Devices and methods for testing flex cable shielding

• US 9,316,677 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bussat, Jean-Marie, Lyon, Benjamin B., Hotelling, Steven P., Lin, Albert, Grunthaner, Martin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): He, Amy
• Application Number:
  US13/484,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20130221988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 324/67, 324/527, 324/539, 324/541, 324543-544, 324/551, 324/627, 324/750.26, 324/750.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0835 Testing shielding, e.g. for efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/001 Measuring interference from external sources to, or emission from, the device under test, e.g. EMC, EMI, EMP or ESD testing measuring electromagnetic fields G01R29/08; circuits for generating HV pulses in dielectric strength testing G01R31/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

Methods and devices for testing flex cable shielding of a consumer electronic device are provided. In one example, a method may include applying a signal across a first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding. The method may also include detecting a parameter associated with the signal. The method may include determining a health of the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter.

Claims

1. A method performed by test circuitry for testing flex cable shielding of a consumer electronic device comprising:

applying a signal across a first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding, the first and second portions of the flex cable shielding on opposite sides of a flex cable;

detecting a parameter associated with the signal; and

determining whether a break exists in the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding comprises applying the signal via a controller of the consumer electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding comprises applying the signal across a first pin coupled to the first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second pin coupled to the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding comprises applying the signal across a first pin coupled to the first portion of the flex cable shielding and a grounded portion of the flex cable shielding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding comprises applying the signal across an exposed portion of the flex cable shielding and a grounded portion of the flex cable shielding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding comprises applying the signal across a first exposed portion of the flex cable shielding and a second exposed portion of the flex cable shielding.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied signal comprises a fixed voltage signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the parameter associated with the signal comprises detecting a current of the signal flowing between the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the parameter associated with the signal comprises detecting a short between the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the applied signal comprises a fixed current signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the parameter associated with the signal comprises detecting a voltage across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the parameter associated with the signal comprises detecting a resistance between the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a break exists in the flex cable shielding comprises determining whether a complete or partial break exists.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising coupling a test instrument to the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding to apply the signal across the first portion of the flex cable shielding and the second portion of the flex cable shielding.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting a location of a defect in the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter.

16. A consumer electronic device comprising:

a first component;

a second component;

a flex cable having a first end coupled to the first component and a second end coupled to the second component; and

a processing device coupled to the flex cable and capable of applying a signal across a first portion of a flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding wherein the first and second portions of the flex cable shielding are located on opposite sides of a flex cable, detecting a parameter associated with the signal, and determining a health of the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter, wherein determining the health of the flex cable shielding includes determining whether a break exists in the flex cable shielding.

17. The consumer electronic device of claim 16, comprising a storage device configured to store the determined health of the flex cable shielding for performing diagnostics on the consumer electronic device.

18. The consumer electronic device of claim 16, comprising an interface device configured to transmit the determined health of the flex cable to an external diagnostics device.

19. The consumer electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the health of the flex cable shielding at specific intervals.

20. The consumer electronic device of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the health of the flex cable shielding during a power on sequence.

21. The consumer electronic device of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the health of the flex cable shielding during a power off sequence.

22. The consumer electronic device of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the health of the flex cable shielding after a hard reset.

23. A method of manufacturing a consumer electronic device comprising:

providing a touch panel configured to use a flex cable;

testing a flex cable shielding by performing the following;

applying a signal across a first portion of the flex cable shielding and a second portion of the flex cable shielding, the first and second portions of the flex cable shielding on opposite sides of a flex cable;

detecting a parameter associated with the signal; and

determining a health of the flex cable shielding based at least partially on the detected parameter, wherein determining the health of the flex cable shielding includes determining whether a break exists in the flex cable shielding;

coupling the flex cable to the touch panel based at least partially on the determined health of the flex cable shielding; and

coupling a processing device to the touch panel.

24. The method of manufacturing of claim 23, wherein coupling the flex cable to the touch panel based at least partially on the determined health of the flex cable shielding comprises coupling the flex cable to the touch panel if no breaks are detected in the flex cable shielding.