Coupling structure for inductive device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9473152-B2
Application number	US-201414319787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A circuit includes a coupling structure and a first inductive device. The coupling structure includes two or more conductive loops and a set of conductive paths electrically connecting the two or more conductive loops. The first inductive device is magnetically coupled with a first conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit, comprising:
a coupling structure comprising a continuous conductive material, the continuous conductive material comprising:
two or more conductive loops; and
a set of conductive paths electrically connecting the two or more conductive loops; and

a first inductive device of a first oscillator electrically separate from the coupling structure and magnetically coupled with a first conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops, wherein the first inductive device surrounds the first conductive loop as observed from a top view perspective.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein
the first conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops comprises a first end and a second end;
a second conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops comprises a first end and a second end; and
the set of conductive paths comprises:
a first conductive path electrically connecting the first end of the first conductive loop and the first end of the second conductive loop; and
a second conductive path electrically connecting the second end of the first conductive loop and the second end of the second conductive loop.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path are routed such that the first conductive path crosses over the second conductive path as observed from a top view perspective.

4. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path are routed such that each one of the first conductive path and the second conductive path has an angled corner as observed from a top view perspective.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first shielding structure; and
a second shielding structure, at least a portion of the set of conductive paths being between the first shielding structure and the second shielding structure as observed from a top view perspective.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a second inductive device magnetically coupled with a second conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein a length of a space between the first conductive loop and the second conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops is equal to or greater than 100 μm.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein
the coupling structure further comprises:
another two or more conductive loops; and
another set of conductive paths electrically connecting the another two or more conductive loops;

a first conductive loop of the another two or more conductive loops is magnetically coupled with a second inductive device; and
a second conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops is magnetically coupled with a second conductive loop of the another two or more conductive loops.

9. The circuit of claim 8 , further comprising a third inductive device magnetically coupled with the second conductive loop of the two or more conductive loops and the second conductive loop of the another two or more conductive loops.

10. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein one of the two or more conductive loops comprises an octagon.

11. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein one of the two or more conductive loops comprises a circle.

12. A circuit, comprising:
a first oscillator comprising an inductive device;
a second oscillator comprising an inductive device; and
a coupling structure comprising:
a first conductive loop electrically separate from and magnetically coupled with the inductive device of the first oscillator, wherein in a top down view a first point of an inner perimeter of the first conductive loop is further from a center of the first conductive loop than a second point of an outer perimeter of the inductive device of the first oscillator, the first point and the second point arranged along a line that extends through the center of the first conductive loop;
a second conductive loop magnetically coupled with the inductive device of the second oscillator; and
a set of conductive paths electrically connecting the first conductive loop and the second conductive loop.

13. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein
the first conductive loop surrounds the inductive device of the first oscillator as observed from a top view perspective; and
the second conductive loop surrounds the inductive device of the second oscillator as observed from the top view perspective.

14. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein
the inductive device of the first oscillator surrounds the first conductive loop as observed from a top view perspective; and
the inductive device of the second oscillator surrounds the second conductive loop as observed from the top view perspective.

15. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein
the first conductive loop comprises a first end and a second end;
a second conductive loop comprises a first end and a second end; and
the set of conductive paths comprises:
a first conductive path electrically connecting the first end of the first conductive loop and the first end of the second conductive loop; and
a second conductive path electrically connecting the second end of the first conductive loop and the second end of the second conductive loop.

16. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path are routed such that the first conductive path crosses over the second conductive path as observed from a top view perspective.

17. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path are routed such that each one of the first conductive path and the second conductive path has an angled corner as observed from a top view perspective.

18. The circuit of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first shielding structure; and
a second shielding structure, at least a portion of the set of conductive paths being between the first shielding structure and the second shielding structure as observed from a top view perspective.

19. The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the set of conductive paths is free from dielectric material.

20. A method, comprising:
generating an induced current at a first conductive loop of a coupling structure responsive to a first magnetic field generated by a first inductive device of a first oscillator, the first inductive device being electrically separate from the coupling structure;
transmitting the induced current to a second conductive loop of the coupling structure through a set of conductive paths of the coupling structure electrically connecting the first and second conductive loops,
a second inductive device of a second oscillator being magnetically coupled with the first inductive device of the first oscillator through the coupling structure;
generating a second magnetic field responsive to the induced current passing the second conductive loop of the coupling structure;
generating another induced current at a third conductive loop responsive to the second magnetic field; and
transmitting the another induced current to a fourth conductive loop of the coupling structure through another set of conductive paths of the coupling structure electrically connecting the third and fourth conductive loops.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Huan-Neng
• Jou Chewn-Pu

Classifications

• H03L7/24

  using a reference signal directly applied to the generator · CPC title

• H03B5/08

  with frequency-determining element comprising lumped inductance and capacitance · CPC title

• H01F19/04

  Transformers or mutual inductances suitable for handling frequencies considerably beyond the audio range (resonant circuits H03H) · CPC title

• H01F27/2804

  Printed windings · CPC title

• H03B5/1243 Primary

  the means comprising voltage variable capacitance diodes · CPC title