Patent US2394174A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3676777A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for automatically testing integrated circuit devices
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
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Filing: 1970-08-10
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1990-08-10
Abstract
Abstract An integrated circuit test system is described including a programmable test fixture controlled by a computer for automatically performing D.C., dynamic, and functional tests on integrated circuit devices to provide 100 measurements per second with a rise time of 1 nanosecond. The test fixture includes a first circuit board on which a plurality of test probes are mounted, a second circuit board connected to such first board by connector pins and having a plurality of different loads, D.C. bias voltage sources, and associated switches mounted thereon for selectively connecting them to active connector terminals connected to the pins of the device under test, and a third circuit board having a socket for such device releasably connected to the load board. A fourth circuit board with loads mounted thereon may be attached to the socket board for testing extremely high speed devices and extends perpendicular through central openings in the other boards. The sampling probes are plugged into sockets on a grounded mounting ring attached to the probe board and extend radially outward from such ring in parallel to such probe board to reduce inductance and require less space. The load board is provided with a plurality of ground terminals positioned between adjacent active connector terminals for further reducing the inductance to ground.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas H Charters
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/319; G01R31/31903; G01R31/31905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
Test apparatus for automatically testing electronic devices, in which the improvement comprises: probe means including a first circuit board having a plurality of signal input means, a plurality of signal measurement probes and a plurality of first switch means mounted on and electrically connected to said first board for selectively connecting said input means and said probes to the terminals of an electronic device under test, each of said probes being mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said first board; measurement means connected to said probes; load means including a second circuit board electrically connected to said first board, said load means having a plurality of different D.C. bias means, a plurality of different load means and a plurality of second switch means mounted on said second board for selectively connecting said bias means and said load means to said device under test; socket means for releasably connecting said device under test to active terminals on said second board, said active terminals being separated from each other by ground terminals on said second board; and control means for automatically operating said first and second switch means in accordance with a predetermined test program to sequentially perform a plurality of different tests on said device under test.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
Test apparatus for automatically testing electronic devices, in which the improvement comprises: probe means including a first circuit board having a plurality of signal input means, a plurality of signal measurement probes and a plurality of first switch means mounted on and electrically connected to said first board for selectively connecting said input means and said probes to the terminals of an electronic device under test, each of said probes being mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said first board; measurement means connected to said probes; load means including a second circuit board electrically connected to said first board, said load means having a plurality of different D.C. bias means, a plurality of different load means and a plurality of second switch means mounted on said second board for selectively connecting said bias means and said load means to said device under test; socket means for releasably connecting said device under test to active terminals on said second board, said active terminals being separated from each other by ground terminals on said second board; and control means for automatically operating said first and second switch means in accordance with a predetermined test program to sequentially perform a plurality of different tests on said device under test.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the socket means is releasably attached To the second circuit board and includes a socket member and a plurality of connectors, at least some of said connectors being active connectors connected to the active terminals on said second board, said active terminals being electrically connected to socket contacts on said socket member which engage the terminals of the device under test, and other connectors being ground connectors connected to the ground terminals on said second board which are electrically grounded and are positioned between adjacent active terminals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the first and second boards are each divided into the same number of segments, all the segments of the first board being similar and each segment having a probe, a signal input means and a plurality of first switch means mounted thereon, and all the segments of the second being similar and each segment having a plurality of different load means, a plurality of different D.C. bias means and a plurality of second switch means mounted thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the first and second boards are releasably connected together by connector pins extending between said boards.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the socket means includes a third circuit board to which a socket member is connected, said third board being releasably connected to the second board through said connectors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the socket member is mounted on the third circuit board and said third board is attached to the second board by a plurality of connector pins.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the third circuit board is connected to the second board by a plurality of spring biased plungers and the socket member is positioned in a closed test chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
141 words
Test apparatus for automatically testing electronic devices, in which the improvement comprises: probe means including a first circuit board having a plurality of signal measurement probes and associated switches mounted thereon for selectively connecting said probes to the electronic device under test; load means including a second circuit board connected to said first board means and having a plurality of different loads and associated switches mounted thereon for selectively connecting said loads to the device under test; socket means for releasably connecting the device under test to a plurality of active terminals on said second board which are electrically connected to the terminals of said device under test; and said second board having a plurality of ground terminals electrically connected to ground and positioned between said active terminals so that any two adjacent active terminals are separated by a ground terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
141 words
Test apparatus for automatically testing electronic devices, in which the improvement comprises: probe means including a first circuit board having a plurality of signal measurement probes and associated switches mounted thereon for selectively connecting said probes to the electronic device under test; load means including a second circuit board connected to said first board means and having a plurality of different loads and associated switches mounted thereon for selectively connecting said loads to the device under test; socket means for releasably connecting the device under test to a plurality of active terminals on said second board which are electrically connected to the terminals of said device under test; and said second board having a plurality of ground terminals electrically connected to ground and positioned between said active terminals so that any two adjacent active terminals are separated by a ground terminal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which the probe means includes a mounting ring attached to the first board and the probes are releasably mounted in a plurality of receptacles attached to the mounting ring at positions spaced around said ring so that said probes extend radially outward from said ring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 9 in which the mounting ring is a metal memeber connected to an electrical ground.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which a plurality of coaxial cables are connected to cable connectors attached to the first board between said probes around the mounting ring.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which the socket means includes a third circuit board releasably connected to said second board, a socket member is mounted on one side of said third board, and a fourth circuit board is attached to the other side of the third board so that it extends substantially perpendicular thereto and a plurality of load impedances are mounted on said fourth board for connection to the socket member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the control means includes an electronic computer means connected to A programmable D.C. power supply and to a programmable pulse generator for causing said power supply to apply different D.C. currents and voltages to the bias means on said second board and for causing said pulse generator to apply different pulses to the signal input means on said first board.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the measurement means includes a dynamic measurement system connected through a multiplexer means to the probes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 14 in which the probes are signal sampling probes containing sampling gates, and the dynamic measurement system includes signal sampling means for applying interrogation gate pulses to the sampling gate for sampling different portions of the waveform of an input signal applied to the gate to cause sample pulses corresponding to said portions to be transmitted through the said sampling gate, and for storing said sample pulses in a memory means to produce an output signal of lower frequency than the input signal and having substantially the same waveform as said input signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 15 in which the dynamic measurement system also includes a start-stop comparator means connected to the output of the memory means of at least one sampling means for comparing selected start and stop points on the output signal waveform with reference signals to measure an amplitude or time characteristic of the output signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which the dynamic measurement system includes a cathode ray tube display means connected to the output of the sampling memory means and to the output of the start-stop comparator means for displaying on said tube the waveform of said output signal and the start and stop points on said waveform.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which the dynamic measurement system includes a digital counter means connected through a counter gate to the output of a standard pulse generator producing pulses of a known frequency, and the output of the start-stop comparator means is connected to said counter gate to open such gate only during the time between said start and stop points so that the counter reading corresponds to the value of said characteristic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the measurement means includes a D.C. measurement system connected through coaxial cables and other switch means mounted on said first board to said socket means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the load means include a plurality of load sockets releasably mounted on the second board and having the load elements of one load attached to each of such load sockets.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 20 in which at least some of the load elements are active circuit elements similar to the device under test.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
Test apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the device under test is an integrated circuit device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |