Test program flow control

• US 10,451,668 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Inventors: Nahum, Rotem, Toy, Rebecca, Phan, Boilam, Liu, Jungtsung, Chen, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US15/582,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20180313891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2834 Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/287 Procedures; Software aspects

Abstract

A system for performing an automated test is disclosed. The system comprises a user computer operable to load a test program from a user to a control server, wherein the test program comprises a plurality of test flows. The system further comprises a tester deploying a plurality of primitives. Further, the control server is communicatively coupled to the user computer and to the tester, wherein the control server is operable to download the test program to a primitive from the plurality of primitives, and wherein the control server is further operable to execute a first test flow from the plurality of test flows on a first DUT within the primitive and concurrently execute a second test flow from the plurality of test flows on a second DUT within the primitive.

Claims

1. A method for performing tests using automated test equipment (ATE), said method comprising:

loading a test program to a control server from a user computer, wherein the control server communicates with a plurality of primitives in a tester, wherein the test program comprises a standard interface language (STIL) file, wherein the test program comprises a plurality of test flows, wherein the plurality of test flows are defined within the STIL file;

downloading the test program from the control server to a primitive of the plurality of primitives, wherein the primitive comprises an enclosure and test circuitry for executing the test program on a plurality of DUTs communicatively coupled to the primitive;

executing a first test flow from the plurality of test flows on a first DUT connected to the primitive; and

concurrently executing a second test flow from the plurality of test flows on a second DUT connected to the primitive, wherein the first test flow and the second test flow are defined within the STIL file, and wherein each DUT in the primitive is configured to execute a respective test flow from the plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a different test flow from the plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file on each DUT connected to the primitive concurrently.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each test flow comprises a plurality of program sequences, wherein steps for the plurality of program sequences can be selected from the group consisting of:

pre-processing steps, testing steps, post-processing steps and debugging steps.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each program sequence comprises a plurality of segments, wherein each of the segments is operable to be tagged and identified using an identification number, wherein the identification number is used to perform execution order numbering for the plurality of test flows.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test flows can be edited by a user using a graphical user interface (GUI) running on the user computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test flows can be edited by a user using a GUI running on the control server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of test flows can be executed by a user using a GUI running on the user computer.

8. A system for performing an automated test, said system comprising:

a user computer operable to load a test program from a user to a control server, wherein the test program comprises a plurality of test flows, wherein the test program comprises a standard interface language (STIL) file, and wherein the plurality of test flows are defined the STIL file;

a tester deploying a plurality of primitives; and

the control server, wherein the control server is communicatively coupled to the user computer and to the tester, wherein the control server is operable to download the test program to a primitive of the plurality of primitives, wherein the primitive comprises an enclosure and test circuitry for executing the test program on a plurality of DUTs communicatively coupled to the primitive, and wherein the control server is further operable to execute a first test flow from the plurality of test flows on a first DUT communicatively coupled the primitive and concurrently execute a second test flow from the plurality of test flows on a second DUT communicatively coupled the primitive, wherein the first test flow and the second test flow are defined within the STIL file, and wherein each DUT in the primitive is configured to execute a respective test flow from the plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control server is further operable to execute a different test flow from the plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file on each DUT communicatively coupled the primitive concurrently.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each test flow comprises a plurality of program sequences, wherein steps for the plurality of program sequences can be selected from the group consisting of:

pre-processing steps, testing steps, post-processing steps and debugging steps.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each program sequence comprises a plurality of segments, wherein each of the segments is operable to be tagged and identified using an identification number, wherein the identification number is used to perform execution order numbering for the plurality of test flows.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of test flows can be edited by a user using a graphical user interface (GUI) running on the user computer, wherein the user computer is communicatively coupled with the control server using a standard IP connection.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of test flows can be edited by a user using a GUI running on the control server.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of test flows can be executed by a user using a GUI running on the control server.

15. A system for performing an automated test, said system comprising:

a user computer operable to load a test program from a user to a control server, wherein the test program comprises a plurality of test flows, wherein the test program comprises a standard interface language (STIL) file, and wherein the plurality of test flows are defined the STIL file;

a tester deploying a plurality of tester slices, wherein each tester slice is configured to execute the test program on a plurality of DUTs communicatively to a respective tester slice; and

the control server, wherein the control server is communicatively coupled to the user computer and to the tester, wherein the control server is operable to download the test program to a tester slice of the plurality of tester slices, and wherein the control server is further operable to execute a first test flow from the plurality of test flows on a first DUT communicatively coupled the primitive and concurrently execute a second test flow from the plurality of test flows on a second DUT communicatively coupled the primitive, wherein the first test flow and the second test flow are defined the STIL file, and wherein each DUT in the primitive is configured to execute a respective test flow from the plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each test flow comprises a plurality of program sequences, wherein steps for the plurality of program sequences can be selected from the group consisting of:

pre-processing steps, testing steps, post-processing steps and debugging steps.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each program sequence comprises a plurality of segments, wherein each of the segments is operable to be tagged and identified using an identification number, wherein the identification number is used to perform execution order numbering for the plurality of test flows.

18. A method for performing tests using automated test equipment (ATE), said method comprising:

loading a first test plan to a control server from a graphical user interface on a first user computer, wherein the control server communicates with a plurality of primitives in a tester, wherein the plurality of primitives are deployed within a single rack in the tester wherein the first test plan comprises a standard interface language (STIL) file;

downloading the first test plan from the control server to a first subset of primitives from the plurality of primitives, wherein the first test plan comprises a first plurality of test flows, and wherein the first plurality of test flows are defined within the STIL file;

loading a second test plan to the control server from a graphical user interface of a second user computer;

downloading the second test plan from the control server to a second subset of primitives from the plurality of primitives, wherein the second test plan comprises a second plurality of test flows;

executing the first test plan and the second test plan concurrently;

executing a first test flow from the first plurality of test flows on a first DUT within a primitive of the first plurality of primitives wherein the primitive comprises an enclosure and test circuitry for executing the test program on a plurality of DUTs communicatively coupled to the primitive; and

concurrently executing a second test flow from the first plurality of test flows on a second DUT the primitive of the first plurality of primitives, wherein the first test flow and the second test flow are defined within the STIL file, and wherein each DUT in the primitive is configured to execute a respective test flow from the first plurality of test flows defined in the STIL file.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

while the first test plan is operating and the second test plan has completed execution;

loading a third test plan to the control server from a graphical user interface of a third user computer;

downloading the third test plan to a third subset of primitives from the plurality of primitives; and

executing the first test plan and the third test plan concurrently.