Automated electrostatic discharge device testing system

• US 20030234651A1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desco Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Semtronics Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hoa
• Granted Patent: US 6,809,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/500
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit

Abstract

The present invention is a system for automatically testing and providing notification of an efficacy failure of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device or devices. The system includes testing circuitry for testing the efficacy of one or more ESD devices, a memory for storing ESD device testing protocol, ESD device test results, employee identification information, e-mail messaging software, and interface connection software, an internet interface, and a processor for controlling the testing circuitry in accordance with the executed process steps of the ESD device testing protocol and for controlling the storing of the ESD device test results in memory, wherein the processor automatically provides email notification of efficacy failure of an ESD device by collecting and formatting an ESD device test result into an e-mail message using the stored e-mail messaging software and forwarding the e-mail through the internet interface using the internet connection software.

Claims

1. A method for automatically notifying of an efficacy failure of electrostatic discharge (ESD) device or devices, comprising the steps of:

initiating an ESD device test protocol;

testing an ESD device using the ESD device test protocol;

automatically notifying and transmitting, in the case a test failure of the ESD device, fail data, wherein the fail data is automatically collected and transmitted to a predetermined location; and

storing the results of ESD testing regardless of the test result.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of inputting employee identification information.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the initiating step further includes determining a type of ESD device test protocol to perform associated with employee identification information.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the testing step includes the step of testing a resistance of an ESD device attached to an individual and determining if the resistance of the ESD device is within a predetermined range and wherein, if the resistance of the ESD device is above or below the predetermined range, outputting fail data.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the automatically notifying and transmitting step includes the steps of collecting both employee identification information and output fail data and formatting the collected employee identification information and fail data into a visually displayable message.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein, in the automatically notifying and transmitting step, the visually displayable message is an e-mail message transmitted through the internet.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein, in the automatically notifying and transmitting step, the visually displayable message is transmitted through a local area network via an ethernet interface.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the notifying and transmitting step includes pushing fail data to a local or remote web server which stores the fail data wherein the web server hosts a fail data web site which is access-controlled.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling access to a work area based on the result of the ESD test.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising remotely accessing, through an ethernet interface, the stored results of ESD testing.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein, in the accessing step, the stored result of ESD testing is used to generate ESD device efficacy reports wherein the reports can be customized for a specific employee, location, date/time, device or any variation of the stored results of ESD testing.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically notifying and transmitting is performed in real time with testing of the ESD device.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the ESD test result data can be remotely accessed through the ethernet interface.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the memory further stores employee identification information.

16. A system according to claim 11, further comprising an employee identification input device which receives employee identification information, wherein the processor verifies input employee identification information with the employee identification information prior to initiating an ESD device test protocol.

13. A system for automatically testing and providing notification of an efficacy failure of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device or devices, comprising:

testing circuitry for testing the efficacy of one or more ESD devices;

a memory for storing ESD device testing protocol and ESD test result data;

an ethernet interface; and

a processor for controlling the testing circuitry and executing steps of the ESD device test protocol,

wherein the processor automatically transmits notification through the ethernet interface that an ESD device has failed the ESD device testing protocol and stores ESD test result data in memory upon completion of an ESD device test.

17. A system for automatically testing and providing notification of an efficacy failure of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device or devices, comprising:

testing circuitry for testing the efficacy of one or more ESD devices;

a memory for storing ESD device testing protocol, ESD device test results, employee identification information, e-mail messaging software, and interface connection software;

an internet interface; and

a processor for controlling the testing circuitry in accordance with the executed process steps of the ESD device testing protocol and for controlling the storing of the ESD device test results in memory,

wherein the processor automatically provides e-mail notification of efficacy failure of an ESD device by collecting and formatting an ESD device test result into an e-mail message using the stored e-mail messaging software and forwarding the e-mail through the internet interface using the internet connection software.