Method for performing an electrical testing of electronic devices

A method of testing electronic devices DUT, the method comprising:

• connecting, using a dedicated digital communication channel, at least one electronic device DUT to an automatic testing apparatus ATE configured to perform testing of at least one of digital circuits and memories, the at least one electronic device DUT including user mode circuitry and test mode circuitry;
• sending electrical testing command signals to the at least one electronic device DUT from the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel;
• loading the electrical testing command signals in a testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT;
• performing electrical testing of the at least one electronic device DUT under control of programmable circuitry of the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT and based on the loaded electrical testing command signals;
• configuring a first functional block of the user mode circuitry and a second functional block of the test mode circuitry to jointly perform a test mode function;
• an activation step of the first functional block in user mode;
• an activation step of the second functional block in test mode using at least one of a control digital line and a flip-flop;
• and
• sending reply messages from the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT to the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel.

A method of testing electronic devices DUT, the method comprising:

• connecting, using a dedicated digital communication channel, at least one electronic device DUT to an automatic testing apparatus ATE configured to perform testing of at least one of digital circuits and memories;
• sending electrical testing command signals to the at least one electronic device DUT from the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel;
• loading the electrical testing command signals in a testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT;
• performing electrical testing of the at least one electronic device DUT under control of programmable circuitry of the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT and based on the loaded electrical testing command signals;
• and
• sending reply messages from the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT to the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel, wherein the performing electrical testing comprises:
• performing at least one of a continuity test and a transmission-reception test to verify communication with the at least one electronic device DUT;
• performing parametric testing to measure at least one of a voltage and a current of the at least one electronic device DUT;
• performing testing of at least one of:
• a digital block;
• a memory block;
• an analog block;
• a mixed signal block;
• a radio frequency block;
• and
• a MEMS device;
• and
• performing testing steps related to a working of the at least one electronic device DUT.

A method of testing electronic devices DUT, the method comprising:

• connecting, using a dedicated digital communication channel, at least one electronic device DUT to an automatic testing apparatus ATE configured to perform testing of at least one of digital circuits and memories;
• sending electrical testing command signals to the at least one electronic device DUT from the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel;
• loading the electrical testing command signals in a testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT;
• performing electrical testing of the at least one electronic device DUT under control of programmable circuitry of the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT and based on the loaded electrical testing command signals;
• and
• sending reply messages from the testing module of the at least one electronic device DUT to the ATE through the dedicated digital communication channel, wherein the performing electrical testing comprises performing stress and temperature testing of a wafer level burn-in.

An electronic device, comprising:

• at least one functional module;
• a processor core;
• a digital signal interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to an automatic testing apparatus through a dedicated digital communication channel;
• and
• a testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal interface and including programmable circuitry configured to:
• load digital electrical testing command signals received from the automatic testing apparatus;
• control testing of the at least one functional module based on the loaded digital electrical testing command signals;
• and
• generate and send testing result digital signals to the digital signal interface for transmission to the automatic testing apparatus, wherein the processor core is configured to execute at least some of the loaded digital electrical testing command signals.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor core;
• at least one functional module;
• a digital signal interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to an automatic testing apparatus through a dedicated digital communication channel;
• and
• a testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal interface and configured to:
• load digital electrical testing command signals received from the automatic testing apparatus;
• control testing of the at least one functional module based on the loaded digital electrical testing command signals;
• and
• generate and send testing result digital signals to the digital signal interface for transmission to the automatic testing apparatus, wherein:
• the testing module comprises at least one built-in-self-test module;
• the memory is configured to store the digital electrical testing command signals;
• the processor core and the at least one built-in-self-test module are configured to execute the stored command signals;
• and
• the at least one built-in-self-test module is configured to generate the testing result digital signals.

A system comprising:

• an automatic testing apparatus configured to generate digital test command signals;
• and
• a plurality of electronic devices, each having:
• a processor core;
• one or more functional modules;
• a digital signal bus interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to the automatic testing apparatus;
• and
• a testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal bus interface, the processor core and at least one of the one or more functional modules of the electronic device and having programmable circuitry configured to set up and control a test mode of operation of the electronic device based on the digital test command signals, wherein the processor core is configured to execute at least some of the digital test command signals and the testing module is configured to execute at least some instructions based on the digital test command signals.

An electronic device, comprising:

• at least one functional module;
• a processor core;
• a digital signal bus interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to an automatic testing apparatus through a dedicated digital communication channel;
• and
• a testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal bus interface and having programmable circuitry configured to:
• set up a test mode of operation of the electronic device based on digital electrical testing command signals received from the automatic testing apparatus through the dedicated digital communication channel;
• control testing of the at least one functional module in the test mode of operation, wherein the testing includes causing the processor core to execute at least some instructions included in the digital electrical testing command signals;
• and
• control generation and sending of testing result signals to the digital signal bus interface.

A system comprising:

• an automatic testing apparatus configured to generate digital test command signals;
• and
• an electronic device, having:
• a first functional module;
• a second functional module;
• a digital signal bus interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to the automatic testing apparatus;
• a first programmable testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal bus interface and the first functional module and configured to set up and execute a test mode of operation of the electronic device based on the digital test command signals;
• a second testing module;
• and
• a digital signal communication channel configured to communicatively couple the first testing module to the second testing module, wherein the first testing module is configured as a master testing module, wherein the first functional module is a memory module and the second functional module is a radio-frequency module and the electronic device is configured to test the first and second functional modules in parallel.

An electronic device, comprising:

• at least one functional module;
• a digital signal interface configured to communicatively couple the electronic device to an automatic testing apparatus through a dedicated digital communication channel;
• and
• a testing module communicatively coupled to the digital signal interface and including programmable circuitry configured to:
• load digital electrical testing command signals received from the automatic testing apparatus;
• control testing of the at least one functional module based on the loaded digital electrical testing command signals;
• and
• generate and send testing result digital signals to the digital signal interface for transmission to the automatic testing apparatus, wherein the testing module comprises a plurality of built-in-self-test modules including a module configured to test a radio frequency functional block of the electronic device and a module configured to test a memory of the electronic device, and the testing module is configured to test the radio frequency functional block and the memory of the electronic device in parallel.