Automatic test equipment

Automatic test equipment for the functional testing or electronic circuits, said automatic test equipment comprising:

• a programmable controller comprising a digital computer having keyboard and display facilities;
• first means for the connection to said programmable controller of a number of testing devices such as power supplies and external specialist instrumentation;
• second means for the connection to said programmable controller of a user configured number of optional testing devices, said second means comprising a plurality of function module connection sites provided in the automatic test equipment with each of said connection sites being capable of receiving any one of a plurality of different function modules of predetermined type designed to be controlled by the controller;
• a user-configured selection of optional function modules comprising a plurality of such modules received in selected ones of said connection sites, each of said optional function modules being adapted to be controlled by the controller in the performance of predetermined specific circuit testing operations and including means to enable the function module type, as regards its functional capability, to be determined by the controller;
• connector means for coupling said plurality of function modules to an electronic circuit to be tested;
• and
• a bus structure interconnecting said plurality of function module connection sites with each other and with said programmable controller in a shared resource arrangement providing for direct module-to-module communication, said bus structure comprising:
• (i) computer databus for communication control data from the controller to the function modules for controlling the operation of the function modules and for passing digital data to and from the function modules;
• and
• (ii) a function module identification bus for enabling the controller to identify individual function module types and ascertain their locations in said plurality of module connection sites.

Automatic test equipment for the functional testing of electronic circuits, said automatic test equipment comprising:

• a programmable controller comprising a digital computer having keyboard and display facilities;
• first means for the connection to said programmable controller of a number of testing devices such as power supplies and external specialist instrumentation;
• second means for the connection to said programmable controller of a user configured number of optical testing devices, said second means comprising a plurality of function module connection sites provided in the automatic test equipment with each of said connection sites being capable of receiving any one of a plurality of different function modules of predetermined type designed to be controlled by the controller;
• a user-configured selection of optional function modules comprising a plurality of such modules received in selection ones of said connection sites, each of said optional function modules being adapted to be controlled by the controller in the performance of predetermined specific circuit testing operations and including means to enable the function module type, as regards its functional capability, to be determined by the controller;
• connector means for coupling said plurality of function modules to an electronic circuit to be tested;
• and
• a bus structure interconnecting said plurality of function module connection sites with each other and with said programmable controller in a shared resource arrangement providing for direct module-to-module communication, said bus structure comprising:
• (i) a computer data bus for communicating control data from the controller to the function modules for controlling the operation of the function modules and for passing digital data to and from the function modules;
• and
• (ii) analog stimulus nd analog measurement buses enabling the sharing of analog resources within the automatic test equipment by direct communication between function modules received in said connection sites of analog stimulus and response signals.

Automatic test equipment for the functional testing of electronic circuits, said automatic test equipment comprising:

• a programmable controller comprising a digital computer having keyboard and display facilities;
• first means for the connection to said programmable controller of a number of testing devices such as power supplies and external specialist instrumentation;
• second means for the connection to said programmable controller of a user configured number of optional testing devices, said second means comprising a plurality of function module connection sites provided in the automatic test equipment with each of said connection sites being capable of receiving any one of plurality of different function modules of predetermined type designed to be controlled by the controller;
• a user-configured selection of optional function modules comprising a plurality of such modules received in selected ones of said connection sites, each of said optional function modules being adapted to be controlled by the controller in the performance of predetermined specific circuit testing operations and including means to enable the function module type, as regards its functional capability, to be determined by the controller;
• connector means for coupling said plurality of function modules to an electronic circuit to be tested;
• and
• a bus structure interconnecting said plurality of function module connection sites with each other and with said programmable controller in a shared resource arrangement providing for direct module-to-module communication, said bus structure comprising:
• (i) a computer databus for communicating control data from the controller to the function modules for controlling the operation of the function modules and for passing digital data to and from the function modules;
• and
• (ii) a synchronization bus comprising a plurality of sync/digital common lines for enabling direct module-to-module communication for cross-synchronization of events occurring within the automatic test equipment.