US6882139B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic component, tester device and method for calibrating a tester device
Assignee: Polaris Innovations Ltd
•
Filing: 2002-07-01
•
Granted: 2005-04-19
•
Expires: 2022-07-01
Abstract
Abstract An electronic calibration component for calibrating a tester device is described. The calibration component has a signal input, to which a tester channel to be calibrated can be connected, and a phase difference circuit. The phase difference circuit can be connected to the signal input and can be connected to a reference clock signal. As a result, a phase difference information item is determined between a cyclic signal applied to the signal input and the reference clock signal. The electronic calibration component also has an output device in order to output the phase difference information item. The latter is received by a tester device that can be connected to the calibration component via tester channels. The tester device has a delay device that is connected to the tester channel in order to delay signals to be transmitted on the tester channel on the basis of the phase difference information item.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Grebner
- 👤 Erwin Thalmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:21
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R35/00; G01R35/005; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/319; G01R31/31903; G01R31/31908; G01R31/3191
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
An electronic calibration component for calibrating a tester device, the electronic calibration component being a standalone component selectively connectible to the tester device and is not necessary for the functionality of the tester device, the electronic calibration component comprising: a signal input releasbly connected to the tester device; a phase difference circuit coupled to said signal input and receiving a reference clock signal to determine a phase difference information item between a cyclic calibration signal applied to the signal input and the reference clock signal; and an output device for outputting the phase difference information item to the tester device said output device coupled to said phase difference circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
An electronic calibration component for calibrating a tester device, the electronic calibration component being a standalone component selectively connectible to the tester device and is not necessary for the functionality of the tester device, the electronic calibration component comprising: a signal input releasbly connected to the tester device; a phase difference circuit coupled to said signal input and receiving a reference clock signal to determine a phase difference information item between a cyclic calibration signal applied to the signal input and the reference clock signal; and an output device for outputting the phase difference information item to the tester device said output device coupled to said phase difference circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , wherein said output device is configured to output the phase difference information item through said signal input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a reference clock signal input coupled to said phase difference circuit for receiving the reference clock signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a reference clock signal generating device for generating the reference clock signal and coupled to said phase difference unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a data storage device connected to said phase difference circuit, said data storage device storing the phase difference information item.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising: a reference clock signal input; and a reference clock signal switching device connected to said phase difference unit and to said reference clock signal input, said reference clock switching device couples said signal input to said reference clock signal input.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of further signal inputs which can be connected to the tester device using a plurality of tester channels, said plurality of further signal inputs are respectively connected to said phase difference circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , wherein maid signal input is one of a plurality of signal inputs which can be connected to the tester device using a plurality of tester channels; and further comprising a switching apparatus connected between said signal inputs and said phase difference circuit for coupling each of said signal inputs to said phase difference circuit for calibrating one of the plurality of tester channels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing for housing components of the electronic calibration component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference information item contains a magnitude for a phase difference.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference information item contains an arithmetic sign for a phase difference.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit which operates the electronic calibration component in a first mode and in a second mode, the first mode having a provision for data to be received and transmitted via a tester channel of the tester device, and the second mode having provision for the phase difference circuit to be connected to said signal input in order to determine the phase difference information item.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
A calibration method, which comprises the step of: providing the electronic calibration component according to claim 1 ; adding the electronic calibration component to a number of functional components to be tested; and calibrating a tester device while the number of functional components to be tested are being tested using the tester device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
In combination with the electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , the tester device for performing a test procedure, the tester device comprising: a tester channel to which the cyclic calibration signal can be applied; a control device for receiving the phase difference information item from the electronic calibration component, said tester channel connected to said control device; and a delay device connected to said tester channel to delay signals which are to be transmitted on said tester channel on a basis of the phase difference information item.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tester device according to claim 14 , further comprising a further tester channel for applying a reference clock signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tester device according to claim 15 , wherein: said phase difference circuit is for determining a further phase difference between a signal received on said tester channel and the reference clock signal applied to said further tester channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The tester device according to claim 16 , wherein said delay device is suitable for delaying a transmission of signals on one of said tester channel and said further tester channel on a basis of the further phase difference.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
The tester device according to claim 14 , wherein: said delay device is one of a plurality of delay devices; said tester channel is one of a plurality of tester channels each connected to one of said delay devices; and said control device is configured to receive the phase difference information item for each of said tester channels, with each of said delay devices being suitable for delaying the transmission of signals on a basis of each of the phase difference information items.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for calibrating a tester device having a tester channel for testing functional components, which comprises the steps of: initially connecting an electronic calibration component to the tester channel; making available a cyclic calibration signal on the tester channel; making available a reference clock signal; determining a phase difference information item from a phase difference between the reference clock signal and the cyclic calibration signal; and setting a signal delay for the tester channel such that the cyclic calibration signal is delayed on a basis of the phase difference information item.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for calibrating a tester device having a tester channel for testing functional components, which comprises the steps of: initially connecting an electronic calibration component to the tester channel; making available a cyclic calibration signal on the tester channel; making available a reference clock signal; determining a phase difference information item from a phase difference between the reference clock signal and the cyclic calibration signal; and setting a signal delay for the tester channel such that the cyclic calibration signal is delayed on a basis of the phase difference information item.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 19 , which comprises making available the reference clock signal on a further tester channel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method according to claim 20 , which comprises transmitting via the tester device an identification information item via one of the tester channel and the further tester channel before a start of testing of a functional component, the calibrating being started if a response to the identification information item indicates that the electronic calibration component is connected to the tester channel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic calibration component according to claim 1 , wherein the tester device provides the cyclic calibration signal and the reference clock signal to the electronic calibration component.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5578932A
Cited
US5495100A
Cited
US5703489A
Cited
US5589765A
Cited
US5794175A
Cited
US6130565A
Cited
US6507185B1
Cited
US6417682B1
Cited
US6366225B1
Cited
US6417674B1
Cited
US6590427B2
Cited
DE10141025A1
Cited
US20030076126A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-04-18 | 2008-10-18 | 2009-04-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-04-18 | 2012-10-18 | 2013-04-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-04-18 | 2016-10-18 | 2017-04-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |