Method and system for testing assembled mobile devices

• US 7,165,003 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Mok, Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US10/945,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/118
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method for arranging test stages in a production line for the assembling and testing of wireless communications devices comprises: determining a plurality of tests for testing an assembled wireless communication device; allocating each test requiring a physical actuation or mechanical dynamics for testing the assembled wireless communication device from the plurality of tests to an interactive test stage in the production line; and, allocating each remaining test requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics for testing from the plurality of tests between the interactive test stage and a non-interactive test stage.

Claims

1. A method for arranging test stages in a production line for the assembling and testing of wireless communications devices, comprising:

determining a plurality of tests for testing an assembled wireless communication device, each test in the plurality of test being one of an interactive test requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device, and a non-interactive test requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device;

allocating each interactive test to an interactive test stage in the production line; and

,

allocating each non-interactive test to one of the interactive test stage and a non-interactive test stage in the production line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allocating each non-interactive test comprises allocating all non-interactive tests to the non-interactive test stage in the production line.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising situating the interactive test stage in the production line together with a stage for final assembly of the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the stage for final assembly comprises activity of a human operator to assemble the device, wherein the interactive test stage comprises activity of a human operator to perform the interactive test stage tests, and wherein the situating facilitates the activities by a single human operator.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein each non-interactive test is allocated to a test fixture for bearing the assembled wireless communication device during the non-interactive test stage, the fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the assembled wireless communication device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device tested in the interactive tests are one or more interactive components.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more interactive components are one or more of a user input device of the wireless communication device and a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line.

6. A method of testing assembled wireless communications devices in a production line, comprising:

receiving an assembled wireless communications device in the production line for testing in accordance with a plurality of tests comprising;

one or more interactive tests each requiring a physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device; and

one or more non-interactive tests each requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device;

performing each of the interactive tests at an interactive test stage in the production line; and

performing each of the non-interactive tests at a non-interactive test stage in the production line.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the assembled wireless communication device is received at the interactive test stage situated together with a stage for final assembly of the device;

and wherein a single human operator fully assembles and interactively tests the assembled wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each non-interactive test is performed utilizing a test fixture for bearing the assembled wireless communication device to perform the non-interactive tests at the non-interactive test stage, the fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the assembled wireless communication device.

15. A wireless communication device tested in accordance with the method of claim 6.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device tested in the one or more interactive tests are one or more interactive components.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more interactive components are one or more of a user input device of the wireless communication device and a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line.

9. A production line for assembling wireless communication devices, comprising:

a final assembly stage for finally assembling the wireless communication devices;

an interactive test stage in which one or more interactive tests are performed on the assembled wireless communication devices, the one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication devices; and

a non-interactive test stage in which one or more non-interactive tests are performed on the assembled wireless communication devices, the one or more non-interactive tests requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on one or more components of the assembled wireless communication devices.

10. The production line of claim 9, further comprising one or more preliminary assembly and testing stages prior to the final assembly stage.

11. The production line of claim 9, wherein all non-interactive tests to be performed are allocated to the interactive test stage.

12. The production line of claim 9, wherein the interactive test stage and final assembly stage are situated together in the production line.

13. The production line of claim 12, wherein the final assembly stage comprises activity of a human operator to assemble the wireless communication device, wherein the interactive test stage comprises activity of a human operator to perform the interactive tests, and wherein the situating facilitates the activities by a single human operator.

14. The production line of claim 9, wherein the non-interactive test stage includes at least one test fixture each for bearing individual assembled wireless communication devices during the non-interactive test stage, the at least one test fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the assembled wireless communication device.

22. The production line of claim 9, wherein the one or more components of the assembled wireless communication device tested in the interactive tests are one or more interactive components.

23. The production line of claim 22, wherein the one or more interactive components are one or more of a user input device of the wireless communication device and a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered.

24. The production line of claim 9, wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line.