Identification of pin-open faults by capacitive coupling through the integrated circuit package
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsDavid T. Crook, Kevin W. Keirn, Ugur Cilingiroglu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system that determines whether input and output pins of semiconductor components are present and properly soldered to a printed circuit board. The system uses an oscillator which supplies a signal, typically ten kiloHertz (10 kHz) at 0.2 volts, to the pin under test. A conductive electrode is placed on top of the component package. The electrode is connected to a current measuring device. Another pin of the component is connected to the common signal return. Typically the other pin is chosen to be a power or ground pin of the component.
Claims21
A system for measuring the integrity of an electrical contact between an electrical connection pin of an electrical component and a first node of a circuit assembly, said system comprising:
- (a) signal supplying means, comprising an output and a common signal return, for supplying an electrical current via said output to a pin of said electrical component;
- (b) an electrical connection between a second node of the circuit assembly and said common signal return of said signal supplying means;
- (c) a conductive electrode comprising a surface adapted to be placed in a fixed position in proximity to a surface of said pin;
- and
- (d) measuring means, operatively coupled to said conductive electrode, for measuring a parameter indicative of a capacitance associated with connection of said pin to said circuit assembly, said capacitance being indicative of the integrity of the electrical connection between said pin and said circuit assembly.
A system for measuring the integrity of an electrical contact between a first electrical connection pin of an electrical component and a first node of a circuit assembly, said system comprising:
- (a) signal supplying means, comprising an output and a common signal return, for supplying an electrical current via said output;
- (b) an electrical connection between a second node of the circuit assembly and said common signal return of said signal supplying means;
- (c) a conductive electrode, coupled to said output of said signal supplying means, comprising a surface adapted to be placed in a fixed position in proximity to a surface of said pin;
- and
- (d) measuring means, operatively coupled to said first pin, for measuring a parameter indicative of a capacitance associated with the connection of said pin to said circuit assembly, said capacitance being indicative of the integrity of the electrical connection between said pin and said circuit assembly.
A method for measuring the integrity of an electrical contact between an electrical connection pin of an electrical component and a first node of a circuit assembly, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a conductive electrode in a fixed position in proximity to a surface of said pin;
- (b) supplying an electrical current from a signal generator to said conductive electrode;
- (c) electrically connecting a second node of said circuit assembly to a common signal return of said signal generator;
- and
- (d) measuring a parameter indicative of a capacitance associated with the connection of said connection pin to said circuit assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.