Universal burn-in driver system and method therefor

Claim 1

A burn-in system comprising, in combination: control means electrically connected to a plurality of different electronic devices undergoing burn-in comprising at least one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and at least another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in for providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of the same characteristics for burning in to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for simultaneously providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of different characteristics for burning in to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; burn-in driver means for both applying for an extended period of time the same electrical currents and voltages to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for applying different electrical currents and voltages to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in to test and burn-in all of the groups of electronic devices; and identification means coupled to said control means for identifying the devices of said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and identifying the devices of said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; said control means responding to said identification means for controlling a sequence of tests to said one group of electronic devices and a different sequence of tests to said another group of electronic devices and for changing said sequence of tests as required by either said one group of electronic devices or said another group of electronic devices.

Claim 60

A method for making burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing control means electrically connected to a plurality of different electronic devices undergoing burn-in comprising at least one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and at least another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in for providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of the same characteristics for burning in to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for simultaneously providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of different characteristics for burning in to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; providing burn-in driver means for both applying for an extended period of time the same electrical currents and voltages to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for applying different electrical currents and voltages to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in to test and burn-in all of the groups of electronic devices; and providing identification means coupled to said control means for identifying the devices of said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and identifying the devices of said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; said control means responding to said identification means for controlling a sequence of tests to said one group of electronic devices and a different sequence of tests to said another group of electronic devices and for changing said sequence of tests as required by either said one group of electronic devices or said another group of electronic devices.

Claim 61

A method for making burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing control means electrically connected to a plurality of different electronic devices undergoing burn-in comprising at least one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and at least another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in for providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of the same characteristics for burning in to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for simultaneously providing at least one of an electrical current and voltage of different characteristics for burning in to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; providing burn-in driver means for both applying for an extended period of time the same electrical currents and voltages to said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and for applying different electrical currents and voltages to said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in to test and burn-in all of the groups of electronic devices; and providing identification means coupled to said control means for identifying the devices of said one group of electronic devices of the same type undergoing burn-in and identifying the devices of said another group of electronic devices of a different type undergoing burn-in; said control means responding to said identification means for controlling a sequence of tests to said one group of electronic devices and a different sequence of tests to said another group of electronic devices and for changing said sequence of tests as required by either said one group of electronic devices or said another group of electronic devices.

Claim 83

A method for making a burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing test vector storage means for storing data patterns defining the sequence of electrical signals for a burn-in operation to be applied to devices under test; providing burn-in driver means for controlling the magnitude and frequency content of said electrical signal for burn-in of said devices under test, said burn-in driver means further comprising means for identifying said devices under test; and providing computer means coupled to said test vector storage means and coupled to said burn-in driver means for changing said sequence, said magnitude and said frequency under program control in response to said means for identifying said devices under test to dynamically modify said sequence of electrical signals for burn-in of said devices under test.

Claim 84

A method for making a burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing test vector storage means for storing data patterns defining the sequence of electrical signals for a burn-in operation to be applied to devices under test; providing burn-in driver means for controlling the magnitude and frequency content of said electrical signal for burn-in of said devices under test, said burn-in driver means further comprising means for identifying said devices under test; and providing computer means coupled to said test vector storage means and coupled to said burn-in driver means for changing said sequence, said magnitude and said frequency under program control in response to said means for identifying said devices under test to dynamically modify said sequence of electrical signals for burn-in of said devices under test.

Claim 99

A method for making a burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing computer means coupled to a computer bus for controlling a sequence of tests; providing test vector storage means coupled to said computer bus and to a vectors bus for storing a digital pattern describing said sequence of tests; providing burn-in board means coupled to said vectors bus for housing electronic devices of a particular type to be tested by said system, said burn-in board means having an identification code; and providing automatic programming means coupled to said burn-in board means and coupled to said computer bus for transmitting said identification code to said computer means; said computer means interpreting said identification code and changing said sequence of tests as required by said particular type of electronic devices to be tested by said system.

Claim 100

A method for making a burn-in system comprising the steps of: providing computer means coupled to a computer bus for controlling a sequence of tests; providing test vector storage means coupled to said computer bus and to a vectors bus for storing a digital pattern describing said sequence of tests; providing burn-in board means coupled to said vectors bus for housing electronic devices of a particular type to be tested by said system, said burn-in board means having an identification code; and providing automatic programming means coupled to said burn-in board means and coupled to said computer bus for transmitting said identification code to said computer means; said computer means interpreting said identification code and changing said sequence of tests as required by said particular type of electronic devices to be tested by said system.

Claim 114

A method for making a burn-in driver system comprising the steps of: providing computer means for controlling said system; providing computer interface module means coupled to said computer means via a bi-directional computer bus and coupled to a system bus for providing transceiver and select logic functions for data being transferred to and from said computer means via said system bus; providing power management module means coupled to said system bus and coupled to a power bus, a DUT Vcc bus and an on-board power bus for measuring and regulating voltages required by said system; providing system timing generation module means coupled to said system bus and coupled to a system timing bus and to a hold bus for providing programmable master and data clock signals required by said system; providing vector hold module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to said hold bus for altering said programmable master and data clock signals required by said system to extend the time interval of stored data patterns; providing analog generation module means coupled to said system timing bus and to said system bus and to an analog bus for generating analog signals based on stored patterns; providing analog driver module means coupled to said analog bus and to a driven analog bus for providing higher current drive capability to channels of said driven analog bus; providing vector storage module means coupled to said system timing bus and to said system bus and to a vectors bus for retaining test vectors to be applied to devices under test; providing tri-state control module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus, to said DUT Vcc bus and to a tri-state bus and to a tri-state vectors bus for causing an output driver to be switched to a high impedance or disconnected state; providing output driver module means coupled to said vectors bus, to said tri-state vectors bus and to a driven vectors bus for providing current amplification of test vectors transmitted on said vectors bus; providing on-board status monitoring module means coupled to said vectors bus, to said tri-state bus, to said system bus and to said driven vectors bus for monitoring for faults in the various modules of said system; providing DUT monitoring module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to a DUT monitors bus for monitoring for operating failures in the devices being tested by said system; providing burn-in board means coupled to said driven analog bus, to said driven vectors bus, to said power bus, to said DUT monitors bus and to said automatic programming bus for housing devices to be tested; and providing automatic programming module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to an automatic programming bus for translating a unique code identifying said burn-in board means; said computer means dynamically modifying the sequence of test signals to said devices to be tested during burn-in in response to the translation of said unique code identifying said burn-in board means.

Claim 115

A method for making a burn-in driver system comprising the steps of: providing computer means for controlling said system; providing computer interface module means coupled to said computer means via a bi-directional computer bus and coupled to a system bus for providing transceiver and select logic functions for data being transferred to and from said computer means via said system bus; providing power management module means coupled to said system bus and coupled to a power bus, a DUT Vcc bus and an on-board power bus for measuring and regulating voltages required by said system; providing system timing generation module means coupled to said system bus and coupled to a system timing bus and to a hold bus for providing programmable master and data clock signals required by said system; providing vector hold module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to said hold bus for altering said programmable master and data clock signals required by said system to extend the time interval of stored data patterns; providing analog generation module means coupled to said system timing bus and to said system bus and to an analog bus for generating analog signals based on stored patterns; providing analog driver module means coupled to said analog bus and to a driven analog bus for providing higher current drive capability to channels of said driven analog bus; providing vector storage module means coupled to said system timing bus and to said system bus and to a vectors bus for retaining test vectors to be applied to devices under test; providing tri-state control module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus, to said DUT Vcc bus and to a tri-state bus and to a tri-state vectors bus for causing an output driver to be switched to a high impedance or disconnected state; providing output driver module means coupled to said vectors bus, to said tri-state vectors bus and to a driven vectors bus for providing current amplification of test vectors transmitted on said vectors bus; providing on-board status monitoring module means coupled to said vectors bus, to said tri-state bus, to said system bus and to said driven vectors bus for monitoring for faults in the various modules of said system; providing DUT monitoring module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to a DUT monitors bus for monitoring for operating failures in the devices being tested by said system; providing burn-in board means coupled to said driven analog bus, to said driven vectors bus, to said power bus, to said DUT monitors bus and to said automatic programming bus for housing devices to be tested; and providing automatic programming module means coupled to said system bus, to said system timing bus and to an automatic programming bus for translating a unique code identifying said burn-in board means; said computer means dynamically modifying the sequence of test signals to said devices to be tested during burn-in in response to the translation of said unique code identifying said burn-in board means.