System for and method of performing device-oriented tests

• US 6,768,960 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xcerra Corporation (COHU Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LTX Corp. (COHU Incorporated)
• Inventors: Perkins, Jeff, Organ, Don, Quinn, Bob, Techasaratoole, Juliekara, Deome, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, MARY CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US09/863,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 702/118-122, 702/188, 324/527-528, 324/537, 324/763-764, 340/286.13, 340/286.14
• US Class Current: 702/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31926 Routing signals to or from the device under test [DUT], e.g. switch matrix, pin multiplexing

Abstract

A method of connecting one or more testing devices to ports of a DUT through a switching network, to execute a testing procedure includes generating a switching network map defining connections within the switching network to implement electrical paths through the switching network. Each of the electrical paths is representative of a connection of one of the testing devices to one of the I/O ports of the DUT. The method further includes receiving commands that uniquely specify an electrical path connecting a particular testing device to a particular I/O port of the DUT. The method compares each command to the switching network map to identify a corresponding electrical path through the switching network, and implements that path associated the command through the network. The method further includes sequentially implementing the electrical paths corresponding to the one or more commands in a predetermined order.

Claims

1. A method of sequentially connecting one or more testing devices to I/O ports of a DUT through a switching network, so as to execute a predetermined testing procedure associated with the DUT, comprising:

generating a switching network map defining one or more connections within the switching network necessary to implement each of a plurality of electrical paths from an input of the switching network to an output of the switching network, wherein each of the plurality of electrical paths is representative of a connection of one of the testing devices to one of the I/O ports of the DUT;

receiving one or more commands, wherein each of the commands uniquely specifies an electrical path connecting a particular testing device to a particular I/O port of the DUT; and

,

for each of the one or more commands, comparing the command to the switching network map so as to identify a corresponding electrical path through the switching network, and implementing the corresponding electrical path associated with the command through the switching network; and

,

sequentially implementing the electrical paths corresponding to the one or more commands in a predetermined order.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including assigning a unique path name to each of the electrical paths, such that each command specifies a particular electrical path via the path name.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including sequentially implementing the electrical paths associated with the one or more commands through the switching network in an order corresponding to a chronological order of the one or more commands.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein sequentially implementing the electrical paths further includes opening and closing selected switching devices within the switching network.

5. A method according to claim 1, further including programming a computer system to issue the commands in the predetermined order.

6. A method according to claim 1, further including connecting one or more testing devices to multiple DUT sites via the switching network.

7. A method according to claim 1, further including associating each of the electrical paths with a name that is (i) descriptive of the path and (ii) related to the DUT.

8. A system for sequentially connecting one or more testing devices to I/O ports of a DUT through a switching network, so as to execute a predetermined testing procedure associated with the DUT, comprising:

a switching network map defining one or more connections within the switching network necessary to implement each of a plurality of electrical paths from an input of the switching network to an output of the switching network, wherein each of the plurality of electrical paths is representative of a connection of one of the testing devices to one of the I/O ports of the DUT;

a controller for (i) receiving one or more commands, wherein each of the commands uniquely specifies an electrical path connecting a particular testing device to a particular I/O port of the DUT, (ii) comparing each of the commands to the switching network map so as to identify a corresponding electrical path through the switching network, and implementing the corresponding electrical path associated with the command through the switching network, and (iii) sequentially implementing the electrical paths corresponding to the one or more commands in a predetermined order.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the switching network includes at least two sub-networks electrically coupled so as to form the plurality of electrical paths.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said sub-networks include an SCM and a DUT board.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein each of said one or more commands includes a pin name that is (i) descriptive of the path and (ii) related to the DUT.