# US 10,504,801 B2 · Method and apparatus for detecting and removing defective integrated circuit packages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,504,801 B2 - Document ID: US10504801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/437,737 - Filed: 2017-02-21 - Published: 2018-04-26 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-20 - Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Inventors: Zheng Qing Fan; Hui Yin; Qing Bo Wu; Tian Sheng Chen; Guan Quan Wen; Ding Han - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504801B2 ## CPC - H10P 74/23: {characterised by multiple measurements, corrections, marking or sorting processes} - H10P 72/0611: {Sorting devices} - H10P 72/0614: {Marking devices} - H10P 72/0618: {using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers} - H10W 46/00: Marks applied to devices, e.g. for alignment or identification - H10W 70/04: of leadframes - H10W 72/0198: {batch processes} - H10W 74/014: {using batch processing} - H10W 74/129: {forming a chip-scale package [CSP]} - H10P 74/203: {Structural properties, e.g. testing or measuring thicknesses, line widths, warpage, bond strengths or physical defects} - H10W 46/401: {for identification or tracking} - H10W 46/607: {Located on parts of packages, e.g. on encapsulations or on package substrates} - H10W 70/421: {Shapes or dispositions} - H10W 72/0711: {Apparatus therefor} - H10W 72/07183: {Means for monitoring} - H10W 72/073: {of die-attach connectors} - H10W 72/07331: {Connecting techniques} - H10W 72/075: {of bond wires} - H10W 72/07531: {Techniques} - H10W 72/5445: {being orthogonal to a side surface of the chip, e.g. parallel arrangements} - H10W 72/5522: {comprising gold [Au]} - H10W 72/884: {Die-attach connectors and bond wires} - H10W 74/111: {the semiconductor body being completely enclosed} - H10W 90/736: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink} - H10W 90/756: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A method for making integrated circuit (IC) packages includes providing a leadframe strip having a plurality of leadframe units and providing the leadframe strip to an operating station. The operating station is operable to perform one or more tests on the plurality of leadframe units in the making of IC packages. The method includes obtaining a database that has the locations of leadframe units in the leadframe strip stored in the database. The method also includes performing the one or more tests on the plurality of leadframe units and updating the database in response to the results of the testing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making integrated circuit (IC) packages, the method comprising: providing a leadframe strip having a plurality of leadframe units; providing the leadframe strip to an operating station that is operable to perform at least one test on the plurality of leadframe units in the making of IC packages; obtaining a database having the locations of leadframe units in the leadframe strip stored therein; performing the at least one test on the plurality of leadframe units; updating the database in response to the results of the at least one test; and marking leadframe units that passed the testing with indicia. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one procedure on the plurality of leadframe units, wherein the at least one test tests the at least one procedure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein updating the database includes identifying the locations of leadframe units that had the at least one procedure performed thereon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: encapsulating the leadframe units; reading the database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the testing; singulating the leadframe units; reading the indicia on the leadframe units; and sorting the leadframe units that passed the testing from leadframe units that did not pass the testing in response to reading the indicia on the leadframe units. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the leadframe strip to an operating station that is operable to perform at least one procedure on the plurality of leadframe units; reading the updated database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the at least one test; and performing at least one procedure only on the leadframe units that passed the at least one test. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the obtained database includes information associated with the at least one procedure to be performed on the leadframe units; and wherein the performing the at least one procedure on the plurality of leadframe units includes performing the at least one procedure in response to the information associated with the at least one procedure included in the database. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: performing a second test on the plurality of leadframe units to which at least one second procedure was applied; and updating the database in response to the second test. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: encapsulating the leadframe units; reading the database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test; marking leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test with indicia; singulating the leadframe units; reading the indicia on the singulated leadframe units; and sorting the singulated leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test from leadframe units that did not pass the first test and the second test. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: marking the leadframe strip with strip identifying indicia; and reading the strip identifying indicia; wherein obtaining a database having the locations of leadframe units in the leadframe strip stored therein comprises obtaining a database correlated with the read strip identifying indicia. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein updating the database includes updating the database to identify the locations of leadframe units that passed the test. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein updating the database includes updating the database to identify the locations of leadframe units that failed the test. ### Claim 12 An integrated circuit (IC) package production device for performing at least one procedure in the production of IC packages on a plurality of leadframe units, the leadframe units being affixed to a leadframe strip, the leadframe strip having strip identifying indicia located therein, the device comprising: a reader operable to read the strip identifying indicia affixed to the leadframe strip; a mechanism operable to perform at least one production procedure on the plurality of leadframe units; and a processor operable to correlate the identification of the leadframe strip to a database that identifies locations of leadframe units on the leadframe strip, and operable to update the database to identify locations of leadframe units on which the at least one production procedure was performed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, further comprising a tester operable to test the leadframe units on which the at least one production procedure was performed and to update the database to identify locations of leadframes assembly units that passed the test. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, further comprising: a singulation device operable to singulate leadframe units from the leadframe strip; and a sorting device operable to separate singulated leadframe units that passed the test from singulated leadframe units that did not pass the test. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the mechanism is operable to encapsulate the leadframe units, and further comprising: a marking device for marking encapsulated leadframe units that passed the test with indicia; a singulation device operable to singulate the leadframe units; a reading device operable to read the indicia marked on the singulated leadframe units; and a sorting device operable to sort singulated leadframe units that passed the test from singulated leadframe units that did not pass the test in response to reading the indicia. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the tester is operable to only test leadframe units that had the at least one production procedure applied thereto. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the mechanism is operable to perform at least one of die attachment or wire bonding. ### Claim 18 An integrated circuit (IC) test station for testing a plurality of leadframe units affixed to a leadframe strip, the leadframe strip having identification indicia located thereon, the station comprising: a reader operable to read the identification indicia affixed to the leadframe strip; a testing device operable to test the plurality of leadframe units; and a processor operable to correlate the identification of the leadframe strip to a database that identifies locations of leadframe units on the leadframe strip, and operable to update the database to identify locations of leadframe units in response to the testing performed by the testing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The station of claim 18, further comprising a mechanism for performing a procedure only on the leadframe units that passed the testing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The station of claim 18, wherein the database identifies the locations of leadframe units that had at least one procedure previously applied to them, and wherein the testing is performed on the leadframe units that had the procedure previously applied to them. ### Claim 21 A method for making integrated circuit (IC) packages, the method comprising: providing a leadframe strip having a plurality of leadframe units; providing the leadframe strip to an operating station that is operable to perform at least one test on the plurality of leadframe units in the making of IC packages; obtaining a database having the locations of leadframe units in the leadframe strip stored therein; performing the at least one test on the plurality of leadframe units; updating the database in response to the results of the at least one test; and marking the leadframe strip with identifying indicia. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: encapsulating the leadframe units; reading the database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the testing; marking leadframe units that passed the testing with indicia; singulating the leadframe units; reading the indicia on the leadframe units; and sorting the leadframe units that passed the testing from leadframe units that did not pass the testing in response to reading the indicia on the leadframe units. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: providing the leadframe strip to an operating station that is operable to perform at least one procedure on the plurality of leadframe units; reading the updated database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the at least one test; and performing at least one procedure only on the leadframe units that passed the at least one test. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the obtained database includes information associated with the at least one procedure to be performed on the leadframe units; and wherein the performing the at least one procedure on the plurality of leadframe units includes performing the at least one procedure in response to the information associated with the at least one procedure included in the database. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: performing a second test on the plurality of leadframe units to which at least one second procedure was applied; and updating the database in response to the second test. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: encapsulating the leadframe units; reading the database to determine the locations of leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test; marking leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test with indicia; singulating the leadframe units; reading the indicia on the singulated leadframe units; and sorting the singulated leadframe units that passed the first test and the second test from leadframe units that did not pass the first test and the second test. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: marking the leadframe strip with strip identifying indicia; and reading the strip identifying indicia; wherein obtaining a database having the locations of leadframe units in the leadframe strip stored therein comprises obtaining a database correlated with the read strip identifying indicia.