General universal device interface for automatic test equipment for semiconductor testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9921266-B1
Application number	US-201715414512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Jan 24, 2017
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a modular load board or “frame” that contains a number of moveable connectors. The moveable connectors can be selectively displaced within the frame, as needed, to mate with test head pogo-pins and can be fixed in place on the frame using screws. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide multiple moveable sockets that can be positioned as needed within the frame so that a quick prototype modular load board can be designed and readily modified, if need be, without requiring hard wired traces within the PCB to connect the DUT socket to the test head interface regions. Using ribbon cables, embodiments of the present disclosure eliminate the need to have any hard wired traces within a PCB load board between the DUT socket and pogo pin interface blocks.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for testing a device under test (DUT), said apparatus comprising:
a frame comprising:
a DUT mounting location, wherein said DUT mounting location is adapted to removeably mount a miniature test board configured to electrically and physically interface with said DUT during a testing session; and
a plurality of connector mounting locations operable to align with a plurality of interfaces of a test head, wherein each connector mounting location is adapted to removeably mount a respective removable connector from a plurality of removable connectors operable to be connected to said plurality of interfaces of said test head wherein each removable connector is coupled to a respective flexible cable of a plurality of flexible cables, wherein said plurality of flexible cables are operable to connect, respectively, to a plurality of cable interfaces of said miniature test board, wherein said DUT is configured to receive and transmit test signals associated with said test head using said plurality of flexible cables, said plurality of removable connectors and said plurality of cable interfaces.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises a plurality of fastening holes, wherein each connector mounting location of said plurality of connector mounting locations comprise a set of fastening holes of said plurality of fastening holes and is adapted to mount a respective removable connector from said plurality of removable connectors using said set of fastening holes.

3. The apparatus described in claim 2 , wherein a respective removable connector of said plurality of removable connectors is removeably mounted onto a respective connector mounting location of said plurality of connector mounting locations using a pair of fastening holes from said plurality of fastening holes.

4. The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein said frame further comprises a plurality of fastening holes located along portions thereof surrounding said DUT mounting location to mount said miniature test board.

5. The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein said frame further comprises a plurality of fastening holes for aligning and mounting said frame to said test head.

6. The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein said DUT mounting location is positioned between said plurality of connector mounting locations.

7. The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises a handle.

8. An apparatus for testing a device under test (DUT), said apparatus comprising:
a frame comprising:
a DUT mounting location adapted to removeably mount a daughter board configured to electrically and physically interface with said DUT during a testing session;
a plurality of connector mounting locations operable to align with a plurality of interfaces of a test head, wherein each connector mounting location is adapted to removeably mount a respective removable connector from a plurality of removable connectors operable to be connected to said plurality of interfaces of said test head wherein each removable connector is coupled to a respective flexible cable of a plurality of flexible cables, wherein said plurality of flexible cables are operable to connect, respectively, to a plurality of cable interfaces of said daughter board, wherein said DUT is configured to receive and transmit test signals associated with said test head using said plurality of flexible cables, said plurality of removable connectors and said plurality of cable interfaces; and
a first plurality of fastening holes disposed in said plurality of connector mounting locations for removeably mounting said plurality of removeable connectors.

9. The apparatus described in claim 8 , wherein said DUT mounting location is positioned between at least two connector mounting locations of said plurality of connector mounting locations.

10. The apparatus described in claim 8 , wherein each connector mounting location of said plurality of connector mounting locations is adapted to store different removable connectors from said plurality of removable connectors using said plurality of fastening holes.

11. The apparatus described in claim 9 , wherein a respective removable connector of said plurality of removable connectors is mounted onto a respective connector mounting location of said plurality of connector mounting locations using a respective pair of fastening holes from said plurality of fastening holes.

12. The apparatus described in claim 8 , wherein said frame further comprises a second plurality of fastening holes located along portions of said frame surrounding said DUT mounting location to mount said daughter board to said frame.

13. The apparatus described in claim 12 , wherein said frame further comprises a third plurality of fastening holes for aligning and mounting said frame to said test head.

14. The apparatus described in claim 8 , wherein said DUT mounting location comprises a larger portion of said frame relative to a connector mounting location of said plurality of connector mounting locations and wherein said plurality of flexible cables comprise ribbon cables.

15. An apparatus for testing a device under test (DUT), said apparatus comprising:
a frame comprising:
a first mounting location, wherein said first mounting location is adapted to removeably mount a miniature test board configured to electrically and physically interface with said DUT during a testing session and wherein said miniature test board comprises a plurality of cable interfaces; and
a plurality of second mounting locations operable to align with a plurality of interfaces of a test head, wherein each second mounting location is adapted to removeably mount a respective removable connector from a plurality of removable connectors operable to be connected to said plurality of interfaces of said test head wherein each removable connector is coupled to a respective ribbon cable of a plurality of ribbon cables, wherein said plurality of ribbon cables are operable to connect, respectively, to said plurality of cable interfaces of said miniature test board, wherein said DUT is configured to receive and transmit test signals associated with said test head using said plurality of ribbon cables, said plurality of removable connectors and said plurality of cable interfaces.

16. The apparatus described in claim 15 , wherein said frame further comprises a plurality of fastening holes, wherein each second mounting location of said plurality of second mounting locations is adapted to mount different removable connectors from said plurality of removable connectors using said plurality of fastening holes.

17. The apparatus described in claim 16 , wherein a respective removable connector of said plurality of removable connectors is mounted onto a respective second mounting location of said plurality of second mounting locations using a pair of fastening holes from said plurality of fastening holes.

18. The apparatus described in claim 15 , wherein said frame further comprises a plurality of fastening holes located along portions of said frame surrounding said first mounting location to mount said miniature test board to said frame.

19. The apparatus described in claim 15 , wherein said frame comprises a plurality of fastening holes for aligning and mounting said frame to said test head.

20. The apparatus described in claim 15 , wherein said first mounting location is positioned in a central location of said frame.

Assignees

• Advantest Corp

Inventors

• Lam Daniel

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

• G01R31/2889 Primary

  Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester (G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence) · CPC title