Apparatus and method for authentication of electronic device test stations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10996308-B2
Application number	US-201815954680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2018
Priority date	Apr 17, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A testing apparatus and a method for testing electronic devices is provided. The apparatus comprising a plurality of detachably mountable test stations which are operative to perform tests on the electronic devices and a plurality of pick heads for conveying the electronic devices to at least one of the plurality of test stations for testing. The apparatus further comprises an identification element incorporated in each test station indicating a characteristic of the test station, and an identification element detector movable relative to the plurality of test stations, the identification element detector being operative to identify and authenticate the characteristic of the at least one test station by detecting the identification element incorporated in the test station, prior to utilizing the test station for testing the electronic devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A testing apparatus for testing electronic devices, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of detachably mountable test stations which are operative to perform tests on the electronic devices;
a plurality of pick heads for conveying the electronic devices to at least one of the plurality of test stations for testing;
an identification element incorporated in each test station indicating a characteristic of the test station; and
an identification element detector movable relative to the plurality of test stations, the identification element detector being operative to identify and authenticate the characteristic of the at least one test station by detecting the identification element incorporated in the test station, prior to utilizing the test station for testing the electronic devices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pick heads and the identification element detector are mounted on a turret, the turret being operative to move the pick heads and the identification element detector relative to respective locations of the plurality of test stations.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the identification element detector is positioned at a circumference of the turret between two adjacent pick heads.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the identification elements comprises a visually distinctive mark.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the identification element detector comprises an imaging device operable to detect the visually distinctive mark.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the identification elements comprises a bar code or a QR code.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the identification elements comprises an RFID tag.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the test stations comprises a device contact region for establishing electrical contact with leads of the electrical devices for performing tests, and wherein each of the identification elements is positioned adjacent to the device contact region.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a processor operable to receive information regarding the characteristic of each of the test stations and to compare the information with system specified data for determining whether the correct test station is to be utilized for testing the electronic devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is incorporated in the identification element detector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a memory device for storing historical processing information of the test stations.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory device is incorporated in the identification element detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a testing module in operative communication with each of the test station for operating a test program to test the electronic devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the testing module communicates with the test stations by wired communication.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the testing module communicates with the test stations by wireless communication.

16. A method for testing electronic devices, the method comprising the steps of:
detachably mounting a plurality of test stations for performing tests on the electronic devices;
moving an identification element detector relative to a respective identification element incorporated in each test station, each of the identification elements being indicative of a characteristic of the test station;
detecting the identification element with the identification element detector to identify and authenticate the characteristic of the test station;
conveying the electronic devices to at least one of the plurality of test stations with a plurality of pick heads; and thereafter
testing the electronic devices at the at least one test station.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of generating an error signal if an incorrect type of test station is detected or an identification element is not detectable by the identification element detector.

Assignees

• Asm Tech Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Cheng Chi Wah
• Cheung Yu Sze

Classifications

• G01R31/2834

  Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers (G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736) · CPC title

• G01R31/2893

  Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers (G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H10P72/00) · CPC title

• G01R35/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01R1/0408

  Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets (G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808) · CPC title

• G01R31/2806

  Apparatus therefor, e.g. test stations, drivers, analysers, conveyors (G01R31/2805, G01R31/281, G01R31/2818 take precedence) · CPC title