Contactless Sensor Slit for Circuit Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional functional testing and in-circuit testing methods are inadequate for identifying specific components or electrical connections in defective electronic products, leading to unnecessary scrapping and environmental waste, especially in situations with limited test access and high complexity.
Innovation Solution
A contactless sensor device that detects open and short circuit defects without physical contact or power supply, using an electric field concentrated at a sensing region with a slit, allowing for non-invasive fault detection on printed circuit board assemblies and integrated circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional functional testing and in-circuit testing methods are used, then fault detection capability is provided, but specific components and electrical connections cannot be identified in defective products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional contact-based electrical testing methods with a contactless sensor device that uses electromagnetic fields to detect defects. The sensor device includes a sensor circuit with conductor portions that generate an electric field to sense open circuits and short circuits without physical contact, thereby identifying specific components and connections while preventing information loss about defect locations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary electric field generated by the sensor circuit between the testing system and the device under test. This electric field acts as a mediator that carries defect information from the DUT to the sensor without requiring direct electrical contact, enabling precise identification of faulty components while maintaining system integrity
2Measurement precision
If test pads are provisioned for in-circuit testing, then fault identification capability is improved, but provisioning becomes increasingly difficult with higher PCBA density and signaling speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the testing function from the physical structure of the PCBA by using a separate contactless sensor device. Instead of integrating test pads into the high-density circuit board, the testing capability is removed and performed externally through electromagnetic field interaction, eliminating the manufacturing complexity associated with provisioning test pads in high-density PCBAs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical/electrical contact system (test pads and probes) with an electromagnetic field-based sensing system. The sensor circuit generates an electric field that interacts with conductive structures in the DUT without physical contact, thereby eliminating the need for test pad provisioning and simplifying manufacturing of high-density PCBAs
3Reliability
If conventional testing methodologies are used, then test coverage is achieved, but requirements for power supply, test access, and standard compliance increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal testing solution where the contactless sensor device can test various conductive structures in the DUT without requiring specific test access points or power supply connections. The electric field generated by the sensor circuit interacts with any conductive element, providing broad test coverage while reducing system complexity by eliminating multiple specialized testing requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device performs self-testing and calibration functions through its own electric field generation and sensing capabilities. The conductor portions of the sensor circuit serve both as signal transmission medium and as sensing elements, eliminating the need for separate reference standards or calibration equipment, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable test coverage
4Productivity
If contactless sensing is implemented, then testing speed and sensitivity are improved, but integration into arrays for accelerated testing requires careful design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables array integration by segmenting the sensing function into independent sensor circuits that can be arranged in arrays. Each sensor circuit with its conductor portions can independently generate electric fields and detect defects, allowing parallel testing across multiple locations simultaneously, thereby accelerating testing productivity while managing array integration complexity through modular design
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables faster, more sensitive, and cost-effective defect detection without test pads or power requirements, reducing waste and environmental impact by identifying defects before potential damage, and facilitating the integration into arrays for accelerated testing.
Implementation Method 1
An electric field, generated by the sensor device in response to the RF signal, substantially concentrates in the sensing region at the tip of the sensor device
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor device is provided for testing electrical connections in a DUT using contactless fault detection. The sensor device includes main traces for conducting an RF signal supplied by a signal source; at least one inductor connected to at least one of the main traces; and a slit formed between opposing conductor portions at a tip of the sensor device for sensing open circuits and/or short circuits in portions of the DUT located in a sensing region below the slit, the tip being at an end of the sensor device opposite ends of the main traces connected to the signal source. An electric field, generated by the sensor device in response to the RF signal, substantially concentrates in the slit, enhancing the sensing of the open and/or the short circuits during the contactless fault detection.