Adapter Board Voltage Compensation for Automatic Test Equipment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic test equipment faces challenges in providing reliable tests for integrated circuits due to voltage drops across connection sockets, which vary with each device under test, leading to inconsistent power delivery and requiring costly modifications to the device's internal circuitry.
Innovation Solution
The use of an adapter board with multiple power connection terminals to monitor and compensate for voltage drops, allowing power to be adjusted without altering the device's internal circuitry, using a compensation unit to ensure target voltage is reached before testing, and incorporating a low-pass filter to reduce noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a predetermined voltage increase is applied to compensate for voltage drop, then power delivery is improved, but the compensation is inaccurate because voltage drop varies with each DUT insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by monitoring the actual voltage at the internal power bus through a voltage sensing connection terminal and adjusting the supplied voltage accordingly. The tester measures the voltage drop across the socket for each DUT insertion and dynamically adjusts the power supply to compensate accurately, rather than using a predetermined fixed compensation value.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a pre-test step before actual testing to measure the voltage drop and determine the appropriate compensation. This preliminary action allows the system to characterize the socket connection for each specific DUT insertion before the main testing begins, enabling accurate compensation setup.
2Measurement precision
If voltage sensing connection terminals are added to the DUT to monitor internal bus voltage, then compensation accuracy is improved, but the internal circuitry of the DUT must be modified
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the voltage sensing connection terminal multi-functional by using it for both power supply and voltage monitoring. The same terminal that receives power also serves as the sensing terminal for monitoring internal bus voltage, eliminating the need for separate sensing terminals and avoiding DUT circuitry modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter board acts as an intermediary between the tester and the DUT. It provides the voltage sensing connection terminal that connects to the DUT's existing power terminals, allowing voltage monitoring without requiring modifications to the DUT's internal circuitry. The adapter board mediates the interaction between test equipment and the device under test.
3Reliability
If multiple power connection terminals are used to supply power, then power delivery reliability is improved, but the complexity of power management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple power connection terminals (excessive action) to supply power to the DUT, which improves power delivery reliability by providing redundant power paths. The adapter board is configured to supply power through multiple terminals simultaneously, ensuring that if one terminal has poor contact, alternative terminals can maintain power delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
Providing reliable testing of a device under test (DUT) by compensating for a reduced voltage inside the device without changing the internal circuitry of the device. The DUT has multiple connection terminals for connecting to the test equipment including at least first and second power connection terminals that both connect to an internal power bus of the DUT. An adapter board connects to the multiple connection terminals of the DUT via a removably attachable socket which holds the DUT. A tester supplies power to the DUT through the adapter board. The adapter board is configured to supply power from the tester to the DUT through the first power connection terminal and to monitor voltage at the second power connection terminal. The tester includes a compensation unit which controls power based on the voltage monitored at the second power connection terminal.