Semiconductor test system with time critical sequence generation using general purpose operating system
First Claim
1. A semiconductor test system for testing semiconductor devices, comprising:
- a tester hardware for providing power sources to power source pins of a semiconductor device under test (DUT) and applying a test pattern to an input pin of the DUT and evaluating an output signal of the DUT;
a host computer operated by a general purpose operating system for controlling an overall operation of the semiconductor test system based on a test program;
a configuration software for computing configuration data indicating configuration of the power sources and reference voltages of the test pattern and timing data indicating timings of activating and deactivating the power sources, reference voltages and test pattern, the configuration software computing the configuration data and timing data based on the test program prior to testing the DUT;
a device driver for providing a power trigger and a signal trigger to the tester hardware to trigger the timings of activating and deactivating the power sources and the reference voltages in the hardware tester; and
a hardware timer for producing an interrupt signal after a predetermined time defined by the device driver and sending the interrupt signal to the device driver through the host computer;
wherein the device driver causes to start the test pattern upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer and to deactivate the power sources to the DUT upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor test system is capable of time critical sequence generation using a general purpose operating system. The semiconductor test system includes a tester hardware for providing power sources and test patterns to a device under test, a host computer operated by a general purpose operating system, a configuration software for computing configuration data and timing data based on a test program, a device driver for providing a power trigger and a signal trigger to the tester hardware, and a hardware timer for producing an interrupt signal. The device driver causes to start the test pattern and to deactivate the power sources upon receiving the interrupt signal.
17 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A semiconductor test system for testing semiconductor devices, comprising:
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a tester hardware for providing power sources to power source pins of a semiconductor device under test (DUT) and applying a test pattern to an input pin of the DUT and evaluating an output signal of the DUT;
a host computer operated by a general purpose operating system for controlling an overall operation of the semiconductor test system based on a test program;
a configuration software for computing configuration data indicating configuration of the power sources and reference voltages of the test pattern and timing data indicating timings of activating and deactivating the power sources, reference voltages and test pattern, the configuration software computing the configuration data and timing data based on the test program prior to testing the DUT;
a device driver for providing a power trigger and a signal trigger to the tester hardware to trigger the timings of activating and deactivating the power sources and the reference voltages in the hardware tester; and
a hardware timer for producing an interrupt signal after a predetermined time defined by the device driver and sending the interrupt signal to the device driver through the host computer;
wherein the device driver causes to start the test pattern upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer and to deactivate the power sources to the DUT upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A semiconductor test system for testing semiconductor devices, comprising:
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a tester hardware for providing power sources to power source pins of a semiconductor device under test (DUT) and applying a test pattern to an input pin of the DUT and evaluating an output signal of the DUT;
a host computer operated by a general purpose operating system for controlling an overall operation of the semiconductor test system based on a test program;
means for computing configuration data indicating configuration of the power sources and reference voltages of the test pattern and timing data indicating timings of activating and deactivating the power sources, reference voltages, and test pattern wherein the configuration data and timing data are determined based on the test program prior to testing the DUT;
means for providing a power trigger and a signal trigger to the tester hardware to trigger the timings of activating and deactivating the power sources and the reference voltages in the hardware tester; and
a hardware timer for producing an interrupt signal after a predetermined time defined by the providing means and sending the interrupt signal to the providing means through the host computer;
wherein the test pattern is started upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer and the power sources to the DUT is deactivated upon receiving the interrupt signal from the hardware timer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification