KR20240106873A - SiP(System in Package) module - Google Patents

Abstract

A SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a serializer unit embedded inside the substrate, and a connection pad electrically connected to the serializer unit and disposed under the substrate.

Description

SiP module {SiP (System in Package) module}

The present invention relates to SiP modules, and more specifically, to SiP modules with embedded serializers and vehicle camera modules.

As autonomous driving technology develops, vehicle cameras are being applied not only to rear-view cameras but also to various locations, including inside vehicles. Automotive cameras, along with image sensors and other components, require a serializer to transmit image data to the outside. A serializer board is required separately from the image sensor board, increasing the size of the product and connecting the two boards. To do this, a flexible printed circuit board is needed. There is a need for technology that can reduce the size of vehicle cameras.

Public Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0009450

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a SiP module and a vehicle camera module with an embedded serializer.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate; a serializer unit embedded within the substrate; and a connection pad electrically connected to the serializer unit and disposed under the substrate.

Additionally, passive elements or active elements may be disposed on the upper part of the substrate.

Additionally, at least some of the passive elements or active elements may overlap the serializer unit and the substrate in a vertical direction.

Additionally, the serializer unit may include an A-PHY serializer IC.

Additionally, the connection pad may include an LGA pad.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main board; an image sensor disposed on one side of the main board; and a SiP module disposed on the other side of the main board, wherein the SiP module includes: a module substrate; A serializer unit embedded within the module substrate; and a connection pad electrically connected to the serializer unit, disposed on a first surface of the module board facing the main board, and electrically connected to the main board.

Additionally, passive elements or active elements may be disposed on the second side of the module substrate, which is the opposite side of the first side.

Additionally, at least some of the passive elements or active elements may overlap the serializer unit and the module substrate in the vertical direction.

Additionally, the serializer unit may include an A-PHY serializer IC.

Additionally, the connection pad may include an LGA pad.

Additionally, a connector through which image data generated by the image sensor is transmitted to the outside through the serializer unit may be disposed on the back of the main board.

According to embodiments of the present invention, additional components can be mounted by securing a component mounting area on the upper part of the serializer. Through this, the module size can be reduced. In addition, the number of boards of the vehicle camera module can be reduced, reducing the size and increasing price competitiveness.

Figure 1 shows a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows a SiP module according to a comparative example of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 shows a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a diagram comparing a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention and a SiP module according to a comparative example of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a diagram comparing a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention and a vehicle camera module according to a comparative example of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to some of the described embodiments, but may be implemented in various different forms, and as long as it is within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, one or more of the components may be optionally used between the embodiments. It can be used by combining or replacing.

In addition, terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the embodiments of the present invention, unless specifically defined and described, are generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It can be interpreted as meaning, and the meaning of commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, can be interpreted by considering the contextual meaning of the related technology.

Additionally, the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

In this specification, the singular may also include the plural unless specifically stated in the phrase, and when described as "at least one (or more than one) of A and B and C", it is combined with A, B, and C. It can contain one or more of all possible combinations.

Additionally, in describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and are not limited to the essence, sequence, or order of the component.

And, when a component is described as being 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' to another component, that component is directly 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' to that other component. In addition to cases, it may also include cases where the component is 'connected', 'coupled', or 'connected' by another component between that component and that other component.

Additionally, when described as being formed or disposed “on top” or “bottom” of each component, “top” or “bottom” means that the two components are directly adjacent to each other. This includes not only the case of contact, but also the case where one or more other components are formed or disposed between the two components. In addition, when expressed as “top” or “bottom,” the meaning of not only the upward direction but also the downward direction can be included based on one component.

Figure 1 shows a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The SiP module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a substrate 110, a serializer unit 120, and a connection pad 130, and passive elements 171 and 172, active elements 160, and connection lines 140. ), a molding part 180, etc.

The substrate 110 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a dielectric board. In addition, it may be another type of substrate. The substrate 110 may include multiple layers. A cavity, which is an empty space, may be formed in at least one of the plurality of layers so that the serializer unit 120 can be located.

The serializer unit 120 is embedded within the substrate 110. The serializer unit 120 includes a serializer. A serializer is a chip that converts and transmits various parallel signals into serial signals. It is a technology that converts/transmits data using this, and is used in various devices that transmit data such as optical cables, electronic communications, vehicles, and data centers. The transmitted serial signal includes a de-serializer that converts it back into a parallel signal on the receiving side. The Serializer and De-Serializer pair up to perform communication, and are also called SerDes.

By using SerDes technology, one-way and two-way communication is possible, and efficient transmission of high-speed and low-speed data is possible through packet scheduling. Data-based tunneling is possible without compression, enabling low-latency transmission, scalability to increase transmission speed by adding data lines, and can be applied to LVDS, V by One HS, HDBaseT, MIPI A-PHY interface, etc. .

The serializer unit 120 may include an A-PHY serializer IC. It contains an A-PHY serializer IC that transmits image data at high speed, and data can be transmitted at high speed through the serializer. In the case of automotive camera modules, it is difficult to cover the length of a car with the existing physical layers, D-PHY and C-PHY, due to length constraints. To connect this, the A-PHY layer must be used. A-PHY is excellent in EMC, price, and versatility, and allows wired data communication even if parts within the vehicle are separated by more than 15 m depending on the length of the vehicle. A SiP module can be implemented by embedding the A-PHY serializer IC inside the substrate 110. In addition, it may include various ICs that convert signals into serial and transmit them.

Since the serializer unit 120 is embedded inside the substrate 110, space is created on the top of the substrate 110 to place other devices. As shown in FIG. 2 , passive elements 171 and 172 or active elements 160 may be disposed on the substrate 110 . The passive elements 171 and 172 may include various passive elements such as inductors, capacitors, and resistors, and the active elements 160 may include various active elements such as transistors and OP-AMPs. Elements disposed and mounted on the substrate 110 may be elements necessary for the operation of the serializer unit 120 or may be elements of other devices on which the SiP module is mounted.

At least some of the passive elements 171 or the active elements 160 may overlap the serializer unit 120 and the substrate 110 in the vertical direction. Since the serializer unit 120 is located inside the substrate 110 rather than on the top of the substrate 110, the passive elements 171 and 172 or the active elements 160 can be placed using the entire upper part of the substrate 110. Various elements can be placed using the free space created on the upper part of the substrate 110, so the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

After the passive elements 171 and 172 or the active elements 160 are disposed on the substrate 110, the upper portion of the substrate 110 may be molded. The molding part 180 can protect the SiP module by molding the upper part of the substrate 110, increase the coupling of the passive elements 171 and 172 or the active elements 160, and protect them from external shocks, etc. In addition, it can serve to dissipate heat by dissipating heat generated from the serializer unit 120, passive elements 171 and 172, and active elements 160 to the outside.

The connection pad 130 is electrically connected to the serializer unit 120 and is disposed below the substrate 110. The serializer unit 120 is embedded inside the substrate 110 and is not exposed to the outside. The connection pad 130 is electrically connected to the serializer unit 120 located inside the substrate 110, so that the serial signal output from the serializer unit 120 can be transmitted to the outside. The connection pad 130 is disposed below the board 110 and can be mounted on another board or electrically connected to another device, and can transmit a signal to or receive a signal from the outside.

The connection pad 130 may include an LGA pad. The SiP module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be connected to another board, etc., and in order to increase mountability when connected to another board 110, the connection pad 130 can be implemented as an LGA pad. LGA (Land Grid Array) is a method of implementing electrical connections in the form of an array. Here, the electrical connections can be implemented in the form of pins with chip electrodes. Since multiple input/output electrodes can be packaged and the lead inductance is small, it is suitable for high-speed communication. Here, the fins may be arranged in a fork shape, like waterfowl tracks. It has excellent mountability as it can be directly connected to another board using the LGA pad.

As the serializer unit 120 is embedded inside the substrate 110, the gap between the serializer unit 120 and the connection pad 130 is shortened, and accordingly, the distance between the serializer unit 120 and the connection pad 130 is shortened. The length of the connection structure also becomes shorter. The serializer unit 120 is an IC chip, and the connection pad 130 may be connected to the IC chip electrode through a connection line 140. Each chip electrode may be connected through soldering 150. The connection line 140 may include a conductive line, a signal line, or a via penetrating the substrate 110 . Various connection methods can be used to electrically connect the two components inside the substrate 110.

The serializer unit 120 can be briefly connected to the external connection pad 130, and this structural advantage can provide an environment suitable for high-speed communication. In addition, the serializer unit 120 is embedded inside the substrate 110 and comes close to the bottom of the substrate 110, so heat generated in the serializer unit 120 can be quickly dissipated to the bottom of the substrate 110. .

Figure 3 shows a SiP module 100 according to a comparative example of the present invention. It has a fan-out molding package structure in which only the IC 12 is mounted on the substrate 11. Due to the fan-out structure, the IC ( The size of the entire module becomes larger than the size of 11). Since only the IC 12 is mounted on the substrate 11, additional peripheral elements are required in addition to the SiP module. In addition, since it is implemented as a BGA (13) structure, there is a possibility that it may break off due to impact or other factors when connected to another board. In particular, reliability may be reduced in devices that generate a lot of impact, such as vehicles. To solve this, FC-BGA is required, which may increase the cost of high-end PCB and package.

Additionally, the signal line connecting the IC 12 and the BGA 13 becomes longer. In the case of low-speed communication, the problem is not significant, but in the case of high-speed communication, signal distortion may occur due to parasitic components due to the longer signal line. Additional processes such as molding or underfill are required to protect and enhance the reliability of the IC 12, and miniaturization is difficult due to additional peripheral circuit elements.

The SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various modules that perform serial communication. For example, it can be applied to various modules or devices such as vehicle camera modules, display modules, and other video-related devices. Figure 4 shows an example of a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention being applied to a vehicle camera module, and can also be applied to other modules or other devices in a manner corresponding to the configuration of Figure 4. Hereinafter, a vehicle camera module to which a SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described.

Figure 4 shows a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 shows a vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. The detailed description of the SiP module 100 of FIGS. 4 and 5 and its related configuration corresponds to the detailed description of the SiP module of FIGS. 1 to 3, and redundant description will be omitted below.

A vehicle camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main board 210, an image sensor 220, and a SiP module 100, and may include other elements 240, a connector 230, etc.

The main board 210 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a dielectric board. In addition, it may be another type of substrate. The substrate 110 may include multiple layers.

The image sensor 220 is disposed on one side of the main board 210. The image sensor 220 generates image data using light incident through a lens (not shown). The image sensor 220 may include several types of image sensors, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or charge coupled device (CCD). The image sensor 220 may be placed on one side of the substrate 110 facing the direction of light incidence.

The SiP module 100 is disposed on the other side of the main board 210. The SiP module 100 is placed on the other side of the main board 210 rather than a separate board from the main board 210 on which the image sensor 220 is placed, and can be placed on one board with the image sensor 220. . Since it is placed on the same substrate as the image sensor 220, image data generated by the image sensor 220 can be quickly received and converted into a serial signal, and can be transmitted quickly, enabling high-speed communication.

The SiP module 100 is electrically connected to the module substrate 110, the serializer unit 120 embedded within the module substrate 110, and the module substrate facing the main substrate 210. It is disposed on the first surface of 110 and includes a connection pad 130 that is electrically connected to the main board 210.

The SiP module 100 is a package module in which the serializer unit 120 is embedded inside the module board 110 to perform data communication with the outside. The serializer unit 120 may include an A-PHY serializer IC. and the connection pad 130 may include an LGA pad.

In addition, passive elements 171 and 172 or active elements 160 may be disposed on the second side of the module substrate 110, which is the opposite side of the first side of the module substrate 110, and the passive elements 171 and 172 or the active elements At least some of 160 may overlap the serializer unit 120 and the module substrate 110 in the vertical direction. At least a portion of the serializer 120 may overlap the image sensor 220 in the vertical direction of the main board 210. In this way, the overall module size can be reduced by efficiently utilizing space.

A connector may be connected to the rear of the main board 210 through which image data generated by the image sensor 220 is transmitted to the outside through the serializer unit 120. The connector 230 may include a signal line for transmitting and receiving data to and from the outside or a power line for receiving power. Since the size of the SiP module 100 can be reduced, it can be placed on the same side as the connector 230. The signal converted into a serial signal in the serializer 120 can be directly transmitted to the outside through the connector 230.

When a large serializer IC is placed on the outside of the board as a fan-out type, it is difficult to place other elements on the top of the board as shown in Figure 6(A). The SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention embeds the serializer IC shown in Figure 6(B) inside the substrate, can form a fan-in type connection pad, and can arrange other elements on the top of the substrate. Through this, the module size can be reduced from the size of D1 x D1 in Figure 6(A) to the size of D2 x D2 in Figure 6(B). For example, a size of 6 x 6 mm can be reduced to a size of 5 x 5 mm.

Additionally, by applying the SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle camera module, the size of the camera module can be reduced. As shown in FIG. 7(A), when the serializer 10 is placed on the serializer board 22, the serializer board 22 is required separately from the board 21 on which the image sensor 24 is placed, so that the module The overall size increases and material costs rise. Additionally, a flexible board (FPCB, 23) is required to connect the image sensor board 21 and the serializer board 22. Additionally, other additional elements are needed on the serializer board 22, and a connector 25 is also disposed on the opposite side of the serializer 10.

When applying the SiP module according to an embodiment of the present invention to a vehicle camera module, the image sensor 220 and other elements 240 are disposed on one side of the main board 210, as shown in FIG. 7(B), and the other side is disposed on the other side. A SiP module 100 and a connector 230 with an embedded serializer are disposed. Through this, the interface between the image sensor and the serializer can be simplified compared to Figure 7(A), thereby simplifying the board of the vehicle camera module. In addition, price competitiveness can be secured by easing PCB specifications, such as eliminating FPCB and unifying PCB.

As described above, the present invention has been described with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but this is only provided to facilitate a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. , those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations from this description.

Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and the scope of the patent claims described below as well as all modifications that are equivalent or equivalent to the scope of this patent claim shall fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. .

Claims (11)

Board;
a serializer unit embedded within the substrate; and
A SiP module electrically connected to the serializer unit and including a connection pad disposed under the substrate. According to paragraph 1,
A SiP module in which passive or active elements are placed on the upper part of the substrate. According to paragraph 2,
A SiP module in which at least some of the passive elements or active elements overlap the serializer unit and the substrate in a vertical direction. According to paragraph 1,
The serializer unit is a SiP module including an A-PHY serializer IC. According to paragraph 1,
The connection pad is a SiP module including an LGA pad. main board;
an image sensor disposed on one side of the main board; and
It includes a SiP module disposed on the other side of the main board,
The SiP module is,
module board;
A serializer unit embedded within the module substrate; and
A camera module for a vehicle including a connection pad electrically connected to the serializer unit, disposed on a first surface of the module board facing the main board, and electrically connected to the main board. According to clause 6,
A vehicle camera module in which passive elements or active elements are disposed on a second side of the module substrate, which is the opposite side of the first side. In clause 7,
A vehicle camera module in which at least some of the passive elements or active elements overlap the serializer unit and the module substrate in a vertical direction. According to clause 6,
The serializer unit is a vehicle camera module including an A-PHY serializer IC. According to clause 6,
The connection pad is a vehicle camera module including an LGA pad. According to clause 6,
A vehicle camera module in which a connector is disposed on the back of the main board through which image data generated by the image sensor is transmitted to the outside through the serializer unit.