Testing system for evaluating integrated circuits, a testing system, and a method for testing an integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, the system comprising:
- a test board having a plurality of receptacles, at least one of which is configured to receive the circuit under test and to supply power thereto;
test interface circuitry coupled to the receptacles, the test interface circuitry including a transmitter and a receiver; and
an interrogator unit having a radio communication range extending to the test interface circuitry, the interrogator unit being configured to send commands via radio communication through the receiver to the test interface circuitry to exercise the circuit under test and to receive responses to the commands from the transmitter via radio communication.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A burn-in testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, the system including a burn-in board having a plurality of receptacles, at least one of which being sized to receive the circuit under test, test interface circuitry supported by the board and coupled to the receptacles, the test interface circuitry including a transmitter and receiver; power conductors supported by the board, coupled to the receptacles and configured to be connected to a power supply to power the circuit under test during burn-in testing, control and data signal conductors, a burn-in oven having a compartment selectively receiving the burn-in board and being configured to apply heat within the compartment, and an interrogator unit supported by the burn-in oven, the interrogator unit being configured to send commands to the test interface circuitry to exercise the circuit under test optically or via radio communication and to receive responses to the commands optically or via radio communication. A method for testing an integrated circuit having operational circuitry formed thereon, optically and via radio frequency.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, the system comprising:
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a test board having a plurality of receptacles, at least one of which is configured to receive the circuit under test and to supply power thereto;
test interface circuitry coupled to the receptacles, the test interface circuitry including a transmitter and a receiver; and
an interrogator unit having a radio communication range extending to the test interface circuitry, the interrogator unit being configured to send commands via radio communication through the receiver to the test interface circuitry to exercise the circuit under test and to receive responses to the commands from the transmitter via radio communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A testing system for evaluating integrated circuits, the testing system comprising:
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an interrogator unit having a transmitter having a radio communication range and configured to transmit interrogating information via radio communication;
a receiver configured for communications with the transmitter; and
a test board remote from the interrogator unit, but within the radio communication range, the test board including a plurality of receptacles configured to receive respective individual integrated circuits and to supply power thereto, the test board having test conductors coupling the receiver to respective ones of the plurality of receptacles, the plurality of receptacles including sockets configured to electrically couple the respective integrated circuits to the test conductors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
power conductors formed on the test board and configured to couple respective ones of the plurality of receptacles to a power source to supply power to the integrated circuits during testing;
a burn-in oven configured to heat the test chamber during testing; and
a power source accessible from the test chamber, wherein the power conductors are configured to be removably coupled to the power source.
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22. A testing system in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:
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power conductors formed on the test board and configured to supply power to the integrated circuits during testing; and
a power source to which the power conductors are selectively coupled, the power source being configured to supply to the integrated circuits a voltage higher than a normal operating voltage of the respective integrated circuits.
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23. A testing system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the test interface circuitry is configured to be separately coupled to the respective ones of the plurality of receptacles for individualized testing of integrated circuits.
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24. A testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, the system comprising:
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a test board including test interface circuitry coupled to a first optical coupler, the test board including a plurality of receptacles each configured to respectively receive the circuit under test;
test interface circuitry coupled to the receptacles, the test interface circuitry including a first optical coupler; and
an interrogator unit including a second optical coupler and being configured to optically send commands to the test interface circuitry, via the a second optical coupler, to test the circuit under test and to optically receive responses to the commands, via the second optical coupler. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A testing system for evaluating integrated circuits, the testing system comprising:
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an interrogator unit having an optical transmitter having an optical communication range, the interrogator unit being configured to optically transmit interrogating information;
an optical receiver configured to communicate with the optical transmitter; and
a test board included within the optical communication range, the test board including a plurality of receptacles configured to receive respective individual integrated circuits and to supply power thereto, the test board supporting the optical receiver, the test board having test conductors configured to couple the optical receiver to respective receptacles, the receptacles including sockets configured to electrically couple the respective integrated circuits to the test conductors. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method for testing an integrated circuit including operational circuitry, the method comprising:
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providing test interface circuitry and a plurality of receptacles configured to electrically interface the test interface circuitry with the operational circuitry in the integrated circuits and to supply power thereto;
providing an interrogator unit;
placing the integrated circuit in one of the plurality of receptacles;
heating the integrated circuit;
transmitting interrogating information from the interrogator unit to the test interface circuitry via radio communication;
testing the operational circuitry according to the interrogating information;
coupling test data from the operational circuitry to the interrogator unit; and
determining whether the integrated circuit has a defect. - View Dependent Claims (30)
marking respective ones of the plurality of receptacles with individual ID labels;
transmitting an identification code from the interrogator unit;
comparing the identification code with the ID label; and
test cycling the operational circuitry of an integrated circuit in a given receptacle only when the identification code matches the individual ID label of the given receptacle.
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31. A method for testing an integrated circuit including operational circuitry, the method comprising:
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providing test interface circuitry and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive integrated circuits and to electrically interface the operational circuitry in the integrated circuits with the test interface circuitry and to supply power thereto;
providing an interrogator unit;
placing the integrated circuit in one of the receptacles;
transmitting interrogating information from a transmitter having a communication range encompassing the one of the receptacles to the test interface circuitry, the transmitter being contained in the interrogator unit;
testing the operational circuitry according to the interrogating information;
transmitting test data output by the operational circuitry back to the interrogator unit; and
determining from the test data whether the integrated circuit has a defect. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
marking respective ones of the plurality of receptacles with individual ID labels;
transmitting an identification code from the interrogator unit;
comparing the identification code with the individual ID labels; and
test cycling the operational circuitry of an integrated circuit in a given receptacle only when the identification code matches the individual ID label of the given receptacle.
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33. A method in accordance with claim 31, further comprising heating the integrated circuit during testing.
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34. A method for testing an integrated circuit including operational circuitry, the method comprising:
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providing test interface circuitry and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive integrated circuits and to electrically interface the operational circuitry in the integrated circuits with the test interface circuitry and to supply power thereto;
providing an interrogator unit;
placing the integrated circuit in one of the receptacles;
transmitting interrogating information from the interrogator unit to the test interface circuitry via radio communication; and
testing the operational circuitry according to the interrogating information.
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35. A method for testing an integrated circuit including operational circuitry, the method comprising:
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providing test interface circuitry and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive integrated circuits, to electrically interface the operational circuitry in the integrated circuits with the test interface circuitry and to supply power thereto;
providing an interrogator unit;
placing the integrated circuit in one of the receptacles;
transmitting interrogating information from a transmitter to the test interface circuitry, the transmitter being included in the interrogator unit and having a communication range encompassing the one of the receptacles; and
testing the operational circuitry according to the interrogating information.
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36. A testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, comprising:
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a test board configured to receive and supply electrical power to the circuit under test;
test interface circuitry configured to be coupled to the circuit under test, the test interface circuitry including a transmitter and receiver; and
an interrogator unit having a radio communication range extending to the test interface circuitry, the interrogator unit being configured to exchange signals with the circuit under test via radio communication with the transmitter and receiver. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A testing system for evaluating integrated circuits, comprising:
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an interrogator unit having a transmitter having a radio communication range, the interrogator unit being configured to transmit interrogating information;
a receiver configured for radio communications with the transmitter; and
a test board within the radio communication range, the test board being configured to support respective individual integrated circuits, the test board supporting the receiver and having test conductors configured to couple the receiver to respective integrated circuits and to supply electrical power to the integrated circuits. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A testing system for evaluating a circuit under test, the system comprising:
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a test board having a plurality of receptacles, at least one of which is configured to receive the circuit under test and to supply power thereto;
test interface circuitry coupled to the receptacles, the test interface circuitry including a transmitter and a receiver; and
an interrogator unit having a contactless communication range extending to the test interface circuitry, the interrogator unit being configured to send commands via the receiver to the test interface circuitry to exercise the circuit under test and to receive responses to the commands from the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification