ATE Station Control for Independent DUT Failure Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic test equipment (ATE) systems struggle to separately stop the testing of a single device under test when a test failure occurs, leading to inefficiencies and resource waste due to intricate connections between function boards and devices under test.
Innovation Solution
A test control device comprising a parallel control unit and station control units, each corresponding to at least one device under test, allows for separate control of testing by sending test sequences to function boards and controlling them to stop when a failure occurs, using shutdown instructions based on test failure information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single device under test fails testing in existing ATE systems, then the testing of that device should be stopped, but the intricate connections between function boards and devices under test prevent separate stopping of testing for individual devices
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into a parallel control unit and multiple station control units, where each station control unit corresponds to at least one device under test. This segmentation enables independent control of testing for each device, allowing the system to stop testing for a failed device without affecting other devices, thereby resolving the contradiction between testing efficiency and control structure complexity.
2Loss of energy
If testing continues for all devices after a failure occurs, then resource utilization remains high, but resource waste occurs due to inability to separately stop testing
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the control device into parallel and station control units with one-to-one or one-to-many correspondence to devices under test, the system gains the flexibility to independently control testing for each device. This enables the system to stop testing for failed devices while maintaining testing for other devices, preventing resource waste while preserving operational simplicity.
3Productivity
If the control structure is simplified to allow separate stopping of testing, then testing efficiency improves, but the system becomes less adaptable to handle multiple devices with different testing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is divided into a parallel control unit for overall coordination and multiple station control units for device-specific control. Each station control unit can independently manage testing for its corresponding device(s), providing both the efficiency of parallel processing and the adaptability to handle different testing requirements for different devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The station control units serve multiple functions: they receive test sequences from the parallel control unit, control function boards to generate excitation signals, collect response signals from devices under test, and independently control testing termination. This multi-functionality maintains system versatility while enabling efficient separate control of each device.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a tester, a test control device and a test control method. The device comprises a parallel control unit and a plurality of station control units, wherein each of the station control units corresponds to at least one device under test. The parallel control unit is connected with the station control units and a host respectively and is configured to receive test items sent by the host and send each of test sequences in the test items to a station control unit corresponding to a device under test corresponding to the test sequence. Each of the station control units is connected with a plurality of function boards respectively, wherein functions realized by the function boards are different. Any station control unit is configured to send received test sequence(s) to corresponding function boards according to functions required to realize for the received test sequence(s).