arrangements except for some signal / destination connections, it is possible to use the array of terminal zones multiconfigurables mentioned above to produce only one circuit / PCB trace that has the possibility of producing either of two SDCC. In summary, a circuit / PCB using the terminal zone arrangement mentioned above can take the place of two separate circuits / PCBs but in the same way distributed. FIGURE 1 illustrates an attempt of the prior art to provide more than one SDCC for a signal source 1 and two potential A / B destinations. This arrangement offers two possible SDCCs: ÍA (ie, from signal 1 to destination A) and IB. FIGURE 2 illustrates the prior art case for two 1/2 signals and two A / B destinations, which also provides two possible connection combinations: 1A / 2B and 1B / 2A. FIGURE 3 illustrates an array of three 1/2/3 signals and three A / B / C destinations, which again offer two possible combinations of LA / 2B / 3C and 1B / 2C / 3A connections. Several things are evident from the arrangements presented in FIGURES 1-3. First, the arrangement of signals and destinations can be rearranged in very different ways to achieve the same result. For example, FIGURE 4 illustrates one of several ways in which the three signals 1/2/3 and three A / B / C destinations in FIGURE 3 can be rearranged to produce the same two possible SDCCs as in FIGURE 3. Second, signals and destinations can be arranged to present different series of two SDCCs. To illustrate this, note that with three signals and three destinations, factorial 3, or 6, SDCC are possible: I_ II III IV V I SAW 1A IB IB 1C 1C 2B 2C 2A 2C 2A 2B 3C 3B 3C 3A 3B 3A (This assumes, of course, that each signal is connected to one and only one destination, and vice versa.) However, although three inputs and three outputs can be arranged in 6 different SDCCs, only two can be provided in accordance with the Terminal area arrangement mentioned above without adding additional terminal zones. FIGURE 5 illustrates a way to arrange the same three terminal zones of signals 1/2/3 and destination A / B / C to provide two different SDCCs: 1B / 2A / 3C and 1C / 2A / 3B. Third, it must be evident that the number of signals does not have to equal the number of destinations. For example, FIGURE 1 presents the case of a signal 1 and two A / B destinations. Fourth, note that an arrangement that has n signals and at least n destinations requires the use of 4n terminal zones. Thus, in FIGURE 1 where n = 1, four terminal zones are required. In FIGURE 2, where: n = 2, eight terminal zones are needed, and in FIGURES 3-5 where n = 3, 12 terminal zones are required.

In addition, some assumptions support the prior art arrangements as shown in FIGURES 1-5. First, each signal source and each signal destination can have multiple terminal zones, but each signal must finally connect with one and only one signal destination, regardless of the particular terminal zones that are bridged together; in the same way, each signal destination must finally connect with one and only one signal source. Second, each terminal area of the signal may be connected to no more than a destination terminal area, and vice versa. Third, each terminal area of the signal or destination can have no more than a bridge attached to it. Fourth, the bridges may not cross each other. Another method of the prior art which is an improvement of the arrangement of a signal-two aforementioned destinations of FIGURE 1, and which also depends on the assumptions described above, is illustrated in FIGURE 6. This approach differs from that depicted in FIGURE 6. 1 in which: (1) the two terminal zones of the signal 21/22 and their associated branches have been combined to form only one terminal area of signal 23 and one branch, and (2) the terminal area of the signal 23 has been interposed between the two terminal areas destined 31/36. This combination and interposition allows a bridge 10 to be placed between signal 1 and destination A, as shown in FIGURE 6, or between signal 1 and destination B, as represented by the discontinuous contour. Thus, this improved method allows the same combinations of connections as seen in FIGURE 1, but with the additional benefit of requiring only three terminal zones instead of four, thereby taking less space on the substrate 50. Although the Prior art methods mentioned above are effective forms of arrangement of signal and destination terminal zones to provide multiple SDCCs, these however present some serious disadvantages. First, the methods illustrated in FIGURES 1-5 take up a lot of space on the substrate. Second, these methods provide an undesirable slope signal trace for each signal in any of the two combinations of possible connections. For example, when the bridges are placed as shown in FIGURE 2, the terminal zones of the signal 22 and 27 and their associated branches form outstanding signal traces for signals 1 and 2, respectively. In the same way, when the alternate dotted line connections are made in FIGURE 2, the terminal zones 21 and 26 and their associated branches form pending traces. (The arrangements shown in FIGURES 3-5 also leave a trace pending for each signal 1/2/3.) These pending traces can act as unwanted transmitters or RF receivers, thus interfering with the electrical function of the elements within the circuit or with other circuits and equipment in the surrounding environment. As for the approach shown in FIGURE 6, the pending traces have been eliminated and the number of terminal areas reduced, but its application has been limited to cases that include only one signal and two possible destinations. Therefore, it is desired to provide a way of arranging the signal and destination end zones on a substrate for multiple (ie, two or more) signals and an equal or greater number of destinations to provide multiple SDCCs while removing the pending traces and reduces the total number of terminal areas needed. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, containing n terminal signal areas and n destination terminal areas, where n is a number greater than 1, terminal areas of the signal and the destination terminal areas being columns arranged on a substrate in a polygonal matrix in an alternating pattern terminal area of the signal / destination terminal area. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, containing n terminal signal areas and n + l destination terminal zones, where n is a greater number than 1, the terminal areas of the signal and the destination terminal areas being arranged on a substrate in a linear array, wherein a first most extreme terminal zone of the array is a first destination terminal zone, a next terminal zone closest to the matrix is a first terminal area of the signal, a next nearby terminal area in the matrix is a second destination terminal zone and so on in an alternating pattern terminal area of the signal / destination terminal area, wherein a second terminal area more extreme in the Matrix is a final destination terminal zone. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, comprising a first circuit trace with a first and second destination terminal areas therein, a second trace circuit having the third and fourth destination terminal areas therein, a first terminal area of the signal placed to be connectable by a bridge to the first and third destination terminal areas, and a second signal terminal area placed to be connectable by a bridge to the second and fourth destination terminal areas, wherein the destination terminal zones and the signal terminal zones are arranged on a substrate. It is an advantage that the number of terminal areas needed to provide multiple SDCCs for two or more signals in the embodiments of the present invention is significantly reduced compared to the previous signal. Another advantage is that the embodiments of the present invention provide multiple SDCCs for two or more signals while completely eliminating traces of pending signals. Another advantage is the provision of a higher number of possible SDCCs for each array of two or more signals in domparation with the prior art. Still another advantage is the applicability to a wide range of applications that includes printed circuit boards, microelectronics and applications in integrated circuits. The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a part of the circuit having a signal and two destinations according to the technique previous; FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a part of the circuit having two signals and two destinations according to the prior art; FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a part of the circuit having three signals and three destinations according to the prior art; FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of an alternative version of a part of the circuit having three signals and three destinations according to the prior art; FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of another alternative version of a part of the circuit having three signals and three destinations according to the prior art; FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a part of the circuit having a signal and two destinations according to an improvement within the prior art; FIGURES 7-8 are top plan views of circuit parts according to a first embodiment of the present invention having, respectively, 2 signals / 2 destinations and 3 signals / 3 destinations; FIGURES 9-10 are top plan views of circuit parts according to a second embodiment of the present invention having, respectively, 2 signals / 2 destinations and 3 signals / 3 destinations; FIGURES 11-12 are top plan views of alternative versions of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 10; FIGURES 13-14 are top plan views of circuit parts according to a third embodiment of the present invention having, respectively, 2 signals / 2 destinations and 3 signals / 3 destinations; FIGS. 15-16 are top plan views of circuit parts according to a third embodiment of the present invention with 4 signals / 4 destinations and 3 signals / 3 destinations; and FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of a circuit part according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention with 2 signals / 2 destinations. Now referring to the drawings, FIGURE 7 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, containing n signal terminal zones and n + l destination terminal zones, where n is a number greater than 1. FIGURE 7 illustrates the case where n = 2. The signals 1 and 2 are carried by traces of circuit 20 and 25, respectively, which end in the signal end areas 21 and 26, respectively. The destinations of the signal A and B are connected to the circuit traces 30 and 35, respectively, which terminate in the destination terminal areas 31 and 36/37, respectively. The signal terminal zones 21/26 and the destination terminal zones 31/36/37 are arranged on a substrate 50 in a linear array, wherein the first most extreme terminal zone of the array is a first destination terminal zone 36, a following zone nearest terminal in the matrix is a first signal terminal zone 21, a next closest terminal zone in the matrix is a second destination terminal zone 31, and so on in an alternating pattern signal terminal zone / destination terminal area, wherein the second The terminal end zone in the matrix is a final destination terminal zone 37. The aforementioned example illustrates a manner in which the respective terminal zones of two signals 1/2 and two A / B destinations can be arranged according to a first embodiment of the present invention. However, other specific arrangements are possible using the same 1/2 signals and A / B destinations. For example, the placement of the signals 1 and 2 can be reversed, so that the signal 1 is carried by the trace 25 and the signal 2 is carried by the trace 20, and / or the destinations A and B can be reversed from so that destination A is connected to trace 35 and destination B is connected to trace 30. In this way, what is important is the arrangement and distribution of signal and destination terminal zones, instead of the order or arrangement of the respective signals and destinations to which the terminal zones are connected. For example, in the present embodiment it is important that the first most extreme terminal zone in the array be a first destination terminal zone (as opposed to a signal terminal zone)., not that it is connected by a circuit trace to any particular destination. As shown in FIGURE 7, the last destination terminal zone 37 may have a signal destination B in common with that of the first destination terminal area 36 [sic]. This arrangement offers two possible SDCCs: 1A / 2B and 1B / 2A, depending on the bridges 10 that are placed. Otherwise, the last destination terminal zone 37 may be connected to a single destination C (not shown); this would offer possible SDCC of 1A / 2C and 1B / 2A. Thus, it should be evident that for a given n, there may be n or n + l destinations to which the destination terminal zones are connected, depending, respectively, if the last destination terminal zone 37 is connected to a repeated destination ( for example B) or to a single destination (for example, C). FIGURE 8 illustrates the case where n = 3. As in FIGURE 7, observe the alternating pattern of the destination terminal zone / terminal signal area, which uses n signal terminal zones 21/26/41 and n + l destination terminal zones 46/31 / 36/47. It should also be noted that in the present mode (1) each signal terminal zone is electrically connected to a single signal source (not repeated) (to avoid pending traces), (2) the array provides two possible SDCCs, and (3) No bridges are arranged to connect each signal terminal area to only one destination terminal area and each destination terminal area to only one terminal signal area. FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate the case where the linear matrix of the signal and destination end areas are arranged in a practically straight line. It should be noted that the linear array can be arranged in a substantially stepped line, giving rise to a second embodiment of the present invention. This is illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10 for the cases of n = 2 and n = 3, respectively. The stepped, grouped arrangement of this invention has an advantage over the linear arrangement of the first embodiment in that its length L is generally shorter, although its width is generally wider. Also note that although in the first embodiment all the bridges 10 are oriented practically along a straight line in any of the two possible SDCC, in FIGURES 7 and 8 the bridges 10 are all arranged "horizontally" in a SDCC (as it is represented in FIGURES 9 and 10) or all "vertically" in the other SDCC (as represented by the dotted contours of the bridge).

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate alternative examples of the arrangements of the terminal zones for the case where n = 3 according to the linear matrix in a practically stepped manner of the present embodiment. As in FIGURE 10, these two arrays provide SDCC of 1A / 2B / 3C and 1C / 2A / 3B, yet the three arrays are different in their arrangement. This illustrates how the circuit design has multiple configurations of the terminal zones available for a certain number of signals and destinations, still providing all the same possible SDCC. This allows the circuit designer to distribute the circuit in a way that best uses the actual state of the substrate. The terminal zones in FIGS. 9-12 are arranged in a linear array described as practically in the form of a staircase. This shape can be seen by drawing a line connecting a first, more extreme terminal zone to the next adjacent terminal area, and so on, until a second, more extreme terminal zone is obtained. The resulting form produced is a line that has orthogonal curves, with a stepped appearance in it. Thus, the substantially stepped linear array of the present embodiment includes any linear array of terminal zones having at least one orthogonal curve therein, provided that the matrix allows the bridges 10 to be placed to connect terminal zones adjacent. However, the shape of the matrix does not need to have a step (orthogonal curve) in each possible turn. For example, in FIGURE 11, note that no turn occurs in the line drawn between terminal areas 31, 26 and 36; in the same way, no curve occurs in FIGURE 12 between the terminal zones 26, 36 and 41. A third preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIGURES 13 and 14 for the cases of n = 2 and n = 3, respectively, and in the FIGURES 15 and 16 for the case of n = 4. This modality consists of n signal terminal zones and n destination signal terminal zones, where n is a number greater than 1. The signal terminal zones and the destination terminal zones are arranged in a substrate in a polygonal matrix in an alternating model signal terminal zone / destination terminal zone. As in the first of two embodiments, the signal terminal zones and destination terminal zones 31/36 [sic] are arranged to allow bridge connections between adjacent terminal zones, and each signal terminal zone is electrically connected to a single signal source. However, unlike the first of the two modes, neither of the two destination terminal zones can be connected to the same destination. Instead, each destination terminal zone is electrically connected to a single signal destination. In addition, although the first of the two embodiments has the advantage over the prior art that only two n + l terminal areas are needed in place of four terminal zones, the present invention also has the advantage that only two terminal areas are necessary, due to its polygonal configuration of the alternating terminal zones. In addition, the present invention offers more than 2 SDCC for n greater than 2. For example, in FIGURE 4 where n = 3, the possible SDCCs are: 1A / 2B / 3C, 1B / 2C / 3A and 1C / 2B / 3A . The matrix of the terminal zones of the present embodiment are described as polygonal. This polygonal shape can be seen by drawing a line from one terminal area to the other along the entire perimeter of the matrix of the terminal zones; the resulting form is that of a closed polygon. The present modality can be used with any polygonal shape; however, the preferred form is that of a right polygon (that is, a polygon in which all angles are right angles). With reference to FIGURE 14, an additional destination end zone 61 may be arranged on the substrate 50 adjacent to a 44 of the signal end areas. A fourth modality is illustrated in FIGURE 17, in which one or more target circuit traces may have more than one destination terminal area attached thereto. In this mode, a first circuit trace 30 has the first and second destination terminal zones 31/32 located therein, and a second circuit trace 35 has the third and fourth destination terminal zones 36/37 located therein. A first signal terminal area 21 is positioned to be connectable by a bridge 10 to the first or third destination terminal areas 31/36, while the second signal terminal area 26 is positioned to be connectable by a bridge 10 to the second or fourth zones. destination terminals 32/37. All signal and destination terminal zones are arranged in a 50 substrate. This arrangement, the SDCCs of 1A / 2B and 1B / 2A are possible; however, the pending traces 32 and 37, respectively, are created, making this a generally non-preferred configuration. However, there are some applications in which the present embodiment can in fact be preferred over the aforementioned modalities. One of these applications is wave soldering of PCBs in which it is desirable that all bridges 10 be oriented or "pointing" in a certain direction, as is the case in the present embodiment. Each bridge 10 used in the aforementioned modes can be a conductor of practically 0 ohms or any electronic and polar device such as a resistor, capacitor or the like. Of course, two more bridges 10 can be combined to form a multipolar device capable of simultaneously covering and interconnecting two or more signal terminal zones and two or more destination terminal zones. Not all terminal areas need to be connected to each other. To illustrate, in the 14 a possible SDCC can be 1A / 2B / 3-, denoting that the three signal terminal areas 41 are not bridged to any available destination (i.e., the terminal zone 46). Second, it is possible to add signal and / or destination terminal zones to the main configurations described above to provide additional SDCCs (albeit at the expense of space on the substrate). For example, in FIGURE 14, an additional destination end zone 61 (drawn in dotted lines) may be placed adjacent to the signal terminal area 41. This additional terminal zone 61 may, for example, be connected to a repeated destination, as may be be B, or a single destination, added, such as D. In the first case, an additional SDCC of 1A / 2C / 3B would be provided; in the latter case, four additional SDCCs of 1A / 2B / 3D, 1A / 2C / 3D, 1B / 2C / 3D and 1C / 2B / 3D would be provided. Third, it should be noted that, although traces of circuits connecting the terminal zones to their respective signals or destinations have been illustrated as on the upper surface of the substrate, these traces can also be formed within the substrate itself (for example, using holes electroformed trays, buried conductors, etc.). And fourth, the "terminal zone" at the end of each circuit trace may have a shape different from that shown in the drawings.

Claims (10)

1. An electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, consists of: n signal terminal zones (21, 26) and n destination terminal zones (31, 36), where n is a number greater than 1, the signal terminal areas (21, 26) and the destination terminal zones (31, 36) with columns arranged on a substrate in a polygonal matrix in an alternating pattern signal end zone (21, 26) / destination end zone (31, 36).

2. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1, wherein each destination terminal zone (31, 36) is electrically connected to a single signal destination.

3. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the polygon array provides at least two signal / destination connection combinations.

4. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1, further includes an additional destination end zone (61) arranged on the adjacent substrate (50) to one (44) of the signal end areas.

5. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the polygonal array has a straight polygon shape.

6. An electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, comprising: n signal terminal zones (21, 26¡ and n + l destination terminal zones (31, 36, 37), where n is a number greater than 1, signal end areas (21, 26) and destination end areas (31, 36, 37) being arranged on a substrate (50) in a linear array, wherein the first most extreme terminal region (36) of the matrix is a first destination terminal zone (36), a next nearest terminal zone (21) in the matrix is a first signal terminal zone (21), a next closest terminal zone (31) in the matrix is a second destination terminal zone (31), and so on in an alternating pattern signal terminal zone / terminal destination area, wherein a second most extreme terminal zone (37) in the matrix is a final destination terminal zone 837). The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1 or 6, wherein the signal end areas (21, 26) and the destination end areas (31, 36) are arranged to allow bridge connections (10) between zones adjacent terminals. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1 or 6, wherein each signal terminal zone (21, 216) [sic] is electrically connected to a single signal source. The electronic circuit unit as recited in claim 1 or 6, wherein n bridges (10) are arranged to connect each signal terminal zone (21, 26) to only one destination terminal zone (31, 36, 37) and each destination terminal zone (31, 36, 37) to only one terminal area signal (21, 26). 10. An electronic circuit unit having multiple combinations of signal / destination connections, comprises: a first circuit trace (30) having the first and second destination terminal zones (21, 32) therein, a second circuit trace (35) with a third and fourth terminal areas (36, 37) therein, a first signal terminal area (21) placed to be connectable with a bridge (10) to the first or third destination terminal areas (31, 36) , and a second signal terminal area (26) placed to be connectable with a bridge (10) to the second or third destination terminal zones (32, 37), wherein the destination terminal areas (31, 32, 36, 37) and the signal end areas (21, 26) are arranged on a substrate (50).