Modular board test system having wireless receiver

• US 5,216,361 A
• Filed: 07/10/1991
• Issued: 06/01/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technologies Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technologies Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Akar, Armagan A., DeSimone, Stephen E., Grimes, Scott N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURNS, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/727,278
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 324/158 P, 324/158 F, 324/72-73, 324/73.1, 361/384, 361/414, 439/83, 174/255
• US Class Current: 324/754.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07371 using an intermediate card or back card with apertures through which the probes pass

Abstract

A modular ATE system includes a plurality of test modules and a receiver for use with a variety of fixtures to which printed circuit boards are to be coupled. Each test module includes a plurality of pin cards controlled by a single module controller. Multiple test module are included for testing a variety of functions. Test signals are generated by discrete sets of pin cards and controllers, then output to the receiver for interconnection to a fixture and printed circuit board(s) under test. A substantially wireless receiver is provided, including a translation board for electrically coupling test module pin cards to the fixture. By eliminating wiring and cabling by using a prefabricated translation board, noise is substantially reduced and test signal quality improved. The translation board defines prescribed signal mapping for interconnecting the I/O pins of ATE pin cards to the underside of the fixture. Different translation boards may have different mappings. The ATE can be adapted for use with fixtures having different underside layouts by changing the test modules and/or the receiver. As a result, the ATE can be adapted to emulate many conventional ATE'"'"'s which are limited to a fixed fixture underside layout.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board in a test system having a test controller and a fixture, a printed circuit board coupled to the fixture, the apparatus coupled to the test controller, the fixture having a base plate supporting a plurality of probe pins, the fixture defining a plurality of first contacts for electrical communication with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of test modules coupled to the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, each test module comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, a test module being for generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and for sensing response signals of the printed circuit board;

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the test module to the fixture, comprising;

(a) a prefabricated translation board having a first layer comprising a plurality of means for establishing electrical contact with the test modules, a second layer comprising a plurality of means for defining electrical contact, and a plurality of intermediate layers between said first and second layers for coupling each one of said plurality of contact establishing means to a respective contact defining means according to a prescribed mapping relation wherein the first contact defining means coupled to a first contact establishing means has a different relative position among the plurality of contact defining means than the first contact establishing means has along the plurality of contact establishing means;

(b) a plurality of conductive pin members, a conductive pin member being in physical communication with an electrical contact defining means of said translation board and a first contact of the fixture; and

(c) a support block positioned between the fixture and said translation board defining a plurality of channels, a channel receiving a conductive pin member.

2. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board in a test system having a test controller and a fixture, a printed circuit board coupled to the fixture, the apparatus coupled to the test controller, the fixture having a base plate supporting a plurality of probe pins, the fixture defining a plurality of first contacts for electrical communication with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a test module in communication with the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to he module controller, the test module generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and sensing response signals from the printed circuit board;

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the test module to the fixture, comprising;

(a) a prefabricated translation board having a first layer comprising a plurality of means for establishing electrical contact with the test modules, a second layer comprising a plurality of means for defining electrical contact, and a plurality of intermediate layers between said first and second layers for coupling each one of said plurality of contact establishing means to a respective contact defining means according to a prescribed mapping relation wherein the first contact defining means coupled to a first contact establishing means has a different relative position among the plurality of contact defining means than the first contact establishing means has along the plurality of contact establishing means;

(b) a plurality of conductive pin members, a conductive pin member being in physical communication with an electrical contact defining means of said translation board and a first contact of the fixture; and

(c) a support block positioned between the fixture and said translation board defining a plurality of channels, a channel receiving a conductive pin member.

3. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board in a test system having a test controller and a fixture, a printed circuit board coupled to the fixture, the apparatus coupled to the test controller, the fixture having a plurality of first contacts for electrical communication with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a test module in communication with the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to he module controller, the test module generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and sensing response signals from the printed circuit board;

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the test module to the fixture, comprising;

(a) a prefabricated translation board having a first layer comprising a plurality of means for establishing electrical contact with the test modules, a second layer comprising a plurality of means for defining electrical contact, and a plurality of intermediate layers between said first and second layers for coupling each one of said plurality of contact establishing means to a respective contact defining means according to a prescribed mapping relation;

(b) a plurality of conducive pin members, a conductive pin member being in physical communication with an electrical contact defining means of said translation board and a first contact of the fixture;

(c) a support block positioned between the fixture and said translation board defining a plurality of channels, a channel receiving a conductive pin member; and

(d) an electrical ground path commonly coupled to said plurality of test modules and said fixture, said ground path defining a common ground plane for the test module and printed circuit board under test.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the module controller and plurality of pin cards are arranged in two parallel rows having a central channel between said rows and side channels between pin cards within a row, and further comprising cooling means for forcing air into the central channel and through to the side channels for cooling the module controller and pin cards, said cooling means causing an air flow from the central channel to the side channels so that cool air flows across the module controller and plurality of pin cards.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 in which each conductive pin member comprises a spring-biased conductive pin contact.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the first layer provides electrical contact with the test module at a first contact region, the second layer providing electrical contact with the fixture first contacts at a second region;

the plurality of intermediate layers comprising a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer;

the first intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said first contact region to an inter-layer contact region, said inter-layer contact region providing an electrical path between intermediate layers of the translation board, the second intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said interlayer contact region to a second contact region.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said path forming means of said first intermediate layer is comprised of conductive stripping, and said path forming means of said second intermediate layer is comprised of conductive stripping.

8. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board in a test system having a test controller and a fixture, a printed circuit board coupled to the fixture, the apparatus coupled to the test controller, the fixture having a plurality of first contacts for electrical communication with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of test modules coupled to the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, each test module comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, a test module being for generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and for sensing response signals of the printed circuit board;

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the test module to the fixture, comprising;

(a) a prefabricated translation board having a first layer comprising a plurality of means for establishing electrical contact with the test modules, a second layer comprising a plurality of means for defining electrical contact, and a plurality of intermediate layers between said first and second layers for coupling each one of said plurality of contact establishing means to a respective contact defining means according to a prescribed mapping relation;

(b) a plurality of conducive pin members, a conductive pin member being in physical communication with an electrical contact defining means of said translation board and a first contact of the fixture;

(c) a support block positioned between the fixture and said translation board defining a plurality of channels, a channel receiving a conductive pin member; and

(d) an electrical ground path commonly coupled to said plurality of test modules and said fixture, said ground path defining a common ground plane for the test module and printed circuit board under test; and

in which each conductive pin member contact comprises a spring-biased conductive pin; and

in which the first layer provides electrical contact with the test module at a first contact region, the second layer providing electrical contact with the fixture first contacts at a second region;

the plurality of intermediate layers comprising a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer;

the first intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said first contact region to an inter-layer contact region, said inter-layer contact region providing an electrical path between intermediate layers of the translation board, the second intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said inter-layer contact region to a second contact region; and

in which said path forming means of said first intermediate layer is comprised of conductive stripping, and said path forming means of said second intermediate layer is comprised of conductive stripping.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the plurality of test modules are arranged in two parallel rows having a central channel between said rows and side channels between pin cards within a row, and further comprising cooling means for forcing air into the central channel and through to the side channels for cooling the test modules, said cooling means causing an air flow from the central channel to the side channels so that cool air flows across the module controller and plurality of pin cards of each test module.

10. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board coupled to a fixture, a test controller coupled to the apparatus for defining a printed circuit board test the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of test modules coupled to the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, each test module comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, a test module being for generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and for sensing response signals of the printed circuit board; and

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the plurality of test modules to the fixture, the receiver comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the plurality of test modules, means for establishing electrical contact with the fixture, and means for mapping the test module electrical contact means to the fixture electrical contact means, the mapping means comprising a prefabricated translation board having integral conductive paths for interconnecting the test module contact means to the fixture contact means according to a prescribed mapping relation;

wherein the translation board comprises;

a stack of first insulating members;

a plurality of third electrical contacts disposed on an exposed surface of an outer first insulating member and having the first pattern;

a plurality of first electrical conductors, each first electrical conductive being electrically connected to a corresponding third electrical contact and extending through at least one of the first insulating members;

a plurality of second electrical conductors, each second electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding first electrical conductor and extending along opposed surfaces of adjacent first insulating members;

a stack of second insulating member;

a third insulating member disposed between the stacks of first and second insulating members;

a plurality of third electrical conductors, each third electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding second electrical conductor and extending through the third insulating member and at least one second insulating member;

a plurality of fourth electrical conductors, each fourth electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding third electrical conductor and extending along opposed surfaces of adjacent second insulating members;

a plurality of fifth electrical conductors, each fifth electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding fourth electrical conductor and extending through the stack of second insulating members to an exposed surface of an outer second insulating member; and

a plurality of fourth electrical contacts disposed on the exposed surface of the outer second insulating member, each fourth electrical contact being electrically connected to a corresponding fifth electric al conductor.

11. An apparatus for testing a first printed circuit board coupled to a first fixture and a second printed circuit board coupled to a second fixture, each one of the first fixture and second fixture having a base plate surrounding a plurality of probe pins, each one of the first fixture and second fixture defining a plurality of first contacts, the first contacts of the first fixture and second fixture defining noncompatible underside layouts, a test controller coupled to the apparatus for defining a printed circuit board test, at a given time one of the first and second fixtures being coupled to the apparatus, the printed circuit board coupled to said one fixture being a printed circuit board under test, the apparatus comprising:

a test module coupled to the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, the test module comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, the test module being for generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board under test and for sensing response signals of the printed circuit board under test;

a removable wireless first receiver for interconnecting the test module to the first fixture, the first receiver comprising first means for establishing electrical contact with the test module, first means for defining electrical contact with the first fixture, and first means for mapping the test module first electrical contact means to the fixture first electrical contact means, the first mapping means comprising a first prefabricated translation board having integral conductive paths for interconnecting the test module first contact means to the fixture first contact means according to a first prescribed mapping relation wherein the first contact defining means coupled to the first contact establishing means has a different relative position among the plurality of first contact defining means than the first contact establishing means has among the plurality of first contact establishing means; and

a wireless second receiver for replacing said first receiver to interconnect the test module to the second fixture, the second receiver comprising second means for establishing electrical contact with the test module, second means for defining electrical contact with the second fixture, and second means for mapping the test module second electrical contact means, the second mapping means comprising a second prefabricated translation board having integral conductive paths for interconnecting the test module second contact means to the second fixture second contact means according to a second prescribed mapping relation wherein the second contact defining means coupled to the second contact establishing means has a different relative position among the plurality of second contact defining means than the second contact establishing means has along the plurality of second contact establishing means.

12. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board in a test system having a test controller and a fixture, a printed circuit board coupled to the fixture, the apparatus coupled to the test control, the fixture having a base plate supporting a plurality of probe pins, the fixture defining a plurality of first contacts for electrical communication with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a test module in communication with the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, the test module generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and sensing response signals from the printed circuit board;

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the test module to the fixture, the receiver comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the plurality of test modules, means for defining electrical contact with the fixture, and means for mapping the test module electrical contact means to the fixture electrical contact means;

the mapping means comprising a prefabricated translation board having integral conductive paths for interconnecting the test module contact means to the fixture contact means according to a prescribed mapping relation wherein the first contact defining means coupled to the first contact establishing means has a different relative position along the plurality of contact defining means than the first contact establishing means has along the plurality of contact establishing means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the translation board comprises a plurality of layers, a first layer providing electrical contact with a test module at a first contact region, a second layer providing electrical contact with the fixture contact means at a second contact region;

a first intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said first contact region to an inter-layer contact region, said inter-layer contact region providing an electrical path between layers of the translation board, a second intermediate layer comprising means forming a conductive path from said inter-layer contact region to the second contact region.

14. An apparatus for testing a printed circuit board coupled to a fixture, a test controller coupled to the apparatus for defining a printed circuit board test, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of test module coupled to the test controller for implementing a printed circuit board test, each test module comprising a module controller and a plurality of pin cards coupled to the module controller, a test module being for generating test signals to be applied to the printed circuit board and sensing response signals from the printed circuit board; and

a wireless receiver for interconnecting the plurality of test modules to the fixture, the receiver comprising means for establishing electrical contact with the plurality of test modules, means for establishing electrical contact with the fixture, and means for mapping the test module electrical contact means to the fixture electrical contact means;

the mapping means comprising a prefabricated translation board having integral conductive paths for interconnecting the test module contact means to the fixture contact means according to a prescribed mapping relation;

said translation board comprising;

a stack of first insulating members;

a plurality of first electrical contacts disposed on an exposed surface of an outer first insulating member and coupled to at least one pin card through said tester electrical contacts;

a plurality of first electrical conductors, each first electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding first electrical contact and extending through at lest one of the firs insulating members;

a plurality of second electrical conductors, each second electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding first electrical conductor and extending along opposed surfaces of adjacent first insulating members;

a stack of second insulating members;

a third insulating member disposed between the stacks of first and second insulating members;

a plurality of third electrical conductors, each third electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding second electrical conductor and extending through the third insulating member and at least one second insulating member;

a plurality of fourth electrical conductors, each fourth electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding third electrical conductor and extending along opposed surfaces of adjacent second insulating members;

a plurality of fifth electrical conductors, each firth electrical conductor being electrically connected to a corresponding fourth electrical conductor and extending through the stack of second insulating members to an exposed surface of an outer second insulating member, each fifth electrical conductor being electrically coupled to a fixture electrical conductor; and

a plurality of second electrical contacts disposed on the exposed surface of the outer second insulating member, each second electrical contact being electrically connected to a corresponding fifth electrical conductor.