Method of constructing and testing a circuit board designed for early diagnostics
First Claim
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1. A method of constructing and testing a printed circuit board for a radio communication transceiver having electronic components secured to the board, comprising the steps of:
- separating substantially all of the circuitry of said transceiver used to perform the major functions of said transceiver into a plurality of electrically and mechanically separate modules, each said module including circuitry for performing one of said major functions;
performing a first series of diagnostic tests upon each said module to detect non-faulty modules as tested;
mounting non-faulty as tested modules on said printed circuit board at predetermined physical locations to form an assembled transceiver circuit board;
forming interconnections among the mounted modules on said printed circuit board such that the electrical testing of the function of each mounted module can be performed independently of the remaining modules;
performing a second series of diagnostic tests on said assembled transceiver circuit board to determine whether said circuit board meets acceptable specifications;
performing a third series of diagnostic tests on each mounted module to uniquely detect individual failed modules if said second series of diagnostic tests determine that said board fails to meet acceptable specifications; and
reassembling said transceiver circuit by replacing each failed module on said printed circuit board with a replacement module.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of modular electronic printed circuit board design for a radio communication transceiver in which the electronic circuitry forming a transmit/receive circuit board of the device is modularized in such a manner as to facilitate independent stand-alone functional testing of modules both on and off the board.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method of constructing and testing a printed circuit board for a radio communication transceiver having electronic components secured to the board, comprising the steps of:
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separating substantially all of the circuitry of said transceiver used to perform the major functions of said transceiver into a plurality of electrically and mechanically separate modules, each said module including circuitry for performing one of said major functions; performing a first series of diagnostic tests upon each said module to detect non-faulty modules as tested; mounting non-faulty as tested modules on said printed circuit board at predetermined physical locations to form an assembled transceiver circuit board; forming interconnections among the mounted modules on said printed circuit board such that the electrical testing of the function of each mounted module can be performed independently of the remaining modules; performing a second series of diagnostic tests on said assembled transceiver circuit board to determine whether said circuit board meets acceptable specifications; performing a third series of diagnostic tests on each mounted module to uniquely detect individual failed modules if said second series of diagnostic tests determine that said board fails to meet acceptable specifications; and reassembling said transceiver circuit by replacing each failed module on said printed circuit board with a replacement module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification