Voltage Detection Circuit for PCB Alignment Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
As circuit board designs become more complex with reduced line distances, alignment errors lead to mis-connections between circuit boards, making it difficult to detect proper electrical connections using conventional impedance detection methods.
Innovation Solution
A voltage detection system comprising circuit boards with shorting lines and dummy lines, where a resistor and voltage detection unit generate a control signal based on voltage levels at specific nodes, enabling or disabling power supply to determine alignment of function lines with circuit boards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the distance between lines is reduced to accommodate more lines on circuit boards, then the productivity and integration are improved, but the alignment precision deteriorates leading to mis-connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing preliminary alignment marks on both the circuit board and connection board before the actual connection process. These alignment marks allow for pre-alignment and detection of misalignment issues before final bonding occurs, enabling corrective actions to be taken in advance to prevent mis-connections despite reduced line distances
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces alignment marks as intermediary elements that mediate between the circuit board and connection board. These marks serve as reference points that facilitate precise alignment even when the actual signal lines are too close to be accurately aligned, thus resolving the contradiction between high integration density and alignment precision
2Ease of operation
If conventional impedance detection is used to verify connections, then the detection method is simple, but the measurement precision is insufficient for detecting mis-connections in high-density configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dummy lines as intermediary detection elements that are separate from the actual signal lines. These dummy lines provide a dedicated path for impedance detection that is not affected by the reduced spacing of functional lines, thereby maintaining measurement precision while keeping the detection process simple and separate from normal signal transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the connection verification function by separating it from the signal transmission function. Dummy lines are dedicated exclusively to detection purposes, allowing impedance measurements to be performed independently without interference from the dense signal line configurations, thus achieving both simplicity and precision in connection detection
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
The system effectively detects mis-alignments by varying voltage levels, simplifying the test process and ensuring accurate connection verification, thereby preventing mis-connections and improving connection reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage detection unit to detect a voltage of a first terminal and output a control signal
Implementation Method 2
conductive films, such as anisotropic conductive adhesives, are disposed between the circuit boards 12 and 16 and the connection boards 14
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage detection system comprising a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit comprises a first connection unit, a second connection unit, a resistor, and a voltage detection unit. Dummy lines of the first and second connection units are coupled in series. When lines of the first and second connection units are not aligned to lines of the first and second circuit boards, an entirety equivalent impedance of the dummy lines is decreased. When detecting that the entirety of equivalent impedance is decreased to be less than a predetermined value, the voltage detection unit enables a control signal.