Systems and methods for completing diagnostic tests on rechargeable devices using cradle contacts

• US 6,490,434 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Philip David, Grundvig, Jeffrey Paul, McDowell, Richard Lawrence, Skorko, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/386,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/403, 455/422, 455/550, 455/572, 455/573, 455/575, 455/127, 455/69, 455/67.4, 455/66, 455/462, 455/463, 320/106, 320/107, 320/109, 320/113, 320/114, 320/115, 324/427
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods utilize cradle contacts for completing diagnostic tests of rechargeable devices, such as cordless telephones. A cordless telephone handset or base is placed into a test fixture. Once the handset or base is cradled, diagnostic message signals are transmitted through cradle contacts in the test fixture and handset/base. The message signals may be made up of ASK signals. The beginning and end of each test may be identified by a code or codes embedded in a message signal. The use of cradle contacts to complete diagnostic tests alleviates problems associated with use of internal test access ports to carry out such tests.

Claims

1. A system for completing diagnostic tests on a rechargeable device comprising:

a test fixture, the test fixture comprising;

test fixture cradle contacts adapted to input and output a series of diagnostic message signals; and

a test fixture processor adapted to control the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the test fixture cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise ASK message signals.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise signals having different frequencies than charging signals.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise error checking and framing information.

6. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a test fixture detector adapted to separately detect the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a first code for indicating a beginning of a diagnostic test.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a second code for indicating an end of a diagnostic test.

9. The system as in claim 1 wherein the test fixture processor comprises a digital signal processor.

10. The system as in claim 1 where the rechargeable device comprises a cordless telephone.

11. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a handset, the handset comprising:

handset cradle contacts adapted to input and output diagnostic message signals; and

a handset processor adapted to control the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

12. The system as in claim 11 wherein the handset cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

13. The system as in claim 11 further comprising a handset detector adapted to separately detect the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

14. The system as in claim 11 wherein the handset processor comprises a digital signal processor.

15. The system as in claim 11 wherein the handset cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

16. The system as in claim 11 where the handset comprises a cordless telephone handset.

17. The system as in claim 11 further comprising a base, the base comprising:

base cradle contacts adapted to input and output the diagnostic message signals; and

a base processor adapted to control the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

18. The system as in claim 17 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

19. The system as in claim 17 further comprising a base detector adapted to separately detect the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

20. The system as in claim 17 wherein the base processor comprises a digital signal processor.

21. The system as in claim 17 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

22. The system as in claim 15 wherein the base comprises a cordless telephone base.

23. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a base, the base comprising:

base cradle contacts adapted to input and output the diagnostic message signals; and

a base processor adapted to control the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

24. The system as in claim 23 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

25. The system as in claim 23 further comprising a base detector adapted to separately detect the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

26. The system as in claim 23 wherein the base processor comprises a digital signal processor.

27. The system as in claim 23 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

28. The system as in claim 23 wherein the base comprises a cordless telephone base.

29. A system for completing diagnostic tests on a rechargeable device comprising:

a test fixture, the test fixture comprising;

test fixture cradle contact means for inputting and outputting a series of diagnostic message signals; and

test fixture processing means for controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

30. The system as in claim 29 wherein the test fixture cradle contact means comprises inductive cradle contacts.

31. The system as in claim 29 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise ASK message signals.

32. The system as in claim 29 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise signals having different frequencies than charging signals.

33. The system as in claim 29 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise error checking and framing information.

34. The system as in claim 29 further comprising test fixture detection means for separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

35. The system as in claim 29 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a first code for indicating a beginning of a diagnostic test.

36. The system as in claim 29 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a second code for indicating an end of a diagnostic test.

37. The system as in claim 29 wherein the test fixture processing means comprises a digital signal processor.

38. The system as in claim 29 wherein the rechargeable device comprises a cordless telephone.

39. The system as in claim 29 further comprising a handset, the handset comprising:

handset cradle contact means for inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals; and

handset processing means for controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

40. The system as in claim 39 wherein the handset cradle contact means comprises inductive cradle contacts.

41. The system as in claim 39 further comprising handset detection means for separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

42. The system as in claim 39 wherein the handset processing means comprises a digital signal processor.

43. The system as in claim 29 wherein the handset cradle contact means comprises test access ports.

44. The system as in claim 39 wherein the handset comprises a cordless telephone handset.

45. The system as in claim 34 further comprising a telephone handset base, the base comprising:

base cradle contact means for inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals; and

base processing means for controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

46. The system as in claim 45 wherein the base cradle contact means comprise inductive cradle contacts.

47. The system as in claim 45 further comprising base detection means for separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

48. The system as in claim 45 wherein the base processing means comprises a digital signal processor.

49. The system as in claim 45 wherein the base cradle contact means comprises test access ports.

50. The system as in claim 45 wherein the base comprises a cordless telephone base.

51. The system as in claim 29 further comprising a base, the base comprising:

base cradle contact means for inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals; and

base processing means for controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

52. The system as in claim 51 wherein the base cradle contact means comprises inductive cradle contacts.

53. The system as in claim 51 further comprising base detection means for separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

54. The system as in claim 51 wherein the base processing means comprises a digital signal processor.

55. The system as in claim 51 wherein the base cradle contact means comprise test access ports.

56. The system as in claim 51 wherein the base comprises a cordless telephone base.

57. A method for completing diagnostic tests on rechargeable devices comprising:

inputting and outputting a series of diagnostic message signals from test fixture cradle contacts; and

controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals.

58. The method as in claim 57 wherein the test fixture cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

59. The method as in claim 57 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise ASK message signals.

60. The method as in claim 57 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise signals having different frequencies than charging signals.

61. The method as in claim 57 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise error checking and framing information.

62. The method as in claim 57 further comprising separately detecting the diagnostic message signals from charging signals.

63. The method as in claim 57 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a first code for indicating a beginning of a diagnostic test.

64. The method as in claim 57 wherein the diagnostic message signals comprise a second code for indicating an end of a diagnostic test.

65. The method as in claim 57 wherein the device comprises a cordless telephone.

66. The method as in claim 57 further comprising:

inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals from handset cradle contacts; and

controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals from the handset cradle contacts.

67. The method as in claim 66 wherein the handset cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

68. The method as in claim 67 wherein the handset cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

69. The method as in claim 67 wherein the handset cradle contacts comprise cordless telephone handset cradle contacts.

70. The method as in claim 67 further comprising:

inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals from base cradle contacts; and

controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals from the base cradle contacts.

71. The method as in claim 70 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

72. The method as in claim 70 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

73. The method as in claim 70 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise cordless telephone base cradle contacts.

74. The method as in claim 57 further comprising:

inputting and outputting the diagnostic message signals from base cradle contacts; and

controlling the generation, input and output of the diagnostic message signals from the base cradle contacts.

75. The method as in claim 74 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise inductive cradle contacts.

76. The method as in claim 74 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise test access ports.

77. The method as in claim 74 wherein the base cradle contacts comprise cordless telephone base cradle contacts.