Automatic circuit tester employing a three-dimensional switch-matrix layout
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic circuit tester including:
- A) a plurality of test instruments;
B) a plurality of system pins adapted for connection to test points in a device under test (DUT);
C) a control circuit for operating the instruments so as to perform a test on the device under test;
D) a generally planar main circuit board providing a plurality of instrument condition paths thereon from which the tester separately provides a signal path to at least one of the test instruments and further providing a plurality of DUT conduction paths from each of which the tester provides a signal path to a different respective system pin;
E) at least one generally planar auxiliary circuit board so mounted on the main circuit board as to extend generally transversely thereof; and
F) a plurality of matrix switches, each of which is mounted on one of the at least one auxiliary circuit board, each auxiliary circuit board connecting each matrix switch thereon between one of the DUT conduction paths and one of the instrument conduction paths, a plurality of said matrix switches being connected in this manner between each DUT conduction path and a plurality of respective instrument conduction paths, and a plurality of the matrix switches being connected in this manner between each instrument conduction path and a plurality of respective DUT conduction paths.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic circuit tester (10) employs a scanner (20) embodied in a group of interconnected main scanner boards (46, 47) that provide switching by means of mechanical relays. In order to provide a cross-point matrix and structure without unacceptable stub lengths, the relays are mounted on auxiliary boards (114) that extend transversely from the surface of each main board (46, 47). The main scanner boards plug into a scanner bus (50) in such a manner as to permit them to connect or disconnect adjacent links (70A-H, 72A-H) in sequences of links in the scanner bus (50).
34 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An automatic circuit tester including:
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A) a plurality of test instruments; B) a plurality of system pins adapted for connection to test points in a device under test (DUT); C) a control circuit for operating the instruments so as to perform a test on the device under test; D) a generally planar main circuit board providing a plurality of instrument condition paths thereon from which the tester separately provides a signal path to at least one of the test instruments and further providing a plurality of DUT conduction paths from each of which the tester provides a signal path to a different respective system pin; E) at least one generally planar auxiliary circuit board so mounted on the main circuit board as to extend generally transversely thereof; and F) a plurality of matrix switches, each of which is mounted on one of the at least one auxiliary circuit board, each auxiliary circuit board connecting each matrix switch thereon between one of the DUT conduction paths and one of the instrument conduction paths, a plurality of said matrix switches being connected in this manner between each DUT conduction path and a plurality of respective instrument conduction paths, and a plurality of the matrix switches being connected in this manner between each instrument conduction path and a plurality of respective DUT conduction paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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10. An automatic circuit tester as defined in claim I wherein the matrix switches comprise mechanical relays operable by the control circuit.
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16. An automatic circuit tester including:
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A) at least one test instrument; B) a plurality of system pins adapted for connection to test points in a device under test (DUT); C) a control circuit for operating the instruments so as to perform a test on the device under test; D) a generally planar main circuit board providing a plurality of DUT conduction paths from each of which the tester provides a signal path to a different respective system pin and further providing a plurality of tree conductive paths; E) at least one generally planar auxiliary circuit board so mounted on the main circuit board as to extend generally transversely thereof; and F) a plurality of tree switches, each of which is mounted on one of the at least one auxiliary circuit board, the at least one auxiliary circuit board connecting the tree switches to the tree conductive paths in a tree structure of at least three levels, in which each given path in a level below the top level is linked by a plurality of tree switches to a plurality of paths of the next higher level in a group thereof separately associated with the given path, the tester providing separate signal paths between the tree paths in the top level and respective DUT conductive paths, the tester further providing a signal path between the test instrument and a tree conductive path at the bottom level, whereby the instrument can be connected selectively to the system pins by operation of the tree switches.
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Specification