Semiconductor Test Socket With IC Usage Counter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor chip test sockets lack mechanisms to accurately track usage, leading to potential misalignment with chip specifications, reduced lifespan, and increased risk of defects or accidents during testing, as they do not provide clear indications of specifications, lifespan, or usage counts.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor chip test socket equipped with an integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes unique information and an algorithm to count the number of times it is used, featuring a socket body, a fixing member, and pogo pins for secure electrical connection to a test circuit board, allowing for precise tracking of usage and easy installation/removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If semiconductor chip test sockets are used without usage tracking mechanisms, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to inability to detect lifespan and usage limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds an IC chip inside the semiconductor chip test socket. The IC chip contains a memory region storing usage information and a processor that counts usage times. This nesting approach integrates the tracking function within the existing socket structure, adding reliability without significantly increasing external complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The IC chip acts as an intermediary between the socket body and the external testing system. It stores usage data internally and communicates with external devices through communication interfaces, mediating the information flow and enabling usage tracking without requiring complex external monitoring systems.
2Measurement precision
If an IC chip with usage counting algorithm is installed in the socket, then the measurement precision of usage times is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The IC chip contains an algorithm that automatically counts the number of times the test socket is used. The processor within the IC chip performs the counting function autonomously without requiring external counting mechanisms, achieving precise measurement while minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The IC chip serves multiple functions: it stores usage information in its memory region, counts usage times through its processor, and provides communication interfaces for data exchange. This multi-functionality consolidates multiple features into a single component, improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Strength
If the IC chip is securely fixed in the installation portion, then the strength of connection is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism is divided into separate components: a fixing member with fixing protrusions that engage with corresponding recesses in the installation portion. This segmentation allows the IC chip to be securely fixed through simple engagement of discrete elements, providing both strong connection and ease of installation/removal.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a semiconductor chip test socket configured to be coupled to a test circuit board for testing a semiconductor chip and provided with an integrated circuit (IC) chip having unique information and an algorithm for counting the number of times the semiconductor chip test socket is used, such that the number of times the semiconductor chip test socket is used may be exactly counted, and the IC chip may be easily installed and removed and securely protected from external impacts.