Electronic Board Fault Identification Using Test Vectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for identifying faulty components on complex electronic circuit boards are manual, time-consuming, prone to errors, and lack scalability and completeness, leading to inefficient maintenance and repair of power electronic systems.
Innovation Solution
An electronic board test device (ECTD) with a processor and memory, equipped with injectors and sensors, uses a digital testing package containing test vectors to automatically diagnose faulty components by applying predetermined voltage and current levels and analyzing sensor signatures, ensuring secure and reliable fault identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual testing methods are used to identify faulty components, then the testing process can be performed with simple equipment, but the testing is time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing procedures with an automated electronic testing system. The test device automatically applies test vectors, measures sensor signatures, and identifies faulty components through computational analysis, eliminating human error and reducing testing time while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system performs self-diagnosis by automatically executing test vectors, analyzing sensor data, and identifying faults without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by executing the complete testing process from application of test signals to fault identification through automated processing.
2Reliability
If comprehensive manual testing is performed to ensure complete fault detection, then fault identification completeness improves, but the complexity and difficulty of the testing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The test device is designed as a universal platform that can test multiple types of electronic boards and components through a single integrated system. The device performs multiple functions including applying test vectors, measuring various sensor signatures, processing data, and identifying faults, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive testing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex manual testing procedures with automated electronic and computational processes. The system automatically executes comprehensive test sequences, processes sensor data through algorithms, and identifies faults, thereby reducing the complexity burden on the operator while ensuring complete fault detection.
3Productivity
If automated testing with digital testing packages is implemented, then testing speed and accuracy improve, but the cost and complexity of the testing device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system is segmented into modular components: a test vector database, a signal generation unit, sensor interfaces, a processing unit, and a fault identification algorithm. This segmentation allows the complex automated testing function to be achieved through coordinated simple modules rather than a single complex device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital copying of test vectors and sensor signature data to enable automated testing. Instead of physical replication of testing procedures, the system copies test parameters and compares sensor readings against stored reference data, achieving high-speed automated testing through information replication rather than physical complexity.
4Reliability
If multiple manual tests are performed to ensure accurate fault identification, then the reliability of fault detection improves, but the number of tests and time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual manual tests into a single integrated automated testing sequence. The system executes multiple test vectors in succession through one coordinated process, combining the reliability of multiple tests with the efficiency of a single operation, thereby reducing the total number of discrete testing actions required.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for locating faulty components on an electronic board (EB), the method being implemented thru by an electronic board test device (ECTD) comprising a processor (Pu) and a memory (Mem), the method comprising: - obtaining (S01) a digital testing package (DTP), from a communication interface (COM) of the electronic board test device (ECTD), - from the digital testing package (DTP), the processor (Pu) obtaining (S02) at least one test vector database (TVD), - connecting (S03) the electronic board test device (ECTD) to the electronic board (EB) using at least one connector of the electronic board test device (ECTD) according to a connection scheme (CoS), - setting (S04) a power supply unit of the electronic board test device (ECTD) to provide predetermined voltage and/or current levels to the connected electronic board (EB), - executing (S05) at least one test according to the test vectors of the at least one test vector database (TVD) and determining the faulty components as a function of at least one measured sensor signature of the at least one test.