# US 6,744,267 B2 · Test system and methodology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,744,267 B2 - Document ID: US6744267B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/197,134 - Filed: 2002-07-16 - Published: 2004-01-22 - Granted: 2004-06-01 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-16 - Assignees: NPTest, LLC - Inventors: Frank M. Sauk; Gary A. Wells; Thomas P. Ho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6744267B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/2886: {Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks (G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06)} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A test system for testing an electronic device is deployable in two basic configurations. In one of the configurations, a load board (62) that receives a unit (60) of the device is directly attached to a test head (16). In the other configuration, the same load board or one having largely the same pattern of test-head signal transmission positions is coupled through an interface apparatus (66) to a test head. A probe system (64) contacts that load board or/and the interface apparatus. The interface apparatus is normally configured to largely prevent test-head vibrations from being transferred to the probe system. Additionally or alternatively, the load board is vacuum attached to the interface apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A test system for testing units of an electronic device, the test system comprising: at least one test head; at least one load board for receiving a unit of the electronic device, each load board having a pattern of test-head signal transmission positions largely identical to the pattern of test-head signal transmission positions of each other, if any other, load board; a probe system having a probe; and an interface apparatus, the test system being deployable (a) in a direct configuration in which one such load board is directly attached to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions and (b) in an interface configuration in which one such load board is coupled through the interface apparatus to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions, in which the probe system contacts the interface apparatus or/and load board, and in which the interface apparatus is configured to largely prevent vibrations in that test head from being transferred through the interface apparatus to the probe system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A test system as in claim 1 wherein the interface apparatus comprises: a tester-side structure for attachment to the test head used in interface configuration; a device-side body for attachment to the load board used in interface configuration; and an isolation system for flexibly connecting the tester-side structure to the device-side body while largely preventing vibrations in the tester-side structure from being transmitted through the isolation system to the device-side body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A test system as in claim 2 wherein the isolation system comprises multiple flexible electrical cables. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A test system as in claim 3 wherein the electrical cables extend largely from at least the tester-side structure to at least the device-side body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A test system as in claim 3 wherein the electrical cables carry electrical signals that pass between the tester-side structure and the load board used in interface configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A test system as in claim 4 wherein the isolation system includes a flexible hose system extending largely from at least the tester-side structure to at least the device-side body for attaching the load board used in interface configuration to the interface apparatus by way of a substantial vacuum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A test system as in claim 2 wherein the interface apparatus further includes a movement-restricting mechanism for limiting the movement of the device-side body relative to the tester-side structure while largely avoiding transferring vibrations in the tester-side structure through the movement-restricting mechanism to the device-side body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A test system as in claim 7 wherein the movement-restricting mechanism comprises at least one combination of a post and a flange, the post being mounted on one of the tester-side structure and the device side body, the flange being mounted on the other of the tester-side structure and the device-side body, the flange having an opening through which the post extends and which is of greater diameter than the post where it extends through that opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) A test system as in claim 2 wherein the tester-side structure comprises: an adapter board for attachment to the test head used in interface configuration; and a tester-side body connected to the adapter board and the isolation system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A test system as in claim 9 wherein electrical signals pass through the adapter board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A test system as in claim 9 wherein the isolation system comprises multiple electrical cables which pass through at least one opening in the tester-side body to contact the adapter board and which pass through openings in the device-side body for contacting the load board used in interface configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A test system as in claim 11 wherein the cables pass through multiple openings in the tester-side body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A test system as in claim 1 wherein, in the direct configuration: test signals are provided from the test head used in the direct configuration to the load board used in the direct configuration for testing a unit of the electronic device; and test signals are provided from that load board to that test head in response to test signals provided from that unit of the electronic device to that load board. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A test system as in claim 13 wherein, in the interface configuration: test signals are provided from the interface apparatus to the load board used in the interface configuration for testing a unit of the electronic device in response to test signals provided from the test head used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus; and test signals are provided from the interface apparatus to that test head in response to test signals which are provided from that load board to the interface apparatus in response to test signals provided from that unit of the electronic device to that load board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A test system as in claim 1 wherein, in the interface configuration, the load board used in the interface configuration is attached by a substantial vacuum to the interface apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A test system as in claim 15 wherein, in the interface configuration, the interface apparatus is attached by a substantial vacuum to the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A test system as in claim 1 wherein the probe is a substantially non-intrusive probe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A test system as in claim 17 wherein the probe is an optical probe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A test system as in claim 17 wherein the probe is an electron-beam probe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A test system as in claim 1 wherein the probe is an intrusive probe. ### Claim 21 A test system for testing units of an electronic device, the test system comprising: at least one test head; at least one load board for receiving a unit of the electronic device, each load board having a pattern of test-head signal transmission positions largely identical to the pattern of test-head signal transmission positions of each other, if any other, load board; a probe system having a probe; and an interface apparatus, the test system being deployable (a) in a direct configuration in which one such load board is directly attached to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions and (b) in an interface configuration in which one such load board is attached by a substantial vacuum to the interface apparatus, in which that load board is coupled through the interface apparatus to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions, and in which the probe system contacts the interface apparatus or/and that load board. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein the vacuum is provided through the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein, in the interface configuration, the interface apparatus is attached by a substantial vacuum to the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A test system as in claim 23 wherein the vacuums are provided through the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A test system as in claim 23 wherein, in the interface configuration, the interface apparatus is also mechanically attached to the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein, in the interface configuration, the interface apparatus is mechanically attached to the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein, in the direct configuration, the load board used in the direct configuration is attached by a substantial vacuum to the test head used in the direct configuration. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A test system as in claim 27 wherein: the vacuum used in the direct configuration is provided through the test head used in the direct configuration; and the vacuum used in the interface configuration is provided through the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein the interface apparatus comprises: a tester-side structure for attachment to the test head used in the interface configuration; a device-side body for attachment to the load board used in the interface configuration; and a hose system extending from at least the tester-side structure to at least the device-side body for providing the vacuum that attaches the load board used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A test system as in claim 29 wherein the interface apparatus includes multiple electrical cables which carry electrical signals that pass between the tester-side structure and the load board used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein the interface apparatus comprises: an adapter board for attachment to the test head used in the interface configuration; and an interface module that couples the probe system to the adapter board. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A test system as in claim 31 wherein electrical signals pass through the adapter board. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein, in the direct configuration: test signals are provided from the test head used in the direct configuration to the load board used in the direct configuration for testing a unit of the electronic device; and test signals are provided from that load board to that test head in response to test signals provided from that unit of the electronic device to that load board. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A test system as in claim 33 wherein, in the interface configuration: test signals are provided from the interface apparatus to the load board used in the interface configuration for testing a unit of the electronic device in response to test signals provided from the test head used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus; and test signals are provided from the interface apparatus to that test head in response to test signals which are provided from that load board to the interface apparatus in response to test signals provided from that unit of the electronic device to that load board. ### Claim 35 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein the probe is a substantially non-intrusive probe. ### Claim 36 (depends on 21) A test system as in claim 21 wherein the probe is an intrusive probe. ### Claim 37 A method of testing units of an electronic device with a test system comprising (a) at least one test head, (b) at least one load board for receiving a unit of the electronic device, each load board having a pattern of test-head signal transmission positions largely identical to the pattern of test-head signal transmission positions of each other, if any other, load board, (c) a probe system having a probe, and (d) an interface apparatus, the method comprising: performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in a direct configuration in which one such load board that receives a unit of the electronic device is directly attached to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions; and performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in an interface configuration in which one such load board that receives a unit of the electronic device is coupled through the interface apparatus to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions, in which the probe system contacts the interface apparatus or/and that load board, and in which the interface apparatus is configured to largely prevent vibrations in that test head from being transferred through the interface apparatus to the probe system. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A method as in claim 37 wherein: the interface apparatus comprises (a) a tester-side structure for attachment to the test head used in the interface configuration, (b) a device-side body for attachment to the load board used in the interface configuration, and (c) an isolation system for flexibly connecting the tester-side structure to the device-side body while largely preventing vibrations in the tester-side structure from being transmitted through the isolation system to the device-side body; and the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the interface configuration entails passing test signals through electrical cables of the isolation system. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) A method as in claim 37 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the direct configuration comprises: providing test signals from the test head used in the direct configuration to the load board used in the direct configuration for testing the unit under test; and providing test signals from that load board to that test head in response to test signals provided from that unit under test to that load board. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) A method as in claim 39 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the interface configuration comprises: providing test signals from the interface apparatus to the load board used in the interface configuration for testing the unit under test in response to test signals provided from the test head used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus; and providing test signals from the interface apparatus to that test head in response to test signals which are provided from that load board to the interface apparatus in response to test signals provided from that unit under test to that load board. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) A method as in claim 37 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the interface configuration includes attaching the load board used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus by a substantial vacuum. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) A method as in claim 41 wherein the act of performing test operations with the test system deployed in the interface configuration further includes attaching the test head used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus by a substantial vacuum. ### Claim 43 A method of testing units of an electronic device with a test system comprising (a) at least one test head, (b) at least one load board for receiving a unit of the electronic device, each load board having a pattern of test-head signal transmission positions largely identical to the pattern of test-head signal transmission positions of each other, if any other, load board, (c) a probe system having a probe, and (d) an interface apparatus, the method comprising: performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in a direct configuration in which one such load board that receives a unit of the electronic device is directly attached to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions; and performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in an interface configuration in which one such load board is attached by a substantial vacuum to the interface apparatus, in which that load board is coupled through the interface apparatus to one such test head for transmitting test signals through that load board's test-head signal transmission positions, and in which the probe system contacts the interface apparatus or/and that load board. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) A method as in claim 43 wherein the vacuum is provided through the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 45 (depends on 43) A method as in claim 43 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the interface configuration includes attaching the interface apparatus by a substantial vacuum to the test head used in the interface configuration. ### Claim 46 (depends on 43) A method as in claim 43 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the direct configuration includes attaching the load board used in the direct configuration by a substantial vacuum to the test head used in the direct configuration. ### Claim 47 (depends on 43) A method as in claim 43 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the direct configuration comprises: providing signals from the test head used in the direct configuration to the load board used in the direct configuration for testing the unit under test; and providing test signals from that load board to that test head in response to test signals provided from that unit under test to that load board. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) A method in claim 47 wherein the act of performing at least one test operation with the test system deployed in the interface configuration comprises: providing test signals from the interface apparatus to the load board used in the interface configuration for testing the unit under test in response to test signals provided from the test head used in the interface configuration to the interface apparatus; and providing test signals from the interface apparatus to that test head in response to test signals which are provided from that load board to the interface apparatus in response to test signals provided from that unit under test to that load board.