Chip automatic test method, device and system

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic chip testing method, device and system, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor testing. The method comprises the following steps: controlling an IBI processing module to obtain a target IBI request sent by a to-be-tested chip; searching response data matched with the request type of the target IBI request in the IBI processing module based on a corresponding relationship between the IBI request stored in the IBI processing module and the response data to obtain target response data; the target response data is used for indicating the IBI processing module to execute at least one action; and based on the target response data, controlling the IBI processing module to execute a corresponding action to obtain an action execution result, so that the ATE test equipment determines whether the to-be-tested chip is normal or not according to the action execution result. The problem that the IBI request of the to-be-tested chip cannot be processed in time in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor testing technology, and more specifically, to an automatic chip testing method, apparatus, electronic device, storage medium, and computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) is a specialized testing equipment used by chip manufacturers or packaging and testing companies to test the functionality and performance of chips. To ensure that every chip leaving the factory meets the design specifications, ATE testing equipment needs to perform comprehensive functional tests on each chip. Because chips with higher functional complexity have more test items, the testing time for a single chip can be as long as tens of minutes. Furthermore, due to the large production volume, the performance and efficiency requirements for ATE testing equipment are even higher; a single ATE testing device often needs to test multiple chips simultaneously.

[0003] The chip under test may generate multiple IBI requests within the time of one frame of an image. Calculated at the fastest rate of 1 millisecond / frame, the chip under test may generate multiple IBI requests within 1 millisecond. The ATE test equipment needs to respond accordingly to each IBI request, which will undoubtedly consume a lot of processing time of the ATE test equipment's main processor. Moreover, when the main processor is under high load, it may not be able to respond to each IBI request in a timely manner.

[0004] As can be seen from the above, the problem of the IBI requests of the chip under test not being processed in a timely manner still needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides an automated chip testing method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium, which can solve the problem in related technologies that IBI requests from chips under test cannot be processed in a timely manner. The technical solutions are as follows: According to one aspect of this application, an automatic chip testing method is applied to an automatic chip testing system, the automatic chip testing system being connected to at least one chip under test, the system including an ATE test device, the ATE test device including at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module, the method comprising: controlling the IBI processing module to acquire a target IBI request sent by the chip under test; based on the correspondence between IBI requests and response data stored in the IBI processing module, searching in the IBI processing module for response data matching the request type of the target IBI request, to obtain target response data; the target response data being used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; and based on the target response data, controlling the IBI processing module to perform the corresponding action, obtaining an action execution result, so that the ATE test device determines whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution result.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, an automated chip testing apparatus is deployed in an automated chip testing system, the automated chip testing system being connected to at least one chip under test (DUT). The system includes an ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) device, the ATE device including at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module. The apparatus includes: a request reading module, configured to control the IBI processing module to acquire a target IBI request sent by the DUT; a data matching module, configured to search for response data matching the target IBI request in the IBI processing module based on the correspondence between IBI requests and response data stored in the IBI processing module, to obtain target response data; the target response data being used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; and an action execution module, configured to control the IBI processing module to perform a corresponding action based on the target response data, to obtain an action execution result, so that the ATE device determines whether the DUT is functioning correctly based on the action execution result.

[0007] According to one aspect of this application, an automated chip testing system is provided, the system being connected to at least one chip under test (DUT). The system includes an ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) device, the ATE device including at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module. Each DUT is configured to send a target IBI request to the IBI processing module of the ATE device. The ATE device controls the IBI processing module to acquire the target IBI request sent by the DUT. Based on the correspondence between IBI requests and response data stored in the IBI processing module, the system searches for response data matching the target IBI request in the IBI processing module to obtain target response data. The target response data instructs the IBI processing module to perform at least one action. Based on the target response data, the system controls the IBI processing module to perform the corresponding action to obtain an action execution result, so that the ATE device determines whether the DUT is functioning correctly based on the action execution result.

[0008] According to one aspect of this application, an electronic device includes at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the automatic chip testing method as described above.

[0009] According to one aspect of this application, a storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, implements the automatic chip testing method as described above.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, a computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the automated chip testing method described above.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application are: In the above technical solution, by setting up an independent IBI processing module in the ATE test equipment, the IBI processing module can quickly respond to the target IBI request sent by the chip under test. The IBI processing module completes the reception, matching, response data extraction and action execution of the target IBI request, avoiding the main processing module of the ATE test equipment from directly participating in the parsing and action triggering of each target IBI request. This effectively alleviates the processing pressure of the main processing module in high-frequency request scenarios, improves the processing efficiency of IBI requests, and thus effectively solves the problem that chip IBI requests cannot be processed in a timely manner in related technologies. Attached Figure Description

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an automatic chip testing system based on an automatic chip testing method according to this application; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A connection diagram of the chip under test and the IBI processing module involved in the corresponding embodiment; Figure 3 This is a hardware structure diagram of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an automated chip testing method according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The steps preceding step 330 in the corresponding embodiment are shown in a flowchart of one embodiment; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation of the configuration relationship between various types of IBI requests and corresponding actions in the corresponding embodiments; Figure 7 yes Figure 4 A flowchart of step 350 in one embodiment corresponds to the following example; Figure 8 yes Figure 4 The steps in the corresponding embodiment are shown in a flowchart of one embodiment; Figures 9 to 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation of an automated chip testing method in an application scenario; Figure 11 This is a structural block diagram of an automated chip testing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; Figure 12 This is a structural block diagram of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0015] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the term “comprising” as used in this disclosure means the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when we say an element is “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein can include wireless connections or wireless coupling. The term “and / or” as used herein includes all or any units and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0016] As mentioned earlier, the chip under test may generate multiple IBI requests within 1 millisecond. The ATE test equipment needs to respond accordingly to each IBI request, which will undoubtedly consume a lot of processing time of the ATE test equipment's main processor. Moreover, when the main processor is under high load, it may not be able to respond to each IBI request in a timely manner.

[0017] First, it should be noted that the I3C transmission protocol is a new type of bus protocol developed based on the I2C protocol. It significantly improves the transmission rate compared to I2C, which only has two transmission lines, and also adds support for features such as IBI (In-Band Interrupt).

[0018] For example, a CMOS (image sensor) chip is a chip that converts light signals into electrical signals. With the rapid popularization of smartphones worldwide, the production of image sensors, as an important component of smartphones, has been continuously increasing, and the performance of image sensors has been continuously improving. The communication protocol between image sensors and the main controller has also been gradually upgraded from the I2C protocol to the I3C protocol.

[0019] Currently, IBI requests can be handled through interrupt handling, with the main processor responding immediately when an interrupt occurs. However, in the scenario of automated chip testing, the frequency of IBI requests is too high, which will greatly consume the processing time of the main processor, resulting in a decrease in the overall testing efficiency of the ATE test equipment. Moreover, when the main processor is under high load, it may be unable to respond to each IBI request in a timely manner, and there is a possibility of IBI request loss.

[0020] In addition, IBI requests generated by the chip under test (DUT) may not receive an immediate response from the main processor. Instead, they may be cached by the I3C communication module and read by the main processor when it is idle. The drawback of this approach is that IBI requests cannot receive timely responses. There is a time lag between the time an IBI request is generated and the time the main processor responds. This time lag may render the host's response meaningless, thus affecting the test results.

[0021] As can be seen from the above, there is still a defect in the relevant technology that the IBI requests of the chip under test cannot be processed in a timely manner.

[0022] Therefore, the automatic chip testing method provided in this application can effectively improve the accuracy of automatic chip testing. Accordingly, the automatic chip testing method is applicable to an automatic chip testing device, which can be deployed in an electronic device, which may be an ATE testing device.

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an automated chip testing system involved in an automated chip testing method. The automated chip testing system is connected to at least one chip under test (DUT). The automated chip testing system includes an ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) device, which includes at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module. Specifically, each chip under test is used to send a target IBI request to the IBI processing module of the ATE test equipment; The ATE test equipment is used to control the IBI processing module to acquire the target IBI request sent by the chip under test; based on the correspondence between IBI requests and response data stored in the IBI processing module, it searches for response data that matches the target IBI request in the IBI processing module to obtain the target response data; the target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; based on the target response data, it controls the IBI processing module to perform the corresponding action and obtains the action execution result, so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution result.

[0025] In one application scenario, the ATE test equipment includes a main processing module; the IBI processing module includes a storage unit; wherein, the storage unit is used to store target response data, target IBI requests, and action execution results; the main processing module is used to read the target response data, target IBI requests, and action execution results in the storage unit to determine whether the chip under test is normal.

[0026] In one application scenario, each IBI processing module is connected to multiple chips under test, so that each IBI processing module can simultaneously perform automatic chip testing on multiple chips under test.

[0027] Figure 2 The diagram shows the connection relationship between the chip under test and the IBI processing module, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the main processing module of the ATE test equipment (the main processor in the figure) can contain multiple IBI processing modules (the I3C communication modules in the figure). The IBI processing modules can be on-chip peripherals of the main processing module or external chips. Each IBI processing module is connected to one or more chips under test (I3C slave devices in the figure) through the SCL line and SDA line. During automatic chip testing, each chip under test sends a target IBI request to the I3C communication module through the SCL line and SDA line.

[0028] In this application scenario, each IBI processing module can connect to multiple I3C slave devices (i.e., multiple chips under test) simultaneously, enabling concurrent testing of multiple chips under test and avoiding bus resource conflicts or communication bottlenecks caused by serial connections. Each IBI processing module can independently receive target IBI requests from the chip under test it is connected to, without interference between different buses. Even if multiple chips under test issue target IBI requests within a similar time window, they can be received and processed separately by their respective IBI processing modules, improving the system's concurrent processing capabilities.

[0029] In addition, each IBI processing module can perform local parsing, action matching and execution of target IBI requests under its own bus, avoiding the main processor from becoming a bottleneck, thereby realizing an efficient parallel testing process for multiple chips under test. By distributing the automatic chip test tasks to multiple IBI processing modules for concurrent operation, the automatic chip test system can handle the event responses of multiple chips under test at the same time, effectively reducing the centralized processing load of the main processor and improving the throughput and response stability of the overall test system.

[0030] It should be noted that, in application scenarios, ATE test equipment can identify the specific chip under test corresponding to each target IBI request based on the slave device identification information carried in the target IBI request, thereby achieving accurate response to target IBI requests for multiple chips under test.

[0031] Specifically, the I3C protocol supports the IBI mechanism and includes the slave device address or unique identifier that initiated the request in the target IBI request. When the chip under test (DUT) sends a target IBI request to the ATE test equipment through the connected IBI processing module, the IBI processing module can extract this identifier information and, in conjunction with the current connection structure, accurately identify which specific DUT the request originated from.

[0032] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a hardware structure diagram of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment. This electronic device is suitable for... Figure 1 The ATE test equipment in the implementation environment is shown.

[0033] It should be noted that this electronic device is merely an example adapted to this application and should not be construed as providing any limitation on the scope of use of this application. Furthermore, this electronic device should not be interpreted as requiring or depending on any specific feature. Figure 3 One or more components of the exemplary electronic device 200 shown.

[0034] The hardware structure of electronic device 200 can vary significantly due to differences in configuration or performance, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device 200 includes: a power supply 210, an interface 230, at least one memory 250, and at least one central processing unit (CPU) 270.

[0035] Specifically, power supply 210 is used to provide operating voltage for various hardware devices on electronic device 200.

[0036] Interface 230 includes at least one wired or wireless network interface 231 for interacting with external devices. For example, to perform... Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the interaction between the ATE test equipment and the chip under test in the implementation environment.

[0037] Of course, in other examples adapted in this application, interface 230 may further include at least one serial-to-parallel conversion interface 233, at least one input / output interface 235, and at least one USB interface 237, etc. Figure 3 As shown, this does not constitute a specific limitation.

[0038] The memory 250 serves as a carrier for resource storage and can be a read-only memory, random access memory, disk, or optical disk, etc. The resources stored on it include the operating system 251, application programs 253, and data 255, etc., and the storage method can be temporary storage or permanent storage.

[0039] The operating system 251 is used to manage and control the various hardware devices and application programs 253 on the electronic device 200, so as to enable the central processing unit 270 to perform calculations and processing on the massive data 255 in the memory 250. It can be Windows Server™, Mac OS X™, Unix™, Linux™, FreeBSD™, etc.

[0040] Application 253 is a computer program formed by computer-readable instructions based on operating system 251 to perform at least one specific task, and may include at least one module ( Figure 3 (Not shown), each module can contain corresponding computer-readable instructions. For example, the chip automatic testing device can be considered as an application program 253 deployed on electronic device 200.

[0041] Data 255 can be photos, pictures, etc. stored on a disk, or it can be a target IBI request, the correspondence between IBI request and response data, etc., stored in memory 250.

[0042] The central processing unit 270 may include one or more processors and is configured to communicate with the memory 250 via at least one communication bus to read computer programs stored in the memory 250, thereby performing calculations and processing on massive amounts of data 255 stored in the memory 250. For example, an automated chip testing method may be implemented by the central processing unit 270 reading an application program 253 stored in the memory 250.

[0043] Furthermore, this application can also be implemented through hardware circuits or a combination of hardware circuits and software. Therefore, the implementation of this application is not limited to any specific hardware circuit, software, or combination thereof.

[0044] Please see Figure 4 This application provides an automated chip testing method, applicable to automated chip testing systems. For example, the automated chip testing system can be... Figure 1 The chip automatic testing system shown is illustrated.

[0045] In the following method embodiments, for ease of description, the execution subject of each step of the method is ATE test equipment as an example, but this does not constitute a specific limitation.

[0046] like Figure 4 As shown, the method may include the following steps: Step 310: Control the IBI processing module to obtain the target IBI request sent by the chip under test.

[0047] First, it should be noted that the automated chip testing system is connected to at least one chip under test. The system includes an ATE test device, which includes at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the automated chip test system can establish an indirect connection with the chip under test (DUT) via probe cards, test sockets, or load boards, depending on the DUT's package type and testing requirements. For example, when the DUT is a packaged chip, an electrical connection can be established with its pins or contacts via a test socket or load board. During testing, the DUT can send IBI requests to the IBI request processing module in the ATE test equipment via the probe cards, test sockets, or load boards.

[0049] An IBI request (In-Band Interrupt) is a communication mechanism initiated by the chip under test (DUT) to notify the test equipment of its internal state or the occurrence of a specific event. Therefore, the target IBI request is the IBI request currently sent by the DUT.

[0050] The chip under test (DUT) refers to the chip undergoing automated testing. It can be a CMOS chip, a fingerprint chip, etc., without specific limitations. It should be noted that the DUT must support the I3C communication protocol.

[0051] The IBI processing module is a module capable of processing IBI requests. In this embodiment, the IBI processing module can be an I3C communication module, or a controller component that supports the I3C communication protocol. The IBI processing module can be used to establish an I3C bus communication connection with the chip under test (DUT), and can identify and parse the IBI requests issued by the DUT, further triggering the corresponding test response process.

[0052] In one possible implementation, the IBI processing module refers to the I3C communication module. The I3C communication module can be an on-chip peripheral of the main processing module of the ATE test equipment or an external chip. The main processing module communicates with the chip under test and other I3C slave devices through the I3C communication module.

[0053] It should be noted that the IBI processing module not only receives various types of IBI requests, but also supports the storage and management of the correspondence between each type of IBI request and its corresponding response data. Based on this, upon receiving a target IBI request, the IBI processing module can automatically retrieve and match the corresponding target response data to assist the ATE test equipment in determining the operating status of the chip under test or the results of automatic chip testing.

[0054] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 5 As shown, before step 310, the following steps may also be included: Step 410: Configure at least one corresponding action for each type of IBI request.

[0055] Specifically, the ATE test equipment can determine the test actions that should be triggered for each type of IBI request, such as data reading, status confirmation, and control signal transmission, based on the test protocol or chip specifications, and configure the corresponding relationship.

[0056] For example, a certain model of chip under test (DUT) might proactively send an IBI request of type "Image Acquisition Complete" to the ATE test equipment after completing internal image data acquisition. Correspondingly, upon receiving the IBI request, the ATE test equipment will trigger the "Read Image Data" action to obtain the image frame data in the DUT's cache and further perform image quality judgment or data comparison.

[0057] For example, when the chip under test detects an internal voltage anomaly, it may send an IBI request of type "power anomaly". After receiving the request, the ATE test equipment can trigger the actions of "reading the power status register" or "executing anomaly recording" in order to perform anomaly analysis or test interruption handling.

[0058] Therefore, by pre-configuring corresponding actions for each type of IBI request, the ATE test equipment can quickly and accurately respond to and execute the corresponding processing logic after receiving an IBI request from the chip under test.

[0059] Step 430: Based on the IBI requests of each type and their corresponding actions, establish the correspondence between the IBI requests and response data of each type and store it in the IBI processing module.

[0060] The response data may include control instructions, parameters, or configuration information to guide the IBI processing module in executing actions. By establishing and storing the correspondence between various types of IBI requests and response data, the corresponding response data can be quickly retrieved when processing target IBI requests subsequently, improving processing efficiency and accuracy.

[0061] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the configuration relationship between various types of IBI requests and their corresponding actions, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the IBI processing module stores multiple response data (e.g., IBI preset responses 1 to IBI preset responses n), each corresponding to a type of IBI request (e.g., IBI data a, b, c, x, etc.). For each type of IBI request, the ATE test equipment configures one or more actions to be executed (e.g., action 1, action 2, action 3, etc.) through the IBI processing module, which are used to quickly invoke and execute the corresponding test or control process when the IBI request of that type is received.

[0062] By establishing the correspondence between various types of IBI request and response data, the IBI processing module can immediately execute the actions in the response data when it receives an IBI request initiated by the chip under test. This effectively supports real-time monitoring and response to internal chip events, enhancing the system's ability to identify and handle abnormal states.

[0063] It should be noted that the response data can be pre-written into each IBI processing module by the main processing module of the ATE test equipment. The number of response data entries is unlimited, with the maximum number depending on the storage space of the IBI processing module. Each response data entry consists of an IBI request and a set of actions. Therefore, the number of response data entries and the depth of action configuration can be flexibly expanded according to storage capacity, making it suitable for automated chip testing scenarios of different scales and possessing broad applicability.

[0064] Under the above embodiments, by pre-configuring the correspondence between various types of IBI requests and execution actions in the IBI processing module, the response data enables the ATE test equipment to directly call the preset actions after receiving an IBI request without real-time parsing of the specific processing logic, which significantly improves the response speed and realizes the rapid identification and accurate response of the ATE test equipment to IBI requests.

[0065] In addition, the IBI processing module can also support local caching or recording of target IBI requests, response data and action execution results for subsequent status analysis and fault tracing.

[0066] Step 330: Based on the correspondence between IBI request and response data stored in the IBI processing module, search the IBI processing module for response data that matches the request type of the target IBI request to obtain the target response data.

[0067] Specifically, after receiving a target IBI request from the chip under test, the ATE test equipment calls the IBI processing module to identify the request type of the target IBI request and performs a matching search in the established correspondence between IBI request and response data in the IBI processing module. If response data corresponding to the target IBI request type is found, that response data is extracted as the target response data.

[0068] The target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action. Furthermore, the target response data includes control information to indicate the action to be performed, such as action type, action execution order, and parameter configuration. This target response data will serve as the basis for subsequent action execution, guiding the IBI processing module to perform at least one action in a preset logical order to complete the response processing of the target IBI request.

[0069] Through the above processing, the decoupling and automated process invocation between receiving the target IBI request and executing the corresponding action can be achieved, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of test response.

[0070] Step 350: Based on the target response data, control the IBI processing module to execute the corresponding action and obtain the action execution result, so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution result.

[0071] Specifically, after acquiring the target response data, the ATE test equipment controls the IBI processing module to execute one or more predefined actions sequentially or in parallel, based on the action instructions contained in the target response data.

[0072] For example, the actions performed by the IBI processing module may include reading the chip's internal status register, acquiring image frame buffer data, performing power status checks, sending reset instructions or control commands to the chip, etc., without being specifically limited here.

[0073] After completing the above actions, the IBI processing module can generate the corresponding action execution result, which may be the read data value, the success / failure status of the operation, or other forms of feedback information.

[0074] Furthermore, the ATE test equipment can analyze and determine whether the functional status of the chip under test is normal based on the obtained action execution results and in combination with preset judgment rules, thereby completing the response and diagnosis process of an IBI event.

[0075] For example, for a certain model of image sensor chip, after it reports an "image acquisition complete" event via IBI request, the IBI processing module executes the corresponding "read image frame data" action and returns the read image data as the result of the action to the ATE test equipment. The ATE test equipment can then analyze the image data based on parameters such as pixel integrity, frame length matching, and abnormal code bits. If the image content is normal and there are no abnormal flag bits, the chip is deemed to be functioning normally; otherwise, the chip's acquisition module is deemed to have a defect.

[0076] For example, when the chip under test automatically detects a power supply abnormality and issues a "voltage abnormality" prompt via IBI, the IBI processing module will execute the "read voltage status register" action. If the result of this action shows that the supply voltage is lower than the safety threshold, the ATE test equipment can determine that the chip has a power supply instability problem and record relevant information for test report generation or anomaly statistics.

[0077] By combining the results of action execution with preset judgment rules (such as threshold judgment, data range verification, feature matching, etc.), ATE test equipment can realize automated judgment of chip status and problem location, thereby improving the intelligence level of the testing process and the timeliness of problem discovery.

[0078] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, step 350 may also include the following steps: Step 351: Store the action execution result, target response data, and target IBI request in the IBI processing module.

[0079] Specifically, after the ATE test equipment completes the action corresponding to the target IBI request, it stores the relevant data in the local storage unit of the IBI processing module for subsequent analysis, query or traceability.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the stored content may include the type and identifier of the target IBI request, the action sequence of the response data, the action execution result, etc.

[0081] Step 353: Read the action execution result, target response data and target IBI request, and determine whether the chip under test is normal.

[0082] In one possible implementation, step 353 may also include the following steps: when the ATE test equipment is idle, or when a set reading time has been reached, reading test data, target response data, and target IBI request, and determining whether the chip under test is normal.

[0083] Specifically, when the ATE test equipment is idle, for example when the test task queue is not yet scheduled, data reading and status judgment operations are automatically triggered to make full use of the idle period for background analysis.

[0084] The set read time refers to the time pre-configured by the ATE test equipment to trigger the read storage action execution result, target response data, and target IBI request in order to determine whether the chip under test is normal.

[0085] It is understandable that when the ATE test equipment reaches the set reading time, the corresponding data reading and analysis operations can be triggered.

[0086] Regarding the setting of the read time, a fixed time interval can be set, such as triggering a data read operation every 500ms or 1 second; it can also be based on the task scheduling time point, such as triggering the read operation after a specific delay time after each round of automatic chip testing tasks is completed; or it can be a custom setting, where the user or the system dynamically sets the read time during initialization or operation to meet specific testing strategies or resource scheduling requirements.

[0087] In conjunction with the above embodiments, by storing the action execution results, target response data, and target IBI requests, and then reading and analyzing them when the ATE test equipment is idle or when the set reading time is reached, the decoupling of action execution and result judgment is achieved.

[0088] It is understandable that all actions related to the target IBI request are executed immediately upon receiving the target response data, without waiting for judgment or analysis results, thereby ensuring the real-time nature of the action response and avoiding delays in critical operations due to waiting for judgment.

[0089] By delaying data analysis and status judgment to the idle stage of the equipment or at a preset time, the background processing can be effectively completed during the non-busy period of the system, reducing main control task conflicts and performance bottlenecks.

[0090] In addition, by setting flexible configurations for reading time (such as fixed intervals, task delays, custom strategies, etc.), the processing rhythm can be dynamically adjusted according to the automatic testing strategies of different chips, thereby improving adaptability.

[0091] Through the above process, by setting up an independent IBI processing module in the ATE test equipment, the IBI processing module can quickly respond to the target IBI request sent by the chip under test. The IBI processing module completes the reception, matching, response data extraction and action execution of the target IBI request, avoiding the main processing module of the ATE test equipment from directly participating in the parsing and action triggering of each target IBI request. This effectively alleviates the processing pressure of the main processing module in high-frequency request scenarios and improves the processing efficiency of IBI requests.

[0092] Please see Figure 8 In one exemplary embodiment, after step 370, the method may further include the following steps: Step 510: If no response data matching the current target IBI request can be found in the IBI processing module, then the current target IBI request is stored.

[0093] Specifically, when the IBI processing module receives a target IBI request, it attempts to match it in its internally stored IBI request and response data correspondence table. However, if no match is found in its internally preset IBI request and response data correspondence table, the system can cache or record the target IBI request for subsequent manual analysis, dynamic update of response configuration, or archive as an abnormal event.

[0094] Step 530: If the action execution result indicates that the action execution of the IBI processing module has failed, then store the target IBI request, the target response data corresponding to the target IBI request, and the action execution result.

[0095] It is understandable that although the target IBI request successfully matches the response data and triggers the action, various reasons during the execution process (such as communication abnormalities, chip status abnormalities, read timeouts, etc.) cause the action execution result to indicate that the IBI processing module's action execution has failed.

[0096] In one possible implementation, step 530 includes: if the IBI processing module cannot read the operation of the chip under test, then the action of the IBI processing module fails to execute.

[0097] Action execution failure may include, but is not limited to, the following situations: if the IBI processing module encounters a communication abnormality or no data is returned during the process of attempting to read the status register, image data, control response, etc. of the chip under test, it is considered as action execution failure.

[0098] Step 550: Exit the preprocessing flow for the current target IBI request and process the next target IBI request.

[0099] The preprocessing process refers to a series of operations performed by the IBI processing module after the ATE test equipment receives the target IBI request from the chip under test, but before formal status judgment or result reporting. The purpose of the preprocessing process is to ensure that the chip processing system can respond to the IBI request in a timely, standardized, and controllable manner.

[0100] In one possible implementation, the preprocessing process includes receiving and parsing the target IBI request sent by the chip under test, matching the corresponding target response data based on the target IBI request, and executing the actions indicated by the target response data.

[0101] It is understandable that when the above-mentioned abnormal situation occurs (step 510 or step 530), the system will no longer continue to process the current IBI request, but will interrupt the current preprocessing process and proceed to the next target IBI request to be processed. This can prevent abnormal requests from blocking subsequent processes and enhance the system's concurrent processing capability and fault tolerance capability.

[0102] Additionally, the IBI processing module can also be configured with an IBI request buffer queue, which is used to receive multiple IBI requests from the chip under test in a short period of time, and to parse, respond to data matching and execute actions in the order of receipt.

[0103] Under the above embodiments, the chip automatic testing system can perform action matching and execution of each target IBI request issued by the chip under test in the IBI processing module. The main processor does not need to intervene one by one, which significantly reduces the response latency. If an IBI request or action fails during execution that is not configured in the corresponding relationship, it can be recorded in real time to avoid losing potential important triggering events and provide a basis for subsequent configuration updates or problem localization.

[0104] In addition, the preprocessing termination mechanism ensures that any abnormal IBI request will not cause the process to stall. The system can automatically skip the current request and continue to process the next one, ensuring concurrent processing capabilities and process continuity.

[0105] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation of an automated chip testing method in an application scenario. Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the specific implementation of this application scenario.

[0106] First, it should be noted that the chip under test in the figure can be a CMOS chip, and the I3C communication module in the figure refers to the IBI processing module.

[0107] Now combined Figure 9 and Figure 10 This application scenario will be explained as follows: When a CMOS chip enters a specific state during operation (such as image acquisition completion, voltage abnormality, etc.), it will actively initiate a target IBI request and send it to the I3C communication module via the I3C bus.

[0108] After receiving an IBI request, the I3C communication module will search its internal "IBI Request and Response Data Correspondence" to see if there is target response data corresponding to the IBI data.

[0109] If a match is found, the system will extract multiple action instructions (such as action 1 to action m) corresponding to the target IBI request from the target response data.

[0110] If no matching response is found, the target IBI request is recorded for subsequent exception handling.

[0111] Then, the I3C communication module executes relevant operations (such as reading chip status, image data, control commands, etc.) sequentially or in parallel according to the preset action sequence, and writes the results to the local memory.

[0112] It should be noted that if the I3C communication module encounters an error or fails to correctly obtain the required data while performing a preset action during the action execution process, the action execution is considered a failure. In this case, the system will terminate the execution flow of the current IBI request action sequence and record the relevant failure information.

[0113] When the main processor of the ATE test equipment is in a set read time or idle state, it can access the IBI request, target response data and action execution results recorded in the memory, and use this information to complete status judgment, test result generation or problem recording.

[0114] In this application scenario, it is applicable to testing scenarios where the chip under test (such as a CMOS chip) frequently initiates IBI requests under high-speed acquisition. Through the matching and execution capabilities embedded in the I3C communication module, it realizes front-end diversion and preprocessing of IBI requests, supports parallel action execution and local storage buffering, does not rely on real-time intervention of the main processor, provides an abnormal path and log retention mechanism, enhances system stability and traceability, and, together with the main processor's timed / idle state reading mechanism, effectively alleviates the main control load, improves system throughput, and effectively adapts to the high-frequency processing requirements of the chip under test issuing multiple IBI requests within 1ms.

[0115] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the accompanying figures may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0116] The following are embodiments of the apparatus described in this application, which can be used to execute the automatic chip testing method involved in this application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiments of this application, please refer to the method embodiments of the automatic chip testing method involved in this application.

[0117] Please see Figure 11 This application provides an automatic chip testing device 900, which is deployed in an automatic chip testing system. The automatic chip testing system is connected to at least one chip under test. The system includes an ATE test device, which includes at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module. The device includes, but is not limited to, a request reading module 910, a data matching module 930, and an action execution module 950.

[0118] The request reading module 910 is used to control the IBI processing module to obtain the target IBI request sent by the chip under test. The data matching module 930 is used to search for response data that matches the target IBI request in the IBI processing module based on the correspondence between IBI request and response data stored in the IBI processing module, and obtain target response data; the target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; The action execution module 950 is used to control the IBI processing module to execute corresponding actions based on the target response data, and obtain action execution results so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution results.

[0119] It should be noted that the automatic chip testing device provided in the above embodiments is only illustrated by the division of the above functional modules when performing automatic chip testing. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed. That is, the internal structure of the automatic chip testing device will be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0120] Furthermore, the embodiments of the automatic chip testing device and the automatic chip testing method provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept, and the specific way in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0121] Please see Figure 12 This application provides an electronic device 4000, which may include an ATE test device.

[0122] exist Figure 12 In this context, the electronic device 4000 includes at least one processor 4001 and at least one memory 4003.

[0123] Data interaction between the processor 4001 and the memory 4003 can be achieved through at least one communication bus 4002. This communication bus 4002 may include a path for transmitting data between the processor 4001 and the memory 4003. The communication bus 4002 can be a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, etc. The communication bus 4002 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used to represent it in the figure, but this does not indicate that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0124] Optionally, the electronic device 4000 may further include a transceiver 4004, which can be used for data interaction between the electronic device and other electronic devices, such as sending and / or receiving data. It should be noted that in practical applications, the transceiver 4004 is not limited to one type, and the structure of the electronic device 4000 does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application.

[0125] Processor 4001 may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a general-purpose processor, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. Processor 4001 may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as including one or more microprocessor combinations, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc.

[0126] The memory 4003 may be a ROM (Read Only Memory) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, RAM (Random Access Memory) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing computer programs having instruction or data structure forms and accessible by electronic device 400, but not limited to these.

[0127] The memory 4003 stores a computer program, and the processor 4001 can read the computer program stored in the memory 4003 through the communication bus 4002.

[0128] The computer program is executed by one or more processors 4001 to implement the automatic chip testing methods in the above embodiments.

[0129] Furthermore, this application provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which is executed by one or more processors to implement the automatic chip testing method described above.

[0130] This application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that is executed by one or more processors to implement the chip automatic testing method described above.

[0131] Compared with related technologies, this solution sets up an independent IBI processing module in the ATE test equipment. The IBI processing module can quickly respond to the target IBI requests sent by the chip under test. The IBI processing module completes the reception, matching, response data extraction and action execution of the target IBI requests. This avoids the main processing module of the ATE test equipment directly participating in the parsing and action triggering of each target IBI request, effectively alleviating the processing pressure of the main processing module in high-frequency request scenarios and improving the processing efficiency of IBI requests.

[0132] The above description is only a partial embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An automated chip testing method, characterized in that, An automated chip testing system is applied, the automated chip testing system being connected to at least one chip under test, the system including an ATE test device, the ATE test device including at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module, the method comprising: The IBI processing module is controlled to acquire the target IBI request sent by the chip under test. Based on the correspondence between IBI request and response data stored in the IBI processing module, the IBI processing module searches for response data that matches the request type of the target IBI request to obtain target response data; the target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action. Based on the target response data, the IBI processing module is controlled to perform corresponding actions to obtain action execution results, so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution results.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After controlling the IBI processing module to execute the corresponding action based on the target response data and obtaining the action execution result, the method further includes: The action execution result, the target response data, and the target IBI request are stored in the IBI processing module; Read the action execution result, the target response data, and the target IBI request, and determine whether the chip under test is normal.

3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of reading the action execution result, the target response data, and the target IBI request, and determining whether the chip under test is normal, includes: When the ATE test equipment is idle, or when the set reading time is reached, the test data, the target response data, and the target IBI request are read, and it is determined whether the chip under test is normal.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Before obtaining the target response data by searching for response data matching the request type of the target IBI request in the IBI processing module based on the correspondence between IBI request and response data stored in the IBI processing module, the method further includes: Configure at least one corresponding action for each type of IBI request; Based on the IBI requests of each type and their corresponding actions, a correspondence between the IBI requests and response data of each type is established and stored in the IBI processing module.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: If no response data matching the request type of the current target IBI request can be found in the IBI processing module, the current target IBI request is stored; or, if the action execution result indicates that the action execution of the IBI processing module has failed, the target IBI request, the target response data corresponding to the target IBI request, and the action execution result are stored. Exit the preprocessing flow for the current target IBI request and proceed to process the next target IBI request.

6. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, If the action execution result indicates that the action execution of the IBI processing module has failed, it includes: If the IBI processing module cannot read the operation of the chip under test, the action of the IBI processing module will fail.

7. An automatic chip testing device, characterized in that, Deployed in a chip automated test system, the chip automated test system is connected to at least one chip under test, the system includes an ATE test device, the ATE test device includes at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module, the device includes: The request reading module is used to control the IBI processing module to obtain the target IBI request sent by the chip under test; The data matching module is used to search for response data that matches the target IBI request in the IBI processing module based on the correspondence between IBI request and response data stored in the IBI processing module, and obtain target response data; the target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; The action execution module is used to control the IBI processing module to execute corresponding actions based on the target response data, and obtain action execution results so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution results.

8. An automated chip testing system, characterized in that, The system is connected to at least one chip under test (DUT), and the system includes an ATE test device, which includes at least one in-band interrupt (IBI) request processing module; wherein... Each of the chips under test is used to send a target IBI request to the IBI processing module of the ATE test equipment; The ATE test equipment is configured to control the IBI processing module to acquire the target IBI request sent by the chip under test; based on the correspondence between IBI requests and response data stored in the IBI processing module, search the IBI processing module for response data matching the target IBI request to obtain target response data; the target response data is used to instruct the IBI processing module to perform at least one action; based on the target response data, control the IBI processing module to perform the corresponding action to obtain the action execution result, so that the ATE test equipment can determine whether the chip under test is normal based on the action execution result.

9. The system as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Each of the IBI processing modules is connected to multiple chips under test, so as to perform automatic chip testing on multiple chips under test simultaneously using each of the IBI processing modules.

10. The system as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The ATE testing equipment includes a main processing module; the IBI processing module includes a storage unit. The storage unit is used to store the target response data, the target IBI request, and the action execution result; The main processing module is used to read the target response data, the target IBI request, and the action execution result in the storage unit to determine whether the chip under test is normal.

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