International Business Machines Corporation

Andre Lecerf

Claude Gomez

Denis G Roman

Jean-Francois Fauh

A method and system for improving power distribution and/or current measurement on a printed circuit board is disclosed. According to the invention, a first power plane adapted for current measurement includes a first segment to which a current source is connected and a second segment to which other devices may be connected, forming the current load. A third segment is used to measure the current between the first segment and the second segment through two vias that link two points of the third segment to, preferably, two pads of the external layer. In a preferred embodiment, vias are connected to the first segment so that current flow in the third segment is linear, to improve and simplify current determination. The resistivity between the pair of vias may be computed or estimated using calibrated currents.

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Nice, France

Andre Lecerf