PROGRAMMABLE TEST SYSTEMS

• US 3,764,995 A
• Filed: 12/21/1971
• Issued: 10/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation Melbourne
• Original Assignee: William Helf Jr, William M. Chandler
• Inventors: Helf, William Jr., Chandler, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henon, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vandenburg, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/210,437
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5 235/151.31 324/73
• US Class Current: 714/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31907 Modular tester, e.g. controlling and coordinating instruments in a bus based architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31908 Tester set-up, e.g. configuring the tester to the device under test [DUT], down loading test patterns

Abstract

A programmable test system includes a system computer for storing information encompassing test programs and for issuing, when requested, instructions in the form of digital code words for implementing the test programs. Instructions from the system computer are requested by a data transfer unit which, in turn, supplies the instructions incorporating address information, function commands and data commands to a stimulus and measurement sub-system. The latter contains functional modules which are organized by the instructions to assume a test configuration for supplying input stimuli to an electronic unit under test and to measure the response of the unit under test to those stimuli. Each functional module required by a specific test program is programmed in sequence by the function commands, to adopt a test setup in which a specific function is to be performed by the module, such as the generation of a low frequency signal, or the measurement of an AC signal from the unit under test, within its functional capabilities. Each functional module may also be supplied with data commands within the test instructions, as necessary to impose specific numerical restrictions or the like upon the functions to be performed, such as assigning amplitude and frequency information to the generated signal, or specifying amplitude range and operational mode in which the response of the unit under test is to be measured. The functional modules may be reorganized as required to perform tests on dissimilar electronic units.

Claims

1. Automatic test equipment for detecting malfunctions in the operation of any of a plurality of dissimilar electronic units, comprising a computer station and a test station, said computer station including a plurality of stores containing test programs each applicable respectively to a distinct and different one of said electronic units, program selection means for selectively retrieving a test program applicable to a selected one of said units from one of said stores, computer means responsive to the retrieved test program to generate test instructions designating tests to be performed on said selected unit, upon receipt of a signal verifying implementation of each test instruction following The first test instruction prior to generating the next test instruction, said test station including data transfer means responsive to the test instructions generated by said computer means for issuing addressed function and data commands for implementing the tests to be performed on said selected unit as designated by said test instructions, and for issuing said verification signal to said computer means upon implementation of each instruction, stimulus means including a plurality of normally unconnected programmable functional modules, each having a repertoire of functions in the form of test routines the respective functional module is capable of performing, and each functional module including respective buffer control means responsive to function commands respectively addressed thereto to enable the respectively associated functional module to assume a coupled configuration conforming to said function command, said enabled functional module responsive to data commands to supply stimuli conforming to said data commands to said selected unit, provided said stimuli are within the repertoire of said respectively associated functional module, measurement means including a plurality of further normally unconnected programmable functional modules each having a repertoire of functions in the form of test routines the respective functional module is capable of performing, and each functional module including respective buffer control means responsive to commands respectively addressed thereto to enable the respectively associated further functional module to assume a coupled configuration conforming to said function command, said further enabled functional module responsive to data commands to measure operational performance of said selected unit in response to said stimuli, and for generating test data representative of the measured operational performance, provided said operational performance measurements are within the repertoire of said respectively associated further functional modules, and each of said buffer control means being responsive to the enabling of a functional module by another buffer control means in the respective measurement means and stimulus means to inhibit its respectively associated functional module means from operating while such other functional module is enabled, interface means for coupling a desired electronic unit to said test station as the unit selected for test, said computer means responsive to said test data to evaluate the test data in comparison with stored data representative of acceptable operational performance limits for said selected unit in response to said stimuli, and to generate results of said evaluation indicative of acceptability or of unacceptability of performance of said selected unit, said test station further including means responsive to said results generated by said computer means to display said acceptability or failure.

2. The automatic test equipment according to claim 1, wherein said data transfer means is responsive to the completion of a selected test program to issue commands for uncoupling said functional modules of said stimulus means and said measuring means from their respective coupled configurations assumed in response to previous commands, in preparation for reconfiguration according to the next selected test program.

3. Automatic test equipment according to claim 1 wherein said functional modules of said stimulus means and said measurement means retain their respective coupled configurations assumed in response to the last commands issued by said data transfer means prior to completion of the selected test program, until reconfiguration by the next selected test program.

4. The automatic test equipment according to claim 1, wherein the tests designated by said test instructions are performed in sequence on said selected unit, and said computer means is responsive to an evaluation of unacceptable operational performance of the selEcted unit in response to any given test in said sequence to stop the test program and to supply the evaluation results indicative of unacceptability of said selected unit to said display means.

5. The automatic test equipment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said test programs contains self-check test instructions for tests to determine the acceptability or unacceptability of operational performance of any of said functional modules, and said functional modules in each of said stimulus means and said meansurement means are responsive to applicable commands derived from said self-check test instructions to assume a configuration in which a predetermined one of said functional modules is the unit selected for test.

6. The automatic test equipment according to claim 5, wherein said data transfer means includes means responsive to some of said self-check test instructions for configuration to perform tests of its own operational performance.

7. The automatic test equipment according to claim 1, wherein said test station further includes means for actuating said program selection means at said computer station to retrieve a desired program from one of said stores.