Powered temperature cycling test method, system and apparatus for electronic device

Abstract

A powered temperature cycling test method, system and apparatus for an electronic device (102), which belong to the technical field of semiconductors. The powered temperature cycling test method for the electronic device (102) comprises: after a temperature cycling test starting instruction is received, sending different control instructions to the electronic device (102), so as to control the electronic device (102) to switch between different operating states. Since the electronic device (102) can achieve self-heating and self-cooling during the switching between different operating states, the electronic device may be caused to expose defects thereof. Therefore, a test can be performed without using a temperature cycling chamber, so that a space occupied by the test is reduced, and it is also no longer necessary to build a test environment in the temperature cycling chamber; moreover, the test is performed by means of the self-heating and self-cooling of the electronic device (102), so that a holding time for the electronic device (102) to fully reach a test temperature is no longer required, thereby reducing the power consumption of the test. In summary, the powered temperature cycling test method for the electronic device (102) reduces the difficulty and cost of the test, and improves the efficiency of the test.

Description

Methods, systems and apparatus for conducting charged temperature cycling tests on electronic devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410971437.3, filed on July 18, 2024, entitled “Method, System and Apparatus for Electric Temperature Cycling Test of Electronic Devices”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a method, system, and apparatus for conducting charged temperature cycling tests on electronic devices. Background Technology

[0003] Electronic devices typically connect the circuit pins on the chip to external circuits through packaging materials. Due to differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between materials and variations in weather temperature or workload, cracks and delamination can easily occur between the contacting materials. Alternatively, the inherent mechanical strength of the materials themselves can lead to chip cracking or packaging material cracking. These problems can cause electronic devices to fail. Therefore, temperature cycling tests are necessary to screen out electronic devices that are prone to failure.

[0004] In related technologies, temperature cycling tests of electronic devices are conducted using a temperature cycling chamber (also known as a temperature cyclic chamber) with electrical temperature cycling. The single board or complete machine with the electronic device installed is placed in the temperature cycling chamber and run. The temperature of the temperature cycling chamber alternates between high and low temperatures, causing the temperature of the single board or complete machine to alternate between a set high temperature or low temperature. After each time the single board or complete machine reaches the set high temperature or low temperature, it needs to be held at that temperature for a period of time. This period of time is called the holding time, which is longer than the thermal equilibrium time of the single board or complete machine.

[0005] However, the above methods are very complex and costly to build a charged temperature cycling environment at the device level. Therefore, charged temperature cycling needs to be performed at the board level or the whole machine level. The temperature cycling chamber required for charged temperature cycling tests at the board level or the whole machine level is large in size and consumes a lot of power, resulting in high cost of temperature cycling tests. In addition, the thermal equilibrium time of a single board or the whole machine in the temperature cycling chamber is long, which leads to long temperature cycling test time and low test efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a method, system, and apparatus for conducting charged temperature cycling tests on electronic devices, which can reduce the difficulty and cost of testing and improve testing efficiency. The technical solution is as follows.

[0007] In a first aspect, a method for conducting a charged temperature cycling test on an electronic device is provided. The method includes: receiving a temperature cycling test start command; and, in response to the temperature cycling test start command, sending a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device, causing the electronic device to operate in a first working state and a second working state, respectively. The first control command controls the electronic device to operate in the first working state, and the second control command controls the electronic device to operate in the second working state. The temperature at which the electronic device reaches a temperature stabilization state in the first working state is defined as a first temperature, and the temperature at which the electronic device reaches a temperature stabilization state in the second working state is defined as a second temperature. During the temperature change of the electronic device between the first temperature and the second temperature, defects existing in the electronic device can be detected. The temperature stabilization state refers to the temperature change range of the electronic device being within a preset range.

[0008] Since the temperature of electronic devices is not constant, it is sufficient for the electronic device to reach a relatively stable temperature, rather than requiring it to remain at a specific temperature for a certain period of time to be considered stable. Reaching a stable temperature state means that the temperature variation range of the electronic device is within a preset range; that is, the temperature of the electronic device reaches a certain temperature and the magnitude of its variation within a certain time period is within a certain temperature threshold. The temperature at which the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the first operating state is referred to as the first temperature because: when the electronic device is in the first operating state, its temperature reaches the first temperature within a first preset time period, and the magnitude of its variation within that first preset time period is within the first temperature threshold. Similarly, the temperature at which the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the second operating state is referred to as the second temperature because: when the electronic device is in the second operating state, its temperature reaches the second temperature within a second preset time period, and the magnitude of its variation within that second preset time period is within the second temperature threshold. The first preset time period and the second preset time period can be the same or different, and the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold can be the same or different; this embodiment does not limit these possibilities. The temperature difference between the first and second temperatures must be large enough to allow for the testing of defects in the electronic device as its temperature changes between the first and second temperatures.

[0009] The method for conducting charged temperature cycling tests on electronic devices provided in this application sends different control commands to the electronic device after receiving a temperature cycling test start command, thereby controlling the electronic device to switch between different operating states. Since the electronic device can self-heat and self-cool when switching between different operating states, potentially exposing defects in the electronic device, the method provided in this application does not require a temperature cycling chamber to perform temperature cycling tests. This reduces the space occupied by the test and eliminates the need to build a test environment in a temperature cycling chamber. Furthermore, by using the self-heating and self-cooling of the electronic device for testing, there is no need for a holding time to allow the electronic device to fully reach the test temperature, reducing power consumption. In summary, the method provided in this application reduces the difficulty and cost of testing and improves testing efficiency.

[0010] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned response to the temperature cycle test start command, sending a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device, includes: alternately sending the first control command and the second control command to the electronic device in response to the temperature cycle test start command, causing the electronic device to alternately operate in a first operating state and a second operating state. This process causes the operating state of the electronic device to continuously alternate between the first operating state and the second operating state, so that the temperature of the electronic device continuously cycles between high and low temperatures, enabling more thorough temperature cycle testing of the electronic device and improving the accuracy of the test results.

[0011] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned alternating transmission of a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device in response to a temperature cycle test start command includes: sending a first control command to the electronic device in response to the temperature cycle test start command; sending a second control command to the electronic device when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in a first operating state based on the temperature of the electronic device; and sending the first control command to the electronic device when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in a second operating state based on the temperature of the electronic device. This process, by sending the next control command to the electronic device only after the device's temperature has reached a temperature stable state, ensures that the electronic device's temperature fully reaches the highest temperature achievable through self-heating or the lowest temperature achievable through self-cooling, thereby increasing the temperature difference of the electronic device during the test and improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method further includes at least one of the following: when the electronic device is operating in a first working state, sending a third control command to the heat dissipation device, the third control command being used to control the heat dissipation device to ensure that the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stabilization state in the first working state is lower than a first temperature; when the electronic device is in a second working state, sending a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device, the fourth control command being used to control the heat dissipation device to ensure that the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stabilization state in the second working state is higher than a second temperature. This process further regulates the temperature of the electronic device through the heat dissipation device, so as to increase the temperature difference of the electronic device during the testing process while ensuring temperature accuracy and improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first control command is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control command is used to control the electronic device to operate at full load. In the idle state, the electronic device has no tasks running, thus reaching the lowest temperature achievable through self-cooling. In the full-load operating state, the electronic device operates at high speed, thus reaching the highest temperature achievable through self-heating.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first control command is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control command is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh. In the idle state, the electronic device can reach the lowest temperature achievable through self-cooling; during continuous refreshing, the electronic device can reach the highest temperature achievable through self-heating.

[0015] Secondly, a charged temperature cycling test system for electronic devices is provided. This system includes a control device for: receiving a temperature cycling test start command; and, in response to the temperature cycling test start command, sending a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device, causing the electronic device to operate in a first working state and a second working state, respectively. The first control command controls the electronic device to operate in the first working state, and the second control command controls the electronic device to operate in the second working state. The temperature at which the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the first working state is defined as the first temperature, and the temperature at which the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the second working state is defined as the second temperature. During the temperature change of the electronic device between the first temperature and the second temperature, defects existing in the electronic device can be detected. Reaching a stable temperature state means that the temperature change range of the electronic device is within a preset range.

[0016] In some embodiments, the control device is configured to: in response to a temperature cycling test start command, alternately send a first control command and a second control command to an electronic device, causing the electronic device to alternately operate in a first operating state and a second operating state.

[0017] In some embodiments, the system further includes a temperature measuring device; the control device is configured to: send a first control command to the electronic device in response to a temperature cycle test start command; send a second control command to the electronic device when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in a first operating state based on the temperature detected by the temperature measuring device; and send the first control command to the electronic device when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in a second operating state based on the temperature detected by the temperature measuring device.

[0018] In some embodiments, the system further includes a heat dissipation device; the control device is further configured to: when the electronic device is operating in a first operating state, send a third control command to the heat dissipation device, the third control command being configured to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stabilization state in the first operating state lower than the first temperature; when the electronic device is in a second operating state, send a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device, the fourth control command being configured to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stabilization state in the second operating state higher than the second temperature.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate at full load.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh.

[0021] Thirdly, a control device is provided for performing the above-described method for conducting a charged-temperature cycling test of an electronic device. Specifically, the control device includes a functional module for performing the charged-temperature cycling test of an electronic device provided in the first aspect or any alternative embodiment of the first aspect.

[0022] Fourthly, a computing device or cluster of computing devices is provided, the computing device including a processor for executing program code, causing the computing device or cluster of computing devices to perform operations as described in the above-described method for testing the charged temperature cycle of electronic devices.

[0023] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein at least one piece of program code is stored therein, which is read by a processor to cause a computing device to perform operations as described in the above-described method for testing the charged temperature cycle of electronic devices.

[0024] In a sixth aspect, a computer program product or computer program is provided, the computer program product or computer program including program code stored in a computer-readable storage medium, a processor of a computing device reading the program code from the computer-readable storage medium, the processor executing the program code, causing the computing device to perform the method provided in the first aspect or any alternative of the first aspect.

[0025] Based on the implementation methods provided in the above aspects, this application can be further combined to provide more implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a charged temperature cycling test system for an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method for testing the charged temperature cycle of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the refresh duration and refresh cycle of a memory module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a memory module working state cycle provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computing device cluster provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0033] 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.

[0034] With the development of technology, electronic devices are widely used in various fields. In the application of electronic devices, the circuit pins on the chip are usually connected to external circuits through packaging materials. Due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between materials, cracks and delamination can easily occur between the contacting materials when the weather temperature or workload changes. Alternatively, the inherent mechanical strength of the materials themselves can lead to chip cracking or packaging material cracking. These problems can cause electronic devices to fail. Therefore, temperature cycling tests are necessary to screen out electronic devices that are prone to failure.

[0035] In related technologies, temperature cycling chambers are generally used to perform energized temperature cycling tests on single boards or complete systems. This involves placing the single board or complete system containing electronic components in a temperature cycling chamber, where the temperature alternates between high and low temperatures to ensure the temperature of the single board or complete system alternates between a set high and low temperature. Furthermore, to ensure the electronic components in the temperature cycling chamber fully reach the set high or low temperature, the chamber needs to maintain that temperature for a period of time after it is reached; this holding time is called the holding time. Only when this holding time is greater than the thermal equilibrium time of the single board or complete system can the electronic components in the temperature cycling chamber fully reach the set high or low temperature. This temperature cycling test process has several problems. First, the temperature cycling chambers used in this test are relatively large, resulting in a large space requirement. The number of temperature cycling chambers that can be set up in a limited space is limited, making it difficult to conduct large-scale temperature cycling tests. Second, because the temperature cycling test process requires a long holding time, the test is time-consuming, inefficient, and also consumes a lot of power, resulting in high test costs. In addition, the process of setting up a single-board test environment in a temperature cycling chamber is quite complex, which makes the test more difficult.

[0036] To address the problems associated with temperature cycling tests using a temperature chamber, this application proposes a novel temperature cycling test method. This method eliminates the need for a temperature chamber to regulate the temperature of electronic devices. Instead, it leverages the different temperatures reached by the electronic devices under varying operating conditions by alternately sending different control commands to the devices. This allows the devices to switch between different operating states, enabling self-heating or self-cooling during these transitions, thus facilitating temperature transitions between high and low temperatures. These different control commands are referred to as the first control command and the second control command, and sending one first control command and one second control command to the electronic device constitutes one cycle of alternation. The method provided in this application, through multiple cycles of alternation, allows the electronic devices to undergo repeated self-heating and self-cooling, thereby achieving multiple temperature adjustments to complete the test. This method eliminates the need for a temperature chamber, reducing the space required for testing. It also eliminates the need for additional holding time to allow the electronic devices to fully reach the set temperature, resulting in shorter testing times, improved testing efficiency, reduced power consumption, and lower testing costs. Furthermore, the method eliminates the need to construct a testing environment within a temperature chamber, reducing the complexity of the test.

[0037] To implement the temperature cycling method for the aforementioned electronic device, this application provides a temperature cycling test system as shown in Figure 1 below, for applying the charged temperature cycling test method for the electronic device provided in this application. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a charged temperature cycling test system for an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application, used to apply the charged temperature cycling test method for the electronic device provided in this application. As shown in Figure 1, the temperature cycling test system 100 includes a control device 101, which is connected to an electronic device 102 to realize the interaction between the temperature cycling test system 100 and the electronic device 102, thereby testing the electronic device 102.

[0038] The control device 101 can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a main chip. The control device 101 can be located on the same board as the electronic device 102, or it can be located on a different board than the electronic device 102. For example, the two are located in different devices. It is used to send control commands to the electronic device 102 to control the electronic device 102 to switch working states.

[0039] Electronic device 102 can be a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) type device, such as a memory module (memory stick), DRAM chip, low power double data rate SDR AM (LPDDR), high bandwidth memory (HBM), or dual-inline memory modules (DIMM), etc. Electronic device 102 can also be other types of electronic devices, which are not limited in this embodiment. The electronic device 102 is used to receive instructions from the control device 101 and switch to the operating state indicated by the instructions. The operating states include a first operating state and a second operating state. The first operating state is an idle state, in which the electronic device 102 can reach the lowest temperature achievable through self-cooling. The second operating state varies depending on the characteristics of the electronic device 102 itself or the functions it supports, in which the electronic device 102 can reach the highest temperature achievable through self-heating. Taking electronic device 102 as a memory module as an example, the first working state of the memory module is the idle state, and the second working state is a state of continuous refresh, namely the accelerated refresh state (accelerated refresh). The idle state means that the memory module is in standby mode, without any read, write, or refresh operations. At this time, the temperature of the memory module is close to the ambient temperature, which is the lowest temperature that the memory module can reach through self-cooling. The accelerated refresh state means that during the refresh process, the refresh cycle of the memory module is equal to the refresh duration, that is, the memory module refreshes continuously to increase the number of concurrent accesses to the memory module per unit time. Due to the higher access pressure, the temperature of the memory module rises. In the accelerated refresh state, the temperature of the memory module can reach the highest temperature that it can reach through self-heating. The refresh cycle of the memory module is the time between the start time of one refresh and the start time of the next refresh, and the refresh duration is the time consumed by the memory module to perform one refresh. Taking electronic device 102 as an example of HBM, the first working state of HBM is the idle state, and the second working state is the full-load operation state. The idle state of HBM is similar to that of the memory module. The full-load operation state of HBM means that HBM operates at full bandwidth, that is, HBM reads and writes at the maximum amount of data it can read and write per unit time. At this time, due to the high read and write pressure, the temperature of HBM rises. Under the full-load operation state, the temperature of HBM can reach the highest temperature that it can reach through self-heating.The full-load operating state of HBM mentioned above refers to the full-bandwidth operating state. However, for electronic devices other than HBM, their full-load operating state may be other operating states, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0040] During the temperature cycling test, after receiving the temperature cycling test start command, the control device 101 sends different control commands alternately in multiple rounds. That is, it alternately sends multiple first control commands and second control commands to the electronic device 102, causing the electronic device 102 to switch between a first operating state and a second operating state multiple times. This causes the temperature of the electronic device 102 to cycle between low and high temperatures multiple times to complete the temperature cycling test. In one round of alternation, the control device 101 sends a first control command to the electronic device 102 to put the electronic device 102 into the first operating state, thereby lowering the temperature of the electronic device 102. When the control device 101 detects that the electronic device 102 has reached a stable temperature state, or when the time after the control device 101 issues the first control command reaches the cooling time, it indicates that the electronic device 102 has reached the lowest temperature that can be reached by self-cooling. The control device 101 then sends a second control command to the electronic device 102 to put the electronic device 102 into the second operating state, thereby raising the temperature of the electronic device 102. When the control device 101 detects that the electronic device 102 has reached a stable temperature, or when the time elapsed after the control device 101 issues the second control command reaches the heating duration, it indicates that the electronic device 102 has reached the highest temperature achievable through self-heating. The control device 101 then sends a first control command to the electronic device 102 to initiate the next round of alternation. The heating and cooling durations are preset durations and can be the same or different; this embodiment does not limit this. When the number of alternation rounds reaches a preset number, or when the test duration reaches a preset test duration, the alternation stops, and the temperature cycle test is completed. Upon test completion, if the electronic device 102 is still functioning normally, the control device 101 outputs test completion information, indicating that the electronic device 102 has completed the test. During the test, if the electronic device 102 malfunctions, the control device 101 outputs test interruption information, indicating that the electronic device 102 is malfunctioning. In some embodiments, the test interruption information also indicates the temperature at which the electronic device 102 malfunctioned.

[0041] In some embodiments, the temperature cycling test system further includes a temperature measuring device 103 and a heat dissipation device 104, and the control device 101 is connected to the electronic device 102, the temperature measuring device 103 and the heat dissipation device 104 respectively.

[0042] The temperature measuring device 103 can be a thermocouple or other type of temperature sensor. It is located on the same board as the electronic device 102, and can be located outside, close to, or inside the electronic device 102; this embodiment does not limit its location. The temperature measuring device 103 detects the temperature of the electronic device 102 and sends the temperature reading to the control device 101 at regular intervals. The heat dissipation device 104 can be a cooling fan or similar device. It can be installed on the board where the electronic device 102 is located, or on the chassis corresponding to the board; this embodiment does not limit its location. The heat dissipation device 104 is used to further regulate the temperature of the electronic device 102. Taking a cooling fan as an example, during the process of further adjusting the temperature of electronic device 102, if electronic device 102 is in the first working state, the speed of the cooling fan is increased to enhance the cooling function of the cooling fan, so that electronic device 102 can reach the minimum temperature more quickly. If electronic device 102 is in the second working state, the speed of the cooling fan is decreased or turned off to weaken or turn off the cooling function of the cooling fan, so that electronic device 102 can reach the maximum temperature more quickly.

[0043] During the temperature cycling test, after receiving the temperature cycling test start command, the control device 101 also completes the temperature cycling test through multiple alternating rounds as described above. During the test, the temperature measuring device 103 detects the temperature of the electronic device 102 and sends the temperature of the electronic device 102 to the control device 101 at regular intervals. In one alternating round, the control device 101 sends a first control command to the electronic device 102 to put the electronic device 102 into a first working state, thereby lowering the temperature of the electronic device 102. The control device 101 also sends a third control command to the heat dissipation device 104 to enhance the heat dissipation function of the heat dissipation device 104, thereby allowing the electronic device 102 to reach the minimum temperature more quickly. When the control device 101 analyzes the temperature of the electronic device 102 sent by the temperature measuring device 103 and determines that the electronic device 102 has reached a stable temperature, indicating that the electronic device 102 has reached the minimum temperature achievable by self-cooling, the control device 101 sends a second control command to the electronic device 102 to put the electronic device 102 into a second working state, thereby raising the temperature of the electronic device 102. The control device 101 also sends a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device 104 to reduce the heat dissipation function of the heat dissipation device 104, thereby allowing the electronic device 102 to reach its maximum temperature more quickly. When the control device 101 analyzes the temperature of the electronic device 102 sent by the temperature measuring device 103 and determines that the electronic device 102 has reached a stable temperature, indicating that the electronic device 102 has reached the maximum temperature achievable through self-heating, the control device 101 sends a first control command to the electronic device 102 to initiate the next round of alternation. When the number of alternation rounds reaches a preset number, or when the test duration reaches a preset test duration, the alternation stops, and the temperature cycle test is completed. Upon completion of the test, if the electronic device 102 can still operate normally, the control device 101 outputs test completion information, indicating that the electronic device 102 has completed the test. During the test, if the electronic device 102 cannot operate normally, the control device 101 outputs test interruption information, indicating that the electronic device 102 is malfunctioning. In some embodiments, the test interruption information also indicates the temperature at which the electronic device 102 malfunctions.

[0044] Figure 1 above provides a detailed description of the charged temperature cycling test system for electronic devices provided in the embodiments of this application. The charged temperature cycling test method for electronic devices provided in the embodiments of this application is described below. This temperature cycling test method is implemented through the above-described temperature cycling test system.

[0045] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a charged temperature cycling test method for an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application. The following description uses a memory module as the electronic device to be tested and one cycle of the test as an example to illustrate the temperature cycling test method. The first working state of the memory module is an idle state, and the second working state is an accelerated refresh state. It should be noted that before the temperature cycling test begins, the memory module can be in any working state, such as a standby state or a self-refresh state; this embodiment of the application does not limit this. As shown in Figure 2, the method includes the following steps.

[0046] 201. The control device receives the temperature cycle test start command.

[0047] The temperature cycling test initiation command can carry various types of information, and this application embodiment does not limit the temperature cycling test initiation command. In some embodiments, the temperature cycling test initiation command carries an identifier of the electronic device to be subjected to temperature cycling test, instructing the electronic device corresponding to the identifier to undergo temperature cycling test. The temperature cycling test initiation command may carry one or more identifiers, each identifier corresponding to an electronic device. Accordingly, in this application embodiment, the temperature cycling test initiation command carries an identifier of a memory module, instructing the memory module corresponding to the identifier to undergo temperature cycling test.

[0048] In other embodiments, the temperature cycling test initiation command carries the type of electronic device to be subjected to temperature cycling testing, instructing that temperature cycling testing be performed on electronic devices belonging to that type. Optionally, the electronic device type carried in the temperature cycling test initiation command is also used to determine the test method used for the temperature cycling test. Accordingly, in the embodiments of this application, the electronic device type carried in the temperature cycling test initiation command is a memory module type, instructing that the test method corresponding to the memory module type be used to perform temperature cycling testing on the memory module in the electronic device. The electronic device can be a single board or a complete machine; the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0049] In some other embodiments, the temperature cycling test start command may also carry at least one of the following information: test method, preset number of cycles, heating duration, and cooling duration. This application does not limit this information. The test method, preset number of cycles, heating duration, or cooling duration may be parameters preset in the control device. After receiving the temperature cycling test start command, the control device executes the temperature cycling test according to the preset parameters.

[0050] There are several ways for the control device to receive the temperature cycle test start command. In some embodiments, the control device is connected to a computing device such as a terminal or server via a network, and receives the temperature cycle test start command sent by the computing device via the network. In other embodiments, the control device responds to the user's start operation and generates a temperature cycle test start command corresponding to the user's start operation. This application does not limit this approach.

[0051] 202. In response to the temperature cycle test start command, the control device sends a first control command to the memory module, which is used to control the memory module to run in an idle state.

[0052] The control device responds to a temperature cycling test start command and sends a first control command to the memory module in various ways. In some embodiments, the control device obtains the identifier of the memory module from the temperature cycling test start command, obtains the address corresponding to the identifier of the memory module according to the mapping relationship between the identifier and the device address, and sends the first control command to the memory module corresponding to the address. Optionally, the control device also determines the test method that the memory module corresponding to the identifier should adopt according to the mapping relationship between the identifier and the test method, and sends the first control command corresponding to the test method to the memory module corresponding to the address. The mapping relationship between the identifier and the device address, and the mapping relationship between the identifier and the test method, are preset. This process sends a first control command to one or more specified electronic devices, enabling temperature cycling testing of the specified electronic devices and improving the precision of the temperature cycling test.

[0053] In other embodiments, the control device obtains the electronic device type as a memory module type from the temperature cycle test start command, obtains the address corresponding to the memory module based on the mapping relationship between electronic device type and device address, and sends a first control command to the memory module corresponding to that address. Optionally, the control device further determines the test method to be used by the memory module based on the mapping relationship between electronic device type and test method, and sends the first control command corresponding to that test method to the memory module corresponding to that address. The mapping relationships between electronic device type and device address, and between electronic device type and test method, are preset. This process sends first control commands to electronic devices of the same type simultaneously, enabling temperature cycle testing of electronic devices of the same type, thus improving testing efficiency.

[0054] In some embodiments, before sending the first control command to the memory module, the control device sends a status query command to the memory module. Based on the status query command, the memory module returns its operating status to the control device. If the memory module's operating status is idle, the control device does not send the first control command; if the memory module's operating status is not idle, the control device sends the first control command. This process, by first querying the memory module's operating status and then deciding whether to send the first control command based on the query result, avoids issuing redundant first control commands and improves the effectiveness of the issued first control commands.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first control instruction carries the address corresponding to the memory module. The process of the control device sending the first control instruction to the memory module corresponding to the address includes: the control device sending the first control instruction to the bus; an electronic device connected to the bus identifying the address carried by the first control instruction; if the address matches the address of the electronic device itself, the electronic device receives the first control instruction; if the address does not match the address of the electronic device itself, the electronic device does not receive the first control instruction. The process of the control device sending a status query instruction to the memory module is the same as the process of the control device sending the first control instruction to the memory module, and will not be described again in this embodiment.

[0056] 203. The temperature measuring device detects the temperature of the memory module and sends the temperature of the memory module to the control device at regular intervals.

[0057] There are multiple ways for the temperature measuring device to detect the temperature of the memory module. In some embodiments, the temperature measuring device detects the temperature of the memory module in response to a first temperature measurement command. The first temperature measurement command is a command sent by the control device to the temperature measuring device in response to a temperature cycle test start command. This allows the temperature measuring device to detect the temperature of the memory module immediately after the test starts, so that the control device can obtain the temperature of the memory module in a timely manner, avoid missing test information, and improve the effectiveness of the test.

[0058] In other embodiments, the temperature measuring device detects the temperature of the memory module in response to the memory module starting operation. In this process, when the electronic device is powered on, the temperature measuring device assumes the memory module is running and detects its temperature. Alternatively, the temperature measuring device detects the temperature of the memory module in response to a second temperature measurement command. The sending process of this second temperature measurement command includes: after the memory module starts running, the memory module sends a start-up message to the control device, indicating that the memory module has started running. The control device, in response to the start-up message, sends a second temperature measurement command to the temperature measuring device. This process allows the temperature measuring device to detect the temperature of the memory module after it starts running, enabling the control device to acquire the memory module's temperature both during and outside of the testing process. This provides more information for designing temperature cycling tests or analyzing the results of temperature cycling tests.

[0059] The above process describes the temperature measurement of the memory module by the temperature measuring device. In some embodiments, when the temperature cycle test ends, the control device sends a first stop temperature measurement command to the temperature measuring device, and the temperature measuring device, in response to the first stop temperature measurement command, stops measuring the temperature of the memory module. In other embodiments, the temperature measuring device stops measuring the temperature of the memory module in response to the memory module stopping operation. In this process, when the electronic device is powered off, the temperature measuring device defaults to the memory module stopping operation and stops measuring the temperature of the memory module. Alternatively, the temperature measuring device stops measuring the temperature of the memory module in response to a second stop temperature measurement command. The sending process of the second stop temperature measurement command includes: when the memory module stops operating, the memory module sends a stop information to the control device, which instructs the memory module to stop operating. The control device, in response to the stop information, sends a second stop temperature measurement command to the temperature measuring device. The above process, by causing the temperature measuring device to stop measuring the temperature of the memory module, can reduce the energy consumed in the test and lower the test cost.

[0060] Through step 203, the control device can acquire the temperature of the memory module in real time and accurately, thereby accurately determining whether the memory module has reached a stable temperature state. This determines whether to send the next control command to the memory module to switch its operating state. In other words, through step 203, the control device can perform temperature cycling tests based on the accurate temperature of the memory module to ensure the accuracy of the test results. Furthermore, if the memory module malfunctions during the temperature cycling test, step 203 can also acquire the temperature at which the memory module experienced the malfunction, enriching the test results and improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0061] In the above process, the control device determines whether the memory module has reached a stable temperature state based on the temperature detected by the temperature measuring device. In some embodiments, the temperature cycling test system does not require a temperature measuring device, and the control device can still determine whether the memory module has reached a stable temperature state. Accordingly, the control device predicts whether the memory module has reached a stable temperature state based on the duration after the control command is issued. If the duration after the control device issues the first control command is equal to the cooling duration, it indicates that the memory module has reached a stable temperature state in the idle state. If the duration after the control device issues the second control command is equal to the heating duration, it indicates that the memory module has reached a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state. Both the cooling duration and the heating duration are obtained through prior experiments, ensuring that the memory module reaches the corresponding stable temperature state within the cooling or heating duration. This method controls the sending of the first control command by pre-setting the cooling duration and the sending of the second control command by pre-setting the heating duration. It can determine whether the memory module has reached a stable temperature state without analyzing the memory module's temperature, reducing the computational load of the temperature cycling test and improving its efficiency.

[0062] The heating and cooling times of electronic devices are related to various factors. By configuring these factors, the heating and cooling times can be adjusted to regulate the duration of temperature cycling tests, making the tests more flexible. Taking DRAM-type electronic devices as an example, the heating and cooling times are related to the device's power consumption, the number of electronic devices assembled on the board, and the effectiveness of the heat dissipation device. Higher power consumption, more electronic devices assembled on the board, and weaker heat dissipation result in shorter heating times and longer cooling times. Conversely, lower power consumption, fewer electronic devices assembled on the board, and stronger heat dissipation result in longer heating times and shorter cooling times. By adjusting at least one of the following factors—power consumption, number of electronic devices assembled on the board, and heat dissipation effectiveness—of DRAM-type electronic devices, the heating and cooling times can be adjusted to regulate the duration of temperature cycling tests.

[0063] 204. The memory module operates in an idle state according to the first control instruction to reduce its own temperature. The temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature in the idle state is the first temperature.

[0064] In this embodiment of the application, the temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature state in an idle state is referred to as the first temperature. This first temperature is related to the ambient temperature of the environment in which the memory module is located; the higher the ambient temperature, the higher the first temperature, and the lower the ambient temperature, the lower the first temperature.

[0065] In some embodiments, after receiving the first control instruction, if the memory module is currently operating in an idle state, it continues to operate in the idle state. If the memory module is currently operating in a working state other than the idle state, it switches to the idle state.

[0066] Optionally, if the memory module is currently operating in a state other than idle, and forcibly switching to idle would affect the ongoing work of the memory module, the memory module returns a test obstruction message to the control device. This message indicates the current operating state of the memory module. Upon receiving the test obstruction message, the control device, in response to a command to continue the test, sends a test continue command to the memory module. The memory module, in response to the test continue command, switches to idle operation; or, in response to the test continue command, waits for the current work to complete before switching to idle operation. Alternatively, upon receiving the test obstruction message, the control device, in response to a command to stop the test, sends a test stop command to the memory module. The memory module, in response to the test stop command, continues operating in its current state. This process, by returning test obstruction information to the control device, effectively reduces the impact of temperature cycling testing on the operation of the memory module.

[0067] The above describes the process of the memory module switching to an idle state. In some embodiments, after switching to an idle state, the memory module sends switching information to the control device, indicating that the memory module has successfully switched to an idle state. During the idle state operation, the memory module sends operating information to the control device at regular intervals. This operating information indicates the operating status of the memory module, including read and write operation records. After receiving the operating information, if the operating information indicates that the memory module is malfunctioning, the control device returns test interrupt information based on the operating information sent by the temperature measuring device. This test interrupt information indicates that the memory module malfunctioned while in the idle state. The malfunction can be due to errors in read and write operations, a discrepancy between the memory module's refresh duration and the set duration, or a discrepancy between the memory module's refresh cycle and the set cycle, etc. This application does not limit these possibilities. This process, by feeding back the operating status of the memory module to the control device, enables the control device to promptly detect memory module malfunctions, improving the accuracy of the test.

[0068] In addition to indicating abnormal operation of the memory module, in some embodiments, when the control device obtains the temperature of the memory module through a temperature measuring device, if the operation information indicates that the memory module is operating abnormally, the test interruption information returned by the control device also indicates the temperature at which the memory module was operating abnormally, thereby enriching the information contained in the test results and improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0069] In some embodiments, if the operating information indicates that the memory module is malfunctioning, and the control device does not obtain the temperature of the memory module through the temperature measuring device, the test interruption information returned by the control device also indicates the duration of the memory module's continuous idle operation before the malfunction, which can also enrich the information contained in the test results and improve the effectiveness of the test.

[0070] 205. When the memory module is in an idle state, the control device sends a third control command to the heat dissipation device. The third control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the memory module after it reaches a stable temperature in the idle state lower than the first temperature.

[0071] The third control command carries content related to the heat dissipation device. Taking a cooling fan as an example, in some embodiments, the third control command carries a first speed of the cooling fan to control it to run at the first speed; or, the third control command carries an acceleration step size to control the cooling fan to accelerate according to the acceleration step size; or, the third control command carries a first cooling state to control the cooling fan to run in the first cooling state. This application does not limit the method of controlling the heat dissipation capacity of the heat dissipation device through the third control command. The first speed is a preset speed, related to the target temperature difference required by the temperature cycle test. The larger the target temperature difference, the faster the first speed, and the lower the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature in the idle state; the smaller the target temperature difference, the slower the first speed, and the higher the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature in the idle state. The cooling fan's cooling state includes high-speed operation, medium-speed operation, and low-speed operation, etc., which this application does not limit. When the cooling fan adjusts its operating state according to the third control command, it can ensure that the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature in the idle state is lower than the first temperature.

[0072] There are various ways for the control device to send a third control command to the heat dissipation device. In some embodiments, the control device sends the third control command to the heat dissipation device at a preset time. For example, the control device sends the third control command to the heat dissipation device simultaneously with the first control command to the memory module, so that the heat dissipation device immediately enhances its heat dissipation function after the memory module is running in an idle state, accelerating the cooling speed of the memory module and improving the efficiency of the test. Another example is that the control device sends the third control command to the heat dissipation device after the first sending time has elapsed since sending the first control command to the memory module. This enhances the heat dissipation function after the memory module has been running in an idle state for a period of time, reducing the energy consumed in the test and lowering the test cost. Simultaneously, it allows for a larger temperature difference reached by the memory module during the temperature cycling test, improving the effectiveness of the test. For example, when the control device obtains the temperature of the memory module through a temperature measuring device, after sending a first control command to the memory module, when the memory module temperature is greater than or equal to a third temperature, the control device sends a third control command to the heat dissipation device. This causes the heat dissipation device to cool the memory module when its temperature is high, accelerating the cooling process. When the memory module temperature is low, the heat dissipation stops. This improves the efficiency of the temperature cycling test while reducing the energy consumed in the test. All of these processes result in a lower temperature after the memory module reaches a stable temperature, improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0073] In some embodiments, when the control device obtains the temperature of the memory module through a temperature measuring device, if the memory module operates in an idle state for a third operating time and the temperature of the memory module is greater than or equal to a fifth temperature, the control device sends a third control command to the heat dissipation device. This command, in order to push the memory module to the required test temperature via the heat dissipation device when the memory module cannot reach the required test temperature through self-cooling. If the temperature of the memory module is less than the fifth temperature when it operates in an idle state for the third operating time, it indicates that the memory module can reach the required test temperature through self-cooling. The control device then stops sending the third control command to the heat dissipation device to reduce the energy consumed in the test.

[0074] The above process is a possible implementation in which the control device sends a third control command to the heat dissipation device when the memory module is in an idle state. The third control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature in the idle state lower than the first temperature. In some embodiments, the control device may also send the third control command to the heat dissipation device first and then send the first control command to the memory module. This application does not limit this.

[0075] 206. The heat dissipation device operates in the operating state indicated by the third control command.

[0076] In some embodiments, the heat dissipation device receives a third control command and adjusts its own heat dissipation function according to the third control command to enhance its heat dissipation function, thereby regulating the temperature of the memory module and reducing the temperature of the memory module. Taking the heat dissipation device as a cooling fan as an example, the third control command carries a first speed. The cooling fan receives the third control command and operates at the first speed indicated by the third control command to enhance the cooling function of the cooling fan, thereby reducing the temperature of the memory module.

[0077] It should be noted that steps 205 to 206 above are optional. Through steps 205 to 206, the temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature state during idle operation is lower than the first temperature, allowing for a larger temperature difference during temperature cycling testing. A larger temperature difference effectively exposes problems existing in the memory module or the circuit board containing the memory module, thereby improving the effectiveness of the test. These problems include, but are not limited to, material mismatch defects in the circuit board. Steps 205 to 206 also increase the cooling speed of the memory module, thus improving testing efficiency. In some embodiments, the temperature cycling test system can perform temperature cycling tests without cooling the memory module using a heat dissipation device, which improves the simplicity of the test and reduces the energy consumed.

[0078] 207. If the control device determines that the memory module has reached a stable temperature state in the idle state based on the temperature sent by the temperature measuring device, then the control device sends a second control instruction to the memory module. The second control instruction is used to control the memory module to run in the accelerated refresh state.

[0079] The second control instruction controls the memory module to operate in accelerated refresh mode. In accelerated refresh mode, the memory module's temperature can reach the highest temperature achievable by its own heating. Correspondingly, the second control instruction carries the memory module's refresh cycle and refresh duration. Accelerated refresh mode means that during the memory module's refresh process, the refresh cycle equals the refresh duration, i.e., the memory module refreshes continuously. As shown in Figure 3, tREFI represents the memory module's refresh cycle, and tRFC represents the refresh duration. If tRFC = 350ns, then by configuring tREFI to 350ns, tREFI = tRFC, enabling the memory module to refresh continuously. This increases the memory module's refresh frequency. Utilizing the high parallel operation on 16 memory banks during refresh, multiple rows can be refreshed simultaneously, increasing the number of row accesses per unit time, increasing the access pressure on the memory module, and consequently increasing the memory module's temperature.

[0080] The control device determines whether the memory module has reached a temperature stable state in the idle state based on the temperature sent by the temperature measuring device in various ways. In some embodiments, every first preset time interval, the control device obtains the highest and lowest temperatures of the memory module within the first preset time interval based on the temperature of the memory module sent by the temperature measuring device within that first preset time interval, and calculates the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures. If the difference is less than a first temperature threshold, the control device indicates that the memory module has reached a temperature stable state in the idle state, and sends a second control command to the memory module to switch the memory module to an accelerated refresh state. In some embodiments, if the difference is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold, the control device does not send a second control command to the memory module.

[0081] In other embodiments, after the control device acquires the temperatures sent by the temperature measuring device a first preset number of times, it acquires the absolute value of the difference between the temperature at a preset position in the first preset number of temperatures and each of the other temperatures. If the absolute value is less than a first temperature threshold, it instructs the memory module to reach a temperature stable state in the idle state, and the control device sends a second control command to the memory module to switch the memory module to an accelerated refresh state. In some embodiments, if there is an absolute value greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold, the control device does not send a second control command to the memory module. The temperatures of the first preset number of times are acquired continuously, and the time consumed in acquiring the temperatures of the first preset number of times is sufficient to determine whether the memory module has reached a temperature stable state.

[0082] The process of the control device sending the second control command to the memory module is the same as the process of the control device sending the first control command to the memory module, and will not be described again in this embodiment.

[0083] The above process describes a possible implementation where the control device, based on the temperature of the memory module detected by the temperature measuring device, sends a second control command to the memory module when the memory module reaches a stable temperature in an idle state. This second control command is used to control the memory module to operate in an accelerated refresh state. This possible implementation is illustrated using the memory module as an example of an electronic device. In some embodiments, this electronic device is an HBM or similar electronic device, but this application does not limit this. Accordingly, the second control command sent by the control device to the electronic device is related to the electronic device indicated by the identifier. If the temperature of the electronic device indicated by the identifier can reach the highest temperature achievable by self-heating when operating under full load, the second control command is used to control the electronic device to operate under full load. For example, if the electronic device is an HBM, the second control command is used to control the HBM to operate in a full bandwidth state.

[0084] 208. The memory module operates in accelerated refresh state according to the second control instruction, so as to increase its own temperature. The temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature state in accelerated refresh state is the second temperature. During the process of the memory module's temperature changing between the first temperature and the second temperature, defects in the memory module can be detected.

[0085] In this embodiment of the application, the temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature state under accelerated refresh state is referred to as the second temperature.

[0086] This process is similar to the process described above where the memory module operates in an idle state according to the first control instruction, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments of this application. It should be noted that during the process where the memory module operates in an accelerated refresh state according to the second control instruction, the memory module refreshes according to the refresh duration and refresh cycle carried by the second control instruction.

[0087] Steps 202 to 208 described above represent a possible implementation whereby the control device, in response to a temperature cycling test start command, sends a first control command and a second control command to the memory module, causing the memory module to operate in an idle state and an accelerated refresh state, respectively. This possible implementation uses different control commands to switch the memory module between different operating states, thereby enabling the memory module to achieve self-heating and self-cooling. Through the self-heating and self-cooling of the memory module, temperature cycling tests can be performed without a temperature cycling chamber, improving testing efficiency and reducing testing costs. Furthermore, the above process is illustrated using the control device sending a first control command to the memory module as the test starting point. In some embodiments, the control device can also send a second control command first, followed by the first control command; alternatively, the control device can send a status query command to the memory module, and the memory module can return its operating status to the control device based on the status query command. If the memory module is in an idle state, the control device sends a second control command to the memory module. If the memory module is in a state other than idle, the control device sends a first control command to the memory module. This allows the test starting point to be determined based on the current working state of the memory module, avoiding the issuance of unnecessary control commands and improving test efficiency. This application embodiment does not limit the order in which different control commands are sent.

[0088] 209. When the memory module is running in accelerated refresh mode, the control device sends a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device. The fourth control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature state in accelerated refresh mode greater than the second temperature.

[0089] The fourth control command carries information related to the heat dissipation device. Taking a cooling fan as an example, in some embodiments, the fourth control command carries a second rotational speed of the cooling fan, used to control the cooling fan to operate at a second rotational speed, which is slower than the first rotational speed. Alternatively, the fourth control command carries a deceleration step size, used to control the cooling fan to decelerate according to the deceleration step size. Or, the fourth control command carries a second cooling state, used to control the cooling fan to operate in the second cooling state. This application does not limit the method of controlling the heat dissipation capacity of the heat dissipation device through the fourth control command. The second rotational speed is a preset speed, related to the target temperature difference required by the temperature cycling test. The larger the target temperature difference, the slower the second rotational speed, and the higher the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state. The smaller the target temperature difference, the faster the second rotational speed, and the lower the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state. When the cooling fan adjusts its operating state according to the fourth control command, the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state can be greater than the second temperature.

[0090] There are various ways for the control device to send the fourth control command to the heat dissipation device. In some embodiments, the control device sends the fourth control command to the heat dissipation device at a preset time. For example, the control device sends the fourth control command to the heat dissipation device at the same time as sending the second control command to the memory module, so that the heat dissipation device immediately reduces its heat dissipation function after the memory module is running in accelerated refresh state, thereby accelerating the temperature rise of the memory module, improving test efficiency, reducing test energy consumption, and ensuring that the temperature of the memory module is higher after reaching a stable temperature, thus improving the effectiveness of the test.

[0091] In some embodiments, when the control device obtains the temperature of the memory module through a temperature measuring device, if the memory module operates in accelerated refresh mode for a fourth operating time and the temperature of the memory module is less than a sixth temperature, the control device sends a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device to push the memory module to the required test temperature through the heat dissipation device when the memory module cannot reach the required test temperature through self-heating. If the temperature of the memory module when it operates in accelerated refresh mode for a fourth operating time is greater than or equal to the sixth temperature, it indicates that the memory module can reach the required test temperature through self-heating, and the control device does not send an additional fourth control command to the heat dissipation device.

[0092] The above process is a possible implementation in which the control device sends a fourth control command to the heat dissipation device when the memory module is running in the accelerated refresh state. This fourth control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the memory module after reaching a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state greater than the second temperature. In some embodiments, the control device may also send the fourth control command to the heat dissipation device first and then send the second control command to the memory module. This application does not limit this.

[0093] 210. The heat dissipation device operates in the operating state indicated by the fourth control command.

[0094] In some embodiments, the heat dissipation device receives a fourth control command and adjusts its own heat dissipation function according to the fourth control command to reduce its heat dissipation function, thereby regulating the temperature of the memory module and increasing the temperature of the memory module. Taking a cooling fan as an example, the fourth control command carries a second speed. The cooling fan receives the fourth control command and operates at the second speed indicated by the fourth control command, thereby reducing the cooling function of the cooling fan and increasing the temperature of the memory module.

[0095] It should be noted that steps 209 to 210 above are optional. Through steps 209 to 210, the temperature at which the memory module reaches a stable temperature state while operating in accelerated refresh mode is higher than the second temperature, allowing for a larger temperature difference during temperature cycling testing. A larger temperature difference in the test can effectively expose problems existing in the memory module or the circuit board containing the memory module, thereby improving the effectiveness of the test. Steps 209 to 210 also increase the rate at which the memory module heats up, thus improving testing efficiency. In some embodiments, the temperature cycling test system can perform temperature cycling tests without using a heat dissipation device to heat the memory module, which improves the simplicity of the test to some extent.

[0096] 211. If the control device determines that the memory module has reached a stable temperature state in the accelerated refresh state based on the temperature of the memory module sent by the temperature measuring device, then the test completion information is output, indicating that the memory module has completed the test.

[0097] The control device determines whether the memory module has reached a temperature stable state in accelerated refresh mode based on the temperature sent by the temperature measuring device in various ways. In some embodiments, every second preset time interval, the control device obtains the highest and lowest temperatures of the memory module within that second preset time interval based on the temperature of the memory module sent by the temperature measuring device within that second preset time interval, and calculates the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures. If the difference is less than a second temperature threshold, the control device indicates that the memory module has reached a temperature stable state in accelerated refresh mode, and outputs test completion information. In some embodiments, if the difference is greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, the control device does not output test completion information.

[0098] In other embodiments, after the control device acquires the temperatures sent by the temperature measuring device for a second preset number of times, it acquires the absolute value of the difference between the temperature at a preset position in the second preset number of temperatures and each of the other temperatures. If the absolute value is less than the second temperature threshold, it indicates that the memory module has reached a temperature stable state in the idle state, and the control device outputs test completion information. In some embodiments, if there is an absolute value greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, the control device does not output test completion information. The temperatures for the second preset number of times are acquired continuously, and the time consumed in acquiring these temperatures is sufficient to determine whether the memory module has reached a temperature stable state.

[0099] The above process is illustrated by taking the output of test completion information by the control device in one round of alternation as an example. In some embodiments, the temperature cycle test process of the memory module includes multiple rounds of alternation. Except for the last round of alternation, in the remaining alternation processes, the control device sends a first control command to the memory module based on the temperature of the memory module detected by the temperature measuring device. When the memory module reaches a stable temperature state in the second working state, the control device sends a first control command to the memory module to start the next round of alternation.

[0100] The method for conducting charged temperature cycling tests on electronic devices provided in this application, upon receiving a temperature cycling test start command, controls the memory module to switch between different operating states by sending different control commands to the memory module. Since the memory module can self-heat and self-cool when switching between different operating states, potentially exposing defects in the electronic device, the method provided in this application eliminates the need for a temperature cycling chamber, thus reducing the space required for testing and eliminating the need to build a test environment in a temperature cycling chamber. Furthermore, by using the self-heating and self-cooling of the memory module for testing, there is no need for a holding time to allow the memory module to fully reach the test temperature, reducing power consumption. In summary, the method provided in this application reduces the difficulty and cost of testing while improving testing efficiency. Furthermore, the above process is illustrated using a memory module as an example. The process involves placing the assembled memory module board in a room temperature environment, powering it on, and running the aforementioned temperature cycling test method. The memory module is sequentially placed in an idle state and an accelerated refresh state for a period of time, allowing it to reach a stable temperature state under these conditions. This utilizes the memory module's self-heating and self-cooling capabilities to achieve a sufficiently large temperature difference and a short temperature cycling cycle during the test. Using the memory module's self-heating and self-cooling to replace a temperature cycling chamber for live temperature cycling testing can screen for process defects in key transistors of DRAM SWD (sub-word line driver) and arrays, as well as chips with abnormal semiconductor temperature drift. It can also screen for faults such as stress mismatch and mechanical damage caused by dicing, packaging, or assembly processes. If the aforementioned electronic device is HBM, due to the complex structure of HBM and its encapsulation with the wafer chip (Coper-on-substrate, CoWoS) on the main chip substrate, the mechanical stress is relatively large. By testing HBM using the charged temperature cycling test method for electronic devices provided in this application, problems existing in HBM or the single board where HBM is located can be more effectively exposed.

[0101] Under full server configuration, the memory module was tested using the aforementioned electrical temperature cycling test method for electronic devices. When the server was powered on at room temperature and in an idle state with refresh disabled, the memory module temperature was approximately 40°C. By adjusting the cooling fan speed, the memory module temperature could be reduced to a minimum of 30°C. Under room temperature conditions, when the server was powered on and in accelerated refresh mode, the memory module temperature was approximately 80°C. By adjusting the cooling fan speed, the memory module temperature could be reduced to a maximum of 90°C. During the above process, after the server switched from idle to accelerated refresh mode, it took 12 minutes to reach a stable temperature, and after switching back to idle mode, it took 12 minutes to cool down to a stable temperature.

[0102] The above experimental data shows that, using the charged temperature cycling test method for electronic devices provided in this application, the temperature difference achievable by the electronic devices through self-heating and self-cooling is 40°C to 50°C. Furthermore, since the method provided in this application regulates the temperature of the electronic devices through self-heating and self-cooling, no additional holding time is needed to ensure the thermal balance of the single board, allowing the electronic devices to fully reach the test temperature. This results in a temperature cycle of 24 minutes for the method provided in this application, which is 11.25 times more efficient than the 270 minutes required for a temperature cycle from 0°C to 50°C using a temperature cycling chamber. In addition, the method provided in this application eliminates the need for additional temperature cycling chamber costs, site costs, and power consumption costs, thus reducing testing costs.

[0103] The charged temperature cycling test method for electronic devices shown in Figure 2 above is illustrated using a single-round alternation as an example. In some embodiments, the charged temperature cycling test process for electronic devices includes multiple rounds of alternation to fully test the electronic devices and improve the accuracy of the test results. During this test, the control device responds to the temperature cycling test start command by alternately sending a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device, causing the electronic device to alternately operate in a first operating state and a second operating state. As shown in Figure 4, the electronic device continuously cycles between the first operating state and the second operating state. When the number of alternation rounds reaches a preset number, or the test duration reaches a preset test duration, the alternation stops, and the control device outputs the test completion information.

[0104] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described above, and the apparatus of the embodiments of this application is described below. It should be understood that the apparatus described below has any of the functions of the computing device in the above methods. The charged temperature cycle test method for electronic devices provided according to the embodiments of this application has been described in detail above with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Based on the same inventive concept, the control apparatus provided according to the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to Figure 5. It should be understood that the technical features described in the method embodiments are also applicable to the following apparatus embodiments.

[0105] Referring to Figure 5, an embodiment of this application provides a control device, which includes:

[0106] Receiver module 501 is used to receive the temperature cycle test start command;

[0107] The first control module 502 is used to respond to the temperature cycle test start command and send a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device, so that the electronic device operates in a first working state and a second working state, respectively. The first control command is used to control the electronic device to operate in the first working state, and the second control command is used to control the electronic device to operate in the second working state. The temperature at which the electronic device reaches a temperature stabilization state in the first working state is the first temperature, and the temperature at which the electronic device reaches a temperature stabilization state in the second working state is the second temperature. During the process of the temperature of the electronic device changing between the first temperature and the second temperature, defects in the electronic device can be detected.

[0108] Reaching a stable temperature state means that the temperature variation range of the electronic device is within a preset range.

[0109] In some embodiments, the first control module 502 includes:

[0110] The control unit is used to send a first control command and a second control command to the electronic device in response to the temperature cycle test start command, so that the electronic device alternately operates in a first operating state and a second operating state.

[0111] In some embodiments, the control unit is used for:

[0112] In response to the temperature cycling test start command, a first control command is sent to the electronic device;

[0113] Based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the first operating state, a second control command is sent to the electronic device.

[0114] Based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a stable temperature state in the second operating state, a first control command is sent to the electronic device.

[0115] In some embodiments, the control device further includes a second control module for at least one of the following:

[0116] When the electronic device is operating in the first working state, a third control command is sent to the heat dissipation device. The third control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stabilization state in the first working state lower than the first temperature.

[0117] When the electronic device is in the second operating state, a fourth control command is sent to the heat dissipation device. The fourth control command is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a stable temperature in the second operating state greater than the second temperature.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate at full load.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh.

[0120] It should be understood that the various modules in the control device and the other operations and / or functions described above are for implementing the various steps and methods implemented by the control device in the method embodiment. For specific details, please refer to the above method embodiment. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0121] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a computing device provided in an embodiment of this application. It should be understood that the computing device described below can implement any function of any of the methods described below. Typically, the computing device 600 includes a processor 601 and a memory 602.

[0122] Processor 601 may include one or more processing cores, such as a quad-core processor, an octa-core processor, etc. Processor 601 may be implemented using at least one hardware form selected from digital signal processing (DSP), field-programmable gate array (FPG A), and programmable logic array (PLA). Processor 601 may also include a main processor and a coprocessor. The main processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is used to process data in the wake-up state; the coprocessor is a low-power processor used to process data in the standby state. In some embodiments, processor 601 may integrate a graphics processing unit (GPU), which is responsible for rendering and drawing the content to be displayed on the screen. In some embodiments, processor 601 may also include an artificial intelligence (AI) processor, which is used to handle computational operations related to machine learning.

[0123] The memory 602 may include one or more computer-readable storage media, which may be non-transitory. The memory 602 may also include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices or flash memory devices. In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable storage media in the memory 602 are used to store at least one program segment for execution by the processor 601 to implement the electrically charged temperature cycling test method for electronic devices provided in the method embodiments of this application.

[0124] In some embodiments, the computing device 600 may also optionally include a peripheral device interface 603 and at least one peripheral device. The processor 601, memory 602, and peripheral device interface 603 can be connected via a bus or signal lines. Each peripheral device can be connected to the peripheral device interface 603 via a bus, signal lines, or a circuit board.

[0125] In this embodiment of the application, the computing device 600 can be configured as a terminal or a server, and the terminal or server acts as the execution subject to implement the technical solutions provided in this embodiment of the application.

[0126] In some embodiments, computing device 600 may be a portable mobile terminal, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer III (MP3) player, Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer IV (MP4) player, laptop computer, or desktop computer. Computing device 600 may also be referred to as user equipment, portable terminal, laptop terminal, desktop terminal, or other names.

[0127] In some embodiments, the computing device 600 can be an independent physical server, or implemented as a computing device cluster as shown in Figure 7, that is, a server cluster composed of multiple physical servers or a distributed file system, or a cloud server providing basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communication, middleware services, domain name services, security services, content delivery networks (CDN), and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. Taking the computing device as a cloud server as an example, the computing device can also be called a cloud platform (i.e., short for cloud computing platform), which refers to services based on hardware and software resources that provide computing, network, and storage capabilities. Through the network "cloud," massive amounts of data are processed and analyzed remotely before being returned to the user, featuring large scale, distributed nature, virtualization, high availability, scalability, on-demand service, and security. The cloud platform can achieve rapid deployment and release of configurable computing resources with relatively low management costs or low interaction complexity between users and service providers.

[0128] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, such as a memory including program code that can be executed by a processor in a computing device to perform the electrically charged temperature cycling test method for the electronic device in the above embodiments. For example, the computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device.

[0129] This application also provides a computer program product or computer program, which includes program code and computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor in a computing device reads the program code from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the program code, causing the computing device to perform the above-mentioned method for testing the charged temperature cycle of electronic devices.

[0130] In addition, embodiments of this application also provide an apparatus, which may specifically be a chip, component or module. The apparatus may include a connected processor and a memory; wherein the memory is used to store computer execution instructions. When the apparatus is running, the processor may execute the computer execution instructions stored in the memory to cause the chip to execute the charged temperature cycling test method of the electronic device in the above method embodiments.

[0131] In this embodiment, the apparatus, device, computer-readable storage medium, computer program product or chip are all used to execute the corresponding methods provided above. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can be referred to the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0132] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. Furthermore, the embodiment of the method for testing the charged temperature cycle of electronic devices provided in the above embodiments belongs to the same concept, and its specific implementation process is detailed in the method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0133] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0134] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0135] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0136] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, essentially, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0137] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B. The "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, "at least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. The terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and "first," "second," etc., do not necessarily imply differences.

[0138] In this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0139] It should be noted that all information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.), data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.), and signals involved in this application have been authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties, and the collection, use, and processing of related data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations, and standards of the relevant countries and regions. For example, the sensitive words involved in this application were obtained with full authorization.

[0140] All of the above-mentioned optional technical solutions can be combined in any way to form optional embodiments of this disclosure, and will not be described in detail here.

[0141] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method of electro-thermal temperature cycle testing of an electronic device, characterized by, The method comprises: receiving a temperature cycle test starting instruction; in response to the temperature cycle test starting instruction, sending a first control instruction and a second control instruction to an electronic device respectively, so that the electronic device operates in a first working state and a second working state respectively; wherein the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the first working state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the second working state, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state is a first temperature, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state is a second temperature, and defects existing in the electronic device can be tested in the process that the temperature of the electronic device changes between the first temperature and the second temperature; wherein the temperature stable state refers to that the temperature change range of the electronic device is within a preset range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The response to the temperature cycle test starting instruction and the sending of the first control instruction and the second control instruction to the electronic device respectively comprises: in response to the temperature cycle test starting instruction, alternately sending the first control instruction and the second control instruction to the electronic device, so that the electronic device alternately operates in the first working state and the second working state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The response to the temperature cycle test starting instruction and the alternately sending of the first control instruction and the second control instruction to the electronic device comprises: in response to the temperature cycle test starting instruction, sending the first control instruction to the electronic device; based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the first working state, sending the second control instruction to the electronic device; based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the second working state, sending the first control instruction to the electronic device.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The method further comprises at least one of the following: in the case that the electronic device operates in the first working state, sending a third control instruction to a heat dissipation device, the third control instruction being used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state less than the first temperature; in the case that the electronic device is in the second working state, sending a fourth control instruction to the heat dissipation device, the fourth control instruction being used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state greater than the second temperature.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in full load.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh.

7. A control device characterized by comprising: The control device comprises: a receiving module, configured to receive a temperature cycle test starting instruction; The first control module is configured to, in response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, send a first control instruction and a second control instruction to the electronic device respectively, so that the electronic device operates in a first working state and a second working state respectively, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the first working state, the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the second working state, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state is a first temperature, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state is a second temperature, and defects existing in the electronic device can be tested in a process in which the temperature of the electronic device changes between the first temperature and the second temperature. The reaching of the temperature stable state refers to that the temperature change range of the electronic device is within a preset range.

8. The control device of claim 7, wherein The first control module comprises: A control unit configured to, in response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, alternately send the first control instruction and the second control instruction to the electronic device, so that the electronic device alternately operates in the first working state and the second working state.

9. The control device of claim 8, wherein The control unit is configured to: In response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, send the first control instruction to the electronic device; Based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the first working state, send the second control instruction to the electronic device; Based on the temperature of the electronic device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the second working state, send the first control instruction to the electronic device.

10. The control device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by The control device further comprises a second control module configured to at least one of: In a case where the electronic device operates in the first working state, send a third control instruction to a heat dissipation device, the third control instruction being used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state less than the first temperature; In a case where the electronic device is in the second working state, send a fourth control instruction to the heat dissipation device, the fourth control instruction being used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state greater than the second temperature.

11. The control device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in full load.

12. The control device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh.

13. A system for electro-thermal temperature cycle testing of electronic devices, characterized by The system comprises a control device configured to: Receive a temperature cycle test start instruction; In response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, the first control instruction and the second control instruction are sent to the electronic device respectively, so that the electronic device operates in the first working state and the second working state respectively, the first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the first working state, the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in the second working state, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state is a first temperature, the temperature of the electronic device when reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state is a second temperature, and defects existing in the electronic device can be tested in the process that the temperature of the electronic device changes between the first temperature and the second temperature. The reaching a temperature stable state means that the temperature change range of the electronic device is in a preset range.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein, The control device is used to: In response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, the first control instruction and the second control instruction are alternately sent to the electronic device, so that the electronic device alternately operates in the first working state and the second working state.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein, The system further comprises a temperature measuring device. The control device is used to: In response to the temperature cycle test start instruction, the first control instruction is sent to the electronic device; Based on the temperature of the electronic device detected by the temperature measuring device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the first working state, the second control instruction is sent to the electronic device; Based on the temperature of the electronic device detected by the temperature measuring device, when the electronic device reaches a temperature stable state in the second working state, the first control instruction is sent to the electronic device.

16. The system of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein, The system further comprises a heat dissipation device. The control device is further used to at least one of the following: In the case that the electronic device operates in the first working state, a third control instruction is sent to the heat dissipation device, the third control instruction is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the first working state less than the first temperature; In the case that the electronic device operates in the second working state, a fourth control instruction is sent to the heat dissipation device, the fourth control instruction is used to control the heat dissipation device to make the temperature of the electronic device after reaching a temperature stable state in the second working state greater than the second temperature.

17. The system of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in a full load state.

18. The system of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The first control instruction is used to control the electronic device to operate in an idle state, and the second control instruction is used to control the electronic device to continuously refresh.

19. A computer program product comprising instructions, characterized in that, When the instructions are executed by the control device, the control device executes the electronic device temperature cycle test method of claim 1 to 6.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer program instructions are executed by the control device, and the control device executes the electronic device temperature cycle test method of claim 1 to 6.

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