A motherboard debugging module

Abstract

This invention aims to provide a highly integrated motherboard debugging module that supports non-invasive measurement and enables simultaneous temperature control and electrical debugging. The invention includes a carrier heating component and a signal adapter board. The carrier heating component includes an insulating carrier plate and several thermoelectric coolers. The insulating carrier plate has a product limiting groove that mates with the motherboard under test. The hot ends of the thermoelectric coolers mate with the product limiting groove. A ribbon cable connection component that connects to the motherboard under test is also provided around the product limiting groove. The signal adapter board is electrically connected to the motherboard under test via test probes. This invention applies to the technical field of motherboard debugging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of motherboard debugging, and in particular to a motherboard debugging module. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid iteration of consumer electronics products, the motherboard, as a core component, plays a crucial role in the manufacturing process, particularly in testing and debugging. From PCB (Printed Circuit Board) fabrication and component soldering to complete system assembly, the motherboard undergoes rigorous functional testing to ensure yield. Current industry demands that testing equipment possess high integration, efficiency, and low cost to meet the needs of short product cycles and large-scale production. In actual testing, motherboard fault analysis involves power supply, communication, signal measurement, and environmental simulation, with environmental simulation primarily focusing on temperature rise simulation. Traditional testing methods rely on scattered external devices, such as power cords, communication cables, peripheral modules for motherboard expansion, displays, and USB peripherals. These methods are no longer sufficient to meet the accuracy and timeliness requirements of modern testing. Furthermore, the numerous and varied external cables connecting to the motherboard can easily cause signal interference, affecting test signal parameters. Additionally, because the motherboard is not yet assembled into a complete system without a casing, the connection reliability between cables and the motherboard is low, making it prone to accidental disconnection during measurement. Abnormal contact between device pins and motherboard connectors can also cause secondary damage to the motherboard's electronic circuitry. For simulated heating environments, existing constant temperature chambers require the product to be placed independently inside, which limits external wiring and makes it impossible to perform heating and debugging simultaneously, hindering troubleshooting. Heating platforms or heating plates, on the other hand, only heat one side, requiring a long time to heat the entire mainboard and resulting in uneven heating.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need to provide a highly integrated motherboard debugging module solution that supports non-invasive measurement and enables simultaneous temperature control and electrical debugging to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a highly integrated motherboard debugging module that supports non-invasive measurement and can realize simultaneous debugging of temperature control and electrical debugging.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: This invention includes a load-bearing heating component and a signal adapter board. The load-bearing heating component includes an insulating load-bearing plate and several thermoelectric coolers. The insulating load-bearing plate is provided with a product limiting groove that cooperates with the motherboard under test. The hot ends of the several thermoelectric coolers cooperate with the product limiting groove. A ribbon cable connection component that cooperates with and connects to the motherboard under test is also provided on the periphery of the product limiting groove. The signal adapter board is electrically connected to the motherboard under test through test probes.

[0006] As can be seen from the above scheme, the insulating support plate secures the motherboard under test, ensuring that it is not subject to electrostatic interference during debugging. Simultaneously, the ribbon cable connection assembly on the insulating support plate allows for the connection and extension of connectors on the motherboard under test via adapter cables, facilitating cable plugging and unplugging while protecting the components on the motherboard under test. By setting up the signal adapter plate and establishing conductivity through the test probes, the test probes contact the signal pads of the motherboard under test to extract signals, ensuring signal integrity while avoiding the introduction of parasitic parameters and preventing damage to the motherboard under test from soldered wires. Signal extraction through the signal adapter plate allows for signal preprocessing and expansion of external instruments and equipment, enabling more comprehensive testing of the motherboard under test. Furthermore, the thermoelectric cooler on the insulating support plate simulates the temperature environment, enabling real-time debugging in a heated environment.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the product limiting groove is further provided with several mounting slots, and a heat-conducting copper block is provided in the mounting slot. The thermoelectric cooler is located on the side of the heat-conducting copper block away from the motherboard under test. Several temperature sensors are provided on both the heat-conducting copper block and the product limiting groove. The thermoelectric cooler and several temperature sensors communicate with an external host computer through a temperature control board.

[0008] A further preferred embodiment is that each of the heat-conducting copper blocks is provided with two thermoelectric coolers, and a plurality of temperature sensors are distributed around the mounting groove and between the two thermoelectric coolers.

[0009] A preferred embodiment is that the ribbon cable connection assembly includes several flexible ribbon cables, which are connected to peripheral interfaces on the motherboard under test.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the signal adapter board is provided with a voltage divider module and a signal test loop. The voltage divider module and the signal test loop are connected to the motherboard under test through the test probe and feed the signal back to the external test instrument.

[0011] A further preferred embodiment is that a buffer is provided between the test probe and the signal test loop.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the signal adapter board is further provided with a data adapter module, which is connected to the motherboard under test through the test probe and feeds the data back to an external host computer.

[0013] A further preferred embodiment is that the data conversion module includes a bus transceiver, a USB to Type-C interface, a USB to UART interface, and an RF connector. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a system block diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the surface on which the heating component is placed; Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the bottom surface of the load-bearing heating component; Figure 4 This is the circuit schematic of the voltage divider module; Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of the part connected to the signal test ring; Figure 6 This is the circuit schematic of the bus transceiver; Figure 7 This is the circuit schematic of the USB to Type-C interface; Figure 8 This is the circuit schematic of the USB to UART interface; Figure 9 This is the circuit schematic of the RF connector; Figure 10 This is the circuit diagram of the button and DIP switch; Figure 11 This is the circuit schematic of the LED indicator module. Detailed Implementation

[0015] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the present invention includes a load-bearing heating component and a signal adapter board 1. The load-bearing heating component includes an insulating load-bearing plate 2 and several thermoelectric coolers 3. The insulating load-bearing plate 2 is provided with a product limiting groove that cooperates with the motherboard under test. The hot ends of the several thermoelectric coolers 3 cooperate with the product limiting groove. A ribbon cable connection component 4 that cooperates with and connects to the motherboard under test is also provided on the periphery of the product limiting groove. The signal adapter board 1 is electrically connected to the motherboard under test through a test probe.

[0016] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the product limiting groove is further provided with several mounting slots, and a thermally conductive copper block 5 is provided in each mounting slot. The thermoelectric cooler 3 is connected to the side of the thermally conductive copper block 5 away from the motherboard under test via thermally conductive silicone grease. Several temperature sensors 6 are provided on both the thermally conductive copper block 5 and the product limiting groove. The thermoelectric cooler 3 and the several temperature sensors 6 communicate with an external host computer through a temperature control board. Each thermally conductive copper block 5 is provided with two thermoelectric coolers 3, and the several temperature sensors 6 are distributed around the periphery of the mounting slot and between the two thermoelectric coolers 3. By setting the thermally conductive copper block 5, the heat generated by the hot end of the thermoelectric cooler 3 is evenly diffused to the entire product limiting groove, covering the entire motherboard area. At the same time, by using the thermoelectric cooler as a heating source, rapid heating is achieved while ensuring uniform heating. By setting several temperature sensors 6 to collect temperature data, precise control of the ambient temperature is achieved, ensuring the simulation accuracy of the test environment. Several temperature sensors 6 are distributed around the periphery of the mounting slot to achieve real-time monitoring of the motherboard's temperature rise. Temperature sensors 6 are positioned between the two thermoelectric coolers 3 to obtain the heating source temperature, i.e., the system's highest temperature, for over-temperature warning. The main temperature control board performs independent processing of heating power and temperature acquisition, avoiding interference with signal conversion and enabling parallel heating and debugging measurements.

[0017] In this embodiment, the ribbon cable connection assembly 4 includes several flexible ribbon cables, which are connected to peripheral interfaces on the motherboard under test. The peripheral interfaces on the motherboard under test include a USB debugging port and a power supply port. By using flexible ribbon cables to bring the interfaces out, an overall modular design is achieved, reducing external cables and lowering the risk of secondary damage.

[0018] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the signal adapter board 1 is equipped with a voltage divider module and a signal test ring. The voltage divider module and the signal test ring are connected to the motherboard under test (MDT) via the test probes and feed the signal back to the external testing instrument. The voltage divider module is used to connect to the terminal block to bring out the operating voltage on the MDT, forming a voltage divider circuit with two voltage divider resistors to reduce excessively high voltage signals for easier debugging and measurement. An operational amplifier is also provided to form a follower circuit to isolate the MDT signal from the voltage divider resistors, preventing the voltage divider circuit from affecting the MDT's operation. The dual-row pins J81 and J82 of the voltage divider module are used to connect wires to the instrument for signal measurement. A buffer, model SN74AUC34, is provided between the test probes and the signal test ring. The communication signals of the MDT are connected to the pins and test ring via the buffer, isolating the downstream test wires from affecting the product's signal communication quality and ensuring measurement accuracy. The test ring facilitates connection to an oscilloscope to acquire signal waveforms and analyze parameters.

[0019] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, in this embodiment, the signal adapter board 1 is also equipped with a data adapter module. The data adapter module is connected to the motherboard under test via the test probe and feeds the data back to an external host computer. The data adapter module includes a bus transceiver, a USB to Type-C interface, a USB to UART interface, and an RF connector. The bus transceiver is an RS422 or RS485 serial bus transceiver, used for debugging differential-to-single-ended signals. The USB to Type-C interface is used for testing the USB 2.0 signal of the motherboard under test. The USB to UART interface is connected to a four-channel USB to serial bridge chip (model FT4232H), used to connect the UART signal of the motherboard under test to the host computer's USB port for debugging. The RF signal of the motherboard under test is also isolated from the motherboard signal terminal by a buffer and connected via the RF connector. When acquiring the signal waveform, an oscilloscope is connected via the corresponding RF cable.

[0020] like Figure 10 As shown, in this embodiment, the signal adapter board 1 is also equipped with a button and a DIP switch, which can pull the signal high or low according to debugging needs. The button connects the signal when pressed and disconnects when released. The DIP switch is locked by tossing and will not reset after being tossed.

[0021] like Figure 11 As shown in this embodiment, the signal adapter board 1 is also equipped with an LED indicator module, which uses a comparator to process specific signals with low levels that are insufficient to drive the MOSFET. Different colored LEDs are used to represent different types of motherboard signals, allowing for a visual observation of signal changes during debugging.

[0022] Working principle of the invention: The motherboard under test is manually placed on the insulating support plate 2. The signal adapter board 1 is then pressed and fixed between the motherboard under test and the insulating support plate 2 from top to bottom to ensure stable contact of the test probes. After connecting and fixing the motherboard under test connector through the ribbon cable connection assembly 4, the motherboard under test is powered through the power adapter, and then communication is established with the motherboard under test to set it into debug mode.

[0023] The temperature control board communicates with a host computer via a USB data cable, allowing the host computer to send commands to set the target heating temperature. During the heating process, various debugging interfaces on the signal adapter board 1 simultaneously perform signal measurement, command transmission, and status observation. Once the temperature stabilizes, a long-term constant-temperature pressure test or fault reproduction is conducted. After the test is completed, the power supply to the motherboard under test is disconnected, and the host computer controls the temperature control board to stop the thermoelectric cooler 3 from heating. When the temperature returns to room temperature, the signal adapter board 1 is removed, and the motherboard under test is then taken out of the product limiting slot.

[0024] Although the embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to actual solutions, they do not constitute a limitation on the meaning of the present invention. Modifications to the embodiments and combinations with other solutions based on this specification will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A motherboard debugging module, characterized in that: It includes a load-bearing heating component and a signal adapter board (1). The load-bearing heating component includes an insulating load-bearing plate (2) and several thermoelectric coolers (3). The insulating load-bearing plate (2) is provided with a product limiting groove that cooperates with the motherboard under test. The hot ends of several thermoelectric coolers (3) cooperate with the product limiting groove. The periphery of the product limiting groove is also provided with a ribbon cable connection component (4) that cooperates with the motherboard under test. The signal adapter board (1) is connected to the motherboard under test through a test probe.

2. The motherboard debugging module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The product limiting groove is also provided with several mounting grooves, and a heat-conducting copper block (5) is provided in the mounting groove. The thermoelectric cooler (3) is located on the side of the heat-conducting copper block (5) away from the main board to be tested. Several temperature sensors (6) are provided on the heat-conducting copper block (5) and the product limiting groove. The thermoelectric cooler (3) and several temperature sensors (6) communicate with an external host computer through the temperature main control board.

3. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 2, characterized in that: Two thermoelectric coolers (3) are provided on each of the thermally conductive copper blocks (5), and a number of temperature sensors (6) are distributed around the mounting groove and between the two thermoelectric coolers (3).

4. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ribbon cable connection component (4) includes several flexible ribbon cables, which are connected to the peripheral interfaces on the motherboard under test.

5. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal adapter board (1) is provided with a voltage divider module and a signal test ring. The voltage divider module and the signal test ring are connected to the motherboard under test through the test probe and the signal is fed back to the external test instrument.

6. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 5, characterized in that: A buffer is provided between the test probe and the signal test loop.

7. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal adapter board (1) is also provided with a data adapter module. The data adapter module is connected to the motherboard under test through the test probe and feeds the data back to the external host computer.

8. A motherboard debugging module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The data conversion module includes a bus transceiver, a USB to Type-C interface, a USB to UART interface, and an RF connector.

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