Test fixture

Abstract

A test fixture includes a first interface, a second interface, a bridge unit, a third interface, a power supply unit, a fourth interface, and a power switcher. The first interface is to access a first signal. The second interface is to access a second signal corresponding to the first signal and / or output a second voltage. The bridge unit is to bridge the first interface and the second interface. The third interface is to receive a first voltage. The power supply unit is to output the second voltage according to the first voltage. The fourth interface is to output the second voltage. The power switcher is to output the second voltage to the second interface and / or the fourth interface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a test fixture, and more particularly to a test fixture that can be coupled to the device under test via a predetermined interface to improve the convenience of testing. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, when testing devices (such as motherboards), test fixtures can be coupled between a computer and the device under test to access relevant signals and perform related controls.

[0003] In a typical scenario, the computer's operating system (such as Windows 10) uses a driver based on the EIA RS-232 (also known as RS-232) interface standard. This driver is then used to connect to the test fixture via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 interface to an RS232-DB9 connector. The RS232 signal is then converted to a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) communication protocol to communicate with the device under test (DUT). The DUT is powered by an external power supply.

[0004] The above solution has revealed several shortcomings. Currently, newly designed information products, such as computers or servers, mostly use newer high-speed transmission interfaces for external communication, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB). RS232-DB9 connectors are gradually being replaced by newer interfaces, making it difficult for the RS232-DB9 connector of the test fixture to connect to recently designed information products (i.e., devices under test). The test fixture's transmission interface only has one UART transceiver interface, resulting in extremely low flexibility in communication between the test fixture and the device under test. Furthermore, an additional power supply is often required to power the device under test, causing significant inconvenience, and frequent plugging and unplugging of the power connector often damages the circuit board. In addition, driver issues frequently occur between USB 2.0 and RS-232 interfaces. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An embodiment provides a test fixture comprising a first interface, a second interface, a bridging unit, a third interface, a power supply unit, a fourth interface, and a power switch. The first interface is used to access a first signal. The second interface is used to access a second signal corresponding to the first signal and / or output a second voltage. The bridging unit is coupled between the first interface and the second interface to bridge them. The third interface is used to receive the first voltage. The power supply unit is used to output the second voltage according to the first voltage. The power supply unit includes a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the third interface to receive the first voltage, and the second terminal is used to output the second voltage. The fourth interface is used to output the second voltage. The power switch is used to output the second voltage to the second interface and / or the fourth interface. The power switch includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the power supply unit to receive the second voltage, the second terminal is coupled to the second interface, and the third terminal is coupled to the fourth interface. The first terminal of the power switch is selectively electrically connected to the second terminal and / or the third terminal of the power switch. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the test fixture in the embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 In another embodiment, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the test fixture.

[0008] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the test fixture coupled to the control device, power supply device and the device under test.

[0009] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the test fixture coupled to the control device, power supply device and the device under test.

[0010] Figure 4 In another embodiment, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the test fixture coupled to the control device, power supply device and the device under test.

[0011] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pin assignment for a customized USB Type-C interface in an embodiment.

[0012] Component designation explanation

[0013] 101: Test Fixture

[0014] 102: First Interface

[0015] 103: Third Interface

[0016] 104: Second Interface

[0017] 105: Fourth Interface

[0018] 106: Bridging Unit

[0019] 107: Power Supply Controller

[0020] 108: Power Converter

[0021] 109: Power Switch

[0022] 110: Power Supply Unit

[0023] 180: Control device

[0024] 190: Power supply unit

[0025] 199: Device under test

[0026] PH1, PH2, PH3: Pathways

[0027] S1: First Signal

[0028] S2: Second signal

[0029] V1: First voltage

[0030] V2: Second voltage

[0031] V3: Third voltage

[0032] A1 to A12, B1 to B12: Numbering Detailed Implementation

[0033] To address the numerous challenges in this field, embodiments may provide test fixtures as a solution. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the test fixture 101 in the embodiment. The test fixture 101 may include a first interface 102, a second interface 104, a bridging unit 106, a third interface 103, a power supply unit 110, a fourth interface 105, and a power switch 109.

[0034] The first interface 102 can be used to access a first signal S1. The second interface 104 can be used to access a second signal S2 corresponding to the first signal S1 and / or output a second voltage V2. A bridging unit 106 can be coupled between the first interface 102 and the second interface 104 to bridge the first interface 102 and the second interface 104. The third interface 103 can be used to receive the first voltage V1. The power supply unit 110 can be used to output the second voltage V2 according to the first voltage V1. The power supply unit 110 may include a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal can be coupled to the third interface 103 to receive the first voltage V1, and the second terminal can output the second voltage V2. The fourth interface 105 can be used to output the second voltage V2. The power switch 109 can be used to output the second voltage V2 to the second interface 104 and / or the fourth interface 105. The power switch 109 includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. The first terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the power supply unit 110 to receive a second voltage V2, the second terminal is coupled to the second interface 104, and the third terminal is coupled to the fourth interface 105. The first terminal of the power switch 109 can be selectively electrically connected to the second terminal and / or the third terminal. According to an embodiment, the power switch 109 can be a mechanical switch or an electronic switch.

[0035] Figure 2 In another embodiment, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the test fixture 101. (See diagram below.) Figure 2 As shown, the power supply unit 110 may include a power supply controller 107 and a power converter 108. The power supply controller 107 can be used to convert a first voltage V1 into a third voltage V3. The power supply controller 107 may include a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal can be coupled to a first terminal of the power supply unit 110, and the second terminal can be used to output the third voltage V3. The power converter 108 can be used to convert the third voltage V3 into a second voltage V2. The power converter 108 may include a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal can be coupled to a second terminal of the power supply controller 107, and the second terminal can be coupled to a second terminal of the power supply unit 110 to output the second voltage V2.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the power supply controller 107 can support power supply control via a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and the voltage, power, current, and power direction provided are controllable. According to an embodiment, the power converter 108 may include a buck converter. The power converter 108 can adjust the output voltage and current, and selectively filter and reduce voltage ripple.

[0037] According to the embodiment, at Figure 2 In this configuration, the third voltage V3 may be substantially higher than the second voltage V2. For example, the third voltage V3 may be 20 volts, and the second voltage V2 may be 12 volts. According to an embodiment, in... Figure 1and Figure 2 In this case, the first voltage V1 can be substantially equal to the second voltage V2. For example, the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 can both be 12 volts.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the first interface 102 may be a first customized USB Type-C interface, the second interface 104 may be a second customized USB Type-C interface, the third interface 103 may be a standard USB Type-C interface, and the fourth interface 105 may be a DC power jack, such as a coaxial connector. According to an embodiment, depending on requirements, the first interface 102 and the second interface 104 may be customized to have the same pinout, or they may be customized to have different pinouts.

[0039] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the test fixture 101 coupled to the control device 180, the power supply device 190, and the device under test 199. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 As shown, the first interface 102 can be coupled to the control device 180, and the third interface 103 can be coupled to the power supply device 190. The control device 180 can be, for example, a computer (e.g., a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or dedicated controller) for performing control and analysis. The power supply device 190 can be an adapter, battery, or power bank that supports coupling to a USB Type-C interface. The second interface 104 can be coupled to the device under test 199 to test at least one predetermined interface of the device under test 199 using the second signal S2. The at least one predetermined interface of the device under test 199 under test may include an inter-integrated circuit (I-IC). 2 C) At least one of the following: interface, UART interface, and Serial Peripheral Interface Bus (SPI).

[0040] For example, the device under test (DUT) 199 can be a motherboard. During the research and development phase, the test fixture 101 can be coupled to the DUT 199 for power supply and signal transmission / reception, facilitating debugging and analysis. Once research and development is complete and mass production is imminent, the relevant USB Type-C interface and related wiring can be removed or covered. Since the USB Type-C interface supports power supply, data access, is easy to plug and unplug, and is becoming increasingly widespread, it reduces the aforementioned challenges in this field. Because the interface can be removed after debugging and analysis, it does not excessively increase costs.

[0041] like Figure 3As shown, path PH1 formed by the first interface 102, bridging unit 106, and second interface 104 can be a test-related path. Path PH2 formed by the third interface 103, power supply unit 110, power switch 109, and second interface 104, and path PH3 formed by the third interface 103, power supply unit 110, power switch 109, and fourth interface 105 can be power supply-related paths.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, if the device under test 199 has a USB Type-C access interface and can use the interface to send and receive signals and receive power, the device under test 199 can be coupled to the second interface 104 to access information and send and receive power, thereby performing debugging and analysis.

[0043] Figure 4 In another embodiment, Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the connection of the test fixture 101 to the control device 180, the power supply device 190, and the device under test 199. For example, if the device under test 199 has a USB Type-C signal access interface but still requires power via a DC power outlet, it can be used as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the signal access interface of the device under test 199 is coupled to the second interface 104, and the power interface of the device under test 199 is coupled to the fourth interface 105 to access information and receive and transmit power, thereby performing debugging and analysis.

[0044] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the pin assignment of a customized USB Type-C interface in this embodiment. For example, Figures 1 to 4 The pin assignments of the first interface 102 and the second interface 104 can be as follows: Figure 5 As shown. Figure 5 This is just an example; in practice, the pin assignment can still be adjusted according to requirements. For example... Figure 5 As shown, for example, the pins on one side of a customized USB Type-C interface can be numbered A1 to A12, and the pins on the other side can be numbered B1 to B12. Figure 5 As shown, the relevant pins may include, for example, ground pin (GND), transmit data pin (TXD), receive data pin (RXD), power pin (VBUS), frequency pin (SCK), data output pin (SO), data input pin (SI), chip select pin (CS), frequency pin (SCL), and sequence data pin (SDA) to support SPI interface, I / O, etc. 2 C interface and UART interface. Figure 5 For example, the A11th pin is labeled SDA1 and the B11th pin is labeled SDA2. Both of them are sequence data pins (SDA). The suffix numbers are used to distinguish them. The labeling method for other pins is the same, so it will not be elaborated here.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the second interface 104 can be a reversible pluggable interface coupled to the device under test 199. For example, the device under test 199 is coupled to the second interface 104 via a transmission line, and the insertion direction of the USB Type-C plug is not restricted. Since the pin assignments of the first interface 102 and the second interface 104 are customized, if the USB plug is coupled to the female connector in the opposite direction to the default, it can be processed separately during signal processing. For example, the log file can be processed separately for debugging and analysis.

[0046] In summary, using the test fixture 101 provided in this embodiment improves the flexibility of communication between the test fixture and the device under test (DUT), eliminates the need for an additional power supply to power the DUT, and provides multiple power supply paths, thus improving convenience. Furthermore, it avoids circuit board damage caused by frequent plugging and unplugging of power connectors and also avoids driver issues between interfaces. The test fixture 101 can test most current DUTs, employs a USB Type-C interface, and further saves space due to the reduced pin pitch, for example, it can be smaller than traditional pin header connectors. Therefore, it effectively addresses many challenges faced in the art.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, during the development of a new server, the motherboard of the new server must undergo multiple tests, sometimes repeatedly, to confirm that all tests are normal and meet the specifications and quality required for product shipment. Therefore, the test fixture of the present invention can conveniently test the server motherboard, improving server reliability and making the tested server more suitable for artificial intelligence (AI) computing, edge computing, or as a 5G server, cloud server, or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) server.

[0048] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A test fixture, comprising: Comprising: a first interface for accessing a first signal; a second interface for accessing a second signal corresponding to the first signal and / or outputting a second voltage; a bridge unit coupled between the first interface and the second interface for bridging the first interface and the second interface; a third interface for receiving a first voltage; a power supply unit for outputting the second voltage according to the first voltage, comprising a first terminal coupled to the third interface for receiving the first voltage, and a second terminal for outputting the second voltage; a fourth interface for outputting the second voltage; and a power switch for outputting the second voltage to the second interface and / or the fourth interface, comprising a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the power supply unit for receiving the second voltage, a second terminal coupled to the second interface, and a third terminal coupled to the fourth interface, wherein the first terminal of the power switch is selectively electrically connected to the second terminal and / or the third terminal of the power switch. Wherein the power supply unit further comprises:

2. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein, a power supply controller for converting the first voltage to a third voltage, comprising a first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the power supply unit, and a second terminal for outputting the third voltage; and a power converter for converting the third voltage to the second voltage, comprising a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the power supply controller, and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the power supply unit for outputting the second voltage. Wherein the third voltage is substantially higher than the second voltage.

3. The test fixture of claim 2, wherein, Wherein the power converter is a step-down converter.

4. The test fixture of claim 2, wherein, Wherein the first voltage is substantially equal to the second voltage.

5. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein, Wherein the fourth interface is a DC power outlet.

6. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein, Wherein the power switch is a mechanical switch or an electronic switch.

7. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein Wherein the first interface is a first custom USB Type-C interface, the second interface is a second custom USB Type-C interface, and the third interface is a standard USB Type-C interface.

8. The test fixture of claim 1, wherein, Wherein the second interface is for coupling to a device under test for testing at least one predetermined interface of the device under test using the second signal, the at least one predetermined interface comprising at least one of an I2C interface, a UART interface, and an SPI interface.

9. The test fixture of claim 8, wherein, Wherein the second interface is coupled to a double-sided pluggable interface of the device under test.

10. The test fixture of claim 8, wherein, ​

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