# US 10,371,718 B2 · Method for identification of proper probe placement on printed circuit board

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- Number: US 10,371,718 B2
- Document ID: US10371718B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/350,499
- Filed: 2016-11-14
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-14
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Jason T. Albert; Matthew S. Doyle; Christopher J. Engel; Kahn C. Evans; Steven B. Janssen; Matt K. Light
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371718B2

## CPC

- G01R 1/06794: {Devices for sensing when probes are in contact, or in position to contact, with measured object}
- G01R 31/2801: {Testing of printed circuits, backplanes, motherboards, hybrid circuits or carriers for multichip packages [MCP] (G01R31/318508 takes precedence; contactless testing G01R31/302; testing contacts or connections G01R31/66)}
- G01R 31/2806: {Apparatus therefor, e.g. test stations, drivers, analysers, conveyors (G01R31/2805, G01R31/281, G01R31/2818 take precedence)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A method of probing printed circuit boards that includes providing a circuit board design including a plurality of probe points, and selecting a probe point including a location ink from the plurality of probe points in the circuit board design to be probed on a physical printed circuit board design. The method continues with probing at least one probe point of the plurality of probe points with a probe that activates the location ink. Activation of the location ink by the probe indicates the selected probe point including the locating ink.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of probing printed circuit boards comprising:
providing a circuit board design on a printed circuit board including a plurality of probe points;
selecting a probe point including a location ink from the plurality of probe points in the circuit board design to be probed on the printed circuit board, the probe points of the circuit board design each having a different characteristic in the location ink that is specific to said each of the plurality of probe points; and
probing the selected probe point of the plurality of probe points with a probe that activates the location ink, wherein activation of the location ink by the probe indicates the selected probe point including said location ink to reduce translation errors between the circuit board design and the printed circuit board by measuring the different characteristic in the location ink that is specific to said each of the plurality of probe points.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the location ink comprises thermochromatic ink, wherein said activation of the location ink by the probe includes heating said at least one probe point to a predetermined temperature that illuminates said thermochromatic ink.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the thermochromatic ink includes a liquid crystal composition, Leuco dye or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4

A method of probing printed circuit boards comprising:
providing a circuit board design on a printed circuit board including a plurality of probe points;
selecting a probe point including a location ink from the plurality of probe points in the circuit board design to be probed on the printed circuit board, the probe points of the circuit board design each having a different characteristic in the location ink that is specific to said each of the plurality of probe points; and
probing the selected probe point of the plurality of probe points with a probe that activates the location ink, wherein activation of the location ink by the probe indicates the selected probe point including said locating ink, wherein the selected probe point includes an assembly of a thermochromatic activator head including at least one of a peltier device and a piezoelectric device for heating or cooling that is atop a thermochromatic ring containing said location ink, wherein the thermochromatic ring contains said locating ink and is positioned around a conductive feature for the at least one probe point, wherein the conductive feature for the at least one probe point is in electrical communication with a trace line of the printed circuit board.