EVB module and EVB module processing method

Abstract

The present invention discloses an EVB module and an EVB module processing method, which relate to the technical field of electronic equipment. The EVB module includes: an EVB, a chip and a high-speed cable assembly. High-speed signal vias are provided on the EVB, and the high-speed signal vias extend from the top surface of the EVB to the bottom surface. The chip is provided above the EVB, and the chip is welded to the top surface. The high-speed cable assembly includes a cable and a test connector provided at one end of the cable, and the other end of the cable extends upward through the bottom surface and is welded to the high-speed signal via. The EVB module no longer fixes the test connector directly on the EVB, but connects the test connector to the EVB through a high-speed cable assembly, which can reduce the processing difficulty of the EVB module. At the same time, since the cable is flexible, it can be bent in various directions within a certain range, which makes it more convenient to build a test environment, and the connection cable angle of the test connector can be flexibly adjusted, so that the flexibility of the test connector test is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, and in particular to an EVB module and an EVB module processing method. Background Art

[0002] As the country pays more and more attention to the independent research and development of chips, more and more chip design companies have sprung up like mushrooms after rain and joined the ranks of independent chip design. Chip design and manufacturing is a very complex and large system engineering that requires close cooperation of all links. Chip function verification is a very critical part. In the chip function verification, the high-speed signal consistency test of the chip is a very critical link, which directly reflects the chip's ability in high-speed signal transmission. The above functional verification must be verified through the design and development of EVB (Evaluation Board, chip verification board).

[0003] The existing EVB module includes an EVB, a test connector, and a chip. The test connector is directly mounted on the EVB. During PCB routing within the EVB, chip pin signals are fanned out using a perforated layer switching method. These signals are then routed to the various test interfaces on the EVB using microstrip and stripline routing layers.

[0004] Since the test connector is fixed on the EVB, the cable connection angle is limited during testing. In addition, the number of test connectors and their spatial layout are restricted by the EVB size, which affects the number of high-speed signals that can be set and increases the processing difficulty.

[0005] Therefore, how to reduce the processing difficulty of the EVB module and improve the flexibility of the test connector test is a technical problem that those skilled in the art currently need to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide an EVB module with lower processing difficulty and better flexibility in testing the test joints. Another object of the present invention is to provide an EVB module processing method applied to the above-mentioned EVB module, so that the EVB module processing difficulty is reduced and the test joints are more flexible.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] An EVB module, comprising:

[0009] An EVB is provided with a high-speed signal via, and the high-speed signal via extends from the top surface of the EVB to the bottom surface;

[0010] A chip is disposed above the EVB and soldered to the top surface;

[0011] A high-speed cable assembly comprises a cable and a test connector arranged at one end of the cable, wherein the other end of the cable extends upward through the bottom surface and is welded in the high-speed signal via hole.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the cable includes an outer sheath and a plurality of bare wires arranged in the outer sheath. The bare wires extend from one end of the outer sheath away from the test connector to form an exposed portion. Each of the exposed portions extends upward through the bottom surface and is welded one by one to each of the high-speed signal vias. Based on this arrangement, each bare wire corresponding to the same test connector and needing to be connected to the chip is wrapped in the same outer sheath, which makes it convenient for staff to confirm the correspondence between the cable and the test connector, so that each high-speed cable assembly itself constitutes an integrated structure and is easy to assemble and disassemble. In addition, the portion of the cable that needs to be welded to the high-speed signal via is inserted into the high-speed signal via with the exposed portion and welded, which can ensure the signal transmission effect.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the bare wire includes a signal wire and a ground wire to ensure the stability and accuracy of signal transmission.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the test connector is an SMA connector, so that the test connector has a wide frequency bandwidth, excellent performance, high reliability and long service life.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the EVB includes at least two layers of PCBs stacked sequentially from top to bottom, and the high-speed signal vias are simultaneously connected to each of the PCBs to perform different functions.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, there are at least two high-speed cable assemblies, and the lengths of the cables of each high-speed cable assembly are consistent to avoid unstable signal testing or test item testing due to different signal transmission times caused by the lengths between signal lines of the high-speed signal.

[0017] An EVB module processing method, comprising:

[0018] Processing high-speed signal vias on the EVB, wherein the high-speed signal vias extend from the top surface of the EVB to the bottom surface;

[0019] Soldering a chip on the top surface;

[0020] A high-speed cable assembly is connected to the EVB to obtain an EVB module, wherein the high-speed cable assembly includes a cable and a test connector provided at one end of the cable, and the other end of the cable extends upward through the bottom surface and is welded to the high-speed signal via.

[0021] As a preferred technical solution, before connecting the high-speed cable assembly to the EVB, the method further includes: dividing the standard cable assembly into two to produce two high-speed cable assemblies;

[0022] The standard cable assembly includes a cable portion and test connectors respectively provided at both ends of the cable portion. The method of dividing the standard cable assembly into two to produce two high-speed cable assemblies is to disconnect the standard cable assembly from the middle position in the length direction of the cable portion.

[0023] Based on this solution, standard cable assemblies can be made of mature bare wires in the existing technology, and improved on this basis to obtain high-speed cable assemblies, which can reduce the processing cost and difficulty of high-speed cable assemblies.

[0024] As a preferred technical solution, after processing the two high-speed cable assemblies and before connecting the high-speed cable assembly to the EVB, it also includes: stripping the end of the high-speed cable assembly away from the test connector to achieve processing of the exposed part of the high-speed cable assembly.

[0025] As a preferred technical solution, after obtaining the EVB module, the method further includes: performing a de-embedding operation on the EVB module using an AFR de-embedding method. Based on the application of standard cable assemblies, the de-embedding process can be made very convenient.

[0026] The EVB module provided by the present invention includes an EVB, a chip, and a high-speed cable assembly. The EVB is provided with high-speed signal vias extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the EVB. A chip is located above the EVB and soldered to the top surface. The high-speed cable assembly includes a cable and a test connector located at one end of the cable. The other end of the cable extends upward through the bottom surface and is soldered to the high-speed signal vias.

[0027] The EVB module provided by the present invention no longer directly fixes the test connector to the EVB. Instead, the test connector is connected to the EVB via a high-speed cable assembly. The high-speed cable assembly is directly welded from the bottom surface of the EVB to the high-speed signal vias of the EVB. This can reduce the difficulty of manufacturing the EVB module and avoid the layout problem of the test connector on the EVB. The number and position of the test connectors are no longer limited by the EVB structure. Any number of high-speed signals can be drawn from the EVB, which can greatly reduce the size of the EVB. At the same time, because the cable is flexible, it can be bent in various directions within a certain range, making it more convenient to set up a test environment. The connection angle of the test connector can be flexibly adjusted, making the test connector testing more flexible.

[0028] The EVB module processing method provided by the present invention includes: processing high-speed signal vias on the EVB, wherein the high-speed signal vias extend from the top surface of the EVB to the bottom surface; soldering a chip on the top surface; and connecting a high-speed cable assembly to the EVB to obtain an EVB module, wherein the high-speed cable assembly includes a cable and a test connector provided at one end of the cable, and the other end of the cable extends upward through the bottom surface and is soldered to the high-speed signal vias.

[0029] Processing the EVB module using this processing method can reduce the difficulty of EVB module processing and provide greater flexibility in testing the test connector. Specifically, the high-speed cable assembly is directly welded from the bottom surface of the EVB to the high-speed signal vias of the EVB, which can reduce the difficulty of processing the EVB module. At the same time, it can avoid layout issues of the test connector on the EVB. The number and location of the test connectors are no longer limited by the EVB structure. Any number of high-speed signals can be drawn from the EVB, and the size of the EVB can be greatly reduced. At the same time, because the cable is flexible, it can be bent in various directions within a certain range, making it more convenient to set up a test environment. The connection angle of the test connector can be flexibly adjusted, making the test connector testing more flexible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a standard cable assembly for processing a high-speed cable assembly in the first specific embodiment of the EVB module provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a high-speed cable assembly in a specific embodiment 1 of the EVB module provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the stripping portion of the high-speed cable assembly in the first specific embodiment of the EVB module provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of chip fanout in the first specific embodiment of the EVB module provided by the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of welding of a high-speed cable assembly in a specific embodiment 1 of the EVB module provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of a specific embodiment 1 of the EVB module provided by the present invention.

[0037] Figures 1 to 6 Reference numerals in the figures:

[0038] Chip-1;

[0039] EVB-2, Top surface-201, Bottom surface-202, high-speed signal via-203, PCB-204;

[0040] High-speed cable assembly-3, test connector-301, cable-302, sheath-3021, bare wire-3022, signal wire-3023, ground wire-3024, exposed portion-3025;

[0041] Standard cable assembly-4, cable part-401. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate the description of the present invention and simplify the description. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated.

[0044] The core of the present invention is to provide an EVB module with low processing difficulty and better flexibility in testing the test joints. Another core of the present invention is to provide an EVB module processing method applied to the above-mentioned EVB module, which reduces the processing difficulty of the EVB module and improves the flexibility of testing the test joints.

[0045] For a specific example of the EVB module provided by the present invention, please refer to Figures 1 to 6 , including: EVB 2, chip 1 and high-speed cable assembly 3.

[0046] like Figure 5As shown, high-speed signal vias 203 are provided on the EVB 2, and the high-speed signal vias 203 extend from the top surface 201 of the EVB 2 to the bottom surface 202. The EVB 2 (Evaluation Board) can perform chip function verification.

[0047] Vias, also known as plated holes, are a crucial component of multilayer PCBs, serving as electrical connections between layers. In this embodiment, high-speed signal vias 203 are through-hole vias. The placement of high-speed signal vias 203 on the EVB 2 requires specific consideration of the via's outer diameter and placement. The via's outer diameter should be appropriately sized based on both cost and signal quality.

[0048] like Figure 5 As shown, chip 1 is disposed above EVB 2. Chip 1 can specifically be a switch chip. Chip 1 is soldered to the top surface 201 of EVB 2. Specifically, chip 1 has a soldering surface with multiple solder pads. Chip 1 is soldered to the top surface 201 of EVB 2 via these solder pads. Chip 1 also has pins, and each high-speed signal via 203 can be electrically connected to a corresponding pin, thereby electrically connecting chip 1 to the high-speed signal via 203.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, the high-speed cable assembly 3 includes a cable 302 and a test connector 301. The test connector 301 is provided at one end of the cable 302. The other end of the cable 302 extends upward through the bottom surface 202 of the EVB 2 into the high-speed signal via 203. After extending into the high-speed signal via 203, the cable 302 is soldered to the high-speed signal via 203.

[0050] Among them, the high-speed cable assembly 3 is used to transmit high-speed signals, and has the advantages of excellent attenuation performance, low delay and anti-interference, and can realize high-frequency broadband transmission. The use of high-speed cables can greatly reduce wiring costs and avoid test signal distortion caused by attenuation of cable 302 during high-speed signal transmission.

[0051] Because EVB 2 typically connects to multiple high-speed cable assemblies 3, multiple high-speed signal vias 203 are also required. Optionally, the locations of the high-speed signal vias 203 on EVB 2 are determined based on the needs of chip 1. For example, all high-speed signal vias 203 can be arranged in a matrix or linearly on EVB 2. Furthermore, different high-speed cable assemblies 3 can be distinguished and identified by color or by markings on the outside of the cables 302.

[0052] During the test process, after the test connector 301 is connected to the corresponding test instrument, the high-speed signal of the chip 1 can be transmitted to the test connector 301 through the cable 302 of the high-speed cable assembly 3, and then transmitted to the various test instruments connected to it through the test connector 301. Specifically, tests such as signal sending and receiving consistency can be performed.

[0053] In this embodiment, the EVB module no longer directly fixes the test connector 301 to the EVB 2. Instead, the test connector 301 is connected to the EVB 2 via a high-speed cable assembly 3. The high-speed cable assembly 3 is directly soldered from the bottom surface 202 of the EVB 2 to the high-speed signal via 203 of the EVB 2. This reduces the difficulty of manufacturing the EVB module and avoids layout issues of the test connector 301 on the EVB 2. The number and position of the test connectors 301 are no longer limited by the structure of the EVB 2. Any number of high-speed signals can be brought out of the EVB 2, which greatly reduces the size of the EVB 2. Furthermore, because the cable 302 is flexible and can be bent in various directions within a certain range, it is more convenient to set up a test environment. The connection angle of the test connector 301 can be flexibly adjusted, making the testing of the test connector 301 more flexible.

[0054] Furthermore, if Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the cable 302 includes an outer sheath 3021 and a plurality of bare wires 3022 disposed in the outer sheath 3021. The bare wires 3022 are specifically the conductor portions not wrapped by the insulating structure. The number of bare wires 3022 can be set as needed. The bare wires 3022 extend from one end of the outer sheath 3021 away from the test connector 301 to form an exposed portion 3025. Figure 5 As shown, each exposed portion 3025 extends upward through the bottom surface 202 of the EVB 2 and into each high-speed signal via hole 203 in a one-to-one correspondence, and is welded to each high-speed signal via hole 203 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0055] That is, in this embodiment, all bare wires 3022 corresponding to the same test connector 301 and required to connect to the chip 1 are encased in the same outer sheath 3021. This facilitates identification of the corresponding cable 302 and test connector 301, making each high-speed cable assembly 3 a single-piece structure and facilitating assembly and disassembly. Furthermore, the exposed portion 3025 of the cable 302 required for soldering to the high-speed signal via 203 is inserted into the high-speed signal via 203 for soldering, ensuring effective signal transmission.

[0056] Specifically, the bare wire 3022 includes a signal wire 3023 and a ground wire 3024. The signal wire 3023 can be used to transmit high-speed signals, and the ground wire 3024 can improve the security and reliability of signal transmission. In the high-speed cable assembly 3, the number and position of the signal wires 3023 and ground wires 3024 are adaptively configured based on the needs of the test connector 301 and the chip 1. For example, in this embodiment, two ground wires 3024 and two signal wires 3023 are configured. Of course, in other embodiments, the type and number of bare wires 3022 can be configured differently based on actual needs.

[0057] More specifically, please refer to Figure 3 In the outer shell 3021, two signal lines 3023 are centrally arranged, and two ground lines 3024 are respectively arranged on both sides of the two signal lines 3023. When the bare wire 3022 is connected to the high-speed signal via 203, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown, four high-speed signal vias 203 are arranged linearly and in parallel, two ground wires 3024 are soldered to the two high-speed signal vias 203 at the ends, and two signal wires 3023 are soldered to the two high-speed signal vias 203 in the middle. In other words, a high-speed cable assembly 3 is connected to multiple high-speed signal vias 203 simultaneously.

[0058] In addition, for the exposed portion 3025 of the bare wire 3022 exposed outside the outer skin 3021, it can be partially extended into the high-speed signal via 203 in the length direction for welding, and another portion can be placed outside the high-speed signal via 203 to ensure that the bare wire 3022 is fully in contact with the high-speed signal via 203 and the outer skin 3021 does not extend into the high-speed signal via 203.

[0059] Furthermore, test connector 301 is an SMA connector (Small A Type). SMA connectors offer advantages such as wide bandwidth, excellent performance, high reliability, and long life. Specifically, the SMA connector can be a standard SMA connector, which has an external thread and hole structure on one end and an internal thread and pin structure on the other end. Alternatively, a reverse polarity SMA connector can be used, which has an external thread and pin structure on one end and an internal thread and hole structure on the other end.

[0060] Of course, in other embodiments, the test connector 301 may also be a SMP22034963 connector, an MMP22034963X connector, or other test connectors 301.

[0061] Furthermore, if Figure 4As shown, EVB 2 includes at least two layers of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) 204 stacked in sequence from top to bottom. PCBs 204 are supports for electronic components and serve as carriers for electrical connections of electronic components. Different layers of PCBs 204 can be assigned corresponding functions as needed. High-speed signal vias 203 are simultaneously connected to each PCB 204, specifically extending from the top surface of the top PCB 204 to the bottom surface of the bottom PCB 204 to meet the testing requirements of EVB 2. Specifically, the number of PCB 204 layers in EVB 2 can be set as needed, for example, 18 layers. In addition, EVB 2 can use M6 grade or other grade materials as needed.

[0062] For further information, please refer to Figure 6 There are at least two high-speed cable assemblies 3, and the length of the cables 302 of each high-speed cable assembly 3 is consistent to meet the test requirements and avoid the high-speed signal caused by the length between the signal lines. The signal transmission time is different, thereby causing unstable signal testing or test item testing.

[0063] Specifically, the length of the exposed portion 3025 of each high-speed cable assembly 3 is the same. During the processing, the diameter of the exposed portion 3025 is matched with the diameter of the high-speed signal via 203. The exposed portion 3025 is inserted into the corresponding high-speed signal via 203. The insertion lengths of different exposed portions 3025 are set to be the same, so that Figure 6 As shown, the length of the portion of the high-speed cable assembly 3 suspended below the EVB 2 is also the same.

[0064] In addition, the high-speed cable assemblies 3 can be arranged evenly, specifically in a matrix arrangement or a linear arrangement as needed.

[0065] In the prior art, the EVB module uses a perforated layer switching method to fan out the chip 1 pin signals during PCB 204 wiring. Some high-speed signals are connected to standard test connectors via transmission lines of the same length as the control bits. To ensure the SI performance of high-speed signals, transmission lines must be as consistent as possible, and vias and connector anti-pads must be optimized. At the same time, the layer-switch vias need to be backdrilled to eliminate signal reflections. Furthermore, to ensure power integrity, multiple power plane layers need to be designed to form a multi-layer PCB 204 stackup solution to ensure both power integrity and the signal integrity of high-speed signals.

[0066] The EVB module provided in this embodiment is based on the chip fan-out and EVB design method of cable welding, and adopts a high-speed cable assembly 3 consisting of a test connector 301 and a cable 302. One end of the high-speed cable assembly 3 is the exposed part 3025 of the cable 302, and the exposed part 3025 is welded to the high-speed signal via 203 of the EVB2 for transmitting high-speed signals. The other end of the high-speed cable assembly 3 is welded to the test connector 301. The test connector 301 is used to connect the SMA test cable 302 to an instrument such as an oscilloscope for subsequent testing.

[0067] The EVB module provided in this embodiment can solve the cost and signal integrity issues in the original design. EVB 2 eliminates SMA connector layout issues. Test connector 301 is routed to the outside of EVB 2 via high-speed cable assembly 3, significantly reducing EVB 2 size and reducing costs. Any number of high-speed signals can be routed from EVB 2, and the number and signals can be modified later, offering design flexibility. The design method of soldering high-speed signal leads to cable 302 eliminates the complex high-speed signal vias 203 and transmission line simulation design process, reducing the difficulty of EVB 2 design and development. High-speed signal vias 203 eliminate stub issues, improving signal integrity. EVB 2 lacks a high-speed signal routing layer, requiring only low-speed traces and power supply layers for stacking, reducing the number of PCB layers and lowering costs. High-speed cable assembly 3 can be manufactured with high consistency, improving de-embedding and test accuracy. Because cable 302 is flexible and can be bent in all directions within a certain range, it facilitates test setup and allows for flexible adjustment of the cable connection angle for test connector 301, enhancing test flexibility.

[0068] In addition to the above-mentioned EVB module, the present invention also provides an EVB module processing method, which is used to process an EVB module, which can specifically be the EVB module provided in any of the above embodiments. The beneficial effects can be referred to the above embodiments accordingly.

[0069] Specifically, the processing method includes:

[0070] S1: Processing high-speed signal vias 203 on EVB 2, where the high-speed signal vias 203 extend from the top surface 201 to the bottom surface 202 of EVB 2.

[0071] Vias, also known as plated holes, are a crucial component of multilayer PCBs. During the fabrication of high-speed signal vias 203, the various PCB layers 204 in the EVB 2 are pressed together. The vias are then processed, first by drilling and then by electroplating. This process provides a conductive finish for the holes. Copper is then electroplated on the hole walls, forming through-hole high-speed signal vias 203, which serve as electrical connections between layers. Alternatively, the top and bottom surfaces of the high-speed signal vias 203 can each be formed into circular pads.

[0072] Among them, when processing vias, the parameters that need to be considered mainly include the outer diameter of the hole and the position of the hole. For the outer diameter of the hole, a reasonable size of the via should be selected from the aspects of cost and signal quality. For the position of the hole, it is necessary to adapt it according to the needs of the chip 1. Specifically, since EVB 2 usually needs to connect multiple high-speed cable assemblies 3, multiple high-speed signal vias 203 also need to be set accordingly. Optionally, the positions where the high-speed signal vias 203 need to be set are first determined according to the needs of the chip 1. For example, all high-speed signal vias 203 are arranged in a matrix on the EVB 2. During processing, holes are drilled and electroplated on the EVB 2 at predetermined intervals to form multiple high-speed signal vias 203.

[0073] S2: Solder chip 1 on the top surface 201.

[0074] Among them, chip 1 can be specifically a Switch chip. In addition, specifically Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, chip 1 on EVB 2 is soldered to top surface 201. Chip 1 utilizes a traditional fanout method, with holes punched through to the bottom layer. The design of EVB 2 only needs to consider the power supply and low-speed signal design required by chip 1. In this specific embodiment, the size of EVB 2 can be reduced by over 50%.

[0075] Specifically, during soldering, chip 1 has a solderable surface with multiple solder pads. The solder pads can be circular, diamond-shaped, rectangular, or other shapes. Chip 1 is soldered to the top surface 201 of EVB 2 via the solder pads. In addition, chip 1 has pins, and each high-speed signal via 203 can be electrically connected to a corresponding pin.

[0076] S3: Connect the high-speed cable assembly 3 to the EVB 2 to obtain an EVB module.

[0077] The high-speed cable assembly 3 includes a cable 302 and a test connector 301 disposed at one end of the cable 302 . The other end of the cable 302 extends upward through the bottom surface 202 and is welded to the high-speed signal via 203 .

[0078] In this embodiment, the test connector 301 is connected to the EVB 2 via a high-speed cable assembly 3. The high-speed cable assembly 3 is directly soldered from the bottom surface 202 of the EVB 2 to the high-speed signal via 203 of the EVB 2. This reduces the difficulty of manufacturing the EVB module and avoids layout issues of the test connector 301 on the EVB 2. The number and position of the test connectors 301 are no longer limited by the EVB 2 structure. Any number of high-speed signals can be brought out of the EVB 2, and the size of the EVB 2 can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, because the cable 302 is flexible, it can be bent in various directions within a certain range, making it more convenient to set up a test environment. The connection angle of the test connector 301 can be flexibly adjusted, making the testing of the test connector 301 more flexible.

[0079] Furthermore, in step S3, before the high-speed cable assembly 3 is connected to the EVB 2, the method further includes:

[0080] S30 : Divide the standard cable assembly 4 into two to produce two high-speed cable assemblies 3 .

[0081] The standard cable assembly 4 includes a cable portion 401 and test connectors 301 disposed at both ends of the cable portion 401. Accordingly, the step of dividing the standard cable assembly 4 into two is specifically to disconnect the standard cable assembly 4 from the middle position of the cable portion 401 in the longitudinal direction.

[0082] Among them, preferably, when the standard cable assembly 4 is disconnected from the middle position in the length direction of the cable part 401, the middle position refers to the position of 1 / 2 length in the length direction of the cable part 401, which is convenient for locating the disconnection position on the cable part 401 and can unify the length of the cable 302 in each high-speed cable assembly 3.

[0083] Among them, Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the standard cable assembly 4 can be purchased in fixed lengths with fixed connectors at both ends. The connectors used on the high-speed cable ends of this standard cable assembly 4 are similar to those used in optical modules. Compared to optical modules, the connector modules on the standard cable assembly 4 do not contain expensive optical lasers or other electronic components, significantly saving cost and power consumption in short-distance applications. As a cost-effective, high-speed data communication solution that replaces optical modules, it can be widely used in storage area networks, data centers, and high-performance computer connections by connecting switches to routers or servers. High-speed cables offer excellent attenuation performance, low latency, and interference resistance, enabling high-frequency broadband transmission. Available in sizes from 30 to 24 AWG and in various configurations, such as 2P, 4P, or 8P, they are suitable for a variety of applications. They are suitable for short-distance cabling in data centers, offering a wide range of applications and strong switching capabilities. The high-speed cables are made of copper core, which provides excellent natural heat dissipation, is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, and consumes low power. Since passive cables do not require power and consume almost no power, and active cables generally consume around 440mW, the price of copper cables is much lower than that of optical fibers. Therefore, using high-speed cables can greatly reduce the wiring costs of the entire data center.

[0084] More specifically, the standard cable assembly 4 can be modified from the existing SMA cable assembly made from bare wire to create a high-speed cable assembly 3, reducing both the cost and difficulty of manufacturing the high-speed cable assembly 3. The standard cable assembly 4 has standard SMA connectors at both ends, and the middle cable portion 401 is 2x long. This portion is cut from the middle of the cable portion 401 to form two high-speed cable assemblies 3, each with a cable 302 of length x. The high-speed cable assembly 3 consists of a cable 302 of length x and a standard SMA connector.

[0085] Of course, in other embodiments, the middle portion of the standard cable assembly 4 may be cut off to obtain a cable end with a length greater than 0, thereby forming two high-speed cable assemblies 3 .

[0086] Furthermore, in step S30: after processing the two high-speed cable assemblies 3, and in step S3: before connecting the high-speed cable assembly 3 to the EVB 2, the process further includes:

[0087] The end of the high-speed cable assembly 3 away from the test connector 301 is stripped.

[0088] Specifically, if Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the cable 302 includes an outer sheath 3021 and several bare wires 3022 disposed within the outer sheath 3021. Through the wire stripping process, the bare wires 3022 are exposed at the end of the cable 302 away from the test connector 301, forming an exposed portion 3025, which can be inserted into the high-speed signal via 203 through the exposed portion 3025 for soldering. The stripped length of the outer sheath 3021 can be adaptively adjusted based on actual needs, specifically ensuring that the exposed portion 3025 is long enough to insert into the high-speed signal via 203. Furthermore, within the outer sheath 3021, the bare wires 3022 are respectively a signal line 3023 and a ground line 3024.

[0089] Specifically, all high-speed cable assemblies 3 can be uniformly stripped, preferably using an automated production line, such as a cable stripping machine, so that the stripping length and angle of the cable 302 can be accurately controlled to ensure that all high-speed cable assemblies 3 have the same length.

[0090] In a specific cable processing process, the standard cable assembly 4 can be positioned first. Specifically, multiple standard cable assemblies 4 can be arranged in parallel, and the position in the middle of the standard cable assembly 4 that needs to be cut is positioned. All the standard cable assemblies 4 arranged in parallel are uniformly cut and disconnected using a cutting device, so that all the standard cable assemblies 4 are simultaneously divided into two to form a high-speed cable assembly 3 to be stripped; then, the outer sheath 3021 of the high-speed cable assembly 3 away from the test connector 301 thereon is cut until the outer sheath 3021 and the bare wire 3022 are separated, and then the cutting device is separated from the cable, and the cut outer sheath 3021 is pushed off the bare wire 3022 to complete the stripping operation, forming a stripped high-speed cable assembly 3, and the stripped position on the high-speed cable assembly 3 forms an exposed portion 3025 to be connected to the corresponding high-speed signal via 203.

[0091] Specifically, during the stripping process, the two signal wires 3023 located within the outer sheath 3021 are wrapped in an isolation layer, while the two ground wires 3024 are located outside the isolation layer and within the outer sheath 3021. During the stripping process, the outer sheath 3021 can be cut and stripped first, followed by the isolation layer. In other words, the stripping process includes not only stripping the outer sheath 3021 but also the isolation layer. The cutting positions of both the outer sheath 3021 and the isolation layer can be adaptively set based on needs, such as the arrangement of the high-speed signal vias 203. For example, the cutting position of the outer sheath 3021 can be set closer to the test connector 301 on the high-speed cable assembly 3 than the cutting position of the isolation layer.

[0092] Afterwards, the exposed portion 3025 of the stripped end of the high-speed cable assembly 3 forms a signal pin and a ground pin respectively, and the signal pin and the ground pin are inserted into the corresponding high-speed signal via 203. In addition, the insertion lengths of the signal pin and the ground pin are set to be the same, so that Figure 6 As shown, the length of the portion of the high-speed cable assembly 3 suspended below the EVB 2 is also the same. After insertion, the signal pin and the ground pin are directly welded to the high-speed signal via 203 on the bottom surface 202 of the EVB 2 to complete the connection of the high-speed signal and the ground.

[0093] Furthermore, in step S3, after obtaining the EVB module, a de-embedding operation is also included, and the de-embedding operation specifically includes:

[0094] The EVB module is de-embedded using the AFR (Auto Fixture Removal) de-embedding method.

[0095] High-speed signals are routed out of the EVB 2 to facilitate testing. However, when processing test data, the effects of the signal routing components (e.g., vias and transmission lines) on the EVB 2 must be removed. This process is called de-embedding, or simply de-embedding. The accuracy of de-embedding directly impacts test accuracy. This typically requires rigorous and consistent design optimization of the EVB 2 routing and de-embedding links, a significant challenge.

[0096] In this embodiment, the use of a standard cable assembly 4 facilitates the de-embedding process. First, a VNA (Vector Network Analyzer) can be used to directly measure the S-parameters of the standard cable assembly 4. Then, the AFR de-embedding method can be used to directly obtain the S-parameters of the high-speed cable assembly 3. For details, refer to the PLTS (Production Line Tool Set) AFR operation method to implement the de-embedding operation of the EVB 2. The test connector 301 of the high-speed cable assembly 3 is directly connected to an oscilloscope for testing via a test cable.

[0097] In this embodiment, the S parameters of the high-speed cable assembly 3 can be directly obtained by using the standard cable assembly 4 and the AFR de-embedding method. After being embedded in an oscilloscope, the waveform at the pin of the chip 1 can be obtained. It has been verified that the linearity of the insertion loss in the obtained test results is very good, and the intersection point of the insertion loss and return loss is above 50 GHz. In other words, the de-embedding accuracy can reach 50 GHz, which can ensure the test accuracy of the chip 1.

[0098] By applying the processing method in this embodiment, the cost and signal integrity issues in the original design can be resolved. Specifically, there are no SMA connector layout issues on EVB 2. The test connector 301 is routed to the outside of EVB 2 via the high-speed cable assembly 3, significantly reducing the size of EVB 2 and lowering costs. Any number of high-speed signals can be routed from EVB 2, and the signals and number of signals routed can be modified later, offering design flexibility. The design method of soldering the high-speed lines to cable 302 eliminates the complex high-speed signal vias 203 and transmission line simulation design process, reducing the difficulty of EVB 2 design and development. High-speed signal vias 203 do not have stub issues, resulting in improved signal integrity. EVB 2 does not have a high-speed signal routing layer, and the stackup only considers low-speed routing and power supply layers, reducing the number of PCB layers 204 and lowering costs. The high-speed cable assembly 3 can be manufactured with high consistency, which is beneficial for improving de-embedding and testing accuracy. Because cable 302 is flexible and can be bent in all directions within a certain range, setting up a test environment is more convenient. The connection angle of the test connector 301 can be flexibly adjusted, making testing of the test connector 301 more flexible.

[0099] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed" to another element, it may be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. In addition, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality," "plurality," and "plurality of groups" mean two or more.

[0100] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used in this specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0101] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0102] The above is a detailed introduction to the EVB module and the EVB module processing method provided by the present invention. This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principles of the present invention, several improvements and modifications can be made to the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An EVB module, characterized in that: include: An EVB (2) having a high-speed signal via (203) provided thereon, wherein the high-speed signal via (203) extends from a top surface (201) to a bottom surface (202) of the EVB (2); A chip (1) is disposed above the EVB (2) and is welded to the top surface (201); A high-speed cable assembly (3) comprises a cable (302) and a test connector (301) provided at one end of the cable (302); the other end of the cable (302) extends upward through the bottom surface (202) and is welded to the high-speed signal via (203); The cable (302) comprises an outer sheath (3021) and a plurality of bare wires (3022) disposed in the outer sheath (3021), wherein the bare wires (3022) extend from one end of the outer sheath (3021) away from the test connector (301) to form an exposed portion (3025), wherein each exposed portion (3025) extends upward through the bottom surface (202) and is welded to each high-speed signal via (203) in a one-to-one correspondence; and the exposed portion (3025) partially extends into the high-speed signal via (203) in the length direction for welding; There are at least two high-speed cable assemblies (3), and the cables (302) of each high-speed cable assembly (3) are of the same length; the exposed portion (3025) is inserted into the corresponding high-speed signal via (203), and the insertion lengths of different exposed portions (3025) are set to be the same, and the lengths of the portions of the high-speed cable assembly (3) suspended below the EVB (2) are the same.

2. The EVB module according to claim 1, characterized in that The bare wire (3022) includes a signal wire (3023) and a ground wire (3024).

3. The EVB module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The test connector (301) is an SMA connector.

4. The EVB module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The EVB (2) comprises at least two layers of PCBs (204) stacked sequentially from top to bottom, and the high-speed signal vias (203) are simultaneously connected to each of the PCBs (204).

5. An EVB module processing method, used for processing the EVB module according to any one of claims 1 to 4; characterized in that: include: Processing a high-speed signal via (203) on the EVB (2), wherein the high-speed signal via (203) extends from the top surface (201) to the bottom surface (202) of the EVB (2); Welding a chip (1) on the top surface (201); A high-speed cable assembly (3) is connected to the EVB (2) to obtain an EVB module, wherein the high-speed cable assembly (3) includes a cable (302) and a test connector (301) provided at one end of the cable (302), and the other end of the cable (302) extends upward through the bottom surface (202) and is welded to the high-speed signal via (203).

6. The EVB module processing method according to claim 5, characterized in that: Before the high-speed cable assembly (3) is connected to the EVB (2), the method further comprises: Splitting the standard cable assembly (4) into two to produce two high-speed cable assemblies (3); The standard cable assembly (4) comprises a cable portion (401) and test connectors (301) respectively provided at both ends of the cable portion (401); and the step of dividing the standard cable assembly (4) into two comprises disconnecting the standard cable assembly (4) from a middle position in the length direction of the cable portion (401).

7. The EVB module processing method according to claim 6, characterized in that: After processing the two high-speed cable assemblies (3) and before connecting the high-speed cable assembly (3) to the EVB (2), the method further includes: The end of the high-speed cable assembly (3) away from the test connector (301) is stripped.

8. The EVB module processing method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: After obtaining the EVB module, the method further includes: The AFR de-embedding method is used to de-embed the EVB module.

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