Low cost built-in-self-test centric testing
AssigneeAdvantest Corporation
InventorsPeter Balun, Chi Yuan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Built-in-Self-Test (BIST) centric Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) framework can include a host controller and one or more tester units. The host controller can be configured to receive one or more inputs to initiate testing of a plurality of Devices Under Test (DUTs). The one or more tester unit can include a plurality of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitters (UARTs) communication links. The UART communication links can be configured to send one or more commands for initiating and controlling a Built-in-Self-Test (BIST) in the plurality of DUTs. The UART communication links can also be configured to receive test output data of the BIST from the plurality of DUTs. The host controller can also be configured to output the test output data of the BIST.
Claims20
An Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) framework comprising:
- a host controller configured to receive one or more inputs to initiate testing of a plurality of Devices Under Test (DUTs);
- one or more tester units including a plurality of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitters (UARTs) communication links configured,
- to send one or more commands for initiating and controlling a Built-in-Self-Test (BIST) in the plurality of DUTs, and
- receive test output data of the BIST from the plurality of DUTs;
- and
- the host controller further configured to output the test output data of the BIST;
- and
- one or more Device interface Boards (DIBs) configured to couple a given type of the plurality of DUTs to the one or more tester units.
An automatic test method comprising:
- receiving one or more inputs to initiate testing of a plurality of Devices Under Test (DUTs);
- sending one or more commands for initiating and controlling a Built-in-Self-Test (BIST) by a plurality of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitters (UARTs) of a Device Interface Board (DIB) on a plurality of serial communication links to the plurality of DUTs;
- receiving test output data of the BIST by the plurality of UARTs of the DIB on the plurality of serial communication links from the plurality of DUTs;
- and
- outputting the test output data of the BIST.
An Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) framework comprising:
- a host, controller configured to receive one or more inputs to initiate testing of a plurality of Devices Under Test (DUTs);
- one or more tester units including:
- a plurality of Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitters (UARTs) communication links configured to send one or more commands for initiating and controlling a Built-in-Self-Test (BIST) in the plurality of DUTs, and to receive test output data of the BIST from the plurality of DUTs;
- a plurality of Processing Unit (PU) boards, wherein a given one of the plurality of PU boards of each of the one or more tester units are configured to implement an embedded Operating System (OS);
- a plurality of Field Programmable Array (FPGA) test boards;
- one or more drivers communicatively coupling the plurality of FPGA test boards to the plurality of PU boards;
- and
- wherein the embedded OS is configured to communicate with the plurality of PU boards, communicate with the plurality of FPGA test boards, and communicate with the plurality of DUTs over the respective UART communication links;
- and
- the host controller further configured to output the test output data of the BIST.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.