Remote test facility with wireless interface to local test facilities

• US 7,920,989 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Eldridge, Benjamin N., Khandros, Igor Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): KHUU, HIEN DIEU THI
• Application Number:
  US12/611,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 702/83, 702/188, 324/763, 324/765
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31907 Modular tester, e.g. controlling and coordinating instruments in a bus based architecture

Abstract

A central test facility transmits wirelessly test data to a local test facility, which tests electronic devices using the test data. The local test facility transmits wirelessly response data generated by the electronic devices back to the central test facility, which analyzes the response data to determine which electronic devices passed the testing. The central test facility may provide the results of the testing to other entities, such as a design facility where the electronic devices were designed or a manufacturing facility where the electronic devices where manufactured. The central test facility may accept requests for test resources from any of a number of local test facilities, schedule test times corresponding to each test request, and at a scheduled test time, wirelessly transmits test data to a corresponding local test facility.

Claims

1. A method for controlling testing of devices, said method comprising:

establishing a wireless communications link between a control facility and a plurality of remote test facilities, wherein said remote test facilities are remotely located from said control facility;

receiving a request for test time from one of said remote test facilities at said control facility via said wireless communications link;

scheduling a test time at said control facility in response to said request for test time; and

controlling testing of said devices at said one of said remote test facilities during said test time via said wireless communications link using one of a plurality of test controllers located at said control facility, said controlling testing comprising wirelessly transmitting test data from said one of said plurality of test controllers to said one of said remote test facilities, said test data for testing ones of said devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said scheduling a test time comprises exchanging test information between one of said plurality of test controllers located at said control facility and said one of said remote test facilities via said wireless communications link.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said test information comprises a type of dies to be tested.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling testing comprises receiving response data at said control facility from said one of said plurality of remote test facilities.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising generating said test data at said control facility.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising analyzing said response data at said control facility.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said scheduling a test time comprises determining a time when one of said plurality of test controllers is available to control testing.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting test results via said wireless communications link to another facility different from said plurality of remote test facilities, wherein said another facility is one of a design facility where said devices are designed or a manufacturing facility where said devices are manufactured.

9. A test facility comprising

a wireless transceiver capable of wirelessly communicating with a plurality of remotely located test facilities;

a plurality of test controllers coupled to said wireless transceiver, each test controller capable of exchanging test data and response data with ones of said remotely located test facilities via said wireless transceiver; and

a main controller coupled to said plurality of test controllers and capable of allocating particular ones of said test controllers to particular ones of said remotely located test facilities according to a schedule of test times, wherein a particular one of said test controllers is allocated to a particular one of said remotely located test facilities for a scheduled test time.

10. The test facility of claim 9, wherein said test facility further comprises an analyzer configured to analyze said response data.

11. The test facility of claim 9 further comprising a test generator configured to generate said test data.

12. The test facility of claim 9, wherein said main controller assigns a test controller to one of said remotely located test facilities in response to a request for test time received from said one of said remotely located test facilities.

13. The test facility of claim 12, wherein said test controller assigned to said one of said remotely located test facilities controls testing at said one of said remotely located test facilities.

14. The test facility of claim 12, wherein said main controller deassigns said test controller assigned to said one of said remotely located test facilities in response to a test complete message received from said test controller assigned to said one of said remotely located test facilities.

15. The test facility of claim 9, wherein said main controller comprises a computer system operating under software control.

16. The test facility of claim 9, wherein ones of said test controllers comprise a computer system operating under software control.