Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus for testing component tolerance of a device (100) for
testing integrated circuits, the device (100) having a plurality of test connectors
disposed at a test head, each test connector having electrical conductors (506) carrying
electrical signals for a test channel, wherein each test channel corresponds to a circuit
board (400) that includes at least one driver (402) and one receiver (404), the system
comprising: shorting means (500) for establishing a low impedance electrical
connection between electrical conductors of a first and second test connector, such
that a first driver (402a) from a first circuit board (400a) is electrically connected
across a low impedance path to a first receiver (404b) on a second circuit board
(400b); a controller (206) configured to control the first driver (402a) to output
an electrical signal at a predetermined time; evaluating means (206, 812) designed to detect the signal received at
the first receiver (404b); and timing means (206, 810) configured to time a signal delay from the time
that the first driver (402a) outputs an electrical signal to the time that the evaluating
means (206, 812) detects the received signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the shorting means (500)
includes a printed circuit board containing metal layers that establish direct conductive
paths between pins on the first test connector to pins on the second test connector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the evaluating means (500)
and the timing means (206, 810) are realized through program code that controls the
operation of a processing unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the processing unit is a
device selected from the group consisting of: a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an
embedded controller, an application specific integrated circuit, and dedicated hardware
specially designed to carry-out processing and control functions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller (206) is
configured output the electrical signal coincident with one of a plurality of edges,
which plurality of edges are periodically disposed within a period of a master clock
cycle of the apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the timing means (206,
810) is configured to measure the time when a signal arrives at the interface between a
device under test (DUT) board and the tester (100) within a tester cycle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means (206) for
performing a statistical analysis of timing test results, wherein the timing test results
are generated from executing a timing test a plurality of times.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a testing device for testing integrated circuits having a plurality of
test connectors disposed at a test head, each test connector having electrical
conductors carrying electrical signals for a test channel, wherein each test channel
corresponds to a circuit board (400) that includes at least one driver (402) and one
receiver (404), a method for diagnosing component timing variances comprising the
steps of: establishing an electrical connection between electrical conductors
(506) of a first and second test connector such that a first driver (402a) from a first
circuit board (400a) is electrically connected across a low impedance path to a first
receiver (404b) on a second circuit board (400b); controlling the output of the first driver to drive an edge of an electrical
signal at a predetermined time; detecting the signal received at the first receiver (404b); and determining that the signal received at the first receiver (404b) is within
a predetermined time period of the predetermined signal level output from the first
driver (402a).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method as defined in claim 8, further including the steps of: establishing an electrical connection between electrical conductors
(506) of a first and second test connector such that a second driver (402b) from a
second circuit board (400b) is electrically connected across a low impedance path to a
second receiver (404a) on a first circuit board (400a); controlling the output of the second driver (402b) to drive an electrical
signal at a predetermined time; detecting the signal received at the second receiver (404a); and determining that the signal received at the second receiver (404a) is
within a predetermined time period of the predetermined signal output from the second
driver (402b).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of establishing an
electrical connection further comprises establishing an electrical connection between
electrical conductors (506) of a first and second test connector such that a plurality of
drivers (402a) from a first circuit board (400a) are electrically connected across low
impedance paths to a plurality of receivers (404b) on a second circuit board (400b),
wherein each of the plurality of drivers is known to be within a specified tolerance.