Switching System For Multi-Channel Testing

• US 20110215655A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rondeau, Brian Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/112
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2844 using test interfaces, e.g. adapters, test boxes, switches, PIN drivers G01R31/2889 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2889 Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31926 Routing signals to or from the device under test [DUT], e.g. switch matrix, pin multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/24 Circuit arrangements for boards or switchyards

Abstract

A switching system for interfacing a single channel test equipment with a multi-channel device under test, the switching system including: an input connection for connecting to the single channel test equipment; an N-way switch having an N-way switch input coupled to the input connection, the N-way switch having N switch outputs; N output connections coupled to the N switch outputs, the N output connections for connecting to inputs of the multi-channel device under test; a controller coupled to the N-way switch for controlling a connection between the N-way switch input and one of the N switch outputs.

Claims

1. A switching system for interfacing a single channel test equipment with a multi-channel device under test, the switching system comprising:

an input connection for connecting to the single channel test equipment;

an N-way switch having an N-way switch input coupled to the input connection, the N-way switch having N switch outputs;

N output connections coupled to the N switch outputs, the N output connections for connecting to inputs of the multi-channel device under test; and

a controller coupled to the N-way switch for controlling a connection between the N-way switch input and one of the N switch outputs.

2. The switching system of claim 1 further comprising:

a splitter connected to an Nth switch output;

a switch receiving an output from the splitter at a first contact and receiving a first N-way switch output at a second contact, the switch selectively coupling one of the output from the splitter and first N-way switch output to a first output connection of the N output connections.

3. The switching system of claim 2 wherein:

the controller controls the status of the switch to toggle between the first contact and the second contact.

4. The switching system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller includes a control input for receiving control commands from an external control system.

5. The switching system of claim 4 wherein:

the controller includes a manual switch for disabling controller response to the control commands from the external control system.

6. The switching system of claim 5 wherein:

the controller includes a button for cycling the N-way switch when the manual switch disables controller response to the control commands from the external control system.

7. A method for interfacing a single channel test equipment with a multi-channel device under test, the method comprising:

coupling an input connection to the single channel test equipment;

coupling an N-way switch having an N-way switch input to the input connection, the N-way switch having N switch outputs;

coupling N output connections for connecting to inputs of the multi-channel device under test, the N output connections coupled to the N switch outputs;

using a controller coupled to the N-way switch to control a connection between the N-way switch input and one of the N-way switch outputs.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

coupling a splitter to an Nth switch output;

receiving at a switch an output from the splitter at a first contact and receiving a first N-way switch output at a second contact and selectively coupling one of the output from the splitter and the first N-way switch output to a first output connection of the N output connections.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the controller controls the status of the switch to toggle between the first contact and the second contact.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the controller includes a control input for receiving control commands from an external control system.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

disabling controller response to the control commands from the external control system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

using a manual input to cycle the N-way switch when the controller response to the control commands from the external control system is disabled.