Method and apparatus for application's specific testing of assembled circuits
First Claim
1. An application specific testing system comprises:
- a plurality of application specific testing entities, wherein each of the plurality of application specific testing entities is programmable to test at least one of a plurality of assembled circuits;
a programmable handler operable to pick and place assembled circuits of the plurality of assembled circuits in proximity of corresponding ones of the plurality of application specific testing entities such that placed assembled circuits are subject to testing; and
a host processing entity operably coupled to the plurality of application specific testing entities and the programmable handler, wherein the host processing entity administers picking and placing by the programmable handler and testing by the plurality of application specific testing entities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for testing specific assembled circuits begins by configuring a plurality of applications specific testing entities to test assembled circuits, where the configuring is based on the types of assembled circuits being tested. Next, a specific assembled circuit testing program is provided to the corresponding application specific testing entity based on the type of assembled circuits it is testing. In addition to providing the testing programs to the testing entities, programming instructions are provided to a programmable handler to pick and place the appropriate assembled circuits with the corresponding applications specific testing entities. When the testing of a particular assembled circuit is complete, a test complete indication is provided. When the test complete indication is received by the host, programming instructions are provided to the programmable handler to remove the integrated circuit from the testing entity and place another integrated circuit in the proximity of the testing entity for subsequent testing.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An application specific testing system comprises:
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a plurality of application specific testing entities, wherein each of the plurality of application specific testing entities is programmable to test at least one of a plurality of assembled circuits; a programmable handler operable to pick and place assembled circuits of the plurality of assembled circuits in proximity of corresponding ones of the plurality of application specific testing entities such that placed assembled circuits are subject to testing; and a host processing entity operably coupled to the plurality of application specific testing entities and the programmable handler, wherein the host processing entity administers picking and placing by the programmable handler and testing by the plurality of application specific testing entities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for testing assembled circuits, the method comprises the steps of:
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a) configuring a plurality of application specific testing entities to test the assembled circuits based on types of the assembled circuits to be tested; b) providing a specific assembled circuit testing program to a corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities based on the type of assembled circuits being tested by the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities; c) providing programming instructions to a programmable handler to pick and place at least one of the assembled circuits in proximity of the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities to produce a placed assembled circuit; d) receiving a test complete indication by the host processing entity when testing of the placed assembled circuit by the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities is to be complete; and e) providing programming instructions to the programmable handler to remove the placed assembled circuit in one of a plurality of application specific testing entities and to pick and place at least another one of the assembled circuits to a corresponding application specific testing entity when the test complete indication hasbeen received. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for testing assembled circuits, the method comprises the steps of:
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a) obtaining data regarding the assembled circuits to be tested, wherein the data includes at least one of;
type of assembled circuits and quantities of the assembled circuits by type;b) providing a specific assembled circuit test program by a host processing entity to a configured one of a plurality of application specific testing entities based on the data; c) providing pick-place-remove programming instructions by the host processing entity to a programmable handlers based on the data; and d) controlling by the host processing entity testing by the configured one of the plurality of application specific testing entities and picking, placing, and removing of the assembled circuits by the programmable handler. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A host processing entity for use in an application specific testing system, the host processing entity comprises:
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a processing module; and memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operating instructions that cause the processing module to (a) configure a plurality of application specific testing entities to test the assembled circuits based on types of the assembled circuits to be tested;
(b) provide a specific assembled circuit testing program to a corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities based on the type of assembled circuits being tested by the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities;
(c) provide programming instructions to a programmable handler to pick and place at least one of the assembled circuits in proximity of the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities to produce a placed assembled circuit;
(d) receive a test complete indication when testing of the placed assembled circuit by the corresponding one of the plurality of application specific testing entities is to be complete; and
(e) provide programming instructions to the programmable handler to removed the placed assembled circuit and to pick and place at least another one of the assembled circuits when the test complete indication has been received. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A host processing entity for use in an application specific testing system, the host processing entity comprises:
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a processing module; and memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operating instructions that cause the processing module to (a) obtain data regarding the assembled circuits to be tested, wherein the data includes at least one of;
type of assembled circuits and quantities of the assembled circuits by type;
(b) provide a specific assembled circuit test program to a configured one of a plurality of application specific testing entities based on the data;
(c) provide pick-place-remove programming instructions to a programmable handlers based on the data; and
(d) control testing by the configured one of the plurality of application specific testing entities and picking, placing, and removing of the assembled circuits by the programmable handler. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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Specification