Method and apparatus used for testing a device under test

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877066-B2
Application number	US-201815908857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2018
Priority date	Mar 1, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A test adapter apparatus comprising at least one device under test, DUT, holder adapted to hold a device under test, DUT and adapted to be plugged in into a docking station of said test adapter apparatus, wherein the docking station has RF and data interfaces used for connecting at least one external test device through said docking station with the device under test, DUT, held by said device under test holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test adapter apparatus comprising:
at least one device under test, DUT, holder adapted to hold a device under test, DUT, and adapted to be plugged in into a docking station of said test adapter apparatus,
wherein the docking station has RF and data interfaces used for connecting at least one external test device through said docking station with the device under test, DUT, held by said device under test holder, wherein the docking station comprises:
at least one first docking station interface connector for connection of the at least one external test device with said docking station and
at least one second docking station interface connector for connection of said device under test holder with said docking station,
wherein the first docking station interface connector of the docking station comprises:
a first RF interface provided for RF signals,
a first data interface provided for data signals,
a first power supply interface provided for a power supply, and

wherein the second docking station interface connector of the docking station comprises:
a second RF interface provided for RF signals,
a second data interface provided for data signals, and
a second power supply interface provided for a power supply.

2. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first RF interface of the first docking station interface connector is directly connected via RF signal lines within said docking station to the second RF interface of the second docking station interface connector,
wherein the first data interface of the first docking station interface connector is connected to a data processing unit, DPU, of the docking station and
wherein the second data interface of the second docking station interface connector is connected to said data processing unit, DPU, of said docking station.

3. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second docking station interface connector of the docking station is provided at a device under test, DUT, holder slot of the docking station into which a DUT holder is pluggable to establish a connection between the second docking station interface connector and a device under test, DUT, holder interface connector of said device under test, DUT, holder.

4. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the DUT holder interface connector comprises:
an RF interface provided for RF signals,
a data interface provided for data signals, and
a power supply interface provided for power supply.

5. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first power supply interface of the first docking station interface connector is connected to a power supply source and
wherein the second power supply interface of the second docking station interface connector is connectable to the power supply interface of the device under test, DUT, holder interface connector of the device under test, DUT, holder.

6. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the RF interface of the DUT holder interface connector of the DUT holder is connected to RF interface ports of the device under test, DUT, held by the DUT holder and
wherein the power supply interface of the DUT holder interface connector of the device under test, DUT, holder is connected to power supply pins of the device under test, DUT, held by the DUT holder.

7. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the data interface of the DUT holder interface connector of the DUT holder is connected to a first memory of the DUT holder storing DUT specific data of the device under test, DUT, held by the DUT holder comprising a DUT-identifier, a DUT type, DUT configuration data, DUT calibration data, DUT operating power requirements, and used interface lines.

8. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the data interface of the DUT holder interface connector of the DUT holder is connected to a second memory of the DUT holder storing DPU configuration data used to configure a data processing unit, DPU, of the docking station to control the device under test, DUT, held by the DUT holder.

9. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the DPU configuration data stored in the second memory of the DUT holder comprises a boot image and/or configuration files including an operating system, device drivers, control software components and/or automation software components used by the data processing unit, DPU, of the docking station to control the device under test, DUT, held by the DUT holder.

10. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises a plug-in detector adapt to detect an insertion of a DUT holder plugged into a DUT holder slot of said docking station.

11. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the plug-in detector of the docking station is adapted to notify the data processing unit, DPU, of the docking station about a plugged in DUT holder to access a first memory integrated in the plugged in DUT holder for loading DUT specific data of the device under test, DUT, held by the plugged in DUT holder and to access a second memory integrated into the DUT holder for loading DPU configuration data used by the data processing unit, DPU, of the docking station to control the device under test, DUT, held by the plugged in DUT holder.

12. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises at least one SIM card holder and/or SIM card simulator.

13. The test adapter apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the docking station comprises a controllable switch unit adapted to selectively connect a device under test, DUT, held by a DUT holder plugged into a DUT holder slot of the docking station to a SIM card holder and/or SIM card simulator of said docking station.

14. A test adapter docking station comprising:
at least one first docking station interface connector having a first RF interface provided for RF signals, a first data interface provided for data signals for connection to a test device and a first power supply interface provided for a power supply, and
at least one second docking station interface connector having a second RF interface and a second data interface provided for data signals for connection of a device under test, DUT, holder which holds a device under test, DUT, to be tested by the test device through said test adapter docking station, and a second power supply interface provided for a power supply.

15. A method for testing a device under test, DUT, comprising the steps of:
inserting the device under test, DUT, into a DUT holder,
plugging the DUT holder with the inserted device under test, DUT, into a DUT holder slot of a docking station, and
connecting the docking station with an external test device which performs testing of the device under test, DUT, through the docking station by processing RF signals and or data of the device under test, DUT, inserted in the plugged in DUT holder
wherein the docking station comprises:
at least one first docking station interface connector for connection of the external test device with said docking station and
at least one second docking station interface connector for connection of said DUT holder with said docking station,
wherein the first docking station interface connector of the docking station comprises:
a first RF interface provided for RF signals,
a first data interface provided for data signals,
a first power supply interface provided for power supply, and

wherein the second docking station interface connector of the docking station com

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Sterzbach Bernhard

Classifications

• H10W72/5363

  the connected ends being wedge-shaped · CPC title

• H10W72/951

  Materials of bond pads · CPC title

• H10W72/536

  the connected ends being ball-shaped · CPC title

• G01R1/045 Primary

  Sockets or component fixtures for RF or HF testing · CPC title

• G01R31/2886

  Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks (G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06) · CPC title