Back to results
US 7,403,030 B2Granted
Using parametric measurement units as a source of power for a device under test
AssigneeTeradyne, Inc.
InventorsErnest Walker, Ron Sartschev
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for providing current to a device under test includes a first parametric measurement unit configured to provide current to the device, and a second parametric measurement unit configured to provide current to the device. The current from the second parametric measurement unit augments the current from the first parametric measurement unit at the device.
Claims19
An apparatus for applying power to a device under test, comprising:
- plural parametric measurement units, the plural parametric measurement units comprising substantially same circuitry, each of the plural parametric measurement units being configurable to operate as a current source to power the device under test or as a sensing device, the plural parametric measurement units comprising:
- a first parametric measurement unit configured to sense a voltage at the device, the first parametric measurement unit comprising a sense path that taps a voltage at a power pin of the device under test;
- and
- at least two additional parametric measurement units configured to operate as a current source, the at least two additional parametric measurement units being operable in a first mode to provide regulated output current and in a second mode to provide regulated output voltage, the at least two additional parametric measurement units for receiving voltage via the first parametric measurement unit and for providing output current to the power pin of the device under test, the output current being provided based on the voltage received via the first parametric measurement unit.
1 more element
A method of providing current to a device under test, comprising:
- configuring a first parametric measurement unit to sense a first voltage at a power pin of the device under test through an output path of the first parametric measurement unit;
- sensing an output current provided to a device under test by a second parametric measurement unit, the second parametric measurement unit generating the output current based on the first voltage;
- providing a voltage that corresponds to the output current as input to plural parametric measurement units;
- outputting current from each of the plural parametric measurement units, current from each parametric measurement unit being based on the voltage;
- and
- combining currents from the plural parametric measurement units at the power pin of the device under test to thereby provide power to the device under test.
3 more elements
An apparatus that is configurable to operate as a current source to power a device under test, comprising:
- a first parametric measurement unit that is operable in a first mode to provide regulated output current and in a second mode to provide regulated output voltage, the first parametric measurement unit being configured to provide current to a power pin of the device in the first mode or the second mode;
- a second parametric measurement unit that is operable in the first mode to provide regulated output current and in the second mode to provide regulated output voltage, the second parametric measurement unit being configured to provide current to the power pin of the device in the first mode or the second mode so as to augment the current from the first parametric measurement unit at the power pin of the device with the current from the second parametric measurement unit;
- and
- a third parametric measurement unit configured to sense a voltage at the device, the voltage being input to the first parametric measurement unit.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.