TEST SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE RADIO-FREQUENCY PROBE ARRAY

• US 20130044033A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Nickel, Joshua G., Guterman, Jerzy, Pascolini, Mattia, Chen, Chun-Lung, Giddings, Joss Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,000,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/703
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/10 Radiation diagrams of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2824 testing of oscillators or resonators

Abstract

Electronic device structures may be tested using a radio-frequency test system. The radio-frequency test system may include radio-frequency test equipment and an associated test fixture. The radio-frequency test equipment may be used in generating and measuring radio-frequency signals. The test fixture may contain adjustable structures that allow the positions of radio-frequency test probes to be adjusted. The test system may be configured to position radio-frequency probes in the test fixture so that some probe contacts form electrical connections with conductive antenna structures. The radio-frequency probes may contain other contacts that are positioned to form electrical connections with conductive electronic device housing structures. During radio-frequency testing, the test equipment in the test system may apply radio-frequency test signals to the device structures under test using the test probes. Corresponding radio-frequency test signals may be measured by the test equipment.

Claims

1. A method of testing electronic device structures that have a plurality of antenna resonating elements and an antenna ground structure, comprising:

coupling a plurality of radio-frequency probes to the electronic device structures so that each probe has a first probe conductor coupled to a respective one of the antenna resonating elements and each probe has a second probe conductor coupled to the antenna ground structure; and

with test equipment coupled to the radio-frequency probes, performing radio-frequency tests on the electronic device structures using the radio-frequency probes.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein performing the radio-frequency tests comprises:

applying radio-frequency signals to the electronic device structures through the radio-frequency probes from the test equipment and receiving radio-frequency signals at the test equipment from the electronic device structures through the radio-frequency probes.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein performing the radio-frequency tests comprises identifying faults associated with insufficient electrical coupling between the resonating elements and the ground structures.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the antenna resonating elements and the antenna ground structure form at least one antenna and wherein performing the radio-frequency tests comprises identifying faults in the at least one antenna.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein coupling the plurality of radio-frequency probes to the electronic device structure comprises positioning the radio-frequency probes using adjustable probe positioning structures.

6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein positioning the radio-frequency probes comprises adjusting positions of the radio-frequency probes in first, second, and third orthogonal dimensions in three dimensional space.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein performing the radio-frequency tests further comprises:

with the test equipment, comparing radio-frequency signal data gathered using the probes to reference data.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein performing the radio-frequency tests comprises obtaining forward transfer coefficient data using a pair of the probes.

9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein performing the radio-frequency tests comprises obtaining complex impedance data using at least one of the probes.

10. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

clamping the electronic device structures to a test stage while performing the radio-frequency tests.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein clamping the electronic device structures to the test stage comprises using a clamp and opposing horizontal and vertical locking blocks to hold the electronic device structures.

12. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising:

supporting the test stage on a sliding mechanism; and

with an additional clamp, clamping the test stage against at least one motion limiting structure.

13. The method defined in claim 1 wherein coupling the plurality of radio-frequency probes to the electronic device structures comprises capacitively coupling the radio-frequency probes to the electronic device structures.

14. The method defined in claim 1 wherein coupling the plurality of radio-frequency probes to the electronic device structures comprises forming connections between the probe conductors and electronic device structures.

15. A method of identifying an optimal set of testing locations for radio-frequency probes to couple to an electronic device structure that has a plurality of antenna resonating elements that are coupled to an antenna ground structure, comprising:

with adjustable probe positioning structures, positioning the radio-frequency probes at a plurality of different potential testing locations so that each probe is coupled to a respective one of the antenna resonating elements and the antenna ground structure;

with test equipment coupled to the radio-frequency probes, transmitting radio-frequency test signals and measuring responses to the radio-frequency test signals while the radio-frequency probes are located at each of the plurality of different potential testing locations; and

based on the measured responses, identifying an optimal set of testing locations for the radio-frequency probes to couple to the electronic device structure.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein adjusting the positions of the radio-frequency probes comprises adjusting the positions of the radio-frequency probes along first, second, and third orthogonal axes in three dimensional space.

17. The method defined in claim 15 further comprising:

with the test equipment, calculating input reflection coefficients based on the measured responses to the radio-frequency test signals.

18. A test system operable to test electronic device structures having antenna structures including an array of antenna resonating elements and a common antenna ground, comprising:

a plurality of probes configured to electrically couple to the antenna structures at a plurality of respective locations;

adjustable probe positioning structures operable to adjust the location of each of the plurality of probes in first, second, and third orthogonal dimensions in three dimensional space; and

test equipment configured to perform radio-frequency testing on the electronic device structures using the plurality of probes.

19. The test system defined in claim 18 further comprising an adjustable test stage configured to hold the radio-frequency device, wherein the test stage is operable to adjust the position of the radio-frequency device.

20. The test system defined in claim 19 wherein the test equipment further comprises a radio-frequency absorption structure that at least partially encloses the plurality of probes, the adjustable probe positioning structure, and the test stage.