Patent EP0492806A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0492806A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Identification of pin-open faults by capacitive coupling through the integrated circuit package
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1991-11-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-11-26
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a system that determines whether input and output pins of semiconductor components (506, 508, 510) are present and properly soldered to a printed circuit board (500). The system includes an oscillator (518) which is connected to a metallic electrode (502, 503, 504) placed on top of an integrated circuit package (506, 508, 510). A probe pin (512) in a bed of nails tester is connected to a current measuring device (520) and connected to a printed circuit board wiring trace that is soldered to the pin being tested. The oscillator signal is capacitively coupled through the integrated circuit package to the pin being tested, so if current is measured by the current measuring device, the pin is connected to the printed circuit board.
Inventors
- 👤 Ugur Cilingiroglu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/302; G01R31/312; G01R31/50; G01R31/66; G01R31/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for testing an electrical component to determine whether a connector pin (112) of the electrical component is conductively connected to a circuit, said system comprising: signal means (104) for supplying an electrical current; a conductive electrode (106) connected to an output of said signal means and having a surface in proximity with a surface of the connector pin; and current measuring means (116) connected between the circuit and a common connection of said signal means for measuring said supplied current; and error indicating means (116) connected to said current measuring means to indicate a pin-open fault if a predetermined amount of current is not measured by said current measuring means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for testing an electrical component to determine whether a connector pin (112) of the electrical component is conductively connected to a circuit, said system comprising: signal means (104) for supplying an electrical current; a conductive electrode (106) connected to an output of said signal means and having a surface in proximity with a surface of the connector pin; and current measuring means (116) connected between the circuit and a common connection of said signal means for measuring said supplied current; and error indicating means (116) connected to said current measuring means to indicate a pin-open fault if a predetermined amount of current is not measured by said current measuring means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said conductive electrode is located abutting a non-conductive body (110) of the electrical component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said conductive electrode (106) comprises metallic foil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said signal means (104) supplies an alternating current signal.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for testing a printed circuit board (500) containing a plurality of electrical components (506, 508, 510) to determine whether a plurality of connector pins on each of the electrical components are conductively connected to a plurality of traces on the printed circuit board (500), said system comprising: signal means (518) for supplying an electrical current; selector means (516) connected to an output of said signal means; a plurality of conductive electrodes (502, 503, 504) each connected to one output of said selector means and each having a surface in proximity with a surface of one of the electrical components; a plurality of probe means (512) for connecting to each of the plurality of traces of the printed circuit board; multiplexor means (520) having a plurality of inputs, one input connected to each of said plurality of probe means; current measuring means (522) connected to an output of said multiplexor means; and controller means (524) for selecting one of said conductive electrodes, selecting one of said probe means, activating said signal means, activating said current measuring means and indicating an error condition if said current measuring means fails to detect said electrical current.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
194 words
A system for testing a printed circuit board (500) containing a plurality of electrical components (506, 508, 510) to determine whether a plurality of connector pins on each of the electrical components are conductively connected to a plurality of traces on the printed circuit board (500), said system comprising: signal means (518) for supplying an electrical current; selector means (516) connected to an output of said signal means; a plurality of conductive electrodes (502, 503, 504) each connected to one output of said selector means and each having a surface in proximity with a surface of one of the electrical components; a plurality of probe means (512) for connecting to each of the plurality of traces of the printed circuit board; multiplexor means (520) having a plurality of inputs, one input connected to each of said plurality of probe means; current measuring means (522) connected to an output of said multiplexor means; and controller means (524) for selecting one of said conductive electrodes, selecting one of said probe means, activating said signal means, activating said current measuring means and indicating an error condition if said current measuring means fails to detect said electrical current.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 5 wherein each of said conductive electrodes (502, 503, 504) is located abutting a non-conductive body of one of the electrical components (506, 508, 510).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 5 wherein each of said conductive electrodes (502, 503, 504) comprises metallic foil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said signal means (518) supplies an alternating current signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for testing an electrical component to determine whether a connector pin of the electrical component is conductively connected to a circuit, said method comprising the steps of: (a) placing a conductive electrode in proximity with a surface of the connector pin; (b) connecting a signal source to said conductive electrode to supply an electrical current signal to said conductive electrode; (c) measuring electrical current signal being conducted to said circuit; (d) indicating an error condition if no electrical current signal is measured in step (c).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for testing an electrical component to determine whether a connector pin of the electrical component is conductively connected to a circuit, said method comprising the steps of: (a) placing a conductive electrode in proximity with a surface of the connector pin; (b) connecting a signal source to said conductive electrode to supply an electrical current signal to said conductive electrode; (c) measuring electrical current signal being conducted to said circuit; (d) indicating an error condition if no electrical current signal is measured in step (c).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 9 wherein step (a) further comprises the step of placing said conductive electrode in an abutting relationship to said electrical component containing said pin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises the step of supplying an alternating electrical current signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0317440A1
Cited
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