ATE Control Unit Dynamic Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated test equipment (ATE) for semiconductor devices faces increasing power consumption and energy costs due to the need for constant operation and thermal management, which affects production stability and environmental sustainability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control unit that dynamically adjusts the activity states of tester subunits based on current demand, reducing power consumption by putting unused subunits into a lower activity state and ensuring they remain within specification limits for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ATE operates continuously with all resources fully active to ensure stability and functionality, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management by allowing ATE resources to transition between active and low-power states based on real-time demand. The control unit monitors resource utilization and dynamically adjusts power states, enabling the system to adapt its power consumption profile to actual testing needs while maintaining operational stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of ATE resources by introducing multiple power states (fully active, partially active, low-power) instead of a single continuous operation mode. This parameter change allows the system to optimize the balance between reliability and power consumption by selecting appropriate operational states based on current testing requirements.
2Reliability
If ATE maintains full power demand continuously, then functionality and accuracy are ensured, but energy capacity limits are approached and overload situations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring and adjustment of power states. The control unit periodically assesses the current testing workload and resource utilization, then adjusts the power states of ATE resources accordingly. This periodic action allows the system to maintain full power only when necessary while reducing power consumption during periods of lower demand, preventing continuous overload of the power supply network.
3Stability of the object's composition
If thermal management system maintains stable temperature conditions with full power, then operation stability is improved, but thermal output energy increases requiring more cooling infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system dynamically adjusts its cooling output based on the actual thermal load generated by ATE resources. When resources are in low-power states, the thermal management system reduces its cooling activity proportionally, maintaining temperature stability while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption for cooling infrastructure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If ATE uses a flexible pool of many configurable tester subunits to adapt to various devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ATE into independent, modular tester subunits that can be individually controlled and configured. Each subunit can be independently placed in different power states based on its specific usage requirements. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity by allowing independent management of each module while maintaining high adaptability through selective activation of required subunits.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated test equipment for testing a device under test includes a control unit and a plurality of tester subunits. The control unit is configured to put the tester subunits in a state of lower activity in dependence on a current demand on the test resources.