# US 8,788,898 B2 · Remote testing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,898 B2 - Document ID: US8788898B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/153,128 - Filed: 2011-06-03 - Published: 2011-12-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-03 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited - Applicants: Edward Kent - Inventors: Edward Kent - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788898B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/31721: {Power aspects, e.g. power supplies for test circuits, power saving during test (for scan test G01R31/318575)} - G01R 31/281: {Specific types of tests or tests for a specific type of fault, e.g. thermal mapping, shorts testing (G01R31/2818 takes precedence)} - G01R 31/31713: {Input or output interfaces for test, e.g. test pins, buffers (for scan test G01R31/318572)} - G01R 31/318533: {using scanning techniques, e.g. LSSD, Boundary Scan, JTAG} - G01R 31/318572: {Input/Output interfaces} - G01R 31/31907: {Modular tester, e.g. controlling and coordinating instruments in a bus based architecture} - G06F 21/81: by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations - G11C 5/14: Power supply arrangements {, e.g. power down, chip selection or deselection, layout of wirings or power grids, or multiple supply levels} - G11C 11/2297: {Power supply circuits} - G11C 13/0038: {Power supply circuits} - H04W 52/00: Power management {, e.g. Transmission Power Control [TPC] or power classes} - H04W 52/02: Power saving arrangements - H04W 52/30: using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power - H04W 52/383: {power control in peer-to-peer links} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract An apparatus is provided that comprises a test circuit; a first receiver unit arranged to receive test commands and to provide the test commands to the test circuit; a power supply unit arranged to supply power to the test circuit and to the first receiver unit; a second receiver unit arranged to receive power commands. The second receiver is arranged to control the operation of the power supply unit in response to the power commands received by the second receiver unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a test circuit within a test device; a first receiver unit configured to receive test commands from a network external to the test device and to provide the test commands to the test circuit; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the test circuit and to the first receiver unit; a second receiver unit configured to receive power commands from the network, and, responsive to the power commands, to control the operation of the power supply unit to selectively supply power to and remove power from the test circuit and the first receiver unit; and a reset circuit coupled between the second receiver unit and the power supply unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the test circuit includes a test interface configured to communicate between the test circuit and first receiver unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first receiver unit is configured to provide the test commands to the test circuit in compliance with the test interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second receiver is configured to provide the power commands to the reset circuit in compliance with the test interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first receiver unit is configured to provide test commands over a first communication interface, the first communication interface being compliant with the test interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second receiver unit is configured to provide power commands over a second communication interface, the second communication interface being compliant with the test interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the test interface is a JTAG compliant test interface and the first and second receiver units are configured to provide JTAG compliant test and power commands respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reset circuit comprises: a reset circuit interface configured to receive power commands from the second receiver unit; and a control circuit configured to control the operation of the power supply unit based on the power commands. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the reset circuit interface is compliant with the test interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reset circuit is configured to cause the power supply unit to reset the test circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reset circuit is configured to cause the power supply unit to reset the first receiver unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reset circuit is configured to cause the power supply unit to not supply power to the first receiver unit and the test circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a back-up power supply unit configured to provide power to the second receiver unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the test circuit is a JTAG compliant test circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first receiver unit and the second receiver unit are individually addressable over the network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first receiver unit and the second receiver unit respectively are configured to receive the test and power commands over a network. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: receiving test commands by a first receiver unit and providing the test commands to a test circuit; receiving power commands by a second receiver unit; controlling the operation of a power supply unit in response to the power commands. and providing a reset circuit coupled between the second receiver unit and the power supply unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising converting the test commands to be compliant with a test interface of the test circuit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising converting the power commands to be compliant with the test interface of the test circuit and providing the converted power commands to the rest circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the test interface is JTAG compliant and the test and power commands are converted to JTAG compliant commands. ### Claim 21 An apparatus, comprising: a test circuit; a first receiver unit configured to receive test commands compliant with the test circuit from a network external to the test device and to provide the compliant test commands to the test circuit; and a second receiver unit configured to receive additional commands compliant with the test circuit and, responsive to the compliant commands, to control the operation of a switch selectively coupling power to and decoupling power from the test circuit and the first receiver unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the test circuit includes a test interface configured to communicate between the test circuit and the first receiver unit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first receiver unit is configured to provide the test commands to the test circuit in compliance with the test interface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first receiver unit is configured to provide test commands over a first communication interface, the first communication interface being compliant with the test interface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second receiver unit is configured to provide the additional commands over a second communication interface, the second communication interface being compliant with the test interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second receiver unit is further configured to control the switch such that the switch pulls a mode pin high. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second receiver unit is further configured to control the switch such that the switch pulls a mode pin low. ### Claim 28 An apparatus, comprising: a test circuit; a first receiving element configured to receive test commands from a network external to the test device and to provide the test commands to the test circuit; a power supply configured to supply power to the test circuit and to the first receiving element; a second receiving element configured to receive power commands from the network and, responsive to the power commands, to control the operation of the power supply to selectively supply power to and remove power from the test circuit and the first receiver unit; and a reset circuit coupled between the second receiver unit and the power supply unit. ### Claim 29 An apparatus, comprising: a test circuit; first receiving element configured to receive test commands compliant with the test circuit from a network external to the test device and to provide the compliant test commands to the test circuit; and second receiving element configured to receive additional commands compliant with the test circuit and, responsive to the compliant commands, to control the operation of a switch selectively coupling power to and decoupling power from the test circuit and the first receiver element. ### Claim 30 An apparatus, comprising: a test circuit having a test interface configured to communicate between the test circuit and a first receiver unit, wherein the first receiver unit is configured to receive test commands and to provide the test commands to the test circuit; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the test circuit and to the first receiver unit; a second receiver unit configured to receive power commands and, responsive to the power commands, to control the operation of the power supply unit; and a reset circuit coupled between the second receiver unit and the power supply unit wherein the second receiver is configured to provide the power commands to the reset circuit in compliance with the test interface.