Non-contact test system
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJoshua G. Nickel, Jonathan P. G. Gavin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic device structures such as structures containing antennas, connectors, welds, electronic device components, conductive housing structures, and other structures can be tested for faults using a non-contact test system. The test system may include a vector network analyzer or other test unit that generates radio-frequency tests signals in a range of frequencies. The radio-frequency test signals may be transmitted to electronic device structures under test using an antenna probe that has one or more test antennas. The antenna probe may receive corresponding radio-frequency signals. The transmitted and received radio-frequency test signals may be analyzed to determine whether the electronic device structures under test contain a fault.
Claims33
A method for testing electronic device structures under test using a tester that has a test unit and an associated antenna probe, comprising:
- generating radio-frequency test signals with the test unit;
- wirelessly transmitting the radio-frequency test signals to the device structures under test using the antenna probe;
- receiving corresponding radio-frequency test signals from the device structures under test using the antenna probe;
- providing the received radio-frequency test signals to the test unit from the antenna probe;
- and
- determining from at least the received radio-frequency test signals whether the device structures under test contain a fault.
A method for testing electronic device structures under test using a tester that has at least one test antenna, comprising:
- with the tester, transmitting radio-frequency test signals to the device structures under test using the test antenna;
- receiving corresponding radio-frequency test signals from the device structures under test using the test antenna;
- and
- determining from at least the received radio-frequency signals whether the device structures under test contain a fault.
A test system for performing non-contact testing on electronic device structures under test, comprising:
- a test unit that generates radio-frequency test signals;
- and
- an antenna with which the radio-frequency test signals are transmitted to the electronic device structures under test and with which corresponding radio-frequency test signals are received, wherein the test unit is configured to determine whether the electronic device structures under test include a fault based on the transmitted and received radio-frequency test signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.