Portable memory devices

Abstract

Improved techniques to produce integrated circuit products are disclosed. The improved techniques permit smaller and less costly production of integrated circuit products. One aspect of the invention concerns covering test contacts (e.g., test pins) provided with the integrated circuit products using printed ink. Once covered with the ink, the test contacts are no longer electrically exposed. Hence, the integrated circuit products are not susceptible to accidental access or electrostatic discharge. Moreover, the integrated circuit products can be efficiently produced in a small form factor without any need for additional packaging or labels to electrically isolate the test contacts.

1 . An integrated circuit product produced in a batch by operations that include at least:
 providing a multi-instance leadframe or substrate having a plurality of instances, each of the instances of the leadframe or substrate having test contacts and input/output (I/O) contacts;   attaching one or more dies to each of the instances on at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate;   electrically connecting each of the one or more dies to the respective instance of the leadframe or substrate;   thereafter encapsulating together the plurality of instances on the at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate with a molding compound, wherein the test contacts and the I/O contacts remain exposed;   subsequently singulating each of the plurality of instances;   testing each of the plurality of instances using the exposed test contacts; and   printing ink over the exposed test contacts on the plurality of instances,   whereby at least one of the plurality of instances being produced by said operations is said integrated circuit product.   
     
     
         2 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said operations further comprises:
 curing the ink that has been printed over the test contacts.   
     
     
         3 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said curing comprises:
 exposing the ink that has been printed to ultraviolet radiation; and   subsequently heating the ink.   
     
     
         4 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said printing of the ink is performed with a plurality of different colored inks. 
     
     
         5 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said printing is performed with an ink jet delivery. 
     
     
         6 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit product is a memory card. 
     
     
         7 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the integrated circuit product is a removable peripheral card. 
     
     
         8 . An integrated circuit product produced in a batch by operations on a multi-instance leadframe or substrate having a plurality of instances, each of the instances of the leadframe or substrate having test contacts and input/output (I/O) contacts, the integrated circuit product formed by the steps of:
 attaching one or more dies to instances on at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate;   electrically connecting the one or more dies to the respective instance of the leadframe or substrate;   encapsulating together the plurality of instances on the at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate with a molding compound, wherein the test contacts and the I/O contacts remain exposed;   singulating the plurality of instances; and   camouflaging the test contacts by printing ink over the exposed test contacts on the plurality of instances.   
     
     
         9 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 8 , said step of camouflaging the test contacts by printing ink over the exposed test contacts comprising the step of printing the ink in the same color and appearance as the encapsulation. 
     
     
         10 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising the step of curing the ink that has been printed over the test contacts. 
     
     
         11 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 8  wherein said printing is performed with an ink jet delivery. 
     
     
         12 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the integrated circuit product is a memory card. 
     
     
         13 . An integrated circuit product as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the integrated circuit product is a removable peripheral card. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming an integrated circuit product in a batch by operations on a multi-instance leadframe or substrate having a plurality of instances, instances of the leadframe or substrate having test contacts and input/output (I/O) contacts, the method comprising the steps of:
 attaching one or more dies to the instances on at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate;   electrically connecting each of the one or more dies to the respective instance of the leadframe or substrate;   encapsulating together the instances on the at least one side of the multi-instance leadframe or substrate with a molding compound, wherein the test contacts and the I/O contacts remain exposed;   singulating the instances from each other;   testing the plurality of instances using the exposed test contacts; and   camouflaging the test contacts by printing ink over the exposed test contacts on the plurality of instances.   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , said step of camouflaging the test contacts by printing ink over the exposed test contacts comprising the step of printing the ink in the same color and appearance as the encapsulation. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of curing the ink that has been printed over the test contacts. 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 14  wherein said printing is performed with an ink jet delivery.