Test circuit and test apparatus comprising the test circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12504472-B2
Application number	US-202318311870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2023
Priority date	Apr 4, 2023
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A test circuit includes a signal processor, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first switch, and a second switch. The signal processor is coupled to a first drive end, a second drive end, a first sensing end, and a second sensing end. The first resistor is coupled between the first drive end and the first sensing end. The second resistor is coupled between the second drive end and the second sensing end. The first switch is coupled between the first sensing end and a first end of a device under test. The second switch is coupled between the second sensing end and a second end of the device under test. The first drive end is coupled to the first end of the device through a first transmission wire, and the second drive end is coupled to the second end of the device through a second transmission wire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A test circuit, comprising:
a signal processor coupled to a first drive end, a second drive end, a first sensing end, and a second sensing end; a first resistor coupled between the first drive end and the first sensing end; a second resistor coupled between the second drive end and the second sensing end; a first switch coupled between the first sensing end and a first end of a device under test; and a second switch coupled between the second sensing end and a second end of the device under test, wherein the first drive end is coupled to the first end of the device under test through a first transmission wire, and the second drive end is coupled to the second end of the device under test through a second transmission wire, wherein the signal processor transmits and receives a first test driving signal to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end in a first stage, and in the first stage, when the first test driving signal transmitting to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end, the first switch and the second switch are turned off, wherein in a second stage, the first switch is configured to bypass a resistor on the first transmission wire and a first contact resistor between the first transmission wire and the device under test, and the second switch is configured to bypass a resistor on the second transmission wire and a second contact resistor between the second transmission wire and the device under test.

2 . The test circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor senses a voltage difference between the first sensing end and the second sensing end in the first stage and obtains a first sensing resistance value according to the voltage difference and the first test driving signal.

3 . The test circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the first test driving signal is a test current.

4 . The test circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the first sensing resistance value is equal to a sum of resistance values of a resistor of the device under test, a first contact resistor between the first transmission wire and the device under test, a second contact resistor between the second transmission wire and the device under test, a resistor of the first transmission wire, and a resistor of the second transmission wire.

5 . The test circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the signal processor determines whether the first sensing resistance value is greater than a first threshold value and enters the second stage when the first sensing resistance value is less than or equal to the first threshold value.

6 . The test circuit according to claim 5 , wherein in the second stage, the first switch and the second switch are turned on, and the signal processor transmits and receives a second test driving signal to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end.

7 . The test circuit according to claim 6 , wherein in the second stage, the signal processor senses the voltage difference between the first sensing end and the second sensing end and obtains a second sensing resistance value according to the voltage difference and the second test driving signal.

8 . The test circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the second test driving signal is a test current.

9 . The test circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the second sensing resistance value is equal to a resistance value of the device under test.

10 . A test apparatus configured to test a chip, comprising:
a test circuit, comprising:
a signal processor coupled to a first drive end, a second drive end, a first sensing end, and a second sensing end;
a first resistor coupled between the first drive end and the first sensing end;
a second resistor coupled between the second drive end and the second sensing end;
a first switch coupled between the first sensing end and a first end of a device under test; and
a second switch coupled between the second sensing end and a second end of the device under test,
wherein the first drive end is coupled to the first end of the device under test through a first transmission wire, and the second drive end is coupled to the second end of the device under test through a second transmission wire, wherein the signal processor transmits and receives a first test driving signal to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end in a first stage, and in the first stage, the first switch and the second switch are turned off, when the first test driving signal transmitting to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end, the first switch and the second switch are turned off, wherein in a second stage, the first switch is configured to bypass a resistor on the first transmission wire and a first contact resistor between the first transmission wire and the device under test, and the second switch is configured to bypass a resistor on the second transmission wire and a second contact resistor between the second transmission wire and the device under test.

11 . The test apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the signal processor senses a voltage difference between the first sensing end and the second sensing end in the first stage and obtains a first sensing resistance value according to the voltage difference and the first test driving signal.

12 . The test apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first sensing resistance value is equal to a sum of resistance values of a resistor of the device under test, a first contact resistor between the first transmission wire and the device under test, a second contact resistor between the second transmission wire and the device under test, a resistor of the first transmission wire, and a resistor of the second transmission wire.

13 . The test apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the signal processor determines whether the first sensing resistance value is greater than a first threshold value and enters the second stage when the first sensing resistance value is less than or equal to the first threshold value.

14 . The test apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein in the second stage, the first switch and the second switch are turned on, and the signal processor transmits and receives a second test driving signal to and from the device under test through the first drive end and the second drive end, and the signal processor senses the voltage difference between the first sensing end and the second sensing end and obtains a second sensing resistance value according to the voltage difference and the second test driving signal.

15 . The test apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second sensing resistance value is equal to a resistance value of the device under test.

Assignees

• Montage Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lou Dongming
• Fan Weidong
• Chang Zhongyuan

Classifications

• G01R31/2879 Primary

  related to electrical aspects, e.g. to voltage or current supply or stimuli or to electrical loads · CPC title

• G01R31/31924

  Voltage or current aspects, e.g. driver, receiver · CPC title

• G01R27/14

  Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source (G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/31905 Primary

  Interface with the device under test [DUT], e.g. arrangements between the test head and the DUT, mechanical aspects, fixture · CPC title

• G01R1/0416

  Connectors, terminals (G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364) · CPC title